America: Starting with the acquisition of MGM...

Chapter 241, page 240. This time I couldn't resist.

Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Located on the edge of the Rocky Mountains, this area benefits from a high-altitude climate, resulting in warmer winter temperatures compared to typical inland cities.

However, the high mountains on the outskirts of the city are covered in snow all year round, making for a very beautiful landscape, which is why it is a filming location for many movies.

Even the name of Calgary has a charming connotation, meaning clear flowing water.

More than half a month has passed since the scenes in Paris were filmed. In between, the crew flew to London, England to film on location. The photos taken in total amounted to more than 10 terabytes, and these photos were all used as material for post-production special effects.

The crew then flew across the Atlantic to Canada and entered Alberta, where part of the snowy mountain battle in the third layer of the dream would be filmed.

The battle at the snow castle will then be filmed in Chile, South America, where the crew found a very old private castle in a small town near the Andes Mountains.

According to the owner, it has been passed down from the 16th century. When he heard that it was going to be used as a filming location, he happily agreed and symbolically accepted a $1 fee.

However, he made an additional condition: he hoped his daughter could appear in the movie, specifically in a close-up shot.

Eric flew over to inspect the site and immediately agreed. Building a castle like Nolan's would cost a lot of money, not to mention the dismantling after it was built.

With existing tourist attractions, a few minor modifications can save millions of dollars, so why not? Besides, the final result won't be any worse than the original.

As for her appearance on screen, it was simple. Eames happened to have a scene where he pretended to be a woman to seduce Fisher. The beautiful woman not only had close-ups, but also lines.

At worst, we can add a few more lines for her and extend her screen time by another ten seconds or so, which would at least provide some closure.

"OH!"

"OMG!"

"quick! quick! quick!"

Beneath the dense pine needles, two figures met in the heavy snow.

Snowflakes fell from the sky like goose feathers, pressing the pine trees lower and covering the lovers in white.

However, people in the heat of battle, with their blood rushing to their head, cannot feel the cold.

Moreover, although the mountains and forests are open and spacious, there is no shortage of the thrill of being discovered, which makes people extremely excited.

"Honey!"

Theron's legs were wrapped tightly around Eric's.

Snowflakes fell onto her thighs.

After a long while, the lingering fragrance faded, and a chill swept over them. Both of them exhaled white mist as they spoke.

Eric kissed Theron's nose and teased, "Baby, if you raise your voice any louder, we won't be able to get out. An avalanche will bury us here."

"When the rescue team finds us in a few days, we'll be the undisputed headlines internationally; even the president would have to make way!"

Theron stuck out her tongue and gave him a French kiss, her blushing face looking cute and alluring.

"That's not bad either. What's that saying? If you can't live together, you have to die together, right?"

"If we can't share a bed in life, will we at least share a grave in death?"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"It means that you can't sleep in the same bed while you're alive, but you have to be buried in the same grave when you die."

Theron nodded. "Yes, that's exactly what I mean. But I think if we really died like that, your parents and my mother would each take us home for burial."

"Then we'll become a global laughingstock and the subject of conversation."

"Hmm, I think that's more likely."

Hahahaha

"Honey, my legs are a little cold and numb, please let me down."

"Wait a moment."

"I'm sorry, baby."

Theron looked down and said, "It's okay, I'll take care of it when we get back to the hotel."

"Do you need to take medicine?"

"Of course not. Taking medicine can be harmful to your health. Like you said, this position shouldn't result in pregnancy."

"But I can accept it even if I get pregnant. I'm almost 30 years old and I've thought about having children. This age is just right."

"But you just won the Best Actress award. Shouldn't this be the golden period for your career development? Getting pregnant would delay you for at least a year."

Charlize Theron shook her head: "I wanted to win an Oscar, and now I have one, so I'm a little confused about my future."

"My mother told me that when you feel lost, you should slow down and think things through."

"So if I am indeed pregnant, it means God is letting me slow down, giving me ample time to rest and reflect. Why wouldn't I accept it?"

"Wait, why do you sound a bit reluctant, Eric? If we really had a child, what are you planning to do?"

Compared to Neeko's tendency to use a gentle, gradual approach, Theron has a more assertive personality; her questions are often direct and to the point, without any lighthearted banter.

