America: Starting with the acquisition of MGM...

Chapter 125. The Teng Snake Shedding Its Skin, MGM's Future Plans

Beverly Hills, the Cooper family home.

Eric swallowed the health-preserving wine that Lao Han had given him in one gulp, followed by a glass of pale blue, cloudy liquid.

"vomit"

The two smells mixed together, almost making him vomit.

He forced himself to calm down, and after a few minutes he leaned against the cabinet to catch his breath.

"Shit! This tastes awful, it's like a pile of dog poop. Did some kind of chemical reaction happen? I guess I'll have to wait ten minutes between drinking it from now on."

Eric muttered to himself, then took a sip of water and rinsed his mouth.

The cloudy liquid was naturally a secret functional beverage developed by Sergeito's experts. Eric felt good after drinking a cup yesterday, so he asked for the recipe.

I was thinking of using it with Lao Han's wine to see how it would go.

However, seeing that the health wine was almost empty, he picked up his phone and made an international call, thinking that he should ask Lao Han for some more.

"Old Han, how have you been lately?"

"Great, great! Thanks to you, Oriental MGM is doing very well now, and the leaders are very satisfied." Han Sanping's cheerful voice came from the other end of the phone.

"If the boss is satisfied, does that mean you'll be promoted soon?"

"It won't be that fast. It depends on the opportunity. These things depend on the opportunity."

"It's all about opportunity and effort. Now that you've been given the opportunity, it's up to you to work hard."

Han Sanping across from him burst into laughter: "Eric, I've discovered that you're really not like an American. You seem to know a lot about interpersonal relationships and officialdom here in China."

"Because I love learning. I like learning foreign languages, and I taught myself Mandarin. I've been interested in Chinese culture since I was a child."

"Hehe. Get to the point. You can't just call me out of the blue. I have a meeting coming up soon. Don't bother with the Chinese formalities. I prefer the straightforward style of you Americans."

"Alright, I'll get straight to the point. Do you still have that kind of wine you gave me before I left last time?"

"You finished it so quickly? Didn't I tell you to only drink a small cup each time?" Han Sanping asked in surprise.

"It's not just me drinking it; my father uses it too, and it works well, so I'm asking you for some more."

"Hahaha. I knew this thing was perfect for the entertainment industry, especially for someone like you who's always busy. Don't worry, I have plenty of them. I'll send them to you."

"The back-and-forth mailing is too much trouble. Do you have the recipe? I'll just manufacture it in the US," Eric asked.

"I definitely have the recipe, but the brewing process requires wild ginseng from Changbai Mountain and cordyceps from Nagqu. You definitely can't get the authentic ones in the United States. If you buy fakes, not only will they not be effective, but they might even harm your health. It's better if I send them to you."

After hearing what Lao Han said, Eric thought about it and realized it made sense. There are plenty of cases where rich people buy counterfeit goods, let alone medicinal wine for internal use. He dared not do anything reckless.

"Then I'll do as you say, but please don't send them by the bottle, send more."

"Okay, just wait. I'll send you a few boxes. That should last you a year or two."

"Thanks then."

"Don't mention it. Come over after things have calmed down here in China. I'll arrange something new for you."

"A new project?"

"You'll definitely find it when you come."

"With you saying that, it seems I have no choice but to go."

"Then it's a deal."

Eric hung up the phone and walked out of his house.

In the living room, Joshua was on the phone, laughing as he spoke; he was clearly chatting with a woman.

I don't know how this guy suddenly started hooking up with girls after I've only been gone for two days.

"Joshua, who are you talking to?"

Joshua made a shushing gesture and waved for him to leave quickly.

He shook his head, went to the garage, and instead of driving the Lamborghini, he switched to an ordinary Chevrolet sedan.

Lamborghinis are just too eye-catching; even late at night, they still manage to attract attention.

The car drove all the way to Nicole's villa. It was already late at night. She hadn't been in the news lately, so the paparazzi would come and stake out during the day, but they would have left by now.

Work isn't like risking your life. You might spend ten days or half a month squatting down and not even get a single useful photo. What's the point?

A moment later, a beautiful figure appeared. She paused for a moment when she saw the Chevrolet. Eric rolled down the window, and Nicole got into the car with a smile.

