Hollywood Hunter

Western Easter is the first Sunday after the full moon of the spring equinox, and this year’s Easter is April 3, high schools and universities in the United States usually give students one or two weeks of spring break during this period. The main force of movie watching, the Easter period has naturally become a period that Hollywood attaches great importance to every year.

"When Harry meets Sally" after two weeks of film accumulation, the Easter period has officially arrived.

On March 25, "When Harry Meets Sally" was officially opened on a large scale of 1077 screens.

At the same time, three films of Universal Pictures' "Genius Soldier", Orion Pictures' "Good Man Johnny" and Paramount Pictures' "Single Men's Fantastic Things" are also aimed at the young audience of the Easter period. .

Among them, the protagonist of "Genius Soldier" happens to be Matthew Broderick, who had previously conflicted with Simon. This is actually not surprising. Matthew Broderick and the series that rely on "Back to the Future" The famous Michael Fox can be said to be the most popular teenage actor this year.

Moreover, compared with the previous two well-known works, Matthew Broderick's new film "Genius Soldier" has also been unanimously approved by the critics.If "When Harry Meets Sally" is not born, "Genius Soldier" is destined to become the most popular work of this Easter period.

Now, after two weeks of word-of-mouth brewing and hype about a restaurant scene of Meg Ryan, "When Harry Meets Sally", both the word-of-mouth and the media popularity are far more than the other just released this Easter period. works.What's more, "When Harry Meets Sally" was originally a classic film that was still talked about by fans a few decades later. Naturally, it was not a teenager specifically made by the studios of "Genius Soldier" for the Easter schedule. The movie can match.

Therefore, from March 25 to March 31, during the first week of large-scale painting, "When Harry Meets Sally" easily won the $17.81 million box office, completely showing a trend of riding a dust.In comparison, the box office of the second-ranked "Genius Soldier" slipped directly to less than 10 million US dollars in the first week. The screen size of 1,239 screens was only 9.13 million US dollars in the first week.Subsequent "Good Man Johnny" and "Single Man Do More" were thrown farther.

Counting the previous screenings, in three weeks, the cumulative box office of "When Harry Meets Sally" has easily exceeded 20 million US dollars, reaching 21.56 million US dollars.

During the promotion of "When Harry Meets Sally" by Daenerys Pictures last year, almost all studios were not optimistic about the project. Finally, through cooperation with the art production company of Handicrafts, it only raised $15 million in production. funds.

In the subsequent issuance negotiations, Daenerys also signed a very unequal issuance contract with Disney.

Although none of the parties preached these details, in Hollywood, which has no secrets at all, these things are still reduced to a joke that is often mentioned in the circle.Even after Simon suddenly made a large amount of money in the stock index futures market, the "spent" in Hollywood in the past few months has also been regarded by too many people as rookies, fat sheep and upstarts.

Now, with the release of "When Harry Meets Sally", the entire Hollywood suddenly calms down, and many people have begun to review Simon Westero's series of actions.

After the large-scale opening in the first week, the box office score directly exceeded 20 million US dollars, plus the word-of-mouth reputation. Obviously, "When Harry Meets Sally" North American box office hopes to break through 100 million, or, more directly, as long as Without much surprise, this movie with a very high topic and word-of-mouth popularity is almost doomed to over 100 million at the box office in North America.

Obviously,

The local box office broke 100 million. It seems a simple concept, but it is a goal that too many Hollywood filmmakers may not achieve in their pursuit of life.

You should know that in Hollywood, the number of movies that enter the cinema every year reaches about four or five hundred, not to mention too far, but in the previous 10 years, the average number of works that can achieve the North American box office's billions of dollars per year is no more than five.Moreover, many of the works that can achieve a local box office of more than 100 million yuan, most of them are concentrated on the best filmmakers and studios in Hollywood in the era, and they have spared no effort to announce the investment. Like "When Harry Meets Sally", it is pure The number of works that rushed out of the local box office with a billion dollars as a dark horse is even rarer.

However, for a young man who has been in Hollywood for less than two years, the threshold for the North American box office to break the 100 million mark seems to be a very common thing in the works related to him.

Last year, Simon Westeros three films, one annual crown, one box office broke 100 million, even if the box office's "worst" film, more than 70 million US dollars at the local box office squeezed into the annual list The ninth place.

Now, in the new year, an original anti-genre romance film that is not very optimistic throughout Hollywood, suddenly showed the potential of the North American box office to break 100 million.

Four films, four consecutive successes.

In this case, as long as someone with a normal IQ can no longer think that this series of successes will be accidental.

"Meg Ryan is so beautiful, and the scene, haha, really classic, I will definitely buy video tapes for collection in the future."

"..."

"Do you know that Meg Ryan has any other movies?"

"Don’t you forget the sacrificed wife of the pilot in Tom Cruise's "Aspirational Clouds." However, Meg Ryan's appearance in that movie was really bad, and the performance was a bit exaggerated, I can't remember It's also normal. It seems that she is still more suitable for the role of Sally."

"..."

"The fall in New York is really beautiful, Toby. Let's go to New York to play in the fall. Can we live in my aunt's house."

"..."

"If you count "Good Morning Vietnam", this is five times," in a Burbank movie theater, the movie ended, listening to the crowds around the audience gradually left the scene, still sitting still CAA President Michael. Owitz said to the Disney CEO Michael Eisner: "Since Simon Westero was eager to sign Robin, it must be because of the discovery of "Good Morning Vietnam" will be a great success. The incident was stopped by me, and I had some festivals with Westeros. Now that character has belonged to Robert De Niro, I have started to doubt that my approach is right or wrong."

