章 701: Chapter 702: Docking
[Chapter 702: Docking]
Eric and David Fincher chatted well into the afternoon, finalizing much of the details for Se7en. David had shed his initial reservations, feeling comfortable with Eric's bold collaborative approach that allowed for creative freedom, which stood out among other Hollywood studios. Before leaving, he made a firm commitment to direct the film.
They exchanged contact information, and Eric personally saw David out.
...
During the noon hour, Drew hadn't returned yet; she only called to have a sweet chat and insisted on ordering takeout for Eric from far away.
Gwyneth Paltrow lingered longer than intended, and after escorting David out, Eric didn't want to waste energy dealing with her. The Paltrow family could definitely be deemed a Hollywood "dynasty" in the eyes of lesser-known actors, but to Eric, they were not particularly impressive. There was no mutual connection, so he saw little reason to show them any courtesy. Once David left, Eric politely asked her to leave.
Since she dismissed the role of the female lead in Se7en, Eric felt no obligation to retain the "original crew."
To Eric, this seemingly inconsequential role actually marked Gwyneth Paltrow's turning point in her Hollywood career. Even if she leveraged her family influence to star in ten low-budget indie films, the impact of Se7en would far outweigh that. After all, those indie films, grossing only a couple of million and perhaps never even receiving a release, wouldn't significantly enhance an actor's notoriety. Moreover, for an actor with average talent, being featured in a hit movie was the best way to sustain a career. A strong degree of visibility in a successful film would lead to greater box office appeal, allowing her to secure better roles.
As for how far Gwyneth could go in Hollywood without this film, Eric deemed it none of his business.
...
The following period was a whirlwind for Eric until just before the Academy Awards. He spent nearly all his time in back-to-back meetings about the screenplay, casting auditions, budget discussions, and scouting locations.
While the Oscar buzz surrounding Saving Private Ryan remained a secondary concern, after he confirmed a second film, Eric had to focus on a staggering seven projects entering the substantive production phase. These included five key films dispersed across the Firefly Group's various brands: Titanic, The Matrix, The Rock, Bad Boys, and Se7en. Additionally, there were collaborations with Columbia on Men in Black 2 and with MGM's DreamWorks on Charlie's Angels 2.
On top of these live-action films, Blue Sky Studios completed its deal and became affiliated with 20th Century Fox.
News of the deal quickly spread through Hollywood, sparking envy as everyone learned Blue Sky would receive ample technical support for 3D animation from Firefly. There wasn't a single studio in Hollywood that didn't envy Firefly's prowess in 3D technology.
During this time, Fox surreptitiously acquired the film rights to Shrek, and Eric also moved ahead to discuss the concept of Ice Age with Chris Wedge. Those two lucrative animation franchises alone would keep Blue Sky busy for a decade.
However, there was one hiccup concerning the rights to Transformers.
Elisabeth initially aimed to quietly negotiate the live-action film adaptation rights with Hasbro, but Hasbro wasn't like other rights holders. As a globally recognized toy giant, they understood that a live-action Transformers film could significantly boost sales of the toy line but were incredibly tough negotiators, demanding substantial licensing fees, limiting the scope of the film's production, and insisting on joint investment in the project.
Naturally, Elisabeth wasn't going to compromise easily, and both sides fell into a stalemate, prompting the news to rapidly circulate through Hollywood.
Hollywood had no shortage of sharp minds, and word spread. Some keen observers who picked up on Elisabeth leading the rights negotiations sensed the "Firefly influence" behind it, leading to a frenzied scramble, with Hasbro raising its prices.
To prove their "innocence," Firefly joined the competition as well.
However, Eric didn't present an overly high offer; the competition didn't heat up too intensely. Due to technical limitations, it simply wasn't the right time to produce a live-action Transformers film.
In truth, the best time for a Transformers movie would be ten years from then. Even if it were expedited, it would ideally take place post-2000, as creating the live-action effects Eric recalled would certainly cost over $200 million. Otherwise, the results would likely be lackluster.
