บท 724: Chapter 725: The Right Approach
[Chapter 725: The Right Approach]
Bill Mechanic brought Howard Stringer into his office. As they both sat down, Howard pulled a document from his briefcase. "Bill, take a look at this first."
Bill Mechanic received the document and opened it, where a photo immediately caught his eye. The image displayed a giant beast with armor-like scales reminiscent of a dinosaur. Without thinking, Bill exclaimed, "Godzilla?"
"Yes, Godzilla," Howard Stringer nodded. He set aside the coffee handed to him by Bill's secretary and waved the assistant away. "Mr. Nobuyuki contacted me yesterday and sent this material. Sony headquarters has already started talks with Toho, and we should be able to get the rights soon. He wants us to bring this monster to the big screen using Hollywood's most advanced CGI effects."
Since the first Godzilla film debuted in 1954, the creature -- born from Japanese fears of nuclear devastation -- had gained worldwide recognition and amassed a huge following. Besides the over twenty films produced directly by Toho, Godzilla-related comics, cartoons, and merchandise flourished across the globe. The monster even significantly influenced many films dealing with giant creatures.
Bill Mechanic understood that Sony executives were likely inspired by the box office success of Jurassic Park 2 and had become impulsive about making a CGI version of Godzilla. Given that Jurassic Park served as a reference point, he expected a project budget of no less than a hundred million dollars. However, pursuing this project conflicted with the development strategy he had designed for Columbia.
After a moment's hesitation, Bill asked, "Howard, what are Mr. Nobuyuki's specific plans for this project? Columbia isn't in the best shape right now."
"I know your concerns, Bill," Howard Stringer said with a smile. "Budget-wise, there are no issues. Mr. Nobuyuki stated that as long as we can execute this project well, Sony is willing to bear a production budget of up to $150 million and invest $50 million in marketing because he hopes the first film makes a splash, leading to a series like what Toho has done."
Upon hearing this, Bill Mechanic felt no joy.
If Sony invested $200 million into this project, they would need at least $500 million in global box office receipts to break even. Although Jurassic Park had already pushed the highest global box office record to $1 billion two years prior, Bill, who had spent twenty years navigating Hollywood, knew making a movie with global earnings of $500 million was no easy feat, even with the overall expanding market.
Last year's Hollywood market was remarkable in its success, but only six films surpassed the $500 million mark worldwide. Bill feared if this $200 million project failed, it could deal a devastating blow to Sony's confidence in film operations, possibly leading it to withdraw from Hollywood like Panasonic did. Each change in ownership at major studios meant management upheaval, putting Bill's own future as CEO in jeopardy.
After some consideration, Bill said, "Howard, I mentioned upon joining that if Sony wanted to operate the film business long-term, it should focus on producing medium to low-budget films in the next few years. This conservative approach would help stabilize Columbia's nearly collapsed production and distribution system. At that time, both you and Mr. Nobuyuki agreed with my approach, so why take the risk now?"
Howard Stringer patiently explained, "Bill, Mr. Nobuyuki's exact words are that Sony hopes Columbia will have a highly representative film series."
"Howard, I just think this decision is foolish. They should know what failure on this project would mean. If the Japanese want to maintain their dignity, the Men in Black and Jumanji series are already enough," Bill shook his head. "I believe we should persuade Mr. Nobuyuki to abandon this idea. If it must be done, it should be postponed for another two or three years until Columbia regains its footing."
Howard Stringer came from a media background, and he understood that Mr. Nobuyuki appointed him CEO of Sony Pictures specifically to revitalize their entertainment business. Not only the executives at Sony headquarters, even Howard himself felt a surge of excitement after seeing Jurassic Park 2's stellar box office performance. Thus, when Sony headquarters pitched the Godzilla project, Howard perceived a significant opportunity.
Yet, he hadn't anticipated his eager arrival would turn into continuous friction with Bill Mechanic.
"Bill, we need to separate from the situations faced by Men in Black and Jumanji. We need to pursue this project independently. Once we have our own flagship film series, we won't have to rely on anyone else."
Bill Mechanic wanted to say more but, noticing Howard Stringer's serious expression, he realized it was best not to push further against his direct superior. His tone softened. "Alright, Howard. We can proceed with this project, but I think it would be best to delay it a year. We're all aware of Columbia's situation. Since Peter Guber's departure last year, our production and distribution operations have been almost at a standstill. While things have improved somewhat in recent months, if we could have another year..."
"Bill, this is a decision from headquarters. There's no room for negotiation. What we need to do is execute it," Howard Stringer finally lost his patience, interrupting Bill. "Also, I don't want to prolong our disagreement. The board absolutely does not want Columbia to have another management crisis. If you don't cooperate, I'll have to report our situation to the board."
Bill Mechanic felt taken aback. He had been at the company since late April, and the rapport between them had seemed pleasant. He even thought of Howard Stringer as an easygoing person. But he hadn't anticipated this side of him -- so obstinate and threatening. Inwardly seething, Bill thought Sony had just gotten rid of two incompetent executives, only to hire a fool ignorant of the film industry.
