Chapitre 45: **Chapter 45: A Huge Demand!**
In the corner of the screening room, Anne, who once again proactively approached, watched Wayne, sitting on equal footing with these "big shots," chatting and laughing. She couldn't help but feel a wave of regret wash over her.
But to Wayne, there was nothing particularly surprising about this.
Vice president? So what? He's just a high-ranking employee.
Could he personally invest $50 million to make *The Bourne Identity*?
Don't kid yourself!
He couldn't even invest $12 million to make *Happy Death Day*.
Wayne was certain that as soon as he sold *Happy Death Day*, his net worth would surpass this vice president, who was already in his forties.
After some polite conversation, Wayne, introduced by Sarah, also met representatives from Fox, Universal, and DreamWorks.
"Haha, Mr. Anderson, did you know? Miramax wanted to send someone over too, but when Harvey Weinstein heard about the production costs of your film, he immediately dropped the idea."
It was unclear whether this Universal executive had a grudge against Miramax or Harvey Weinstein, but he took this moment to make a joke at their expense.
However, Miramax's response was understandable. Harvey Weinstein, aside from being famous for his Oscar campaigns, was known for his sharp eye, especially in selecting and managing successful low-budget independent films. *Happy Death Day* might be an independent film, but with a production budget of $12 million, it exceeded Miramax's comfort zone.
The screening began promptly.
The final cut, now with added voiceovers and music, was leagues ahead of the rough cut. The only thing that made Wayne a bit uncomfortable was Jessica's portrayal of Tery. She wasn't quite as wild in the earlier scenes compared to Jessica Rothe in the original version.
This wasn't a matter of acting skills; Jessica just looked too sweet.
Of course, without the original as a reference, this awkwardness wouldn't have been noticeable. After all, Tery's wildness was only surface-level, and her character does eventually reform later in the story.
One scene worth mentioning was where Tery, after dying multiple times, completely lets loose and walks through campus naked, like a runway model. After much deliberation, Wayne kept this scene, but a body double was used, so the on-screen nudity had nothing to do with Jessica.
After 95 minutes, the film ended.
"My God! Just like Stephen said, this is a fresh, fantastic movie, and I can't wait to buy it!" The Warner Bros. vice president immediately voiced his enthusiasm, openly expressing his love for the film.
Being invited to this kind of screening showed Warner Bros.' respect for Hemera Films. And this VP, having risen through the ranks in acquisitions, had a good eye for films. Both Wiggins and Wilson were his subordinates.
Of course, when it comes to actually purchasing the film, the final price will still be negotiated. Just because he likes it doesn't mean he'll buy it at any cost, nor would Wayne give him a discount just because of a few compliments.
But since praise is free, there's no harm in throwing Wayne, an up-and-coming talent, a few compliments. Who knows? A small act of kindness today could lead to unexpected gains in the future.
Although Hemera Films wasn't nearly as big as Warner Bros. yet, they were already on Warner's radar. Besides, Wayne owned his company and was his own boss, unlike the VP, who was just an employee.
Even VPs or presidents can get fired if a movie flops badly. Plenty of executives from the top seven studios have lost their jobs this way. So, in reality, Wayne had a much more comfortable and secure position than they did.
"Thank you for your praise, William. As for the sale of the rights, my CEO, Sarah, will handle it."
Wayne then exchanged greetings with the representatives from Fox, Universal, and DreamWorks, before leaving the company with Jessica and Charlize Theron. Mia stayed behind to participate in negotiations with the four distribution companies, something Wayne had personally suggested.
Both Mia and Sarah were deeply moved by this level of trust and were determined to secure a great deal for *Happy Death Day*.
That afternoon, the four companies received an offer agreed upon by Sarah and Mia.
"$60 million?! Has that Hemera woman gone mad?"
Stephen Wilson, who was rushing to finish a report by 4 PM, jumped out of his chair in shock when he saw the price in the email.
Buying it for $60 million, plus marketing costs—how much box office would be needed to break even? At least $150 million!
"Uh, $150 million?"
"Maybe it's not impossible…"
"If it hits that number, the DVD sales alone would bring in at least $20 million. Add TV broadcast rights, and the total revenue could hit $30 million."
Wilson calculated. With a total investment of $68–70 million (including marketing), earning a profit of around $30 million within a year would be an excellent return. That's why even Wall STeryt financiers are eager to get a slice of Hollywood.
But the problem is, who can guarantee that *Happy Death Day* will perform as well as *Accepted*?
"No blood, no gore—this isn't a traditional American horror film. But the editing is superb, creating tension and suspense masterfully. The plot is fresh, and the cast is packed with stars. But that doesn't guarantee it'll match *Accepted*'s success."
Wilson analyzed. He wasn't wrong. *Accepted*'s success was closely tied to Warner's promotional strategy, something *Happy Death Day* couldn't match.
The time-loop plot couldn't be easily revealed in advance, making marketing a challenge for any distribution company.
Although Wilson hadn't finished his report, he had estimated *Happy Death Day*'s box office potential at $67 million in North America and $110 million globally. This also took into account the boost from a Halloween release.
So, the maximum price he was willing to offer in his report was $30 million, estimating that Warner could earn about $45 million, with a medium risk level.
Any higher, and while it wouldn't necessarily be a loss, the risk would increase significantly.
"I need Hemera Films to give me a sincere price!" Wilson replied in the email before continuing with his report.
