Chapitre 502: Chapter 502: Smooth Progress
In a high-level office at HSBC Tower, Canary Wharf, London, Charles Capet stood by the window, overlooking the Thames River, and was on the phone with Donna Langley in Los Angeles, USA.
"General Electric has accepted our offer in principle, $12 billion in cash, and the rest will be a stock swap!"
Charles clenched his fist in triumph, letting out a breath of relief. "Have Bank of America, Berkshire Hathaway, BlackRock, Vanguard Capital, and others raise funds as quickly as possible. Next up is the lengthy stock swap negotiation. But with Capet's current performance, we need to be assertive!"
NBC Universal is a complement to Capet, not a hostile takeover.
"Did Comcast just back out?" Charles was still somewhat puzzled.
"Comcast's offer wasn't as good as ours. They valued NBC Universal at $28 billion. And they offered less cash, opting to merge assets from their cable channels at a discounted rate for the acquisition funds. You know General Electric needs cash flow right now!"
Charles smiled. "With Universal, our market share in Hollywood will make others more worried. These past two years' subprime crisis and global stock crash gave us the opportunity to grow. Now that the economy is recovering, our competitors will likely get back on their feet too."
...
Los Angeles, Burbank, Capet Headquarters, bright sunlight streamed through the office windows.
Leaning back in her office chair, Donna Langley put down the phone and checked the launch performance of The Blind Side, which debuted last Friday.
Today was Monday, and the freshly delivered box office report showed that The Blind Side had opened in 3,100 theaters in North America, raking in $35 million over the first weekend!
The Blind Side, starring box office poison Nicole Kidman, was a low-budget sports inspirational film with a budget of only $30 million. How could a script chosen by Charles Capet fail?
Since District 9, excluding The Blind Side, five movies released this year had collectively grossed over $1.2 billion at the North American box office!
"Is Capet aiming for a $2 billion North American box office this year?" Donna Langley had her doubts initially. But given The Blind Side's trajectory and reputation, reaching $250 million in North America wasn't hard.
Upcoming films like Saw 3D, The Twilight Saga: New Moon, and the new Hulk movie were also set to release, making it a real possibility!
...
Charles at HSBC Tower in London stared out at the shifting London sky. The gray clouds indicated rain was imminent.
Leaving HSBC Tower, Charles headed to Capet International Pictures (UK) division, which is also the European headquarters.
As a key box office market in Europe, the UK was a significant territory for Hollywood films due to its language advantage.
"BBC, ITV, Channel 4 are the three major TV networks in the UK, and their competition is fierce!" Charles said while flipping through some British TV drama projects.
"This script is indeed good. We coincidentally have a Sherlock Holmes movie slated for release next year. Now there's a Sherlock TV project seeking investment," Charles said, handing the document to James Toonan, the head of Capet International Europe.
James Toonan looked it over. "This is a project by Haswood Media, founded by Beryl Vert, a seasoned British TV and documentary producer. Sherlock is a miniseries developed by Haswood for the BBC, updating Sherlock Holmes' investigations from the 19th to the 21st century. I think it will work well. 21st century London will attract contemporary viewers even more!"
Charles nodded in agreement. "And this historical drama Downton Abbey, created by Carnival Films for ITV, is also worth the investment. Although British TV dramas' growth isn't as explosive as American TV series, the unique British charm is still very attractive. Capet needs to deepen its investment in British TV, at least aiming for North American distribution rights!"
James Toonan nodded and smiled, recognizing that investing in British TV dramas was part of Capet's broader strategy. Securing North American distribution rights for British TV series would support their ongoing NBC Universal acquisition.
British TV drama investments were more modest compared to American TV series, and their promotion wasn't as extensive. However, British TV series boasted extremely solid scripts and a higher percentage of high-quality content.
In the evening, Charles welcomed Alexandra Daddario to his Knightsbridge townhouse in London, where she was filming Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief.
"Sweetheart, I'm heading to Australia with the crew. The London shoot for Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief is over, but there are still lots of outdoor scenes to film in Australia!"
Alexandra Daddario held Charles tightly on the sofa, straddling him as she spoke. Her slipping strap dress revealed her impressive 32F figure.
"Hmm," Charles responded, kissing Alexandra passionately.
Who knows how much later, Charles' grip on those 32Fs relaxed, and he took a few deep breaths, holding Alexandra close.
"Next month, Piranha 3D comes out. We'll meet in the States," Charles said, brushing some hair away from Alexandra's face.
To Charles, Alexandra Daddario was an absolute treasure, more alluring than even Scarlett Johansson!
"I have to return too, and by then, the filming for Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief will almost be done. It's mainly a special effects movie anyway," Alexandra said, nestling into Charles as her body moved against his.
"I'm returning home at the end of the month too," Charles said, leaning back on the sofa, caressing Alexandra while contemplating the negotiations in America.
The NBC Universal representatives and the Capet negotiating team were deep in negotiations over stock exchange ratios.
Capet's strong performance this year was creating a sense of crisis across Hollywood, enhanced by the Universal Pictures merger. The pressure was mounting.
From the occasional news from Los Angeles, Charles learned that the other big five movie studios' executives were holding more frequent private gatherings.
"Ah," Charles sighed, feeling overwhelmed by the number of looming issues.
"What's wrong?" Alexandra asked, resting on Charles's chest after hearing his sigh.
Charles smiled, reaching out to touch her 32Fs, and whispered, "Wait a bit, I want to feel some real pressure..."
*****
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