Chapter 1035 Sky-High Price
There is something wrong with this question.
Matt Gilson became embarrassed when he heard Eric's rhetorical question.
Everything was still pending, and Eric didn't want to talk too much with the three of them. He simply offered his own conditions and sent them away.
Looking at the figures of the three leaving, Bruckheimer said: "Eric, many people here have seen you have seen the three of them, and it may be more lively in the future, you are sure that they are willing to sell the script for $1 million. , Warner has already offered $3 million.”
"If you were an actor who just debuted with no fame, would you accept $1 million for my movie, or $3 million for a movie directed by some unknown guy?"
Bruckheimer laughed: "Of course it's yours, but there are still some differences between writers and actors."
"The truth is the same," Eric took a cup of coffee from Fernanda Tavares who came back, and continued: "I give them more opportunities, not money, to become a gold medal. Opportunities for screenwriters. Everyone knows that in Hollywood, opportunity is what counts.”
...
On the other side, leaving the street blocked by the "Enemy of the People" crew, the three got into a car in silence, and fastened their seat belts on the co-pilot, Terry Lucio finally said: "$1 million, a bit low. Yes."
Ted Elliott started the car and said, "If Eric Williams really wants to make this script into a blockbuster series, $1 million is still very good. After all, a week ago, we even I never thought I could sell this script."
Matt Gilson, who was sitting in the back seat, was thinking about how to spread the news that the three met Eric Williams as soon as possible. At this time, he also said: "Eric Williams just said that , and if we put up an auction for this script, Firefly would also bid."
Ted Elliott said: "But if so, we can't participate in the subsequent development of this project."
Terry Lucio strove the seat belt fastened in front of him and said while thinking: "I think, according to Eric Williams, Firefly should be determined to win this script. As long as this project is successful, we will Still going to be the most famous screenwriter in Hollywood, isn't it? Warner's bid has reached $3 million now, and if it goes to auction, maybe we can get $5 million. Even if Firefly makes Pirates of the Caribbean into a trilogy, we will be able to It should not be much higher than this figure. Anyway, with the reputation, we cannot participate in the subsequent project development, and we can just focus on writing other scripts. "
When Ted Elliott and Matt Gilson heard the words, they both fell silent, and after a while, Matt Gilson spoke again: "Well, I'll spread the news first and see how many others. Let's talk about the reaction of the big studios."
...
The news that Eric and the three screenwriters of "Pirates of the Caribbean" met quickly spread in Hollywood. Of course, about Eric's detailed plan for this project and will significantly revise the script, the three of them agreed chose to hide.
However, just because Eric himself said that "Pirates of the Caribbean" will be made into a series, the response to this news is much larger than expected.
All of Hollywood, except Firefly, other major studios, including MGM and Fox, are hoping to develop more big-budget franchises.
After all, once a big franchise is successful, it's basically enough for a major studio to maintain high profit levels for several years. Of course, Hollywood is not short of big-budget movie scripts. What it lacks is a keen eye to identify these projects. Because of the extreme uncertainty in the film industry, even big-name directors and producers dare not guarantee a certain project. , Eric Williams clearly broke this rule.
As a result, almost immediately, the major film companies that received the news contacted Ted Elliott and the three of them to increase their offers.
...
After the failure of "Godzilla" last year, Sony's situation this year is more and more difficult.
The "Patriot" released by Sony Pictures this summer has barely exceeded 100 million at the North American box office. Because it is a relatively niche theme of the American Independent War, the film's overseas box office is not even as good as that in North America. In the end, the world can recover 200 million US dollars even if It's not bad, but the production cost of this film has already reached 110 million US dollars. Although Sony has controlled the announcement cost to 40 million US dollars, but the global 200 million, Sony Pictures will still bear a loss of about 60 million US dollars at the box office. , can only expect subsequent videotape and TV rights revenue to make up for the loss.
With the lessons of Peter Cooper and Jon Peters, the control of Sony Pictures at Sony headquarters over the past few years has been almost overkill.
The slightly more expensive film projects launched by Sony Pictures almost all require strict scrutiny from Sony headquarters before they can be approved, which inevitably creates a situation where the layman is commanding the expert. Therefore, besides "Patriot", the box office prospects of several other major productions that Sony is developing are very uncertain.
When Sony bought Columbia Pictures, the idea was to promote its own VCRs. With the rapid popularization of DVDs, the previous plan was naturally impossible to mention, and some of Sony's directors have even given birth to the plan to abandon the film business.
Sony Pictures headquarters in Culver City on Sunday morning.
Howard Stringer flipped through the script of "Pirates of the Caribbean" in his hand, and Bill Michalnick opposite him was introducing the current situation: "Yesterday Williams personally contacted the screenwriter of the script and confirmed that he I really value the news of this script. In the afternoon, it is said that Warner Bros. raised the quotation for this script to 4 million US dollars, and several other companies have also increased their overweights, and now there is a clear trend of bidding wars.”
Howard Stringer didn't look up and asked, "Where's the "Men in Black"?"
"Will Smith is filming Firefly's 'Public Enemy' and, well, nothing has changed, and Firefly isn't going to do anything as long as he and Tommy Lee Jones don't give up their $20 million bonus. concession."
Howard Stringer paused as he turned the page, frowning slightly. As CEO of Sony America, most of his responsibilities are in Sony's film and record business.
