America: Starting with the acquisition of MGM...

Chapter 348, Section 346: Who can carry the banner of the DC Universe?

Hilton hotels are a hub for entertainment media from all over the United States.

Today, we will be holding a press conference here, which will be Eric's first press conference since he acquired Warner.

I talked to Paris Hilton about this when I had the last party.

But for some reason, this girl seemed full of resentment and made a strange request.

She could convince her family not to charge any fees, whether it was for the venue or the event planning.

The only condition is that Eric spends time with her once, not necessarily all night, just once.

But after thinking about it, Eric felt he was at a disadvantage, so he firmly refused her.

Do you think I'm short of money? Don't look down on me!

What's more, milk is so expensive. Ever since he became the world's richest man, the price of his milk on the black market has skyrocketed, and I heard it has already reached $10.

Don't complain about the price; it's in high demand but not readily available. Countless people want to reserve even a milliliter but can't get a chance.

He is more precious than any of the world's rarest animals.

Click!

Click!

The camera shutter clicked rapidly, and the flash went off incessantly.

Amidst the anticipation of the media reporters, Eric emerged from backstage with a group of people.

Judy, Avi Arad, Kevin Feige, the Russell brothers, Alvin Schumer, James Wan, Zack Snyder, and others followed him onto the stage.

After everyone was seated, the host glanced at Eric, nodded after receiving permission, and began to speak.

"Dear media friends, welcome to this joint press conference."

"The theme of today's press conference is to explain Warner's future development strategy and the plans of Marvel and DC."

"First, please welcome Mr. Eric Cooper, Chairman of MGM Studios, Warner Bros. Pictures, and Marvel Studios, to speak."

The cameras below immediately focused on Eric's face, and the photographers adjusted the focus to ensure they could capture a clear close-up.

Even though this has been done many times, everyone still feels: He's so handsome!

Eric took the microphone: "Today marks my 18th day as Chairman of the Board of Warner Bros., so this press conference seems a bit late."

"Because I've been making adjustments to various aspects of the company recently, it takes time."

The reporters nodded to each other, because in recent times, many former Warner executives, including Bob Mayer, had been ousted.

Eric Cooper launched a major purge of the top leadership after taking office, which is indeed very much in line with his personality.

Meanwhile, some films have announced that they have stopped filming or abandoned the project, and even projects that have already started have been halted midway, such as big-budget productions like "Poseidon".

The estimated cost is $1.6 million, and tens of millions have already been invested. They're just going to give up like that?

The actors, director, and producer want an explanation?

My orders are to explain. If you dare to complain, I'll shut you down. Even if the union comes, it won't work. Besides, I've already paid you.

Anyway, everything is just like when he took over MGM.

"Now, I would like to introduce to you Warner Bros.' new CEO, Ms. Judy Casroll Infitwer Newhouse!"

*Clap clap clap*

Amid applause, Judy nodded to the camera.

"Irwin Hume, former head of DC Films, still oversees the overall business of DC Films."

"James Wong, you are very familiar with him. He is good at planning and guidance and is an outstanding talent. He will be in charge of the DC Comics film and television adaptations in the future."

"Zach Snyder, a very imaginative and creative director, will serve as the creative director for DC's film and television adaptations, assisting James."

"Everyone knows the person to my right. Avi Arad will continue to be in charge of the overall business of Marvel Studios."

"Then there's Kevin Feige, the producer of Iron Man and Captain America, who will be in charge of Marvel's cinematic landscape in the future."

"And the Russo brothers, equally innovative young directors, will serve as Marvel's creative directors, assisting Kevin in his work."

"Felicetimar."

"Queen Lorraine."

Every time Eric called out a name, someone on the stage would stand up and gesture to the camera.

Insiders already knew this information, but the reporters were very surprised.

Because Judy, James Wan, the Russo brothers, and most of the executives look very young; they are almost all around 30 years old.

Even some people know Judy Newhouse, Eric's college classmate, who is about the same age as Eric.

At 25, it seems far too young for the CEO of a large corporation.

