America: Starting with the acquisition of MGM...

Chapter 28, Section 30: Hannibal's Plan

Moviegoers may not know Eric's identity, but the actors know it all too well. The young man in front of them represents MGM, or to put it more bluntly, capital!

So no matter if you are a movie star or a movie queen, no matter how many billions you have made at the box office, unless you become the top in this industry, you still have to bow down to capital.

Of course, Eric wouldn't be presumptuous. He greeted them all warmly. As a seasoned veteran who had been in the industry for over a decade before his transmigration, he was extremely familiar with these people.

First, there's director Brett Ratner. You can hardly imagine that this guy is only 33 years old this year, yet he's already able to direct a blockbuster like "Red Dragon," commanding a group of award-winning actors and actresses. Eric, on the other hand, hadn't even touched a director's microphone when he was 33.

His breakthrough film was "Rush Hour," the one starring Jackie Chan, which grossed $2.5 million at the box office in 1998. It was a phenomenal start, and it was because of this that he got the directorial rights for "Red Dragon."

He also has several works that are well-known to Chinese movie fans, namely "Prison Break Season 1", "X-Men: The Last Stand" and "Skyline".

However, perhaps due to a gradual drying up of inspiration, Brett Ratner's work has been on a downward trend and has never really improved.

Then there's veteran actor Anthony Hopkins. Eric can only admire this legend. He won the Oscar for Best Actor with just 24 minutes and 52 seconds of screen time. Every facial muscle in his face can act.

As an aside, the actor with the shortest screen time at the Oscars is David Niven, from the 1958 film "The Couple," a legend from the black-and-white film era. His screen time was 23 minutes and 39 seconds.

Ralph Fiennes, another Oscar winner, may not know what he looks like, but you've definitely heard of or seen his works, including "Prime Suspect," "Schindler's List," and "The English Patient." Younger movie fans are probably most familiar with Voldemort from the "Harry Potter" series.

Philip Hoffman, who starred in The Talented Mr. Ripley and The Hunger Games, won the Academy Award for Best Actor in 2005 for his role in Capote.

Emily Watson, a leading figure in theater, entered the industry in 1994 and has since received two Academy Award nominations for Best Actress. There's no need to elaborate further.

Edward Norton, an actor familiar to Chinese movie fans, is a typical rich second-generation with a stubborn personality. Perhaps because he is not short of money, he is fond of art films and has always been averse to commercial films.

Norton is a great actor, as evidenced by films such as "Primal Fear," "American History X," "Fight Club," and "Birdman," but he is also known for his stubborn personality.

For example, when filming "American History X", he was dissatisfied with the director and actually edited a 40-minute version himself, almost getting into a fight with the director.

The most well-known example is when Norton was filming "The Incredible Hulk," he revised the script on set, making changes as filming progressed, wanting to make a popcorn movie more human.

This caused the filming process to be interrupted repeatedly, and the director and screenwriter were on the verge of a breakdown. Later, he even refused to participate in promotions due to conflicts with the crew, making him a really difficult person to deal with.

Looking at this group of big names in front of him, if this were in China, Eric would really like to sign them all to his company. Unfortunately, this is in the United States, where there are unions to regulate things.

After frolicking on the red carpet for a while, and with everyone present, Eric suggested, "It's about time to go in. Let's take a group photo first."

His suggestion was naturally accepted by everyone, and Eric naturally took the center position. Apart from some fans who were unaware of the situation, no one had any objections.

Upon entering the cinema, the host took the stage to warm up the audience, telling witty jokes that made the audience laugh heartily.

For this premiere, Dad specially invited Jon Stewart to host it. Stewart is currently in the rising phase of his career and is very popular among young people.

Afterwards, the actors and main cast members took the stage, and fans and media began to ask questions. All of these questions had been given prior notice, and there were no instances of reporters being unreasonable.

Finally, surprise guests appeared, and to boost the event's prestige, MGM invited many celebrities to attend.

Keanu Reeves, Nicole Kidman, Johnny Depp, John Cusack, and even Sylvester Stallone made a grand finale appearance.

Today's premiere will definitely make tomorrow's headlines.

