[Shout out to Brent W, Andreas S, and Jonathan I!]
Hollywood What If Chapter 114
A-packed, blood-boiling and intehe guests watched the movie with these emotions.
Most of the people in the audience were men. In fact, they were fathers.
They had a pretty good idea of the plot, so they khat the daughter would be kidnapped. Still, it was satisfying to see the traffickers beaten up.
The fathers would do anything to protect their children, they might even kill a person if they had to. Bryan Mills' mission was to find his daughter and bring her babsp;
The audience cheered him on. Some of them even screamed when Bryan Mills found the group responsible for the crime.
There are many unfivable crimes and human traffig is one of them. For Bryan Mills to beat these criminals was something that gave them satisfa.
When the movie ended and the lights went on, people started talking about the movie.
'It's good. It eains me. But I'm not sure if the movie make us a profit. Unless we bought all the chts, this movie could be a loss for us.'
Michael Ovitz thought. He had a good impression of Kazir, but it was different when it came to business.
'I heard this movie has a budget of 25 million, maybe I egotiate and buy it for 50 million. Grey Pictures didn't lose anything if they agreed to that. They doubled their iment.'
Signing a distribution deal for Taken was a gamble. They could lose money. Unless Grey Pictures paid them for distribution. But Grey Pictures didn't have that kind of money.
In the end, it all es down to Kazir Grey's decision.
Michael Ovitz looked around. He saw Terry Semel and Tom Rothman talking. As the three big shots looked at each other, they came to one clusion.
The movie was great aertaining... But they would never sign a losing deal. If Grey Pictures wao release this movie, they would have to py the game with them.
The three o each other.
'We will not lower the terms.'
That was clear.
Kazir Grey watched everyone's rea. Just as he expected, most of them had a mediocre rea to Taken.
The movie had its pros and s. The theme of the movie was dark. Some ses were fusing. People didn't uand the easter eggs.
Kazir risked it, but he was careful not to show too maer eggs. Just enough to make people curious.
Now it is up to the film panies. It depends on them if they are ied in distributing the film.
'One of them will give us a satisfactory tract. They 't get over the what-ifs.'
Sony-bia wanted 35% of the North Ameri box offibsp;
Walt Disney settled for 40% of the North Ameri box office. It was funny because Walt Disney never lowered their tract. At least they kept their promise to keep it under 40%...
'Although Touchstone, Disney's subsidiary, tacted me. They want to buy the movie for 50 million. Walt Disney knew how to do things right.'
Warner Bros didn't respond positively, so the deal was 40% as well. Maybe Terry Semel was disappoihat Kazir didn't agree to direct The Hangover 2.
As for Universal Pictures... They didn't bother to attend the sing. Their retionship with Grey Pictures was ent. Especially after the sdal.
If there was ohing that surprised Kazir, it was the tract that 20th tury Fox gave him. He thought Tom Rothman would never agree to it. Maybe the results of Napoleon Dynamite II ged that.
20th tury Fox agrees to a 30% North Ameri share of the box office. The lowest... As of now.
.........
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"Sir..."
"What is it?"
Terry Semel was reviewing dots when his secretary arrived. It was already three days after the sing of Taken. Warner Bros had already dropped their iion to sign a distribution deal.
In their opinion, Taken was not worth it. Also, they could not give the movie a good release date. The summer schedule was always full.
"It's about Taken. Grey Pictures has found a distributor.
"As expected, they chose 20th tury Fht? Tom Rothman gave them a good deal."
Terry Semel dropped his pen and listened.
"No, sir. It's not 20th tury Fox. Grey Pictures had a deal with Paramount. It says that Paramount will distribute the three Grey Pictures films, including Taken."
"What?"
Terry Semel wasn't expeg it. Kazir had a good retionship with 20th tury Fox. He thought Grey Pictures would pick them.
There was only one clusion.
"What's Paramount's offer?"
"Paramount signed a 25% North Ameri box office deal with Grey Pictures."
"..."
Terry Semel was fused.
"What's wrong with Brad Grey? Did he agree to Kazir because they have the same st name?"
Terry Semel muttered. A 25% share of the box office was not too good from a business standpoint. That amount might not be enough to cover expenses if the movie flopped.
.........
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...
While Terry Semel was in a state of fusion, Kazir Grey and Brad Grey officially signed a trabsp;
"To be ho, I didn't think it was worth it, but the terms you gave me are tempting."
Brad Grey shook hands with Kazir.
"Sellihe Parents for half a million is not so bad, especially if you promise to be the writer and executive producer."
"I'll do my best to give Paramount a good franchise."
Kazir's p ging, but he had no choice but to adapt. The Meet The Parents trilogy was smaller pared to the tial ematiiverse entity. He was willing to sell it as long as he could get a better deal.
"Gd to hear that."
Before Marvel was bought by Disney, its films were distributed by Paramount. In a way, Kazir was just following in the footsteps of the Mbsp;