America: Starting with the acquisition of MGM...

Chapter 248, Section 247: Never Retreat

"Boss, Disney, Universal, Sony, Paramount, Fox, and Warner Bros. have all sent us a request to boycott Mel Gibson!"

As soon as Carroll finished speaking, Eric's face darkened instantly. "Damn these bastards."

"When did this happen?"

"Last night, it is said that the people from the six companies had a long meeting and negotiated. They had all gone home, but then the official letter was delivered to us at 11 p.m.

"Considering you might already be resting, I didn't call, I just sent a text message."

"Okay, I understand. Thank you for your hard work."

"Boss, what should we do? They're really pushing us hard this time. Six major studios have joined forces to blacklist one person. This kind of thing rarely happens in Hollywood history."

After a moment's thought, Eric said directly, "It's okay, ignore them. Just stall for time and say I'm filming abroad. This is no small matter. Mel Gibson isn't just Mel Gibson; he owns a company too. Anyway, we'll talk about it when I get back to the country."

Understanding that Eric was using delaying tactics to find excuses, Carroll became even more certain that Eric's departure abroad on the day of the film's release must have been premeditated.

Since the boss isn't in a hurry, the secretary doesn't need to be either; just follow instructions.

After hanging up the phone, Eric shook his head to clear his mind. He hadn't paid attention to the text messages during the continuous battle last night.

I washed my face, walked to the window and looked into the distance. It seemed that the visitors this time were up to no good.

However, a large proportion of the top executives at Disney, Universal, and Warner are Jewish, so it's understandable that they want to ban Mel Gibson.

Fox also had its reasons, after all, American Idol was about to compete with The Voice, and they couldn't be happier if MGM had trouble.

Moreover, the competition between Facebook and MySpace has reached a fever pitch, and Murdoch will definitely support his son. Hitting MGM is equivalent to hitting Facebook.

Needless to say, Sony is also in a difficult position. Because of the Mike case, MGM had long been mortal enemies with them, and the Japanese had been looking for an opportunity to retaliate.

The only one without a clear reason is Paramount. MGM had no conflict with the other party, so it was probably just caught up in the situation.

As Eric walked out of his room toward the restaurant, he considered his options.

Upon closer reflection, I realized that I had indeed had some friction with Paramount.

They wanted to make Transformers back then, but they snatched the copyright from them.

If the movie fails, Paramount will just laugh it off, glad that MGM paved the way for them and tested the market reaction.

But if the movie is a box office hit, the other party will definitely have resentment and complaints.

"Honey, what's wrong?"

In the corridor, Theron's voice suddenly rang out behind her. Despite the constant nourishment, her complexion was getting better and better, with a rosy glow.

"You seem a bit distracted. What are you thinking about?" Theron asked curiously.

Eric didn't hide anything from her and told her everything.

After listening, Theron sneered: "I think these guys are just jealous. They're jealous that MGM is getting better and better, and they're worried that one day MGM will regain its status as the Hollywood hegemon, just like it did in the last century."

"Honey, think about it. Since you took the helm, MGM's movies have never lost money. Movies are a high-risk, high-investment industry, and MGM's performance is truly astonishing."

"Well, actually, some people do lose money."

"What?"

"The female monster hasn't even broken even yet."

"Ugh!" Theron punched Eric in the chest.

"In less than two years, they have paid off more than $20 billion in debt and led MGM to relist. Their market value has risen to third place among the top seven companies. If it weren't for the recent drop in stock price, they would have surpassed Warner to become second."

"They control a large number of popular IPs that are cash cows, and also hold a large number of shares in DoubleStar Entertainment and Marvel. They have also created two very promising emerging websites, Facebook and YouTube."

"My bosses are scared. Anyone would be scared! Especially Disney, they're definitely the most scared. Mickey Mouse might have been the one who started this."

Eric nodded. What Theron said made some sense. You know, in the early 20th century, Hollywood didn't have the so-called Big Seven.

At that time, there were only five major film studios: Paramount, Warner Bros., MGM, Fox, and RKO.

The five companies have a complete vertically integrated structure, including film studios, chain cinemas, and an international distribution network.

