America achieves both fame and fortune

Chapter 650 Top-Tier Project Worth Over 200 Million

In this business world, as long as you're willing to spend money, things will naturally be easier to get done.

Within a single day, two small teams, led by Dreit and Wilson, compiled the verified information and sent it to Megan Ellison.

Wilson contacted Jerry Bruckheimer directly and reported: "The news is true. In early December last year, Jerry submitted a proposal to Disney Studios on behalf of Bruckheimer Pictures, wanting to adapt 'The Lone Ranger' into a movie. The information we have is actually compiled by Jerry."

Megan Ellison laughed: "So Martin Davis was stealing someone else's project."

Wilson added, "That's true. Jerry had a conflict with Disney over revenue sharing from the Pirates of the Caribbean series. The new president of Disney, Alan Horn, had a lot of opinions about Jerry and directly suppressed the project. Jerry felt that the other party wanted to make him back down."

He added, "I also learned from Jerry that it wasn't in the information. His original plan was to bring the original Pirates of the Caribbean production team, such as Gore Verbinski continuing as director and Johnny Depp playing the lead role, to create another Pirates series."

Megan said, "A top-notch producer with a top-notch production team, that's great!"

Based on his years of experience, Wilson advised, "President, we should secure this project as soon as possible!"

Dreit interjected, "Davies Studios offered an outrageous salary to snatch Depp away and even covered the full amount of the breach of contract penalty. Martin Davis is clearly retaliating against us! In addition, I bribed someone at Disney Studios and got reliable information that Martin Davis personally negotiated the 'Lone Ranger' project with Alan Horn."

These factors were enough to convince Megan, the proud, strong, and decisive CEO, to make a decision: "Immediately assemble the company's most capable personnel into a negotiation team. Today, we will formally request the adaptation rights to 'The Lone Ranger' from Disney Studios. Money is not an issue!"

She thought for a moment, then said, "Wilson, you've officially contacted Jerry Bruckheimer's team. I want to bring the Caribbean's top-notch production team into this project!"

Wilson said, "Martin Davis's personal relationship with Alan Horn will be the biggest obstacle."

"An open offer is necessary. Alan Horn is just the president of Disney Studios, not the controlling shareholder." Megan's strategy was simple: let strength speak for itself and use financial leverage. "Let all of Disney's management know our offer. This will make it a more purely commercial transaction. Even if Martin Davis and Alan Horn have a good personal relationship, they'll have to give way when it comes to the group's profits!"

Annapurna Films is a relatively new company with zero copyrighted films and a very limited number of film projects invested in. It is a new company among new companies, but it has plenty of funds!

That afternoon, explosive news swept through Hollywood: Annapurna Pictures had offered Disney Studios a whopping $3000 million for the film adaptation rights to the classic TV series "The Lone Ranger"!

Disney Studios immediately convened a management meeting and subsequently responded by making initial contact with Annapurna Pictures, stating that the film adaptation rights to "The Lone Ranger" were not for sale by Disney.

This is a very clear signal of a price increase.

Annapurna Pictures then raised its offer, and a tug-of-war ensued between the two sides.

…………

In Davis Studio, in Martin's office.

Leonardo opened the glass case, took out Lily's latest work, and said while admiring it, "The fish has taken the bait."

Nicholson looked at Martin: "You have to respond. You can't back down now."

"I understand." Martin picked up the phone and called Jessica: "We've also made an offer: $5000 million!"

Nicholson's eyebrow twitched. "Are you crazy? What if you scare them away?"

Martin said, "No, Jerry Bruckheimer's original plan was to make it into another blockbuster film series like Pirates of the Caribbean. For the rights to a film series, $5000 million is nothing."

In his memory, the film and television rights to the Fifty Shades of Grey series sold for over $1 million.

Leonardo replied, "We're not really buying, so what's there to be afraid of?"

Nicholson's phone rang. He answered it and, after hanging up, said, "Breaking news: Annapurna Pictures has contacted Jerry Bruckheimer. It's estimated that Megan Ellison wants to invite Bruckheimer's team to produce the film."

"We offered Depp as an option in advance, and she also contacted Jerry Bruckheimer. If all goes well, she will invite Depp to play the male lead." This is the key point. Martin secretly calculated from the investor's perspective: "Bruckheimer's earliest plan was to co-produce with Disney, with a production budget of no less than $1.5 million. If you include the copyright fees, she will invest at least $2 million in production alone."

Leonardo DiCaprio, who owns a film company, said, "There will only be more, not less."

