If you want to judge the best managers in Hollywood of the past 30 years, there is no doubt that it is Michael Eisner!

In the 70s, ABC Group's performance declined and it was Michael Eisner who turned the tide and turned losses into profits.

In the early eighties, Paramount Pictures was almost bankrupt, and its performance was the worst in Hollywood, even worse than MGM that was played by capital. It was Michael Eisner again, who led Paramount, and in just a few years, brought the studio from the bottom of Hollywood's big six to the top.

At that time, Disney was in a multi-year slump, the business was in a state of leaderless chaos, the theme park was gradually losing its vitality, and Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck were almost a long memory.

It's Michael Eisner again, and after saving two big companies in a row, in 1984, he came to Disney!

Through a series of drastic reforms, including the crazy development of brand-driven product sales, upgrading Disneyland, opening a film and television department that produces non-G-rated films, and other effective measures, it was just a few years of hard work for Disney movies to begin to recover and become an industry leader.

Not only that, but he also expanded Disney into the television and publishing industries through step-by-step acquisitions, becoming a giant transmedia group!

If Disney is a beautiful Sleeping Beauty, then Michael Eisner is the prince who awakens Sleeping Beauty and saves the magical kingdom.

The continuous success naturally made Michael Eisner form a kind of imperial domineering and absolute power within Disney.

Not only does no one dare to call out internally, but even if you look at Hollywood, Michael Eisner is hard to match.

Although Disney's animation performance declined after Jeffrey Katzenberg's departure, he attracted a new generation of animation studio Pixar.

Disney's animation influence is still dominant!

And with the efforts of Touchstone Pictures, Hollywood Studios, Miramax, and Jerry Bruckheimer Productions, Disney has gradually expanded its voice in the field of live-action films.

It wasn't until this summer that something big changed.

Disney's blockbuster "Sixty Seconds of Speed" was killed by "Spider-Man" produced by Hollywood's emerging force Donn Pictures!

This made Michael Eisner, who has always been smooth sailing, feel unprecedented shame!

A child in his twenties dares to be arrogant with him?

If it weren't for Joe Ruth's good performance in the past ten years, and he couldn't find a suitable replacement for a while, Michael Eisner would definitely make a decisive move and fire him!

Jeffrey Katzenberg's departure, which has led to the silence of Disney's main animation, has caused dissatisfaction among shareholders.

The lesson was so profound that Michael Eisner had to be cautious. If Disney's live-action movies get worse and worse after Joe Ruth's departure, it will make matters worse.

And with "Screaming" coming to the summer as a dark horse, this somewhat eased the pressure on Michael Eisner from shareholders.

Joe Ruth was lucky to escape, and made a military order to Michael Eisner: the next movie "Immortal Robbery" will definitely make back the money lost in "Sixty Seconds of Speed"!

Disney's Joe Ruth survived, but what about Twentieth Century Fox? They can't come up with a movie like "Scream" to put out the fire in the summer.

Is Tom Rothman responsible?

No, he already had an emergency mechanism.

……

As the popularity of "Spider-Man" has diminished in entertainment newspapers, Disney finally has a chance to save face and hype up "Scream", as if the film had already won the weekly box office chart.

At the same time, another piece of news also came out, "The Sixth Sense" director Nate Shyamalan's new work "Immortal Robbery" is officially finalized, and it will be released in North America on November 15 this year!

For the big hit of "Screaming", Donn's reaction was calm.

Harvey Weinstein has a very poor character, but he has excellent ability, and it is not surprising that the movies he supervised have miraculous phenomena. If you want to get rid of Harvey Weinstein, it will take a longer time to accumulate contacts and influence.

It's the movie "Immortal Robbery...... It made Don's heart skip a beat.

Although Bruce Willis has a bad reputation now, the director of "Immortal" is Nate Shyamalan, who is capable of creating suspense and can capture the audience's appetite.

And with the reputation of "The Sixth Sense", "Immortal Tribulation" is likely to be a big hit, which is not a situation that Don wants to see.

He called Nina Jacobson.

With the box office explosion of "Spider-Man", Marvel Studios has risen, and Nina Jacobson, as president, is also like a fish in water. Recently, she has participated in many top Hollywood parties and has been very popular.

And the source of all this is because she accepted Donn's invitation to take charge of Marvel Studios, which was still an empty shell at the time.

Recalling the beginning, I was also full of happiness and very happy.

Nina Jacobson was grateful to Don and came to his office and took the initiative to ask, "Is it about Immortal Robbery?"