"Hmm"

They met with a French kiss right away; men are strange creatures, you know.

I had just done it less than a day ago, and after it was over I entered a period of post-coital reflection, thinking that was fine.

As a result, a day later, when his energy had recovered somewhat, lust once again took hold of his mind, especially when he was facing different outstanding women.

"My little husband, you've become so smart, you even know how to change."

"Hehe. Spending all day with you, you'd better be smart even if you're not."

Nicole pecked Eric on the cheek again: "Didn't I absorb your essence?"

"Excellent people learn from each other; this is called mutual learning and growth."

"So, are you also absorbing knowledge from others? Is that why your IQ has increased so quickly?"

"No way, you're the only one in my heart. Don't listen to the gossip tabloids' rumors."

Not wanting to dwell on this topic, Eric floored the gas pedal and started the car, causing Nicole to cry out and fall backward due to inertia.

"You're going to die, why are you doing something so violent?"

"Haven't I always been this strong?"

"Haha, I can totally relate to that. My little husband, you always manage to leave me with no energy to get out of bed."

"After we finish watching the movie, I'll take you somewhere where you'll be so happy you won't even want to get out of bed, you'll just want to stay in bed."

"Where?"

"You'll see when we get there. Let's watch the movie first."

A dozen minutes later, the Chevrolet arrived at a movie theater; they were there to watch the midnight premiere of "The Purge."

As a low-budget film, "The Purge" continues AK Films' consistent style: low investment and no big stars.

For AK Films, apart from the company logo and director Anthony Ferrante's reputation gained from "Sharknado," all other elements are unfamiliar to the audience.

There was no large-scale publicity beforehand; the news was only announced on AK Films' official website.

There aren't many people who follow AK Films; they're mostly fans of bad movies. So, the premiere of "The Purge" was bound to be quiet and deserted. This time slot is perfect for big stars like Nicole who don't like to show their faces in public.

As you enter the cinema, you see different movie posters plastered in the corridor, the most eye-catching of which are "The Matrix Reloaded" and "Finding Nemo".

The second week of "The Matrix Reloaded" is about to end, and the peak box office period has passed.

Finding Nemo will not be released for another week and is currently in the pre-release promotion phase, which is why Eric decided on this release date.

AK Films has a week to build word-of-mouth. Once the word-of-mouth takes hold, they won't be intimidated even by films like "Finding Nemo".

One is restricted to R-rated content, while the other is G-rated for all ages. Their target audiences are completely different, so there is almost no conflict.

As for why they didn't avoid releasing the film "Finding Nemo" and instead postponed the release date...

Because there are a series of blockbusters coming up during the summer season, including Jim Carrey's "Bruce Almighty" and Disney's "Pirates of the Caribbean".

Not only are the audiences conflicting, but who can you beat?

Captain Jack Sparrow could kick you into the sea with one kick!

"Get Out" will be released at the end of the summer season, and "Don't Breathe" is also scheduled for release at the end of September.

MGM will release "Legally Blonde 2" in October, followed by the big-budget "Transformers" in November.

The Christmas season will continue with "Sharknado 2," and barring any unforeseen circumstances, "Sharknado" will be released every year during Christmas to cultivate audience habits and anticipation until the film's box office potential is fully realized.

Meanwhile, "Blue Is the Warmest Color" will be released in December, a timeframe chosen to compete for the Golden Globe Awards in January and the Oscars at the end of February.

Then, in January, Saw 2 will continue to be scheduled, and barring any unforeseen circumstances, it will likely be in the same timeframe in the future.

Therefore, scheduling the "Purge" on May 25th is the most appropriate time after considering all factors.

Looking back to last year, when the Coopers had just taken over MGM, Eric decisively cut the vast majority of projects.

As a result, MGM had no notable productions in the first half of this year. If it weren't for "Saw" barely keeping them afloat, they would have been laughed at long ago.

However, the Teng Snake has shed its old skin, and now that it has shed its old skin, it will naturally transform into a dragon as it leaps up, and the lion will roar once more on the grassland.

This is only the first year. Once more projects start next year, Eric will have a full year's schedule available.

They will also become increasingly insufficient, and situations of self-competition and self-crushing are common in large companies.