Moreover, the quality of "Red Dragon" is not bad; it is a work above the passing grade. Giving it a score of 75 is not unreasonable, and film critics will be lenient.

Eric looked to the side and said, "Dad, I didn't know you had such a wide network of connections!"

Harry Cooper smiled slightly, but before he could speak, Charlemagne, the general manager of Universal, said first: "Young man, your father has been in this industry for 30 years, so don't underestimate him."

As the clock struck midnight, the theater lights went out, the curtain rose, and everyone's eyes fell on the big screen.

Early in the film, Hannibal's identity is exposed, and he is subsequently sentenced to prison.

However, an even more terrifying killer, the Tooth Fairy, then appears. While Hannibal usually kills one person at a time, the Tooth Fairy kills an entire family at once, increasing his efficiency several times over.

Then comes a scene similar to "The Silence of the Lambs": the FBI can't handle the Tooth Fairy, so they have to ask Mads Mikkelsen for help, and a battle of wits ensues.

Eric attended an internal screening of "Red Dragon" and didn't quite agree with the director's adaptations of the original work, which he felt led to some logical inconsistencies. However, the die was cast, and that was the only option.

With several gunshots, Tooth Fairy fell to the ground dead, while the protagonist barely survived, and Mads Mikkelsen's plot failed.

But it doesn't matter, because at the end of the movie he met the girl he was destined for, Clarice.

Splash...

After the film ended, the audience stood up and applauded, giving a round of applause to the actors and creators. Even some film critics who were frowning joined in the applause.

The obscure metaphors and allusions in the movie can't be understood in a short time, and similarly, some logical flaws can't be figured out in one go. If you can't understand them, just applaud along!

The premiere ended at 2 a.m., but the lights of Los Angeles were still on full display as people gradually left.

Eric called out to someone, "Mr. Harris, could I have a few minutes of your time?"

Thomas Harris, screenwriter of Red Dragon and author of Hannibal Lecter.

In 1992, The Silence of the Lambs was adapted into a film, which grossed $1900 million on a $2.7 million budget and became a global hit.

It went on to win five Academy Awards at the 64th Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Adapted Screenplay, becoming the third film in Oscar history to win four major awards.

The honor bestowed upon Thomas Harris made him an instant god. Faced with such a gold mine of a great writer, how could Eric let him go? If he didn't take advantage of him, would he even be human?

"Mr. Harris, although it's late, would it be alright to trouble you for a moment?"

Besides being a writer, Thomas Harris is also a screenwriter, so he naturally couldn't refuse MGM's new captain.

"Of course, in fact I'm a night owl, and many of my novels are written in the middle of the night."

"Really? Aren't you scared writing those cannibalistic scenes late at night?"

"Of course not, because I enjoy foie gras and red wine when I write, and silence and darkness actually inspire me."

The two laughed heartily. There were too many people around before, so they didn't have time to talk. Now they could have a proper chat.

"Mr. Harris, congratulations! Red Dragon is sure to be a bestseller. You are an excellent writer and screenwriter."

Thomas's chubby face jiggled. "We have MGM to thank for their massive publicity campaign. To be honest, I never expected you guys to do so much for 'Red Dragon'!"

Eric beckoned towards a spot not far away, and Chen Xing quickly brought over two glasses of champagne.

"It's not that we have to do so much, but that it's good enough."

"Ha ha ha ha……"

Everyone loves to hear nice words, and Thomas Harris suddenly found the young man in front of him particularly approachable. The two clinked glasses lightly.

After exchanging pleasantries and sharing a drink, the two quickly became acquainted.

"Thomas, have you ever thought about continuing to develop the Hannibal gold mine?"

The other person nodded: "Of course, no writer doesn't want their work to be more widely known, but the trilogy has already been filmed, and my novel is finished. Isn't it a bit premature to remake it now?"

Eric was speechless. "Dude, are you kidding me? A 92 movie remake? Besides, who would dare to challenge Anthony Hopkins and bring the old man back to play Hannibal again? That wouldn't be appropriate, no matter how much money you offer, they wouldn't agree."