This is also related to her family background. When she has made up her mind about something, it is unlikely that anyone can persuade her except her mother.

What could Eric say about this? He simply raised both hands and feet in agreement.

Seeing his attitude, Theron immediately smiled and thoughtfully took out tissues to wipe them clean.

Eric put his arm around her shoulder and walked down the mountain.

After dropping Theron back at his hotel, Eric went to a local Chinese-owned leisure club.

Their secret rendezvous naturally had to be kept secret from others, especially Nicole.

Just then, Bob Sawyer, the president of New Line Cinema, wanted to discuss a collaboration with Eric, so he flew to Canada.

It's snowing heavily again today, making filming inconvenient, so everyone should take a day off.

Eric used this as an excuse to go up the mountain with Theron to fire cannons.

At the club, Eric lay on a chair enjoying a massage from a masseuse. Lately, he had been constantly flying or traveling, and had to take time out to comfort two women, so he was indeed a bit tired.

Squeak!

After a few knocks, the door was pushed open, and the waiter led two men in. They were Bob Saya, president of New Line Cinema, and McLeanie, vice president.

Both men were somewhat overweight. Bob Saya still had a fuller head of hair, while McLeanie, being older, was already bald and half-gray.

Seeing them, Eric stood up and walked over.

After handing the coat and scarf to the waiter, Bob Shaye immediately opened his arms and hugged Eric.

His face was beaming with a warm smile, and anyone who didn't know better would think that Eric was a very good old friend of theirs. Little did they know that they only met at various parties and award ceremonies, where they would greet each other and chat for a few words, but they didn't have much contact in private.

"Eric, the youngest screenwriter in history, I've been looking forward to having a good chat with you for a long time."

McLeanie shook hands with Eric: "Mr. Cooper, your talent is amazing. You brought MGM back to its peak. I admire your abilities immensely."

Eric laughed heartily: "New Line Cinema's development is truly enviable. The Lord of the Rings trilogy is such a classic, sweeping 11 Oscars, unmatched by anyone."

"Bob, Michael, your vision is truly amazing. Harvey Weinstein considered The Lord of the Rings garbage, but you guys can find treasure in it."

The three exchanged a few pleasantries and then started complaining about Harvey Weinstein.

The rumors are getting stronger and stronger; it's said that Disney is really planning to kick the brothers out.

Everyone in Hollywood knows Harvey Weinstein's methods and style, but a few years ago Miramax was riding high, so no one dared to say anything even if they couldn't stand it.

But in the last two years, the situation has taken a sharp turn for the worse. When you're no longer successful, all your enemies naturally come out. I don't know how many people have complained about Weinstein to Eric.

They ordered two more masseuses, and the three of them chatted while enjoying massages.

"Eric, you probably know why we came here specifically for this purpose."

Eric closed his eyes to rest and slowly said, "The copyright of 'The Hobbit' is for this reason, isn't it?"

"Yes, when I invested in 'The Lord of the Rings,' I didn't expect it to do so well at the box office."

"Now that we've made a good start, let's continue making films. The story of The Hobbit is in line with The Lord of the Rings, and Bill Berkshire's adventures will surely be popular with audiences."

McLeanie chuckled and said, "Eric, why don't MGM sell the rights to New Line? We're willing to pay a high price."

Realizing he was being tested, Eric glanced at him and asked, "How tall can it be?"

"How about $1 million?"

"Heh... Michael, let me ask you a question too: Does MGM have the capability to independently produce 'The Hobbit'?"

"Of course, since you're here," McLean replied somewhat awkwardly.

"Then let me ask another question: How much revenue did the Lord of the Rings trilogy bring to New Line Cinema?"

"If you don't tell me, I'll guess. I expect it to reach $10 billion within two or three years. That's about right."

"So if The Hobbit's box office is the same as The Lord of the Rings, or even lower, MGM can still earn at least $8 million."

"You have two piles of Franklin in front of you. The one on the left is as high as a small mountain, while the one on the right is only the size of a dressing table. Please tell me which one to choose?"

Bob Mayer looked over: "But you still chose to meet with me, which means you want to talk, doesn't it, Eric?"

"Yes, I want to talk."