Eric left Nico to wait at a distance and went to the front desk alone.

They were both wearing masks and hats, and Nicole even did a simple costume change.

"Two tickets for the Purge."

The ticket seller looked at him strangely: "Brother, do you need to be wrapped up so tightly to see a movie?"

"The Purge, huh? I checked AK Films' official website, and this kind of costume makes it look more like the movie."

The ticket seller shook his head speechlessly and handed over two tickets.

"What a brain-dead freak. Only a piece of trash like this can attract such an idiot."

He was thinking to himself when he suddenly noticed that the woman dressed the same way had a really nice figure, and he felt a pang of jealousy.

"Why can this idiot find a girlfriend with a Victoria's Secret figure, while I have to stand here selling tickets in the middle of the night?"

"This is so unfair! If only there were a human purge program, I'd wipe out all those rich people. The first one I'd take down is that idiot boss Malfoy! He deducted an hour's pay just because I was a minute late."

"Hmm? This movie, 'The Purge,' might not be bad."

With just over ten minutes until the show starts, Eric and Nicole found a corner to sit down and wait.

Nicole picked up a piece of popcorn and fed it to Eric: "My little darling, what difference does it make whether you wear a mask or not? Not many people know you anyway."

"What if? And who knows, maybe someone will be after my handsome looks."

"narcissism!"

Eric chuckled incessantly, took off his mask, and ate popcorn.

"Eric!"

As soon as it was picked, someone nearby recognized it.

He quickly pulled his mask up, turned around and saw that it was Warren, and then he breathed a sigh of relief.

"It's okay, it's my friend," he said, patting Nico's hand reassuringly.

"Do you need me to leave?"

"Need not."

"Aren't you afraid people will tell your lover?"

"Don't worry, he wouldn't dare!"

"Hmph! So you really do have a lover, even though you said you only had eyes for me!"

"Well"

At that moment, another woman walked up to Warren, and it seemed the two were on a date.

Eric rubbed his eyes, and after carefully checking, looked at them with some surprise: "Bema, the two of you?"

The woman was none other than Bemahadi, the general manager of AK Films appointed by Eric.

At the last gathering, Warren said he had feelings for Bermahadi, but unexpectedly the two actually got together.

Hearing someone call her name, Bermahadi stared wide-eyed at her: "Boss!"

The two hurried over to Eric's side: "Boss, what are you doing here?"

"What an idiotic question. What can I do at a movie theater? Watch a movie, of course," Eric said, speechless.

Bermahadi thought to himself, "Of course I know you want to watch a movie. I just want to know what's going on with this woman next to me."

She looked closely and realized that even though Nicole was wearing a hat and a mask, her eyes were still visible, and with her hair, she was still very easy to recognize up close.

She pointed at Nico in surprise: "You're Nicole."

Warren quickly covered her mouth; there were dozens of people around, and if she shouted, it would be terrible.

Eric gestured for the two to sit down: "Nico, say hello. Now that you've been recognized, there's no need to hide anything."

The three shook hands, thus becoming acquainted.

Eric looked at Warren and Bemahadi: "So, you two now..."

Warren patted his chest and said, "I took the initiative, and we're serious."

Bemahadi was somewhat embarrassed, after all, this was an office romance, and the two of them were high-ranking executives at AK Films. It would be terrible if Eric misunderstood.

But she clearly underestimated Eric's magnanimity and his relationship with Warren.

Congratulations!

Eric offered his sincere blessings.

Bermahadi's face lit up with joy: "Thank you, boss!"

"You're welcome, but I need to do you a favor: keep a close eye on Warren and make him lose weight, at least 50 pounds!"

"Hehe. That's what I was thinking too."

Warren's small eyes darted back and forth between Eric and Nicole: "Are you two on a date?"

Nicole looked at Eric, who nodded: "That's right, I haven't even seen the finished movie of 'The Purge'."

"It's not our fault. We invited you several times, but you were always too busy."

Eric patted the two on the shoulder: "Because I believe in you, and more importantly, I believe in Béma's abilities."

Hahaha.

"Let's go, it's time to check tickets." Nico nudged him.

The two stood up, and Eric looked at Warren: "Aren't you coming along?"

"We've seen it too many times, let's watch something else."

(End of this chapter)