บท 366: Chapter 366: Rolex
Hearing Helen Herman's words, Matthew immediately understood that this endorsement wasn't something that came to them by chance. He asked, "Did you arrange this?"
"What do you think?" Helen Herman knew Matthew was on the verge of becoming an A-lister, and with his temperament, if she didn't pull her weight and someone else came along willing to pay the break fee, him switching agents wasn't out of the question. Thus, she had prepared a trump card for this moment.
"You don't think I just take my cut for negotiating film deals, do you?" she stated coolly.
Matthew smiled, "I never thought that."
When Helen mentioned a watch endorsement, given her strategies, it certainly wasn't going to be a low-end brand. Using standards from the other side of the Pacific, high-end watch brands usually have more prestige.
Back then, there was even a saying, "The poor play with cars, the rich play with watches."
That Helen Herman could secure a watch brand endorsement for him must have taken some effort.
"Which brand?" Matthew asked curiously.
"Rolex," Helen elaborated. "One of the global ambassadors for Rolex mechanical watches. I expect someone from Rolex's headquarters will come to Los Angeles next month to discuss the contract with us."
Matthew then asked, "No assessments like with Mercedes?"
Helen shook her head. "No! As long as you're not opposed, we can sign directly when the Rolex representatives arrive in Los Angeles."
Matthew shrugged, "Why would I object?" He added, "I thought it might be Patek Philippe for a moment."
"Patek Philippe doesn't use celebrities for endorsements; they stick to the strategy that their watches are their own ambassadors," Helen explained, knowing Matthew might not be familiar. "Rolex is pretty much the pinnacle of watch endorsements you can get as a public star. Rolex is a king in brand building, value and price stability, and channel dominance, while Patek Philippe reigns in the niche, high-end sector."
She thought for a moment and then added, "Patek Philippe is positioned as a high-end luxury, whereas Rolex is positioned as a luxury for the masses."
Matthew remembered Helen saying that top brands rarely go for celebrity endorsements.
Indeed, he knew that Rolex was a luxury brand, and securing such an endorsement would definitely enhance his prestige. Helen had not previously revealed this information, likely wanting to show him that her capabilities as an agent were on par with the top agents from big companies.
The Rolex endorsement wouldn't conflict with Mercedes-Benz, and since Rolex was interested, he was naturally inclined to accept.
Helen then said, "Rolex intends to sign a five-year contract with you..."
"They really know how to pick their moments!" Matthew couldn't help but interrupt Helen, "With two sequels of 'Pirates of the Caribbean' coming up, I'm set for at least another five years of fame."
"Rolex is not a charity," Helen remarked, quite matter-of-factly, then continued, "The endorsement deal is worth $15 million for five years. Additionally, Rolex will sponsor a complete range of high-end watches for you to use in everyday and public settings, which is part of the endorsement terms. At high-visibility events like premieres, award ceremonies, and interviews, you are required to wear a Rolex watch."
"No problem," Matthew was always practical in business dealings, "Looks like I won't need to buy watches anymore."
He then expressed a concern, "Isn't the endorsement fee a bit low?"
Helen seemed to anticipate this question and had her response ready, "You are just one of many global ambassadors for Rolex. They are adding three new ones this time, including you, Swiss tennis star Roger Federer, and supermodel Cindy Crawford. Federer has the longest contract at ten years for $20 million, while Cindy's is the same as yours, a five-year deal. But as a woman, her fee is likely a bit lower than yours."
"If you think it's appropriate, that's fine by me," Matthew trusted her judgment, as his income directly affected Helen's commission. He then curiously asked, "Rolex has tennis stars as ambassadors?"
"You don't follow tennis, so you might not know," Helen explained briefly, "Rolex sponsors several top tennis events, and Federer, being Swiss, naturally fits their profile, as endorsements in tennis tend to be high-end."
She thought for a moment and added, "The specific details will be discussed when the Rolex representatives arrive."
Matthew nodded, "Okay, just let me know when they get here."