However, Sarah turned out to be tougher than he expected.
"This price is quite sincere. In fact, Hemera Films could have first released it in North America."
Wilson was momentarily stunned when he saw the email, but quickly understood Sera's intention, furrowing his brow.
Indeed, as Sera mentioned, due to Halloween, even with minimal promotion, a large number of horror film fans would flock to theaters during that time.
As long as a small portion of the audience watches this novel horror film, it could gradually build a positive word-of-mouth effect. Moreover, the film features Wayne, Charlize Theron, and Anthony Hopkins, bringing attention and traffic, so it's unlikely to be ignored.
Additionally, many distribution companies could handle North American distribution. Take Miramax, for example; they're very adept at this kind of distribution.
Miramax might hesitate to buy the rights to *Happy Death Day* at a high price due to the risk, but if they were simply responsible for the North American distribution, they'd surely be more than willing.
Wilson could even imagine Harvey Weinstein, upon hearing Sera's plan, gleefully dancing around and doing everything in his power to make it happen.
In that case, while the box office revenue for *Happy Death Day* might not be as high as it would be under Warner's operation, Hemera Films would surely earn more.
"Damn it!"
"Why does it have to be Halloween!"
"And Hemera Films is way too well-funded! Do those Brits not care about money?"
Wilson scratched his head furiously, cursing under his breath.
Aside from the free publicity Halloween brings, Hemera Films' greatest advantage is that they aren't financially pressured. Unlike many small or even mid-sized production companies that must sell their completed films quickly to avoid financial collapse, Hemera can afford to wait.
"I'll report this to my superiors."
After some contemplation, Wilson replied via email, then quietly added the situation and his analysis into his report. After a moment's hesitation, he also increased the original price of $30 million to $40 million.
In his view, making a little less money is still profit. As long as they don't lose money, any gain means credit for him.
As for the final price, that's up to the higher-ups to decide. He's merely offering his opinion.
Meanwhile, almost identical scenes were playing out in the acquisition departments of Universal, Fox, and DreamWorks. However, the price assessments varied between companies.
Interestingly, DreamWorks, not the three giants, gave the highest price estimate.
This is understandable, as DreamWorks, being the top production and distribution company just below the Big Seven, has long aspired to join their ranks.
To do so, they need more excellent films to expand their reputation and distribution channels.
With a star-studded cast, including the rising star Wayne Anderson, and a unique plot and setting, along with a director skilled at creating tension and suspense, DreamWorks' estimate for the film was $46 million.
Clearly, they weren't expecting to profit from the box office alone. As long as they didn't lose money, they could still make a decent profit from DVD and TV rights sales.
It's worth noting that, thanks to the hit film *Admission Letter*, Wayne is now comparable to Anne Hathaway after the release of *The Princess Diaries* in a parallel universe.
Both went from relative obscurity to overnight stardom, and their likeable public image will undoubtedly boost the performance of *Happy Death Day*, especially since Wayne is the film's leading man.
A few days passed in a blur, and it was already October 15th.
Since the distribution companies planned to release the film around Halloween, leaving at least three to five days for previews, negotiations for *Happy Death Day* were especially tense and intense.
Sera, in particular, had to negotiate against four companies. One hour, she was talking with Warner; the next, she was in a heated debate with Universal. After a few days of this, she was so stressed that her lips were chapped.
However, with the advantages of self-distribution and no financial pressure, Sera had significant leverage.
Ultimately, though the four companies were reluctant, they each offered their bids: $40 million, $38.8 million, $43 million, and $39.5 million.
Surprisingly, DreamWorks didn't offer the highest bid; that honor went to Universal.
Universal has been on a roll these past few years, consistently ranking in the top three among the Big Seven in both box office results and overall revenue. Their keen eye for success has led them to make bold and decisive moves, especially with a fresh influx of funds from a new owner this year.
Despite this, Wayne ultimately chose DreamWorks, who bid $39.5 million.
Compared to the others, DreamWorks offered one major advantage: instead of installment payments, which wouldn't fully clear until the film had finished its global run, DreamWorks agreed to pay the full amount upfront.
Why wait three or four months with the risk of delayed payments, all for an extra $3 million?
For an average person, $3 million might be worth the wait—it's more than most people make in a lifetime. And the Big Seven would never default on payments, only delay them. But Wayne appreciated DreamWorks' straightforwardness.
Moreover, Wayne had another strategic reason for choosing DreamWorks. By helping them challenge the Big Seven's stronghold, Hemera Films could buy time to quietly grow in the shadows.
The Big Seven might spend $40 million to buy *Happy Death Day*, but they'd never spend $100 million to buy *The Bourne Identity*.
And with the system's refund rules, Wayne's future films would have higher production costs, leading to higher buyout prices, eventually too high for any company to handle.
At that point, the only option would be a box office revenue-sharing model.
As the saying goes, "A thousand days of thievery, but no thousand days of defense." To avoid constantly worrying about being shortchanged by the Big Seven or other distributors, the best solution is for Hemera Films to build its own distribution network.
While creating a global distribution network from scratch is challenging—even DreamWorks couldn't do it—building a North American distribution network is feasible.
Moreover, if history continues on its current trajectory, the next few key events in two years (2002) and four years (2005) will provide opportunities for Wayne to gain control over global distribution.
During those years, both MGM and Universal will go up for sale. If Wayne has the money, he could swallow up these giants whole!
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