"Thomas, I'm not talking about the big screen. This series is no longer suitable for the big screen until you release your new Hannibal movie, at least not for the next 20 years."

"What I mean is small screen. Movies are too short to fully showcase Hannibal's story, so why not make it into a TV series?"

"We'll have plenty of time to fully reveal Hannibal's inner world to the audience, which is quite interesting, isn't it?"

Thomas Harris paused for a moment: "As for a TV series, I haven't considered it yet. Is that feasible?"

"Of course it's feasible, and MGM is the most suitable filmmaker. You should have already seen our sincerity."

"And it's not just the TV series; MGM also wants the rights to your subsequent Hannibal series novels."

The true intentions were revealed: Thomas Harris understood Eric's purpose – to buy him out.

"Eric, your idea is very interesting. I'm willing to consider it. After all, it doesn't matter who we film it for. We've collaborated so many times, and I trust MGM."

Eric smiled and said, "Thank you. We can discuss the specifics. I look forward to your future works."

"Then you'll probably have to wait a long time. I'm a slow-paced person."

"Ha ha ha ha……"

In the original timeline, due to MGM's own internal chaos and other factors, MGM did participate in "Hannibal Rising," but its share was very small. Furthermore, MGM didn't participate in the production of the "Hannibal" television series at all.

Although neither of these shows was a success, MGM actually benefited from the misfortune. However, in Eric's view, who has a future-oriented perspective, as long as he keeps the reins in his own hands, it's impossible to extract stone from a gold mine.

Selling a psychological thriller like "Hannibal" to NBC only shows that the producers are completely out of their minds.

What's NBC's style? They target older, conservative viewers, with their main audience being housewives around forty years old. Would they watch "Hannibal"?

If it had aired on AMC or HBO, Hannibal's ratings would have been much higher, given its consistently high ratings and critical acclaim. However, its flawed market positioning led to its disastrous ratings.

"Thomas, Mr. Cooper, what are you talking about?"

Not far away, a figure approached with elegant steps; it was Anthony Hopkins, who seemed to be preparing to leave.

The old man is 65 years old this year. He can't compare to young people in their 30s. His physical strength is indeed not up to par, so he doesn't plan to attend the banquet party later.

Eric reached out and pulled him back: "I'm talking to Thomas about the development of a sequel to Hannibal's film and television series."

Hopkins looked at his old friend: "Thomas, are you planning to release a new book? I haven't heard a word about it. You should tell me; you know how much I love your books."

Thomas pointed at Eric: "It wasn't me, it was him who wanted to develop a Hannibal TV series."

"Yes, Anthony, if a new Hannibal series is released, I hope to invite you to continue playing the role, after all, you are the audience's top choice."

Upon hearing this, Hopkins smiled and declined: "Mr. Cooper, I said when I took on the role in 'Red Dragon' that this would be my last time playing Hannibal. Let others have a chance, and let me rest too."

Eric had anticipated Hopkins's attitude and took the opportunity to make another reasonable request: "How about a cameo role? It certainly won't take up too much time."

Faced with this polite and approachable young man, Hopkins, having already refused once, felt embarrassed to refuse a second time and could only nod reluctantly: "Alright then."

................................................

As the new day began, Eric ate ​​the breakfast his mother had prepared while flipping through various newspapers.

Last night, the premiere ended at around 2 a.m., and then I attended a party. My young body couldn't take it anymore, and I didn't wake up until after 10 a.m.

As for Dad, he seems to have even more energy than Eric and has already gone to the company.

As expected, the premiere of "Hannibal" made headlines in major newspapers, with the front page featuring the group photo from the red carpet.

The father should have been in the center position, but the opportunity to steal the spotlight was naturally given to the son, because Eric's exposure was not high enough.

Even though he holds the position of vice president at MGM, if he were to venture into the world of fame and fortune, many people would still likely only see him as a rich second-generation heir in name only.

After breakfast, I called Gal Gadot. I've been so busy lately that I haven't had time for this girl. I should go see her.

It's awful. Why are so many people sick? I have a headache.

We're going to test the waters tomorrow, and I hope you guys will support us. Thanks everyone.

(End of this chapter)