Eric didn't believe any of the major studios would muster the courage to invest $200 million in a single film, and even if they did, they wouldn't possess the exceptional effects capabilities that would define the industry. By that time, Industrial Light & Magic, known for the special effects in the previous Transformers movie, would likely be far behind in technology.
Without those prerequisites, even if other major studios secured the rights and attempted to launch the project, the chances of success were slim. If it failed, the rights would naturally be shelved. But it was only 1995, and there was plenty of time to see what happened.
...
As March rolled into late, the Academy Awards drew closer.
However, before that, the most sensational Hollywood event occurred when the Seagram Group, after over six months of negotiations, finally reached a deal with Panasonic to acquire MCA Inc. and Universal Pictures for $7.5 billion.
The deal should have been finalized by the end of the previous year, but negotiations stalled due to the Michael Ovitz incident, where all parties deliberated extensively over the enormous severance package owed to him. Rumors even suggested a complete breakdown in negotiations.
The delay lasted over two months, but it ultimately concluded successfully.
While Panasonic, Seagram, and Universal did not reveal the final compensation agreement reached with Michael Ovitz, this was no secret to Eric.
Ovitz ended up securing a $120 million severance package from Universal, shared by both Panasonic and Seagram. Meanwhile, Universal CEO Michael Eisner had re-signed his contract during this time, voluntarily reducing his options and bonuses for the coming years.
Though the dispute was eventually resolved, there were no victors in this affair. Panasonic and Seagram were understandably displeased with the $60 million they had to pay out unjustifiably, while Michael Eisner harbored frustrations over being compelled to cut his salary.
As the apparent beneficiary of the situation, Michael Ovitz turned out to be the biggest loser. If he hadn't left CAA and sold all his shares, he would have continued raking in tens of millions annually.
In his attempt to join Universal, Ovitz had "cleaned house," selling all his CAA shares to establish himself on a broader platform, only to find himself unceremoniously pushed out less than a year later. None of the major studios were willing to take him on, and returning to talent representation was impossible -- CAA wouldn't welcome back a dethroned "king," and the stable three-way monopoly of ICM, WMA, and CAA blocked any chance for him to start fresh.
One could say that Michael Ovitz, a once-mighty titan of the entertainment industry in the '80s, had seen his Hollywood career dismantled utterly.
Losers are swiftly forgotten, while Hollywood's newcomers eagerly sought to make their presence known.
After the deal's conclusion, Seagram's Edgar Bronfman quickly sent out invitations and threw an extravagant party at Universal Studios in Burbank. It felt very much like the new power was "docking" with the established powers. With the Oscars approaching and stars flooding Los Angeles, responses to the invites came pouring in.
...
As night fell, the party hall at Universal was bustling, with guests arriving from all over Los Angeles.
After Eric Bronfman finished interacting with important guests in the hall, he was interrupted by Michael Eisner, who was standing beside a middle-aged white man in his thirties.
"Edgar, this is the CEO of Hasbro, Allan Hasenfeld, whom I mentioned to you," Michael Eisner warmly introduced. "Allan, this is Edgar Bronfman from Seagram."
Seagram and Hasbro shared some similarities; both were family-run businesses maintained by their founding families. Seagram was founded by the Bronfman family in the early 20th century, just as Hasbro was established by the Hasenfeld family shortly thereafter.
Although Universal had experienced several months of unrest, business had to continue.
During the acquisition negotiations, Panasonic had once suggested that since the conflict between Michael Eisner and Michael Ovitz was irreconcilable, they should simply eliminate the less advantageous party -- Michael Eisner. Ultimately, Edgar Bronfman insisted on keeping Eisner, knowing that Eisner's ability to navigate Universal's waters was far more valuable than Ovitz's. After all, the difference in severance pay amounted to mere millions.
Thus, Michael Eisner was eager to prove the correctness of Seagram's decision, leading to a heightened urgency in the race for the Transformers rights.
He was among the first to suspect that the Transformers rights might be tied to Eric. Even if it had no bearing on Eric, his in-depth analysis indicated that a live-action film based on the globally recognized toy brand, enhanced with cutting-edge CGI effects, certainly held significant commercial potential. Universal should, therefore, pursue the rights with reckless abandon.