In the first half of the year, Sony Records' revenue and profit plummeted due to the impact of Internet pirated music. Now, Sony Pictures is also in deep trouble, and there have even been rumors of wanting to sell the film company from the headquarters. These have made Howard Stringer's position within Sony very unstable. If it continues , let alone competing for the position of Sony's first non-Japanese CEO in the future, it is still unknown whether he can keep his current position.
Due to the proliferation of pirated music on the Internet, it is difficult for Sony Records to turn around in the short term, and Howard Stringer can only hope to boost the film business.
However, Sony Pictures is currently the only "Men in Black" series that can greatly improve the film company's performance in the short term, but the initiative is in the hands of the Firefly Group.
The Firefly Group is thriving. Even in this summer season when many people thought there would be a short period of trough, on the basis of the big box office sales of "The Day After Tomorrow", there has been a dark horse like "Midnight Bell", which has made Firefly so far. of North American box office totals once again topped the list.
Eric Williams' new film, "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy, "Iron Man", "Spider-Man", "Public Enemy", "Sleepy Hollow"...
Not to mention Pixar Studios and Disney Animation Studios, as well as New Line Pictures, which have larger production scales and no shortage of low-cost and medium-to-low-cost films such as "Midnight", just think about this series of live-action films being produced by Firefly Group. Blockbuster, Howard Stringer is envious and a little frustrated at the same time.
Compared with Firefly Group, the gap between Sony Pictures is too big.
Seriously read the script in his hand, although he was not interested in pirate films at all, Howard Stringer considered it for a moment, but quickly made up his mind and said to Bill Michnick: "Bill, we will do whatever it takes. Take this script down, so you get in touch right away, and we give $5 million."
Bill Michanick was slightly surprised when he heard Howard Stringer's order. Compared with the more scattered Howard Stringer, he has been in Hollywood since his entry, so he also knows the current situation of the Hollywood script market well and knows what it means to buy a script for 5 million US dollars.
In recent years, as more and more international speculative hot money has flowed into the film industry, the script prices of Hollywood screenwriters have also risen.
As far as the screenwriter's worth is concerned, there is no doubt that Eric Williams is definitely the highest. However, the other party's situation is relatively special, and it is completely priceless and has no market. It is impossible for other film companies outside the Firefly system to obtain it. Screenplay by Eric Williams.
Next are other first-line gold screenwriters. Although the average script price in Hollywood is still around $100,000, the screenplays of these gold screenwriters in recent years have frequently sold for over a million dollars. Three years ago, "Lethal Weapon" Series writer Shane Black's "The Secret Service" broke the $4 million mark, making it the most expensive original screenplay in Hollywood history. .
Now, Howard Stringer's asking price is equivalent to once again setting the record for the highest price of a Hollywood script.
However, although the $5 million price has broken records, Bill Michanick is realistic: "Howard, seriously, we don't necessarily get the script for $5 million. Warner's current offer has already Reached $4 million, but this should not have reached their limit. Perhaps, the opponent's hole card should also be $5 million. I think $5 million is probably the upper limit. After all, this is just a script. The next competition should be Other conditions, such as investment scale, director candidates, cast members and even subsequent announcements, which can affect the final result of the film, we have no advantage in this regard.”
Bill Michanick's analysis is undoubtedly very reasonable. Howard Stringer was silent for a moment, and soon made up his mind again, saying: "That's $7 million."
Bill Michanick took a breath.
$7 million, which is 70 times the average Hollywood script price, enough for those small companies to make a good low-budget independent film, and Hollywood A-list superstars who star in non-sequel A-level productions are paid about $7 million.
"Howard, this price is already a bit... Excessive," Bill Michanick wanted to say outrageous, but he changed his words to a milder word, and continued: "And, will the headquarters agree? "
"I'll notify the headquarters after I get the script. I still have this authority."
Howard Stringer was actually a little hesitant about this offer in his heart, but he quickly made up his mind and did not intend to waver.
If he can't reverse the decline of Sony Pictures, maybe he can't even sit still in his own position. In short, it is necessary to take risks and continue to develop blockbusters, and to grab a script approved by Eric Williams, the success rate is definitely much higher.
"But," after a pause, Bill Michanic said, "Eric Williams took a fancy to this script. Our bid is too high, and Firefly may be very dissatisfied."
"Everyone competes fairly. Firefly is unwilling to pay, so you can't complain that our price is too high." Howard Stringer thought of Firefly's refusal to start the sequel to "Men in Black" because of the salary, and his mood suddenly became not so good. Well, pressing the script in front of him, staring at Bill Michanic with a hesitant expression, he said with aggravated tone: "Bill, you have to know that if the situation on the film company's side continues to be sullen, both of us may lose ourselves. work."
Due to the strict control of Sony headquarters on the film company's side, coupled with Howard Stringer's current boss who often points fingers, Bill Michanick feels that he is definitely the seven most useless heads of Hollywood. If It's not that the salary contract offered by Sony is quite generous, and Bill Michanick himself is unwilling to continue to stay in this position.
In all fairness, he really doesn't care about losing his job now, and it's impossible for Sony executives to blame him for Sony Pictures' current bleak operation. If he doesn't make too many mistakes, Sony wants to unilaterally terminate the contract, but To pay him huge severance compensation.
Therefore, I have reminded myself that since Howard Stringer was firm, Bill Michanick nodded and said, "Okay, I will contact Ted Elliott and the two."