Chapter 640 The North American summer program where rookies peck each other! Month
At four o'clock in the afternoon on August 8, 2013, local time, several commercial vehicles were parked on the tarmac of Los Angeles International Airport.
A dozen people of different skin colors, headed by a Chinese and two middle-aged white men, were standing next to the motorcade, apparently waiting for someone.
A middle-aged white man said, "Mr. Zhang, "Crazy Rich Asians" will be released next week. This movie also has an all-Asian cast and is adapted from a best-selling novel. It was released by Warner Bros. at the end of this summer's season.
It is a key project and the movie has very little reputation, so it will have a certain impact on "Interstellar"."
Zhang Yixiao, head of North American distribution of Hantang Media, said, "Mr. Burt, the reputation of the screening of "Interstellar" is also not bad, and many of our Tang director's previous films have been released in North America, with good box office and video results.
"
Another white man said, "With two movies featuring all-Asian casts appearing at the same time, it is inevitable that Asian audiences will be dispersed."
"This depends on Fox's marketing capabilities. I believe Mr. Rodner that you are already prepared." Zhang Yi smiled.
After chatting for a while, a plane from the other side of the ocean landed on time, and Tang An and his party got off the plane.
"Chairman." Zhang Yi walked forward quickly.
"Thank you for your hard work, Mr. Zhang."
Tang An nodded and took a deep breath. He was really not used to this old and beautiful air.
Looking at the two white men opposite, Zhang Yi also made an introduction.
"Chairman, these two are Burt Levings, vice president of global distribution at 20th Century Fox, and Ronald Wheeler, senior vice president of film marketing."
"Mr. Bert, hello Mr. Ronald."
Tang An smiled and shook hands one by one.
Wendy Deng, who had originally negotiated with Tang An for the North American screening, did not come, nor did the vice president whom she met last time.
Tang An didn't care what happened within News Corporation. No matter Bert, Ronald or anyone else, as long as it didn't affect the distribution of the movie, it was irrelevant.
"Hello Mr. Tang, it's our first time meeting you. I didn't expect you to be as young as the rumors say."
"Haha, Mr. Bert praised me."
When I met you, you were so young and so rumored.
After chatting for a while, Tang An got into the leading commercial vehicle, followed by Zhang Yi.
First of all, we need to understand the current situation of summer vacation in North America. Although we have already communicated through emails before, many times we have to understand in person.
This year's North American summer box office total is still the same as last year's. Even if we push it forward five years, the North American market has not expanded.
After more than a hundred years of development, the North American market has been completely developed, and there is basically not much potential. In terms of ceiling, the box office in 2013 is not much higher than that in 2003.
Today, there are 19 North American summer movies with a production cost of more than 100 million US dollars, but these blockbusters basically cost less than half.
"Oblivion", "Return to Earth", "Pacific Rim", "Jungle" and other blockbusters have all hit the streets.
"Chairman, you don't know that the North American market is crazy this year. Not many non-sequel blockbusters are big sellers."
When talking about this year's summer season in North America, Zhang Yi still has lingering fears.
It's a tragedy that one original non-sequel blockbuster hit the market after another.
He continued, "Not only original movies, but adapted blockbusters are also difficult to sell. Before the release of "The Underworld", Warner had a premonition and reduced the scale of promotions in order to reduce losses. As a result, the production cost alone
The US$130 million comic book adaptation movie only made over 30 million at the North American box office.”
Tang An shook his head, "The setting of "The Underworld Police" is too niche, focusing on adult male audiences, and lacking female audiences and teenage audiences. It is destined to not be a big hit, and the traces of "young and old" in the cast are too easy to remind people of "
"Men in Black 3", the final defeat was not without warning."
Tang An has seen this movie, and originally thought it was a supernatural movie, or similar to the setting of some domestic supernatural novels. The protagonist can communicate with yin and yang, and enforces the law as a law enforcer in the yang world, not only catching living people, but also catching ghosts.
However, it is a big bad movie, an ordinary police movie, except that two policemen, one old and one young, are dead, and the dead people Ryan Reynolds and Jeff Bridges have stupid looks in the movie. I guess the makeup artist is afraid of being scared.
I didn't dare to make it too realistic, it was all computer-generated light beams and smoke.
The plot is extremely cliche, with two people, one old and one young, using their mouths and hands, investigating mysterious cases, fighting against hell creatures, old and young partners, immortality, super weapons, and hilarious actions.
A decent supernatural action comedy.
The leading actor Reynolds is still a box-office poison, and "Green Lantern" failed miserably before.
However, he will become famous in two years. After starring in Deadpool in "The Wolverine", he starred in the small-to-medium-budget superhero movie "Deadpool" in 2016, which was a huge success.
He also starred in the movie "Buried Alive" where one man became an army.
"I heard that Fox plans to start a spin-off of the "X-Men" series and spin off "Deadpool" separately?" Tang An interjected.
"Yes, this is true. We have been preparing the script since 2007, but now that Reynolds has messed up two major productions in a row, it is estimated that this project will be shelved indefinitely again," Zhang Yi replied.
