American fame and fortune

In this business society, as long as you are willing to spend money, things will become easier to do.

In just one day, two small teams headed by Derrett and Wilson gathered the verified and relevant information to Megan Ellison.

Wilson had direct contact with Jerry Bruckheimer and reported: "The news is indeed true. Jerry submitted a proposal to Disney Pictures on behalf of Bruckheimer Pictures in early December last year to adapt the "Lone Ranger" movie. The information we got was actually compiled by Jerry."

Megan Ellison laughed: "It turns out that Martin Davis is stealing other people's projects."

Wilson added: "It is true. Jerry had a conflict with Disney Pictures because of the profit sharing of the "Pirates of the Caribbean" series. The latter's new president, Alan Horn, had strong objections to Jerry and directly suppressed this Project, Jerry thought the other party wanted to make him bow down."

He added: "I also asked Jerry about something that was not in the information. He originally planned to lead the original production team of "Pirates of the Caribbean". For example, Gore Verbinski would continue to be the director, and the male lead would be played by German Starring Paul and creating another Caribbean series."

Megan said: "A gold medal producer with a gold medal production team is great!"

Based on his many years of experience, Wilson suggested: "President, we should win this project as soon as possible!"

Derrett interjected: "In order to steal Depp, Davis Studio offered a very exaggerated salary and paid all the liquidated damages. Martin Davis is obviously retaliating against us! In addition, I bribed People from Disney Pictures have received definite information that Martin Davis personally discussed the "Lone Ranger" project with Alan Horn."

These are enough for Megan, a proud, strong and decisive domineering female president, to make a decision: "Immediately mobilize the company's most capable personnel to form a negotiation team, and officially purchase the adaptation rights of "The Lone Ranger" from Disney Pictures today. Money is not question!"

She thought for a while and then said: "Wilson, you have officially contacted Jerry Bruckheimer's team. I want the Caribbean's gold medal production team to join this project!"

Wilson said: "The personal relationship between Martin Davis and Alan Horn will be the biggest obstacle."

"Public purchase, Alan Horn is just the president of Disney Pictures, not the controlling shareholder." Megan's strategy is very simple, speak with strength and pressure people with funds: "Let all Disney management know our offer. This will become a more purely commercial behavior, and no matter how good the personal relationship between Martin Davis and Alan Horn is, they can only give way in the face of group profits!"

Annapurna Pictures has not been established for a long time and has zero copyrighted film library. The number of film projects it has participated in and invested in can be counted on one hand. It is a new company among new companies, but it has abundant funds!

That afternoon, an explosive news swept the entire Hollywood. Annapurna Pictures purchased the film adaptation rights of the classic old drama "The Lone Ranger" from Disney Pictures for a high price of 30 million US dollars!

Disney Pictures immediately held a management meeting and subsequently responded, making preliminary contact with people from Annapurna Pictures and stating that the film adaptation copyright of "The Lone Ranger" is not for sale by Disney.

This is a very clear signal for a price increase.

Annapurna Pictures immediately raised its offer, and the two sides began to see each other.

…………

Davis Studio, in Martin's office.

Leonardo opened the glass cabinet, took out Lily's latest work, and said while admiring it: "The fish bit the hook."

Nicholson looked at Martin: "You have to respond, you can't withdraw now."

"I understand." Martin picked up the phone and called Jessica: "We also make a public offer, $50 million!"

Nicholson's eyebrows twitched: "Are you crazy? What if you scare people away?"

Martin said: "No, Jerry Bruckheimer's original plan was to make it into a popular movie series again like Caribbean. For the rights to the series of movies, $50 million is nothing."

In his memory, the film and television rights of the "Fifty Shades of Grey" series were sold for more than 100 million US dollars.

Leonardo answered: "We are not really buying it, so what are we afraid of?"

Nicholson's cell phone rang, he answered a call, and after hanging up, he said: "The latest news is that people from Annapurna Pictures have contacted Jerry Bruckheimer. It is estimated that Megan Ellison wants to invite Brookheimer." Produced and filmed by Mo’s team.”

"We gave Depp the option in advance, and she contacted Jerry Bruckheimer. If nothing else happens, she will also invite Depp to play the leading role." This is the key, Martin secretly calculated from the perspective of an investor After a while: "Bruckheimer's earliest plan was to co-produce with Disney, and the proposed production budget was no less than US$150 million. If copyright fees are included, she would have to invest at least US$200 million in production. "

Leonardo had a movie company and said: "There will be more, not less."