Moreover, both Avi Arad and Erwin Hume, although Eric said they were put in charge of the overall business of Marvel and DC.

However, they give the impression of being more like two mascots.

Real power was controlled by Kevin Feige, the Russell brothers, James Wan, and Zack Snyder.

It's somewhat reminiscent of the father-son duo of Charlie Cooper and Eric Cooper.

Can such a group of young people really make a difference?

Eric had naturally considered the issues the reporters were looking at long ago.

In particular, the person in charge of DC took the longest and most time to consider it.

More than two weeks ago, I threw a party and specifically invited Nolan, one of the purposes of which was to hope that he would take on this position.

Nolan refused without even thinking about it, saying he just wanted to focus on creating and making movies.

Once you get involved in management, there are too many trivial matters, and you can no longer concentrate.

What I fear most is that the film and management will both fall apart; in that case, it won't be as simple as just getting a few scoldings.

Although he declined the offer to take on the role, he said he would seriously consider Heath Ledger, who was recommended by Eric.

If the other person is truly amazing, I will choose him first.

Having run into a wall with Nolan, Eric turned his attention to his second target, James Wan.

Xiao Wen is known for his exceptional abilities. Not only are he highly capable, but he is also extremely responsible. He is the type of person who will do his best to complete any task he takes on.

They are also particularly resilient under pressure, adept at handling adversity, never reckless when ahead, and possess a certain level of strategic planning skills.

Just look at the major things he did in his original timeline and you'll understand.

His established horror film universe, including titles like "The Conjuring," "Annabelle," "Insidious," and "The Witch," has already proven his ability to create compelling narratives.

During the filming of "Fast & Furious," the sudden death of lead actor Paul Walker occurred.

The production team urgently devised a plan, made major revisions to the script, brought in Paul Walker's brother, and added special effects to complete the film. The final breakup scene became a classic.

It's important to understand that Hollywood is not like Hong Kong; a movie takes a considerable amount of time to make, and major script revisions are extremely grueling.

This situation would have been a disaster for most directors, but James Wan managed to pull it off and the film became a box office hit.

If "Furious 7" proved his ability to withstand pressure, then "Aquaman 2" completely showcased his style of playing against the odds.

The first film was very successful, and the filming of the sequel went very smoothly.

Even during the mask crisis, the film's progress was not slow, and the main structure was basically completed in 2021.

But then an unexpected event occurred, and the epic battle between Depp and Amber Heard began.

Teacup dogs, pooping, severed fingers, hilarious court hearings...

Amber Heard's image has been completely shattered, and she has faced a petition signed by millions demanding that she be removed from the show.

But Amber Heard was the female lead, and James Wan ultimately used a series of post-production editing techniques.

By compressing Amber Heard's scenes and filling them in with other discarded shots, the story was somehow made coherent.

But then an even bigger problem arose than Amber's: Warner Bros. executives had gathered their strength and were ready to take on the director.

They were not satisfied with the finished film and wanted to incorporate more connections with other movies, such as The Flash, so the film underwent its first reshoot.

However, after James Wan completed the remake, Warner Bros. merged with Discovery Channel, and there were changes in the senior management.

After the new higher-ups saw the finished product, they thought, "What the hell is this?!" and ordered a reshoot.

James Wan had no choice but to revise the script according to the feedback and begin a second round of reshoots.

After James Wan finished filming, Warner Bros. underwent another change in its management, with James Gunn taking over.

He was very dissatisfied with the layout of dceu and wanted to create his own universe, so he gave his opinion and asked Aquaman 2 to be reshot a third time.

James Wan had to revise the script again and again, and then reassemble the cast.

But actors can't just come whenever you want; they all have their own things to do, and the whole process was a complete mess.

James Wan was hospitalized during this period, reportedly because he was furious.

But how did Xiao Wen respond in the interview?

The person smiled and said, "It's okay, I understand. My job is to serve the client."

He never said a bad word about Warner Music from beginning to end, and he was never overly critical. His patience and resilience were off the charts, making him a true gentleman.

However, when asked by a reporter from Entertainment Weekly at the end, "Do you still want to make Aquaman 3?"