Nicholson laughed heartily, particularly pleased: "This is huge! If, as you say, all three of these massively invested projects fail, Annapurna Films will surely go bankrupt. Even if Larry Ellison has nearly $30 billion in assets, he can't let his daughter be so generous in giving money to Hollywood."

Martin warned, "You two be careful, don't get shot eight times in the back and commit suicide!"

Nicholson said, "Come on, I'm afraid no one's going to bother me!"

The three then left Burbank together and went to Hollywood to attend the Screen Actors Guild Awards Luncheon.

As expected, Leonardo DiCaprio and Natalie Portman won the Screen Actors Guild Awards for Best Actor and Best Actress, respectively.

It's no exaggeration to say that the two have a 99% chance of winning the Oscar for Best Actor and Best Actress.

In the battle for "The Lone Ranger," Martin no longer needed to worry, as Nicholson acted as the commander, controlling the entire digging plan.

As the saying goes, if you're going to do something, do it properly. Davis Studios not only raised its offer but also intensified its efforts to poach Depp, and also contacted Jerry Bruckheimer's production team, putting on a competitive show.

With the two companies vying for the project, it was impossible to keep it a secret. The project that Martin and Jerry Bruckheimer favored quickly attracted even more competitors.

Relativity Media, established with funding from Summit Entertainment and Wall Street capital, jumped into the competition.

Lionsgate and Paramount Pictures also inquired about the possibility of co-producing with Disney.

Sony Pictures even offered $6000 million to acquire it.

The higher the offer, the less enthusiastic Alan Horn became about having Disney adapt the film. The project, which cost over $2 million to produce, might not ultimately be as profitable as licensing the rights, and there were also risks involved.

Before the Oscars ceremony began, the entire Hollywood was captivated by this commercial bidding, and "The Lone Ranger" seemed to have become a super hot project.

A week before the Oscars, Annapurna Pictures, with its strong cash flow, acquired the film adaptation rights to "The Lone Ranger" for $8000 million plus an undisclosed percentage of post-production revenue.

Hollywood is in shock!

Megan Ellison's assertiveness is even more striking than when her brother David Ellison entered Hollywood.

While signing a licensing agreement with Disney, Annapurna Pictures secured the original Pirates of the Caribbean production team, led by Jerry Bruckheimer and Gore Verbinski, and announced that it would use this top-notch team to produce The Lone Ranger.

But with Johnny Depp, he encountered some trouble.

"$3000 million? And I get to star in their new film?"

Depp was unusually clear-headed today. Upon hearing Annapurna Pictures' offer, he immediately rejected it, telling his agent, "I don't feel any sincerity."

"That's their base offer," Whigham said. "We can continue negotiating."

Depp stated directly, "I remember Davis Studios offered me a base salary of $35 million for this role, plus up to 10% of the North American box office revenue. Annapurna can't offer less than that, can he?"

Martin's offer raised Depp's expectations.

Wrigham said, "I will be negotiating with Annapurna Pictures again this afternoon, and 35+10 is the base."

Martin Scorsese wanted to poach Johnny Depp, but Jerry Bruckheimer insisted on using Depp. Annapurna Pictures eventually signed a $3500 million deal with Johnny Depp's team, plus up to 15 percent of the North American box office revenue.

Johnny Depp is notoriously difficult to work with. Besides these issues, the production company also had to provide high salaries for Depp's five assistants, three nannies, and two dogs.

As for other supplementary agreements regarding food, clothing, housing, and transportation, there are hundreds of them in total.

But Depp now has the capital to do so.

After the actors' agreement was signed, Annapurna Pictures held a grand press conference, which also served as the film's project launch, ahead of the Oscars.

The project has a production budget of $2.2 million, and Jerry Bruckheimer's team will begin preparations immediately. After Depp finishes filming "Transcendence," they will move on to filming "The Lone Ranger."

In addition, Annapurna Pictures is also simultaneously working on two film projects: Seventh Son and Zion Williamson.

Hollywood's established studios clearly saw that after Relativity Media, another wolf had entered Hollywood.

Whether wolves eat meat or leave behind a body full of fat remains to be determined.

Operating four projects simultaneously, and having never produced films before, Annapurna Films faced significant cash flow problems, making it difficult to attract external investment.

Megan Ellison couldn't ask her father for help with everything, so she simply applied for a bank loan.

However, Annapurna Films had no film library or fixed assets to pledge, and the banks rejected their application to use the future revenue of the films as collateral. Megan Ellison simply used the trust fund that Larry Ellison had set up for her as collateral.

She was an outsider in Hollywood and scoffed at the old Hollywood unspoken rules, such as not using her own money to make movies.

(End of this chapter)