Entertainment upstart

Chapter 759 I Don't Need to Break into Hollywood

"Really, then I want to hear it." Zhou Xia couldn't help being interested.

"It's very simple, if you give me the North American distribution rights of "New Detective", I can help you in other places, and we can win-win." Harvey said confidently.

"For example?" Zhou Xia looked at the other party with a smile. The other party wanted to cooperate through the exchange of benefits, but it was also possible. Only a win-win situation could lead to a longer-term business.

"For example, the movie "Carol" that your company is preparing, and the director and starring of Weinstein's "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon 2"..."

Harvey looked at Zhou Xia meaningfully and said.

"Carol"?This is pretty good. As for the director and lead actor of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon 2", hehe...

"I won't talk about "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon 2" for the time being, but I don't know if you have any good suggestions for "Carol"?" Zhou Xia asked him what he was interested in.

"Carol" is a film adaptation of the same-sex love novel "The Price of Salt" published anonymously by the famous American novelist Patricia Highsmith in 1955.

Because the subject matter is sensitive, it is destined to be difficult to make a difference at the box office. Although many Hollywood independent directors are optimistic about it, no producers have been willing to invest in filming.

The year before last, that is, in 2012, after Xiahua Film and Television expanded its North American branch, it purchased the film copyright of this novel from Harvey's Weinstein Films.

Now in the past two years, Xia Hua's funds have become stronger, but he is not well-known in North America, but he still cannot hire suitable directors and actresses.

So the project has been shelved.

Zhou Xia once thought it was impossible, so he adapted it into a domestic version, and he directed it himself.

But the original work is very famous, if the changes are too big, just make a domestic version, it may be self-defeating instead, so no action was taken.

Harvey was surprised to hear that Zhou Xia was not interested in "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon 2".

"Zhou, "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon 2" opened up a new trend in Chinese martial arts action movies in Hollywood. If we cooperate and continue to create this IP, there will definitely be great things to do."

Zhou Xia didn't directly refuse, and said tactfully: "If your company has prepared the script, how about we talk about it? Now, let's talk about "Carol" first, I am more interested."

"I heard that you wanted to cast Cate Brecht as Carol, but she never responded and didn't trust your company.

If the North American distribution rights of "New Detective" are given to me, I think I would like to mediate from it, and even participate in this film as a producer. What do you think of this proposal? "

"Hehe." Zhou Xia laughed, Harvey really had a good plan.

"Carol" tells a delicate and beautiful love story between two women. Because there are some large-scale shots in the script, it is normal for these Hollywood actresses to have concerns.

Otherwise, by sacrificing hue and devotion to art, the essence of the original work has not yet been photographed, and people feel that it is an obscene work. It is not only a waste of time and life, but also a self-willed depravity.

As for the North American branch of Xiahua Film and Television, it has made great progress in the past two years, but it is more invested in American dramas and small-budget films.

Now it's "Carol" again. A Hollywood superstar like Carter Brecht would certainly not agree to act. If Harvey comes forward, it will indeed make up for the shortcomings of Xiahua Film and Television North America.

"Zhou, I'm serious. Don't you want to break into Hollywood and show your talents? Hollywood is facing a global market. Every filmmaker in the world wants to come here and let the world know his name. You are now in Your country has reached its peak, why not come to Hollywood while you are young, and climb the peak of world film history?"

Seeing Zhou Xia smiling and saying nothing, Harvey also smiled slightly, trying his best to bewitch.

"Hehe, I never thought of going to Hollywood." Zhou Xia looked at Harvey and smiled flatly.

"Never thought about it? How is this possible!"

Harvey looked at Zhou Xia in astonishment, and then couldn't help laughing: "Haha, Zhou, you want to bargain, right? You participated in "The Expendables 2", "The Expendables 3", and "Pacific Rim". Go deeper.

From participating in acting and obtaining distribution rights at the beginning, to participating in acting, investing, and directing later, you are preparing for entering Hollywood, and these things cannot be hidden from me. "

"Yes, I admit these things, but it's not necessarily for the purpose of entering Hollywood. And I don't need to enter Hollywood to prove something or pursue something deliberately, such as global box office and Oscars.

I do all these purely because of the art of film, because there are so many excellent colleagues here, I can come to study and visit, but I don't need to come here. "

After Zhou Xia finished speaking, he shrugged, looked relaxed and sincerely looked at Harvey.

Seeing Zhou Xia's calm and sincere expression, Harvey almost believed it.

But he frowned slightly, but couldn't help laughing: "Haha, Zhou, you are the most, most hypocritical person I've ever met!"

Knowing that he was joking, Zhou Xia said helplessly: "Mr. Weinstein doesn't believe it, and I have no choice but if you insist on the North American distribution rights of "New Detective" as the prerequisite for cooperation, then I don't think we will be able to cooperate this time." .”

"Zhou, I just need distribution rights, you won't be so short-sighted." Harvey couldn't help feeling a little unhappy.

After all, "New Detective" is a foreign language film. Even if it has achieved a good box office around the world, it can't be guaranteed how it will fare in North America.

If they really want to catch up with "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" and earn more than 5000 million US dollars at the box office, they will also need to invest a very high publicity fee. In addition to the distribution of theaters, their net profit is only 6000 to [-] million US dollars. , even if the income from DVD and TV broadcast copyrights is added, the maximum can be up to [-] million US dollars.

And to get the distribution rights of "New Detective", they need to share 25% of Xia Hua Film and Television's box office, which is about 5000 million US dollars, so they have about 1000 million US dollars left...

Of course, this is the case where "New Detective" can be a big hit. If the box office is lower than this, then the profit will be even less.

"Mr. Harvey, I have a proposal, which may be more suitable for our cooperation." Seeing that Harvey was a little impatient, Zhou Xia suggested directly.

"Please tell me." Harvey frowned slightly and asked in a low mood.

"Then I will be frank and honest. We insist on publishing "Rookie Detective" ourselves in order to make our company famous in North America, and if you want distribution rights, I think more is to make money.

In this case, we can still cooperate with each other, and your company can do related publicity for the movie release for us. "

"It's just publicity. We're not interested in that little advertising fee." Harvey said in a genuinely short of money mood.

"It can't be just a little bit. Based on your estimate of [-] million U.S. dollars at the movie box office, it's probably..." After a simple calculation, Zhou Xia raised his right hand and raised his index finger in a 'one' gesture.

"1000 million US dollars? Just publicity?" Harvey asked in surprise, then this is too good a deal.

"Of course it's not just that!" Zhou Xia shook his head decisively.

(End of this chapter)