Tang An thought for a while and said, "In this case, you should pay attention and see if Fox needs investment."
Investing in Hollywood movies is a very risky thing. Basically, you will never come back.
Major Hollywood companies usually have a production company and a hairstyling company, and production and distribution are separated.
In addition to the clear division of labor, the other is to do accounting.
There are many examples of movies selling well, but investors losing money.
Disney is now one of the largest conglomerates in Hollywood, but its own film production business is losing money every year, while its distribution company Buena Vista Films is making huge profits.
The production cost of "Deadpool" seems to be 50 million US dollars, and the final global box office was more than 700 million. No matter how Fox accounts, it is impossible to make all the profits of the producer.
If the box office only had a box office of 200-300 million, Tang An would not invest. When the time comes, the box office would be four or five times the cost. He would still lose money, and all the money would go to Fox's distribution company.
"Okay Chairman, I will talk to Fox. It shouldn't be a big problem. Reynolds has already made two blockbusters. The superhero Deadpool did not get a good response when he appeared in "The Wolverine" a few years ago. Whether it is comics
Neither fans nor moviegoers buy it, the risk is too great and Fox definitely needs external investment."
Although the risk was high, Zhang Yi did not try to persuade him and just agreed.
After staying in North America for several years, although Tang An's movie and "Ghost Blowing the Lamp" both sold well in North America, if his company can participate in the investment or even distribution of Hollywood movies, then he, the person in charge of the North American Distribution Department, will
will have a higher status.
We continued to learn about the trends of the summer season and the opponents that "Interstellar" will face next.
"The Underworld" is not even the worst. It brought together the original cast of "Pirates of the Caribbean", director Gore Verbinski, gold medal producer Jerry Bruckheimer, and Captain Jack Depp, and cost 250 million.
The super blockbuster "The Lone Ranger" only took in US$88 million at the box office in North America.
This movie is called "Pirates of the Caribbean" on land. The pirate ship turns into a train, and Captain Jack Sparrow becomes a prodigal son. The appearance is somewhat similar to Captain Jack Sparrow, with some messy things painted on his face and a rag tied to his forehead.
But it's obvious that the audience doesn't buy it, and the success of "Pirates of the Caribbean" is difficult to replicate.
With a bunch of blockbusters hitting the streets, other movies will naturally break out, and there are quite a few dark horses in the summer season.
"Dragon" and "The Great Gatsby", which have women as their primary target audience, both performed well. The sci-fi disaster film "Armageddon" starring Brad Pitt also benefited from the desperate situation.
More than half of the female audience turned the tide.
So being handsome can still sell for money. If Pitt and DiCaprio were replaced, it’s unclear whether those female audiences would still go to the cinema.
"The Purge" and "The Conjuring" are two low-budget horror and suspense films that have become dark horses and even still attract mainly female audiences.
Tang An complained speechlessly, when did American women become so bold?
But here in North America, it’s the same as in China, women and children are the best earners.
Also being released on the same day tomorrow are "Family", "Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters", "Elysium", and "Planes". Although none of them are hits, the release of four movies in a row will carve up a lot of money.
of film arrangement.
"Interstellar" opened in 2,700 theaters in North America this time, which was medium-sized during the same period.
During the same period, ten movies were released in more than 2,000 theaters, with the highest number being "The Smurfs 2" at 3,800 theaters.
Although "The Smurfs 2", which has already been released, has been a hit on the street. It only made 18 million US dollars in its first three days last week, which is exactly half of the first film. However, as a flagship film in Colombia, it still received the highest film schedule.
There is no blockbuster movie, it feels like novices pecking each other.
And during the same period, only the sci-fi thriller "Elysium" starring Matt Damon was of the same type.
The director of this film is the director of the famous movie "District 9" four years ago. This time it is a science fiction film, and two big names, Matt Damon and Jodie Foster, have joined the cast.
Sony has bought out the global distribution rights for US$115 million in cash. The cost of US$90 million has been earned back, and there are still other copyrights such as video tapes that can make a profit.
Domestic movies have overseas buyouts, and North America also has them, which is gambling.
After understanding the situation, Tang An asked about Wendy Deng's situation.
"Chairman, last month Murdoch publicly filed for divorce with the court and is probably discussing a divorce agreement. According to media estimates, Wendy Deng can receive one billion US dollars in compensation." Zhang Yi said.
billion dollars
If she really wanted this much, Murdoch would have been litigating for several years, and by then he would not have been able to afford the legal fees. A team of top North American lawyers is not cheap.
I got more than 8 million US dollars in shares, a three-story apartment on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, and a courtyard house in Beijing.
The tough man who became famous in the British media after Murdoch slapped a protester who broke into the parliament one by one and tried to throw a paper plate filled with shaving cream in his face when Murdoch was questioned on a phone hack in the British Parliament.
Women will stay away from the top of the media circle from now on.
Tang An shook his head and no longer paid attention to the former top ten super rich wives.
Without the status of Murdoch's wife, although she still often appears in various celebrity circles, she is no longer qualified to talk to Tang An on an equal footing, and is even useless.