Edgar Bronfman had heard Michael Eisner detail the potential surrounding the Transformers rights and, upon hearing him introduce Allan Hasenfeld, displayed keen enthusiasm. Eisner desperately sought to establish impressive deliverables, and both men were keen on maximizing their Hollywood resources.
"Allan, I hope you enjoy the night," Edgar Bronfman greeted, shaking Allan Hasenfeld's hand with a smile. "Regarding the Transformers rights, I hope you'll give it some serious thought -- Universal is very sincere about collaboration."
"Of course, Hasbro is equally keen on making Hollywood connections," Allan Hasenfeld replied, shrewdness gleaming in his eyes, offering no definitive answer but a vague smile.
Unfazed, Edgar continued, "Since that's the case, Allan, how about a round of golf tomorrow? We can discuss it in more detail then?"
"Edgar, I might not have time tomorrow -- my apologies," Allan Hasenfeld shook his head.
Michael Eisner understood that agreements rarely came to fruition at parties. It was best to ensure Allan was well entertained. Noticing his eyes drifting towards the crowd, he suggested, "Allan, if there's anyone here you'd like to meet, I could introduce you."
Allan Hasenfeld remained silent, lifting his wine glass to his lips.
Edgar Bronfman observed Allan's gaze, realizing that he had shown up without a companion. After considering, he added, "Allan, the ladies of Hollywood are quite friendly; please don't hesitate to mingle. If there's a starlet here you're interested in, we can certainly reach out."
Just then, commotion erupted at the entrance of the party. The trio could feel all eyes turning toward the doorway, and some guests began heading that way.
Curious, Michael Eisner and the others looked over. At the entrance, five stunning models entered the party like living mermaids, instantly becoming the center of everyone's attention. Hollywood is no stranger to beautiful women, but these five, tall and clad in exquisite designer gowns and high heels, with flawless faces, exuded an aura that overshadowed every other female presence in the hall.
Watching those five striking figures, Edgar Bronfman couldn't help but feel a mix of admiration and envy for Eric Williams's discerning eye.
Though these women weren't movie stars, they were among the hottest topics in recent Hollywood media. They were set to present one of the year's first Oscars.
For many, the current fame of these models meant the barriers to entering the film industry were almost nonexistent. With Eric Williams's expansive connections paving the way, if they expressed a desire to act, studios interested in them would surely shower them with offers.
Previously, supermodels faced significant hurdles when pursuing film roles, often relegated to forgettable minor characters despite reaching peaks of fame in their field.
However, under Eric's influence, these five Victoria's Secret Angels had transitioned beyond the supermodel label and into the realm of national icons.
Reflecting on Eric Williams brought mixed feelings to Edgar Bronfman. Naturally, he invited Eric to the party and even rang him personally after sending the invitation to demonstrate his regard. But, despite several previous gatherings, Eric hadn't attended, and it was uncertain whether he'd make an appearance that night.
Michael Eisner, too, felt a swirl of emotions upon seeing Cindy Crawford and the other four women. The young man he once thought overly ambitious now stood at the peak of Hollywood, extending his influence beyond its confines while Eisner still struggled to secure his own position.
Yet, Eisner quickly refocused his attention on Allan Hasenfeld, realizing that dwelling on the past served no purpose. Presenting deals brought immediate significance.
Noticing how Allan glanced at the five women, Eisner calculated his next move. The excitement in Allan's eyes hinted at a masculine eagerness. After a brief contemplation, Eisner leaned closer to Edgar Bronfman, signaling him discreetly.
"Allan, those five beauties have to rank among the most stunning in the world. Let's go introduce ourselves," Michael suggested.
Edgar looked puzzled at Michael's intent but played along. "Right! According to recent magazine rankings, they've all been top contenders for the most beautiful starlet. It'd be a pity to miss out on meeting such breathtaking women."
Encouraged, Allan nodded, "I'd enjoy meeting them as well!"
As they spoke, the five Victoria's Secret Angels, swarmed by various guests, began to disperse throughout the hall.
Michael Eisner, with Allan Hasenfeld in tow, led the way directly toward Diane Kruger, who was dressed in a burgundy evening gown.
*****
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