Securing the Rolex contract would mean his endorsement income alone could reach seven to eight million dollars annually. As long as he remained popular, more endorsement deals were likely to follow.
Helen had clearly thought the same, stating, "In my plan, you could secure no less than five endorsement contracts. Mercedes and Rolex are just the beginning."
"You can count on me," Matthew understood Helen's
subtext, "We work well together, and I'm not planning on switching agencies."
Unless another agency came forward with an offer he simply couldn't refuse, staying at Angel Agency was the wisest choice. As their top star, the agency, and Helen's resources, would prioritize him, even focusing all their efforts on managing his and Charlize Theron's publicity.
Switching to another agency would not offer him the same level of support.
More importantly, the career path Helen had mapped out for him largely matched his own aspirations.
"Anything else?" Matthew glanced at the wall clock, "If there's nothing else, I'll head out."
"There is one thing I need your help with," Helen didn't beat around the bush, "I just signed Eva Green, whose first Hollywood film was a flop. Her future projects are a bit uncertain. There are several supporting roles being cast for 'Pirates of the Caribbean,' including a voodoo priestess that I think she'd be perfect for. If possible, could you lend a hand?"
Matthew thought it over, "I'll see what I can do."
As he left Helen's office, his phone rang before he could descend the stairs. It was Michael Fassbender, inviting him out for drinks at a bar later that evening, with James McAvoy also attending.
After the call, Matthew texted Charlize Theron, picked up a copy of the scripts for the next two 'Pirates of the Caribbean' sequels from Helen, and started reading.
He had received the scripts from Disney Studios over a month ago and had already studied them numerous times. Yet, even now, they hadn't been finalized, typical of producer Jerry Bruckheimer's style.
While the main plots were unlikely to change, the structure still revolved around three main characters. However, based on the popularity of the characters from 'Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl,' the scripts had been adjusted significantly from what he remembered.
Most notably, Will Turner's role was further enhanced. Although his screen time still didn't match Jack Sparrow's, it was sufficient to consider him a co-lead, sharing the narrative load with Jack.
With limited duration and content in a film, and Jack Sparrow being the most popular character, his presence couldn't be reduced. The increase in Will Turner's role came at the expense of Elizabeth Swann.
If Elizabeth Swann seemed like a supporting character in 'The Curse of the Black Pearl,' in these two sequels, she was definitely relegated to a true supporting role.
It was uncertain how Keira Knightley would feel about this. She had attended the engagement ceremony recently, but Matthew had only exchanged a few words with her, not touching on the scripts or her role.
Regardless, Keira would still be billed as the female lead.
Moreover, her career path was shifting. Matthew had heard from Helen that after the failure of 'King Arthur,' besides the 'Pirates' sequels, Keira planned to avoid mainstream commercial films and focus on independent and art films, starting with a starring role in 'Pride and Prejudice' that year.
Matthew figured it would be difficult to see Keira in any commercial films outside of the 'Pirates' franchise in the future, not just by her own choice but also due to the negative impact of 'King Arthur.'
At the end of the month, filming for the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' sequels was set to begin.
After reviewing the scripts, as the workday drew to a close, Matthew left Angel Agency and drove to the bar where he'd arranged to meet Michael Fassbender. He arrived first, with Michael and James showing up within ten minutes.
The trio enjoyed their drinks and conversation, discussing everything from Hollywood gossip to which actresses they fancied, all the way to their own projects.
Matthew learned that Michael Fassbender and James McAvoy had decided not to return to London but to stay and compete in Los Angeles. The competition might be less in the UK, but the opportunities were far greater in LA.
This was undoubtedly good news for Matthew.
"I have a project where I'm one of the planners and will also be playing the lead role," Matthew naturally wanted to help Michael and James, "It's based on the graphic novel '300 Spartans,' a war-themed film with several standout supporting roles."
He added, "You might need to get in a lot of gym time before shooting starts."
Matthew didn't say much more. Whether they joined or not was up to them; such matters couldn't be forced.
Days passed quickly, and at the end of the month, Matthew temporarily set aside his other responsibilities to report to the Disney studio lot.
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