Nicholson burst out laughing and was very happy: "This time it goes big. If three projects with such large investments all fail, as you said, Annapurna Pictures will inevitably go bankrupt, even if Larry - Ellison has a fortune of nearly 30 billion U.S. dollars, and it is impossible for his daughter to give money to Hollywood so generously."

Martin reminded: "You two, be careful, don't commit suicide by being shot eight times in the back!"

Nicholson said: "Come anyway, I'm afraid no one will mess with me!"

Later, the three left Burbank together and came to Hollywood to attend the Screen Actors Guild Awards Luncheon.

There were no surprises for the leading actors and actresses. Leonardo DiCaprio and Natalie Portman won the Screen Actors Guild Awards for Best Actor and Actress respectively.

It is no exaggeration to say that the two people have a 99% chance of winning the Oscar for Best Actor and Actor.

In the battle for "The Lone Ranger", Martin no longer has to worry. Nicholson has been acting as the commander and controlling the entire digging plan.

The so-called full-scale drama, Davis Studio not only raised the quotation, but also increased its efforts to poach Depp. It also contacted Jerry Bruckheimer's production team and set up a competitive posture.

The two companies were so competitive that it was impossible to keep the news secret. The projects that Martin and Jerry Bruckheimer were optimistic about quickly attracted more wolves.

Relativity Entertainment, established by Summit Entertainment and Wall Street capital financing, jumped out to join the competition.

Lionsgate and Paramount Pictures have also inquired about a possible co-production with Disney Studios.

Sony Columbia Pictures even offered $60 million for the film.

The higher the quotation, the less Alan Horn wants to let Disney Pictures adapt it. For a project that has invested more than 200 million US dollars in filming and production, the final profit may not be as good as the copyright authorization. What are the risks involved?

Ahead of the Oscars, with all of Hollywood engrossed in the commercial bid, "The Lone Ranger" appears to be turning into a super hit project.

A week before the Oscars, Annapurna Pictures relied on its strong cash flow to acquire the film adaptation rights of "The Lone Ranger" for US$80 million plus an undisclosed proportion of post-production sharing.

All of Hollywood is shocked!

Megan Ellison's strength is even more shocking than when her brother David Ellison entered Hollywood.

While signing a licensing agreement with Disney Pictures, Annapurna Pictures secured the original Pirates of the Caribbean production team headed by Jerry Bruckheimer and Gore Verbinski, and announced that it would use this gold medal The team filmed and produced "The Lone Ranger".

But with Johnny Depp, there was some trouble.

"$30 million? I will continue to star in their new film?"

Today, Depp is rarely sober. When he heard the offer from Annapurna Pictures, he rejected it directly and said to his agent: "I don't feel sincerity."

"That's their base offer and we can continue to talk," Whigham said.

Depp said directly: "I remember that Davis Studio offered me a base salary of US$35 million for this role, plus an offer of up to 10% of the North American box office share. Annapurna cannot be lower than this offer. ?”

Martin's offer raised Depp's psychological expectations.

Whigham said: "I will negotiate with Annapurna Pictures again in the afternoon. 35+10 is the basis."

Martin wanted to poach Depp, but Jerry Bruckheimer insisted on using Depp. Annapurna Pictures finally signed a remuneration agreement with Johnny Depp of US$35 million plus a maximum of 15 points of North American box office share.

Depp is notoriously difficult to work with. In addition to these, the film producers also have to provide Depp with high salaries for his five followers, three nannies and two dogs.

As for other additional agreements regarding food, clothing, housing and transportation, there are hundreds of them.

But now Depp has such capital.

After the casting agreement was signed, Annapurna Pictures held a grand press conference before the Oscars, which was also the film project launch conference.

The project's production budget is as high as 220 million U.S. dollars. Jerry Bruckheimer's team will start preparations immediately. After Depp completes filming "Transcendence", he will switch to the filming of "The Lone Ranger".

In addition, Annapurna Pictures is also simultaneously advancing two film projects: "Seventh Son" and "The Hunt for Bin Laden."

Hollywood’s established companies see clearly that after Relativity Entertainment, another wolf has arrived in Hollywood.

But it is still unclear whether the wolf eats meat or leaves itself fat.

Operating such four projects at the same time, and having never produced a movie itself, it is difficult to attract external investment. Annapurna Pictures' cash flow is very tight.

Megan Ellison can't ask her dad for help for everything, so she might as well apply for a bank loan.

However, Annapurna Pictures did not have a film library or fixed assets to mortgage, and the bank also rejected their application to use the future earnings of the film as collateral. Megan Ellison simply used the trust established for her by Larry Ellison. Fund as collateral.

She was a Hollywood outsider who scoffed at the old Hollywood unspoken rules about not using your own money to make movies.