He finally said tactfully, "I just want to take a long vacation and find a place without seawater."

This is a film that has gone through many hardships, had a tumultuous fate, and was plagued by negative news.

All the institutions predicted that it would definitely flop, but unexpectedly, the score exceeded 6 points and it sold more than $4 million worldwide.

Not only did it receive positive reviews, but Warner Bros. actually didn't lose money; in fact, they even made a small profit.

Furthermore, those who experienced the initial internal screening of the film stated that James Wan's original version was much better than the one broadcast on television.

Now that you know all this, I'll ask you again: Is James Wan a god?

As for Zack Snyder, his style is very good, and Eric appreciates it.

However, the drawbacks are also obvious: the integration of commercial elements is not good enough, often resulting in good word-of-mouth but poor box office performance.

Therefore, it is absolutely not feasible for him to control the overall situation alone; he can only play a supporting role, not a main role.

However, with James Wan and Zack Snyder collaborating, and Eric ultimately making the final decision, the results should be quite good.

As for the existence of Avi Arad and Erwin Hume, it is indeed as the media has speculated.

If the young people can't manage the situation in the early stages, they will need to step in and coordinate.

After a year or two, once they have proven themselves, they can be asked to step down.

"Next, please let Ms. Judy Newhouse introduce Warner's future development model."

As the host spoke, Judy's sharp eyes swept across the entire audience. In America, hiding one's abilities is not fashionable; it's better to be assertive.

"I know some of you don't know me, so let me formally introduce myself now."

"I previously worked at MGM Studios, where I was primarily responsible for marketing and production."

"I discovered and participated in the production of films such as 'Blue Is the Warmest Color,' 'Million Dollar Baby,' 'Mean Girls,' 'The Passion of the Christ,' and 'The Storm.'"

These words immediately drew gasps of surprise from the audience.

They were all hugely popular movies, and not one of them lost money.

It was only then that some people realized that MGM wasn't just Eric Cooper; it was just that his personal brilliance was so dazzling that everyone else was overlooked.

"In addition, I was also in charge of leading the acquisition of Lucasfilm."

The gasps were even louder than before. A $30 billion deal—most people couldn't do that. This young woman is no ordinary person.

Satisfied with the results, Judy's voice grew louder: "Regarding this new job, although it's more challenging, I believe I'm fully capable of handling it."

"I will apply my experience to make the company run more smoothly and powerfully, and produce more high-quality films and TV series to give back to our fans."

"Harry Potter will remain a key project for the company, and The Matrix series will also be further developed."

"At the same time, we will further cooperate with New Line Cinema to jointly develop the Lord of the Rings film series."

"Working with Lucasfilm to produce spin-off series for Indiana Jones and Star Wars."

"We also have classic IPs like 'Tom and Jerry,' and we will continue to explore original films."

"Then there's the DC Extended Universe, which will be a key area for the next decade. Can James talk about that?"

James Wan then picked up the conversation: "I am deeply honored to have received this position."

"We've discussed the layout of the DC Extended Universe many times; even Kevin Feige, the Russo brothers, and I have studied it."

"In terms of model, it will be similar to Marvel, starting with individual hero movies and connecting other heroes in the plot."

"When the time is right, it may lead to a major event."

"However, there's no need to worry about similarities, because DC and Marvel have different styles and will definitely give viewers a different viewing experience."

"The solo films that have already been confirmed are Superman and Batman, which is directed by Nolan, as everyone knows."

"Then came Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Aquaman, The Flash, and Constantine."

"This will be a great story, and Zack and I will do our best to make it a success. Within three years, people will be able to see many superheroes on the big screen."

After James Wan finished speaking, he looked at Zack Snyder and gestured for him to say a few words.

But before Zack Snyder could even speak, many reporters had already raised their hands.

One person simply asked, "James, why isn't there a Martian Manhunter or Cyborg?"

"Why is one member missing from the Justice League?"

"You've been researching for so long, have you chosen the actors yet?"

Who is Superman? Who is Wonder Woman?

(End of this chapter)