As a Disney-issued film, if you want to see "When Harry Meets Sally", Michael Eisner can give a random command, and someone will send him a copy.However, he and Michael Ovitz both wanted to see for themselves the reaction of the film in the audience, so they took the time to come to the cinema together.

Michael Eisner also listened to the interesting discussions of many young people around him, with a thoughtful expression on his face, and heard: "The work in which De Niro participated, Michael, can you talk to me carefully? ?"

"A drama film called "Death Poetry Society,"" Michael Ovitz said: "If you are interested, I will let someone send you a script."

Michael Eisner nodded and suddenly said: "Michael, do you think it is possible for Disney to acquire Daenerys Pictures?"

"After "Harry meets Sally", several other companies will certainly have this kind of thought," Michael Ovitz said with a smile: "However, if you think about the kid's net worth, how could he treat himself Of the movie companies sold."

"Simon Westero's talent in film is unquestionable, but in the running of the film company, it seems to me a complete mess. Like "When Harry Meets Sally", if I sit In his position, he will never sign the original contract with Disney."

In the contract signed by Daenerys Pictures and Disney last year, "When Harry Meets Sally" is less than US$40 million at the North American box office, Daenerys Pictures needs to pay Disney's fixed share of US$6 million at the North American box office Over $40 million, Disney will receive an 18% commission on the issuance.

This means that the higher the North American box office for "When Harry Meets Sally", the greater the Disney company's revenue as an issuer.But under normal circumstances, this kind of thing should be the opposite.

right now,

Even with the $100 million box office calculation of "When Harry Meets Sally" in North America, Disney can get $18 million in commission income with this movie.Moreover, Disney will also have the priority to obtain the rights to distribute the film through other channels.

Since the two were good friends, Michael Ovitz also knew about it.

Recalling Simon Westero's series of actions in Hollywood since he became rich, if he completely ignores the box office results, it is as if he is doing nothing.

but.

Pointing to the big screen ahead, Michael Ovitz said: "Michael, if Simon Westero didn't sign such a seemingly losing contract, would Disney be willing to spare no effort to promote this movie?"

Michael Eisner paused and shook his head, saying: "No, and if it is a general agent release, I will definitely not give this movie Easter schedule and more than 1,000 screens."

Michael Owitz shrugged and said, "So, do you still think that young man runs a company completely differently? In my opinion, his knot on Hollywood is no less than that of you and me. And this is also a A young man who knows how to choose. He knows that he can only get what he wants only if he pays enough. Now, look at "When Harry Meets Sally", the North American box office of this movie is calculated at 100 million dollars , The proportion of the cinema line is counted as 50%, then, Disney can get 18 million US dollars, which seems very rich, but Daenerys film industry can recover 32 million US dollars, compared with 15 million US dollars of production costs. That said, they have already generated very impressive profits. Moreover, this is just the beginning."

The people in the screening room gradually dispersed, and the two also got up and started to go out.

When Michael Eisner heard Michael Owitz, he couldn't help but count.

indeed.

Without the conditions of Simon Westeros, Disney will definitely not spend too much energy on this movie.

It is Disney’s own distribution channel, two months of continuous TV trailer promotion, more than 1,000 screens that are rolled out at one time, and the relatively popular Easter period. All these details ensure that "When Harry meets Sally's box office results now.

Without these prerequisites, with the excellent quality of the film, "When Harry Meets Sally" may still be able to sell at the box office, but if you want to achieve 100 million in North America, the possibility is very low.

Now, for a film with a box office that broke the 100 million mark in North America, Disney only received $18 million in compensation.

After all, with the continued expansion of overseas, TV broadcast and videotape markets, the North American box office is worth US$100 million. The total revenue of the entire movie will be three to four times this data. Subsequent channels do not require too much investment. The profit margin is even richer.

Normally, the studio will buy out the distribution rights of all works of a single film producer in advance, but now, although Disney has the priority of subsequent distribution, but the film has proved successful, most of the subsequent channels Profits will still only belong to Daenerys Pictures.

Simon Westero only passed a seemingly very bad contract, but he reaps a lot more generous returns than many smart businessmen.

The two sat together in a car parked outside the theater, and when the driver drove back to Disney’s headquarters, Michael Eisner said again: "So, Michael, you set up a project for Simon Westero during this time. What do you think of those videos?"

"I have basically read scripts, such as "Rainman". This project was personally promoted by me for more than a year. There are also "Death Poetry Society" and "Steel Magnolia Flower". To be fair, I think these The script will become a good movie, but the box office potential in business is difficult to guarantee." Michael Ovitz said while thinking, "In Hollywood for so many years, everyone understands that before a movie is released, no one Can predict whether he will succeed, but we have seen an accident."

Michael Eisner said again: "Good Morning Vietnam."

Michael Ovitz nodded and said: "Yeah, "Good Morning Vietnam", Westeros may have seen the script of this movie, but I believe that he should not have seen the film, not to mention, Robin is in The movie also added a lot of personal play that did not exist in the original script. However, Simon Westero still judged the movie to be successful, and tried to pre-robin with Robin before he became a first-line actor. Sign the contract of "Death Poetry Society."

"So, do you think those films of Daenerys Pictures can succeed?"

Michael Owitz shrugged and said, "If I were you, I would definitely start fighting for several films of the Daenerys film industry that have not yet determined the distributor, but I will try my best to be with Daenerys. The film industry maintains good cooperative relations."

Michael Eisner nodded, but then suddenly smiled: "At that time, you are in your current position, it seems that you did not do so."

"That's a very ambitious little guy," Michael Ovitz shook his head, saying: "You know, the first time he met, he revealed a certain desire to hope that Hollywood would return to the era of the studio. The studio Times, how is this possible, so we are destined to become opponents only."