Just imagine how terrifying it is that even the cinema chains are controlled by film companies.

Back then, film and television companies were the absolute dominant force, and neither stars nor audiences had any choice.

I tell you what to film, and you have to film it. I want the audience to see what I want them to see, and they have to see it. These are my terms and conditions, and there's no room for negotiation.

Besides the Big Five, there are also Universal, Columbia, and United Beauty, but these three are very small, at most equivalent to the current DIMM.

Of the five major companies, Paramount was the oldest. MGM was founded in 1924, 12 years later than Paramount, but it quickly surpassed Paramount.

How strong was MGM back then?

It is hailed as the greatest miracle in the history of world cinema, boasting more stars than there are stars in the sky.

The average budget for each film reached $500,000, which was $500,000 in the 1930s and 40s, far exceeding the costs of other companies.

MGM has created countless classic screen images, and it was even the founder of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

That's right, MGM was the first to initiate the Oscars.

Due to the immense influence of the films, MGM's lion logo once became a symbol of the United States.

This Lion King was undoubtedly the biggest, most influential, and most profitable super movie tycoon of that era, integrating production, distribution, and exhibition.

To draw an analogy, it's like the United States today, which is dominated by a single superpower. Back then, Hollywood was a one-superpower-and-many-strong-power structure.

Does Eric want MGM to regain its former glory?

Of course he wants to, he dreams about it, and he's doing it right now.

Once I've built up my empire to its full potential, my first target will be Warner Bros., because you've got my family's assets and you also own DC Comics.

You've already found a way to die!

Eric is not Jewish, and the publication of "The Passion of the Christ" might indicate anti-Semitic tendencies. It's not surprising that the other party is genuinely afraid of him and has come to target him.

"Theron, do you have any suggestions for the current situation?"

Theron frowned: "Honey, I don't know your trump card, but if it were me, I might give in when faced with pressure from the combined forces of the six major powers."

"Make concessions? Are you sure the other party won't take advantage of that?"

"That depends on their true intentions. You must already have a decision in mind, right?"

Eric snorted; retreating was definitely not an option.

First, it will affect one's prestige.

It will also damage MGM's credibility. If they betray their teammates when under pressure, people will definitely be hesitant to do business with them in the future.

In addition, smaller second- and third-tier companies such as DreamWorks, Lionsgate, and New Line Cinema are all watching closely, wanting to see if MGM can withstand the pressure.

If you can't hold on, these guys who could be potential allies today could become potential enemies tomorrow.

Most importantly, Lionheart's website is about to launch anyway.

This is a life-or-death struggle. It will continue until one side falls and admits defeat. There's no point in backing down. Just fight!

Having made up his mind, Eric took out his phone and called Robert Millen.

"Robert, how's the preparation going?"

Robert Mirren was visibly excited when he received the call.

"Boss, it's been finished for a long time, we're just waiting for your order. Seeing how well Facebook and YouTube are doing, everyone's been itching to get started."

"Great, let's set the time for next Saturday. I'll give you a few days to prepare. You'll be online at 9 a.m. sharp."

"In the next few days, you need to contact all the major websites immediately, as well as shopping malls, big screens, subways, public restrooms—basically, use everything except TV stations. Smash GG as hard as you can."

"We need to bombard them relentlessly, to the point that everyone in the entire United States knows about them."

"In addition, we will work with Facebook and YouTube to help with promotion. I want to launch an information bombardment both online and offline. As long as you are a person who is in contact with society, whether you do it willingly or unwillingly, you must know the name of Lionheart.com."

"Don't worry, boss, we guarantee we'll complete the task. What will be our first release?"

"House of Cards, Supernatural, The Voice, and then Peppa Pig."

In the following days, the controversy surrounding "The Passion of the Christ" continued to escalate, and a death further pushed the film into the spotlight.

A radio station in Kansas offered its employees a free movie screening. When the film showed the brutal scene of Jesus being crucified, 56-year-old radio marketing manager Ms. Scarlett suffered a heart attack. Although the theater immediately stopped the screening and rushed her to the hospital, she ultimately died.

News reports attributed Ms. Scarlett's death to the film, arguing that the scenes were too gruesome and caused strong discomfort among viewers.