"Let's talk about the terms. What do you want? The new line definitely has what you need."

"Copyright and a statement at a crucial moment!" Eric said seriously.

"New Line can acquire the film rights to 'The Hobbit,' and you can still make three TV series, with MGM not interfering in any way."

"I want 10% of the box office revenue for the first film, 15% for the second, and 20% for the third."

This price was decided by Eric after careful consideration. If the standard were a profit of $10 billion, it certainly wouldn't be that high; at least the cost would be much higher than that of The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Based on the highest estimate, MGM would receive around $1.5 million, which is equivalent to spending $8.5 million to buy all the film rights to New Line Cinema.

Not only since the company's inception, but also all the films produced in the next ten years, the average annual revenue is less than one hundred million.

This includes the film rights to many valuable movies such as The Lord of the Rings, Final Destination, Friday the 13th, Rush Hour, Blade, The Shining, Austin Powers, and Freddy Krueger.

Even at current prices, this deal is still worthwhile. If we wait five or six years until copyright fees skyrocket, it will be a huge profit. It all depends on whether the two of them recognize its value.

Nearby, Bob Mayer and McLeanie exchanged a glance, sensing that the two things Eric wanted were unusual, especially the word "statement".

When something has nothing to do with money, it is definitely something more terrifying than money.

"Eric, you'd better explain in more detail."

"Copyright refers to the copyright of all of New Line's films. I want exclusive online streaming rights for a period of ten years."

Bob Mayer frowned; he had encountered all sorts of copyright-buying issues before.

For example, physical goods, luxury cruise ships, TV channels, computer games, etc., but this is the first time I've heard of exclusive online streaming rights.

It's not that there aren't videos streamed online these days; major TV stations occasionally do so on their official websites.

However, they all bought television broadcasting rights, and sometimes used them online, so no one bothered to distinguish between the two.

"Eric, I don't quite understand. I'm afraid you need to explain in more detail."

When Eric recounted the story about Lionheart, both of them were deeply shocked.

"So what do you mean by 'making a statement'?"

"Support me when the time comes, it's that simple."

Upon hearing this, Bob Mayer almost burst out cursing, "Your casual remark is so easy!"

However, if Newline really sides with MGM, it will inevitably face attacks from the other six major companies, and major TV stations will no longer broadcast GG to Newline, which will be very damaging.

Yes, the new line has indeed developed very well in recent years, but Bob Mayer admits he doesn't have the guts to go head-to-head with the six traditional powerhouses.

The global distribution aspect alone is far weaker. Even if you hand it over to someone else, the profits after deducting commissions might not be as much as if you did it yourself.

Bob Mayer also dreamed of becoming the eighth largest, but that dream has to be achieved step by step.

Having honed its skills with The Lord of the Rings trilogy, New Line Cinema's global distribution capabilities have been further enhanced.

Given a few more years, he is confident that he can make this area no weaker than the top seven, and then he will truly have the confidence to attack for the position of the eighth largest.

"Eric, the statement you're asking for carries too much weight; I'm afraid I can't bear it."

"You're already backing out before you've even started? Bob, where's the guts you had when you took on 'The Lord of the Rings'?"

Bob Mayer frowned: "Can these two things be compared? Even if The Lord of the Rings really fails, at worst New Line Cinema will lose a little over a hundred million, but it won't be crippling. But if you go against me, the consequences might not just be crippling, I'm afraid you'll be shattered to pieces."

"So you're saying you don't want the rights to 'The Hobbit' anymore?"

"I want to, I really want to, but one should always act within one's means."

Seeing that he was really backing down, Eric cursed him under his breath as a coward.

"Bob, I won't force you if you don't want to take the risk. I'll offer you a compromise: we'll swap copyrights, and we'll forget about the formalities. How about that?"

"Let me think about it. Could you tell me if you've found any other allies?"

"This is a serious issue, Bob. I hope you'll keep it confidential, even though the website won't be launching for long."

"Don't worry, I know the rules, but give me a week."

"Hmm, look how nervous you are. Relax and enjoy the massage."

Looking at this calm young man, Bob Mayer had mixed feelings.

He then lost interest in the massage and hurriedly took McLeanie on a plane back to the United States.

(End of this chapter)