Chapter 954: Strength Issues

Miramax has been doing very well in recent years, and Fox is absolutely reluctant to part ways with the Weinstein brothers.

Elizabeth frowned and thought for a while, then said to Eric in the back row: "I think Fox can also support Harvey in developing a big-budget film, as long as it's a commercial film?"

"Harvey's business thinking has been limited to literary films. Let's not talk about whether it can be successful to let him get involved in the field of large-scale commercial films. If it is successful, how do you plan to balance the two producers of 20th Century Fox and Miramax? The relationship between the factories?"

Elizabeth asked rhetorically, "Didn't New Line also start making big-budget films, and how did you handle this?"

"Firefly's positioning of New Line Cinema has always been very clear, focusing on genre films with low and medium budgets, which can be commercial or artistic. The average cost of New Line's film production has remained below $20 million over the past few years. The high-budget films you are talking about are definitely the "Jedi Men" series and the "Rush Hour" series. The budgets for the first films of these two series are only 20 to 30 million US dollars. Because of commercial success, the cost of the sequel has increased. , this is inevitable and only a special case, and does not change the positioning of the new line.”

"Since Harvey can have the ambition he has now, doesn't Kenneth Horn, who is in charge of the new line, have no idea of ​​directly participating in the big production?"

Eric shook his head and said: "The global box office total of the new line in the previous year exceeded 1 billion US dollars, and the same is true for last year's global box office figures. All the films released by Sony Pictures' several labels, this year's global box office is only the same. 1.27 billion US dollars. In comparison, the box office performance of just one New Line is about to catch up with one of Hollywood's top seven. What's more, Kenneth Horn is in charge of the entire production and distribution system of New Line. This kind of power He has more power than the individual head of Firefly Pictures or Pubwei International. What is his dissatisfaction? In the end, it's still a question of strength. Firefly can provide Kenneth Horn with a big pond, and Fox can provide Wei Wei. Ernstein's is just a swimming pool."

Although 20th Century Fox has developed very well in recent years, the entire News Corporation, the business center is still on the print media all over the world, followed by the television business. News Corp.'s film business can only be ranked third.

In contrast, Firefly regards the film business as the "locomotive" of the entire group, in order to drive the development of an entire industry chain such as theme parks, peripheral products, and media networks. The focus of the two media groups is different, and the degree of resource inclination of the two media groups in the film business is naturally different. In addition, the comprehensive strength of Firefly Group far exceeds that of any other media group. Compared with Miramax, the platform owned by New Line is not an exaggeration to say that it is the gap between a big pond and a swimming pool.

Although she knew that Eric was telling the truth, Elizabeth gave Eric a dissatisfied look.

Eric could only give Elizabeth some advice, and they had to decide for themselves how to choose. At the beginning, the control of ffm TV was in the hands of the Firefly Group, and Eric was largely out of the consideration that Fox might part ways with Miramax. Once this situation is true, ffm TV's cooperation with Weinstein will not be affected too much.

Not paying attention to Elizabeth's slightly angry expression, Eric asked casually, "It's been a long time since I saw your old man. On this occasion today, it stands to reason that he should show it too, right?"

"Dad has gone to Asia," Elizabeth had no expectations of changing Eric's name for her father.

Directly ignoring the answer: "Star Media's headquarters is on Hong Kong Island. After the return of Hong Kong Island last year, my father plans to establish a good relationship with the mainland, and by the way, we can see if we can expand our business there."

For some reason, when Eric heard this sentence, the figure of a certain woman immediately appeared in his mind. If placed in ancient times, she would definitely be an extraordinary woman with the potential to become the second Wu Zetian. I don't know if Murdoch will be taken down this time.

Elizabeth glanced at the rear-view mirror, noticed Eric's odd smile, and asked suspiciously, "What dirty things are you thinking about, with such a weird expression?"

"How can I be such a pure person..."

"Nonsence!"

