บท 937: Chapter 939: A Frantic Start
[Chapter 939: A Frantic Start]
After several years of operation, the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show firmly established itself as the "Super Bowl of the fashion world."
The day after the show, countless media outlets began reporting on the event, building anticipation for its television airing just a week later. A newspaper under the Forbes Group also timely released its "1997 Supermodel Income Ranking," which sparked significant discussion, even causing LTD's stock price to rise.
In the aftermath of the Victoria's Secret show, Eric turned his attention to the upcoming IPO of Amazon.
..
On December 1, Amazon officially made its debut on the NASDAQ. With an issue price of $15 for 30 million shares, the opening price soared to $20.55, a 37% increase. By the close of that trading day, Amazon's stock still held strong at $20.13, bringing its market value to $6.65 billion right from its IPO. Firefly Investment, which held 90 million shares of Amazon, saw its investment grow to over $1.8 billion on IPO day, more than six times the original investment in Amazon.
With Amazon's IPO price on its listing day, the company recorded a P/E ratio exceeding 60. While the recent years had seen a bubble in NASDAQ causing inflated stock P/E ratios across the board, Amazon's P/E was still double the market average, inevitably reigniting media concerns over stock market bubbles.
However, Eric recalled that at the height of the NASDAQ tech bubble, some companies had P/E ratios exceeding 1000. Amazon's P/E of just over 60 was merely the beginning; the next two years would witness the most frenzied period of the NASDAQ markets.
...
As December rolled around and Thanksgiving passed, even with three weeks left until Christmas, the festive spirit across the United States began to strengthen.
Following Amazon's IPO, Eric couldn't rush to Long Island to spend Christmas with his women and children. Instead, he quickly flew back to Los Angeles to dive into his end-of-year work.
While Eric was in New York, MGM's production of Night at the Museum 2 was released on November 28. The film grossed $54.17 million over its opening weekend and $79.8 million in its first week, falling short of MGM's forecast of $85 to $90 million for the opening week.
As a special effects blockbuster with a production cost that soared to $120 million, the disappointing opening weekend suggested that the film's North American total box office was likely to be confined between $150 million and $200 million, far below the original film's $250 million earnings, and overseas box office numbers likely wouldn't fare well either.
In comparison, Monsters, Inc. performed exceptionally at the box office. Following a first-weekend haul of $76.59 million, the film's second weekend saw a minor drop of only 24%, bringing in another $57.02 million. After two weeks, the total box office reached $133 million. Given the box office performance and positive reception, Monsters, Inc. was projected to exceed $250 million in North America. As the inaugural film from Disney's new animation studio, its production costs were relatively low, ensuring substantial profits for Firefly Group from the North American market.
...
At MGM's Century City headquarters, Eric sifted through audition materials for Desperate Housewives while discussing the box office results of Night at the Museum 2 with Amy Pascal. The original Night at the Museum had a production cost of $70 million and grossed nearly $600 million worldwide. The sequel's production costs had now ballooned to $120 million, with global box office expectations hovering around $400 million. Even then, MGM's profitability was still secure, but caution was advised for a potential third installment.
"So, Amy, with the actual first-week box office $10 million short of predictions and reviews not matching the first film, where do you think the problem lies?"
Amy Pascal glanced at Eric, who was casually flipping through the actor profiles. Unsure if he had already formed his own judgment, she replied seriously, "I think it's because the Night at the Museum series isn't a traditional blockbuster; it leans more toward being a comedy. Comedy sequels have always had very unpredictable box office returns, as audiences have a hard time judging their taste. A comedy can sometimes spawn numerous successful sequels, while in some cases, viewers lose interest after just one sequel."
Eric nodded in agreement. The lead character in Night at the Museum was Ben Stiller. Although the notoriety of the "Brat Pack" hadn't fully formed yet, a group of comedic stars, including Ben Stiller, had begun to gather. Referring to Night at the Museum as a "Brat Pack comedy" wasn't too far off, as such comedies tended to exhibit a pattern of weak sequels.
After a moment's thought, Eric instructed, "Let's hold off on a third film for the next two years; we need to spend more time polishing the script. Additionally, Ben Stiller's participation fee definitely cannot go up."
Amy Pascal nodded in agreement. Just then, there were a few knocks at the office door, and Amy's assistant entered, saying, "Mr. Williams, Ms. Pascal, it's time for the auditions."
Eric and Amy Pascal tidied up their materials and made their way to the audition room.
...
Following MGM's preliminary work, the four lead actresses for Desperate Housewives had largely been determined. Apart from Teri Hatcher, who played Susan, Eric had selected different actresses for the other three housewives, intending to personally observe their live audition performances.
Teri Hatcher had previously made a cameo in the film Tomorrow Never Dies. While the global success of Tomorrow Never Dies had given Teri some fame, she was now 33, past the golden years for actresses, making it unlikely she would see much growth in her film career. However, with Desperate Housewives being Eric's personal creation, she quickly accepted the role when MGM extended the invitation.
Yet, Eric's choice of Teri Hatcher to play Susan involved additional considerations.
Historically, after Desperate Housewives became a hit, the four housewives intended to emulate the six friends from Friends and band together to demand multi-million dollar salaries from ABC. However, during the salary negotiations, Teri Hatcher sidelined the other three actresses and signed a contract with ABC on her own, causing their coalition to fall apart.
Eric was unaware of the detailed internal conflicts, but the tensions within the Desperate Housewives cast were common knowledge. Teri Hatcher's "nonconformity" could be a safeguard against a similar alliance regaining strength within the housewives group.
