America: Starting with the acquisition of MGM...

Chapter 33, Section 35: Set Visit and Release Plans

The contract for "Saw" was signed very quickly. It was drafted on the first day, reviewed by Leigh Whannell, and signed on the second day.

MGM will buy out the rights to "Saw" and its subsequent or derivative rights, and the two have also stated that they do not want a share of the box office revenue.

However, in order to better cooperate in the future, Eric still added a profit-sharing clause to the contract, although the amount was not high. When the box office exceeded $5000 million, each person would receive 1% of the net profit.

Unlike gross profit, net profit is a concept with a lot of room for manipulation. All costs related to the film must be deducted before the final figure can be obtained. Simply put, it's about bookkeeping.

This can even include travel expenses, accommodation fees, and gift fees for directors, producers, and actors, and even the cost of something as small as an ice cream can be included.

They ate ice cream from a roadside stall, but the bill said it was ice cream from a Michelin three-star restaurant, a price difference of dozens of times. And that famous $6000 straw hat is just ridiculous.

There are thousands or even tens of thousands of similar accounts, with a wide variety of types, making it impossible to verify or audit them.

With the help of professional accountants, a blockbuster movie can be made into a huge loss, thus avoiding the need to share profits with the actors and director.

For example, "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" had a production cost of $1.5 million and grossed $9.3 million worldwide. Even a fool could tell it was a huge hit.

However, in order not to share profits with the actors, Warner Bros. hired accountants at high salaries to do the bookkeeping. As a result, not only did they not make money, but they also lost $1.67 million, almost to the point that the actors had to pay them out of their own pockets.

Therefore, big-name directors and actors generally do not sign pure profit-sharing agreements, but rather gross profit-sharing agreements. The percentage will definitely be much lower, but it is actually more secure.

However, Eric knew in his heart that he had already struck gold the moment he signed the contract, so he wouldn't be stingy. He valued these two people more than some money.

Moreover, "Saw" has great box office potential; the original $1 million budget did not reach its limit.

Because Lionsgate's initial investment was only $120 million, it was essentially playing the lottery, and they didn't put much effort into promotion.

With a current investment of $500 million, if "Saw" can secure good publicity, its box office will definitely reach new heights.

James Wan and Leigh Whannell are already grateful and have assembled the crew, mainly the actors. MGM will bring in a master composer for the score, and all other staff members are also capable of working within MGM.

That's what makes big companies so great; they may not be able to produce a whole bunch of Oscar-caliber talents, but at least they excel in every aspect.

After the conversation the day before yesterday, Leigh Whannell is now somewhat conflicted about whether to play the male lead. He honestly admits that he would rather be a screenwriter, director, or producer.

The reasons I chose to play the male lead in "Saw" were twofold: first, I felt that no one could portray that state better than me; second, I didn't have any money or manpower at the time, so I could only film a short movie myself.

But now that we have $500 million, it wouldn't be a bad idea to replace the actor with a more professional one.

After sharing his thoughts with Eric, Eric recommended two candidates to him.

One is Ryan Reynolds, who promised Deadpool a role.

In the original timeline, he had starred in horror thrillers such as "The Amityville Horror" and "Buried," which received positive reviews. With proper training, it wouldn't be difficult for him to get into character a few years in advance, and handling "Saw" shouldn't be a problem.

The second is Patrick Wilson. Many people may not know his name, but he also has a nickname—James Wan's go-to actor. Does that ring a bell?

Patrick Wilson is a stage actor who has appeared in shows like "Insidious" and "The Conjuring" in the original timeline. At present, his acting skills are stronger than Ryan Reynolds', and Eric plans to have him meet James Wan ahead of schedule.

After arranging this matter, Eric went to the set of "Sharknado". Filming had been going on for half a month, and he had never been to the set once.

It's not that I don't care, but there's really nothing to care about. The budget is less than $200 million, and they're just aiming to make a terrible film. They could put a few idiots on set and they'd still be able to make it work.

The filming location in Colorado—I don't know who came up with the name.

As he stepped into the studio, he heard a young man shouting loudly.

"Ryan, this shark prop isn't cheap; it's filled with blood. We're on a tight budget, so you'd better make sure you cut it accurately!"

Then came Ryan Reynolds' voice: "Don't worry, I've practiced countless times in private. I'm ready. Let's shoot."

Then came the sound of hurried footsteps, followed by the young man's shout: "Action!"

Then came the sound of a chainsaw starting up and Ryan Reynolds's furious roar: "Come on, you bitch!"

A moment later, the young man shouted a sound effect card, and applause rang out from the crowd.

Eric joined in the applause, walking out from around the corner as he clapped: "Well done, Ryan. I can tell just from your voice that your performance was perfect."

At this moment, Ryan Reynolds was covered in blood and holding a chainsaw. If he were to wear a leather mask, he would be shot dead by the police as soon as he stepped out of the studio.

Upon seeing the boss suddenly appear, a smile appeared on his face. He wanted to step forward but hesitated because of the blood on his body.

"I'm sorry, Eric, I'm afraid I can't hug you."

"Haha. Whatever, I don't like men's hugs anyway."

From the corner, Warren walked over: "Eric, you didn't even tell me you were coming."

"I was also wondering if being a producer is an easy job?"

Warren pointed to his stomach: "Look here, it will give you the answer."

At this moment, the director and several other main actors also came over. They didn't recognize Eric, and only after asking around did they realize that he was the real boss.

As for Warren Harrison and Bemahadi, who arranged jobs for them, they were just employees under MGM. Otherwise, why would AK Films enjoy MGM's resources?

Eric shook hands with each of them, offering words of praise. However, when he shook hands with several actresses, they were all gently tickling his palms, and he knew exactly what that meant.

Eric could simply beckon, and these women would be willing to serve him during his lunch break, without even waiting until evening.

Not to mention just one, there's no problem having all of these actresses, especially the smaller ones, working together.

You asked if I would feel ashamed?

They have no shame, so how can they be ashamed?

Unfortunately, Eric looked down on them. Their bodies had been violated by countless men, making them even worse than his secretary Lisa and the flight attendants.

After spending more than half an hour on set, the director and Warren promised that the film would be completed within half a month without exceeding the budget. They also instructed the special effects department to speed up the work and strive to complete the post-production within a month.

Eric's goal was clear: to release "Sharknado" during the Christmas season, where there would be a large audience, and people would bring their own friends to watch the awful movie together, thus guaranteeing box office success.

Today is the most important day. Tuesday's data will determine whether there will be any recommendations next week. Please, everyone, don't leave books unused.

Furthermore, I'm shamelessly asking for tips and monthly tickets. I'm begging for your support, brothers. This is a matter of life and death for me. Thank you so much!

(End of this chapter)