Eric sighed exaggeratedly, looked down at Julia, who repeatedly unbuttoned and buttoned one of his shirts in his arms, and said, "Baby, you say, am I a good person? "

"No," Julia shook her head honestly, then raised her pretty face and looked at Eric expectantly.

Eric persevered and said: "Hey, only lies will be punished."

"Yes," Julia immediately changed her position unceremoniously.

Eric patted Julia's hip lightly: "So good."

"I can't stand it anymore," Elizabeth looked at the rear-view mirror with disgust, and said, "Eric, I think I should hire another psychiatrist for Julia."

Before Eric could answer, Julia's tone immediately returned to normal and retorted, "I don't want a psychiatrist."

Elizabeth wanted to say something else, and noticed that Julia buried her head in Eric's arms and covered her ears to pretend to be an ostrich. She could only stare at Eric through the rearview mirror, and stopped the topic again.

Back at the mansion on the top of the mountain, Elizabeth parked the car, and Eric patted Julia, who was still burying her head in his arms: "Get home, get out of the car, and continue to punish you for lying."

Julia raised her head, hugged Eric's waist and said, "Eric, carry me into the house."

"Liz will be jealous," Eric said with a smile: "Change it, or I'll carry you."

"Um."

Elizabeth in the front row picked up her and Julia's bags and got out of the car. Looking at the back door of the car, Julia threw off her high heels. She threw herself on Eric's back like a little girl and said to Eric sourly: "Why do you think I'm not jealous if you carry her back?"

Eric supported Julia's light body and walked towards the villa without explaining, just saying, "You shouldn't be jealous anyway."

Elizabeth pursed her lips, raised a hand and patted it on Julia.

Julia wasn't annoyed at all, she leaned into Eric's ear with a sigh of heat, and whispered something.

Eric smiled and turned his head and kissed her on the cheek, not forgetting to warn: "You must never call this in front of outsiders."

Julia smiled softly: "No, I'm not a fool."

Elizabeth watched the two whispering, suddenly understood something, and pouted: "Two perverts."

"Hehe," Julia laughed and raised her head to look at Elizabeth: "Liz, can we play role-playing later, okay?"

Elizabeth blushed: "I decided to sleep by myself tonight, away from you."

"Then go to sleep," Julia put her chin on Eric's shoulder: "Eric, I'm hungry, you want to make me a supper."

"Okay, how about making Chinese egg fried rice for you. This is my specialty, and most people can't eat it."

"Uh-huh."

"Eat this kind of thing in the middle of the night, and you are not afraid of gaining weight," Elizabeth said. "And, Eric, I remember that your father used to be an Italian chef. Why do you cook Chinese food?"

Eric posted Julia's clean face and said, "Baby, give her a reason."

Julia immediately said to Elizabeth unreasonably: "I want you to take care of it!"

"Beat you."

This time, Elizabeth raised her hand and slapped Julia's ass directly.

Waking up early in the morning, Eric exercised and walked into the dining room after taking a shower. There was already a stack of newspapers on the table, and Elizabeth and Julia were busy in the kitchen together.

Just after picking up a copy of the Los Angeles Times and opening it, the two women walked in with breakfast.

Eric looked at the vegetable salad in front of him and said, "This, I'm a man. If I only eat this kind of food, I will starve to death."

Elizabeth poured a glass of juice and put it in front of Eric and said, "I ate such a high-calorie food last night. Of course I have to go on a diet today, and you are the same. If one day you eat and become fat, Julia and I will definitely not Let you in again."

Eric took a sip of the juice and said, "You are discriminating against fat people."

"Yeah, it's discrimination," Elizabeth gave Eric an undisguised look, pulled out the chair and sat down, and said, "Eric, I've thought about it, and I'm going to have a frank talk with Harvey. The Whisperer will be approved by Fox, but the budget must not exceed $50 million, and the budget limit for future films produced by Miramax will also maintain this standard.”

"That's good, it's better than the conflict that accumulates until the end breaks out," Eric nodded and smiled again: "However, we were busy all night last night, when did you think about this?"