Entering the audition room, the four actresses waiting inside stood up. Teri Hatcher, who was somewhat familiar with Eric, approached first and warmly embraced him.
As Eric hugged Teri Hatcher, he felt her fingers lightly brushing against his back. He only chuckled in response. Though he didn't have much on her in his memory, he knew she was undoubtedly a challenging woman, and he had no intentions of attracting that kind of trouble.
Releasing Teri Hatcher, Eric then turned to the other three actresses.
Among the remaining three women, he only recognized Elizabeth Perkins. The other two had left little impression, having been chosen solely by MGM's television department.
Elizabeth Perkins was also an actress Eric had specifically insisted on. He had seen her performance in About Last Night and felt that she was perfect for the role of Bree Van de Kamp in Desperate Housewives, marked by her perfectionist tendencies. Elizabeth exuded an elegant yet housewife vibe.
With roles virtually secured, Eric had already seen the taped auditions of the actresses and had no concerns, making the audition feel more like a casual table read.
However, perhaps only Eric held such a relaxed attitude; the four actresses were quite cautious in their approach.
Since it was Desperate Housewives, Eric had intentionally set the ages of the housewives younger, hoping to avoid a situation where they would all resort to Botox to maintain their appearances, as had happened in the past. But aside from the 27-year-old Latina actress named Vanessa Crown, the other three were all over 30. This TV series could very likely serve as their last opportunity for a comeback.
The relaxed audition lasted for an hour and a half. Eric still needed to rush to Firefly Studios for an end-of-year meeting, so he only briefly watched a couple of performances and chatted with a few actresses about the show before leaving in haste.
Before departing, Eric casually handed a card to Amy's assistant, instructing her to pass it along to Elizabeth Perkins.
During their exchange, Eric suddenly felt drawn to Elizabeth Perkins, a mature woman with a beautiful face and undeniable presence. Without hesitation, he made his move. With his considerable achievements in Hollywood, Eric naturally regarded the realm as his hunting ground and never intended to pass up on an enticing prospect.
...
Having made it through the audition, Elizabeth Perkins finally exhaled in relief. Originally, she had thought that the successful Eric Williams would come off as somewhat arrogant, but throughout the auditions, he had displayed a very gentle demeanor.
Just as she prepared to leave, Amy Pascal's assistant called her back and handed her a card, whispering, "Ms. Perkins, this is from Mr. Williams for you."
Elizabeth Perkins froze for a moment and noticed Teri Hatcher beside her obviously pretending to rummage through her purse, casting a jealous yet disdainful glance her way. She quickly nodded to the assistant, slid the card into her coat pocket, and hurriedly made her exit.
Arriving at the parking lot, once she settled into her car, Elizabeth's nerves returned as she uneasily pulled out the card. While she had anticipated some form of invitation, she was still taken aback to see a dinner invitation along with a phone number. She wasn't naive; she knew what such an invitation implied.
As she drove away from MGM headquarters, she aimlessly turned down Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. Without realizing it, her car stopped in front of a women's boutique.
After a moment of hesitation, Elizabeth decided to get out and entered the store, picking out a stylish new outfit, thinking to herself it would be a reward for landing the role.
After purchasing her clothes, she suddenly felt a bit self-destructive and decided to splurge on a pair of Manolo heels, a brand that had become even more popular since Sex and the City aired. In the past, she would have hesitated on such a purchase. Though she had enjoyed a period of fame a decade ago with Tom Hanks in Big, she had found little success in more recent years, and now she was mostly limited to television roles.
Wandering the streets of Los Angeles until nightfall, she watched as the lights began to illuminate the streets. She paused at a payphone and dialed the number from the card.
However, it wasn't Eric Williams who answered the phone. The caller merely asked her location and stated that a car would come to pick her up.
After hanging up, Elizabeth considered jumping straight into the car but thought better of it and decided to wait on the sidewalk instead.
...
After about twenty minutes, a black sedan pulled up, and the driver got out to open the door for her. Elizabeth realized this was her ride.
As she climbed into the car, she discovered Eric was also seated in the back.
Eric looked at Elizabeth as she took a seat beside him, smiling, "I was starting to think you wouldn't call me."
Elizabeth Perkins, still feeling a bit reluctant, retorted with a hint of accusation, "If I hadn't made that call, would I have lost the role?"
Eric shrugged, a playful glint in his eye, "Perhaps. You should know, someone like me usually finds it hard to handle rejection."
Elizabeth sensed the teasing tone in Eric's voice and couldn't help but add, "And you're just terrible at flattering women."
At her comment, Eric smiled even more, "It seems like the entirety of Hollywood knows I have a taste for more mature women."
Elizabeth opened her mouth to respond but decided against it and shot Eric an eye-roll instead.
As Eric assessed the woman next to him, he suddenly asked, "I just remembered something else -- are you married?"
Elizabeth turned her head, "Do you care?"
"Of course," Eric nodded, adding, "I do have a bit of a principle. If you're married, I'll just drop you off right now."
Elizabeth fixed her gaze on Eric for several seconds, and seeing his serious expression, finally shook her head, "I was married once, but that was a long time ago."
"Oh, sounds like there's a story there; maybe we could discuss it later."
Elizabeth felt Eric's teasing tone return but simply rolled her eyes once more. She had not heard that saying about life being like what it is -- you either endure or enjoy it -- but she soon realized that Eric was quite adept at charming and pleasing women. After dinner, she felt that her experience that evening wasn't half bad, and everything began to feel natural.
*****
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