Howard Stringer had been a journalist and later served as the president of CBS News. While he was in the media field, he had never dabbled in the film industry. Hollywood was filled with executives from non-traditional backgrounds, but the top figures -- Jeffrey Katzenberg, Michael Eisner, Sherry Lansing, and himself -- had all climbed their way up through the Hollywood ranks.
While it wasn't unheard of for outsiders to oversee professionals, it had led to the downfall of Paramount ten years prior when Martin Davis, an outside investor, frequently interfered in management, causing rapid decline and eventual acquisition by Viacom.
"Alright," Bill Mechanic said with a slight shrug. Although he felt highly resistant, he didn't want to search for a new job just yet. Since this project was a Sony headquarters decision, even if it flopped, he wouldn't shoulder too much responsibility. If it succeeded, it would only benefit him further. "Howard, given this, where do you plan to start?"
Despite outwardly conceding, Howard Stringer sensed Bill's clear negativity. He thought for a moment and said, "How about this, Bill? I'll take direct responsibility for this project, and we can assign the production to TriStar Pictures. You can continue to manage the company as you see fit, coordinating only when necessary."
Deep down, Bill Mechanic believed that Sony's executives and Howard Stringer had clearly become deluded by Jurassic Park 2's box office triumph, thinking they could effortlessly create a billion-dollar film.
He had originally contemplated how to completely remove himself from this high-risk project, and while a successful project would boost the company's overall strength and benefit him, if it failed, he wouldn't carry a significant stain on his record when seeking his next position.
"Of course, no problem. It would be wonderful if you were directly involved," Bill nodded without hesitation, smiling.
Seeing that Bill Mechanic no longer resisted the plan and willingly delegated authority, Howard Stringer felt satisfaction but also thought he had been a bit harsh in tone. He was not a particularly obstinate person; his previous statements were based on Mr. Nobuyuki's instructions. The Sony board genuinely wanted to avoid another uncontrolled management scenario at Columbia.
However, both he and the Sony executives failed to realize that while letting loose the reins might cause chaos, tugging them too tightly could lead to disaster.
"So, Bill, who do you think would be the best director for this film in Hollywood?" With the intent to ease the atmosphere, Howard Stringer asked in a mild tone.
"I think we should first address the special effects issue," Bill Mechanic said, still determined to exclude himself from the matter. He wasn't going to recommend any directors. He merely noted, "If we want to use CGI technology to bring Godzilla to the big screen, the only feasible option in Hollywood for this project is Digital Domain. But after earlier events, our relations with Firefly Group aren't very smooth, although they claim that Digital Domain is a separate operation, no one can guarantee they won't deliberately create obstacles for us."
"Didn't Universal's The Mummy also have special effects done by Digital Domain?" Howard Stringer pondered before responding, "Michael Eisner and Eric Williams' relationship was far worse than that between Firefly and Columbia."
"I believe it was mainly due to the leading actress, Nicole Kidman, mediating," Bill Mechanic remarked. "She's Eric Williams' partner, and she reportedly received a $30 million salary for the first Mummy film; that's a price Universal paid for their success with the Mummy series."
"If Godzilla can succeed, we certainly won't have trouble affording that," Howard paused to consider. "So, do you think we could implement a similar strategy as Universal?"
Bill Mechanic shook his head. "I don't believe so. Warner Bros.' Fair Game, which was released at the end of May, starred Claudia Schiffer, who is also Eric Williams' partner. However, this $50 million action movie only grossed less than $10 million during its opening week. Last weekend, in the wake of Jurassic Park 2, it fell 57% to just $3 million. Originally, forecasting had it reaching $30 million, but it seems now it'd be fortunate to hit $25 million."
"I heard about that at a business cocktail party a few days ago," Howard Stringer mentioned. "I was told during the film's preparation, Eric Williams predicted this project would fail. Joel Silver made significant changes in an attempt to salvage it, but unfortunately, it didn't work. I didn't hear anything about the leading actress."
Bill Mechanic thought to himself that at formal business gatherings, people wouldn't blabber about such gossip. But with a slight focus on Hollywood, these matters were hardly secrets. "In any case, Howard, we first need to resolve the special effects issue. Moreover, for such a big project, finding a reliable director is crucial. Ideally, this director should have successfully directed a blockbuster with special effects."
Although intending to remain uninvolved, Bill Mechanic still tried to guide Howard Stringer toward the right approach.
Howard Stringer almost immediately thought of the recent hit Jurassic Park 2. "Perhaps we could try to reach out to Joe Johnston?"
"If we could succeed, that would be great," Bill Mechanic nodded in agreement, though he didn't hold high expectations. Firefly Group had likely secured Joe Johnston with a stringent option agreement after having him direct Jurassic Park. Unless someone was willing to pay a substantial penalty, or if Firefly graciously released him, Johnston's chances of directing for other companies in the coming years were extremely low.
*****
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