Judaism and some social organizations have become even more aggressive, demanding that Mel Gibson be held accountable.

Under immense public pressure, this veteran of the entertainment industry finally gave in and agreed to an interview with NBC.

He repeatedly emphasized that he had no anti-Semitic tendencies and simply wanted to make a movie.

"I didn't expect things to escalate to this point. This was not my intention. I am not against Jews or Judaism. In fact, I have many Jewish friends."

"Really, I just wanted to make a profound film, which is what every director strives for."

"If the plot of the movie has offended anyone, I am willing to apologize to you."

"I hope everyone can view 'The Passion of the Christ' with a normal mindset. Neither I nor the film have any satirical stance. I apologize again to those who were hurt."

Mel Gibson's public apology finally appeased some people, and the opposition weakened somewhat.

But the Jews were very powerful, and the influence of Catholicism, Protestantism and other denominations was not weak either. They openly supported the film, and the two sides tore each other apart and started a war of words.

Finally, the topic led to the ultimate question: who should be held responsible for Jesus' death?

Everyone understands that this is not something that Mel Gibson can do with an apology; it's a battle between two camps.

During these days, Eric received a phone call from Carole every day.

The six major companies knew he was playing a delaying tactic, trying to drag things out until the battle between the two camps was over, so they urged him even more urgently.

The first day's intention was to get him back to China as soon as possible to discuss the ban, but Eric replied that he couldn't leave because he was filming a crucial part.

The next day, the six leaders hoped he would return to the country immediately, as this matter needed to be resolved quickly to appease public anger. Eric's reply was that he was considering it and would give an answer soon.

On the third day, the six leaders demanded that he ban Mel Gibson and also stop drawing "The Passion of the Christ" ahead of schedule, no longer bothering to pretend.

Eric's response was: If you're not going to pretend anymore, then I'm not going to pretend either. Your demands are just two words—no way!

On the fourth day, Liu Da hoped he would reconsider, and seemed to have softened his stance.

Eric thought the other party was just a paper tiger, merely bluffing.

Unexpectedly, on the fifth day, the six parties suddenly issued a joint statement.

"Given the enormous controversy surrounding The Passion of the Christ and the extremely negative social impact it has caused, Mel Gibson himself has demonstrated strong racist and anti-Semitic tendencies."

"Therefore, after discussion, we have decided that we will no longer establish or maintain any working relationship with Mel Gibson. This is a formal statement!"

The document was signed by the presidents of six companies: Disney, Warner Bros., Fox, Paramount, Sony, and Universal.

The release of this statement immediately caused a stir in the industry and sparked widespread discussion.

The so-called blockade is achievable in China, a country with a photoelectric bureau and administrative management.

However, there is no real ban in the United States. Many celebrities suddenly disappear from the big screen, some because of their own actions.

For example, Ingrid Bergman in the last century. Hollywood was very conservative at that time, and she was boycotted by the whole nation for having an affair. She was essentially blacklisted by the audience, but a few years later, when the storm had passed, she was still acting.

There's also Megan Fox, whom everyone is familiar with. She angered Michael Bay and Steven Spielberg, but she just didn't get to film any big productions. She still managed to get roles in low-budget movies.

In Hollywood, a society where money reigns supreme, as long as a star is valuable enough to poach, it doesn't really matter if you offend a few big shots; they won't actually make you lose your job.

But this time it's clearly different. Six major companies have joined forces to blacklist one person. Such a scale is unprecedented.

Faced with such an exaggerated force, Mel Gibson's company would definitely be finished, and other independent small companies would no longer dare to cooperate with him.

These small companies have a fatal weakness: distribution capabilities, which can only be provided by large companies.

But at the same time, many people noticed that something was wrong; one of the major Hollywood studios was missing: MGM.

Just as everyone was wondering what had happened, MGM released a statement.

"Mel Gibson is an excellent director, and The Passion of the Christ is an excellent film. We are very certain that he is an upright person and that the film is free from any personal bias."

"MGM is willing to continue and work with director Gibson for a long time to bring more excellent works to everyone."

Signed: Eric Cooper!

(End of this chapter)