Elizabeth remembered the situation where the three of them had tossed until 1 a.m. after eating the late-night snack that Eric made by himself, and gave Eric a blushing white look: "I just can't do it."

Eric nodded and said, "Of course."

Elizabeth picked up the fork and ate the salad in front of her, and quickly said: "Speaking of which, I suddenly remembered another thing, if Fox and Harvey really part ways, what will ffm TV do?"

"I originally put the control of ffm TV under the Firefly Group, largely out of this consideration. Even if Harvey leaves Fox to go it alone, as long as you don't get into trouble, he's on ffm TV. Jobs will not be affected."

Elizabeth also knew that the Weinstein brothers were very realistic people, so after hearing Eric say this, she put it down.

Eric looked at Julia who was eating a salad and asked, "What about you, is the next movie set?"

Julia looked up and said: "Originally, working-title and British working-title are about to discuss a script, and it is planned to be distributed globally by Fox. However, working-title is a film company under Polygram. Some time ago, Seagram I asked working-title to hand over the distribution rights of all its films to Universal, and I quit."

Eric remembered something and asked, "What's the name of the movie?"

"Notting Hill," replied Julia, "is a love story set in London, England, with Hugh Grant as the main character. After I'm not in it, they seem to be in touch with Meg Ryan and Krishna. Laudia Schiffer."

"It's okay if you don't act, you can try other types of movies," Eric nodded when he heard that it was this "nonsensical" movie.

When Elizabeth heard Eric say this, she snorted twice. When Julia mentioned Hugh Grant, she thought of his former girlfriend, Elizabeth Hurley.

When Eric shoved Elizabeth Hurley into the cast of "Power Diesel" two years ago, neither Elizabeth Hurley nor Hugh Grant seemed to have broken up. Elizabeth didn't believe that Eric and Elizabeth Hurley would have nothing to do with each other.

Eric asked inexplicably, "What are you humming?"

"I suddenly regret it."

"It's okay, regretting it often can stimulate a person's motivation to keep moving forward."

Elizabeth waved the fork in Eric's hand and said, "You guy, I mean, you used the original "Ace Power Spy" with me to exchange it for "Death Is Coming". Now "Death is Coming" Coming" has already released two films, each with a global box office of over 100 million. Although the North American box office of the first "Ace of Power Spy" is similar to that of "Death is Coming", both of which are more than 50 million, but the overseas box office It's only $13 million, so there is no market at all. Now that Ace Power 2 is basically finished, I've seen the demos, and it's no different from the first one, but the cost has risen to $30 million, and I'm worried about it The cost cannot be recovered.”

Although Elizabeth explained this, Eric understood what she was thinking just now.

Eric originally wanted Elizabeth Hurley to appear in "Sexy City", but because of Candice Bushnell's objection, "Sexy City" enabled the original cast, and Eric put her in "Sexy City" again. Ace of Power Spy" crew as the heroine.

Elizabeth apparently remembered it when she heard Julia talking about Hugh Grant.

Listening to Elizabeth talking about "Ace Power Spy", Eric smiled and said, "Otherwise, let's change it back."

Elizabeth was worried about the box office of "Ace of Power" just now, but she was instinctively vigilant at this time: "No change."

"Forget it," Eric shrugged.

Elizabeth blinked and changed her words: "Alternatively, give me the production cost of "Ace of Power 2" and the copyright of "Death Is Coming", and the film that is about to be done is yours."

"I regret it," Eric shook his head, picked up a piece of salad and stuffed it into his mouth, and said leisurely, "So, the opportunity is fleeting."

Julia suddenly smiled gleefully.

Elizabeth raised her fist angrily and hammered Eric's shoulder: "You bastard, I'll bite you."

"Liz, you must know that in Chinese, this wording is very magical," Eric received a small fist that was neither light nor heavy, and smiled wickedly: "Hey, let's have a good discussion tonight."