Tang En put down the newspaper in his hand with a smile, "There's no way, Disney's recent publicity momentum has been very strong, and the movie is still 4 months away, and they are already building momentum for "Undead". ”

Nina Jacobson couldn't help but laugh and said: "That's because the pressure on Disney's production department is too great! My son's "Sixty Seconds of Speed" summer file was suppressed so badly, but it was my godson's "Screaming Laughter" box office hit, they must be holding their breath in their hearts, just wanting to use "Immortal" as a counterattack. ”

"Fight back?"

The corners of Tang En's mouth crossed with a touch of disdain, and he snorted coldly, "By the way, have you got in touch with that director?"

"Nate Shyamalan?" Nina Jacobson sighed and shook her head, "If it's a normal business cooperation, I'll come forward and ask them to help us make a movie, it's not a big problem." But now our relationship with Disney has become stalemate, either/or, there is no buffer zone in the middle. ”

Donn's eyes were cold, "So, he chose Disney?"

Nina Jacobson said helplessly: "This is also reasonable. Donn, do you know the attitude of the Disney production department towards Jerry Bruckheimer? Knight Shyamalan's "The Sixth Sense" was a huge success, and they must have come up with the best of conditions, and unless something happens, we can't poach him. ”

"Accident?"

"That's right. For example, "Immortal" failed at the box office, and Disney abandoned Knight. Otherwise, it is unlikely that he will leave Disney on his own initiative. ”

Tang En nodded, stilted Erlang's legs, and his face was not very good-looking.

Unless it collides with a movie like "Spider-Man", it will be difficult to make "Immortal", which costs $75 million, lose money.

In mid-November, Christmas has not yet arrived, and there are no big productions released at all during the same period, and there are no movies that can suppress "Immortal" at the box office.

Universal's "Desert Island Survivors" is influential enough, starring Tom Hanks, but this is a literary film, even if it can be a big hit, it is also the effect of long-term screening, and it is impossible to monopolize the box office market like "Spider-Man" in the short term.

As for the other two films produced by Down Pictures, "Soul Shifting Girl" and "Memory Fragments", they are not even considered.

"Soul Shifting Girl" is scheduled for mid-August. Don't look at the movie starring Nicole Kidman and Natalie Portman, and won the Palme d'Or, but the dull plot and profound content are difficult to arouse the love of North American audiences.

For this film, Donn is not very demanding, just recover the cost of $40 million.

Fortunately, the overseas market is still more recognized by the Palme d'Or, even if the North American box office is not good, through the overseas box office, it should be able to return to the cost.

"Fragments of Memory" will be released in mid-September, and the film ...... is more depressing than "Soul Shifting Girl", and it makes people dizzy. However, this film has the promotional gimmick of a "high-IQ movie", which can attract some curious fans who claim to be geniuses.

And the cost of the movie is only $5 million, even if the movie theater does not sell a single ticket. With the type and quality of this movie, you can also make a lot of money by selling videotapes and DVDs.

Nina Jacobson saw Donn's embarrassment, and hurriedly said: "Actually, I have a really good relationship with Knight, if the box office of "Immortal" does not meet expectations, and the Disney production department has a little cold attitude towards him, we will have a chance." ”

"Oh?" Donne's eyes lit up, revealing a bit of surprise, "Can it be done?"

Nina Jacobson nodded with a straight face: "Yes! During this time, I have met him twice, and I know some of his thoughts quite well." Disney nurtured him and treated him well, and he could never be ungrateful. But if Disney's attitude changes first, he will have a reason to leave. ”

"Okay, that's it!"

Tang En slapped his big hand, with an excited face, "Then let's continue to shoot, after fighting in the ring with "Sixty Seconds of Extreme Speed", we will also have a ring match with "Immortal Tribulation"!"

Nina Jacobson knew a lot about the internal situation of Down Pictures, and frowned: "Fight in the ring, with all due respect, Donn, with the two movies "Soul Shifter" and "Memory Fragments", it may be difficult to compete with "Immortal" in the box office market. ”

Don smiled and waved his hand, "The schedules of those two movies have been confirmed, and it is impossible for Universal to agree to change the schedule." ”

A flash of confusion flashed in Nina Jacobson's eyes, "And what do you mean?"

Tang En glanced at her, and a smile appeared on the corner of his mouth, "The movies we produced this year are not only "Soul Shifting Girl" and "Memory Fragments". ”

Nina Jacobson was even more confused.

Down Pictures and its subsidiaries invested in three movies last year, "Spider-Man", "Soul Shifter", "Memory Fragments", how can there be other movies?

Could it be that the movie invested this year will be released this year?

Steven Soderbergh's "Drug Web" has not yet been completed, and the schedule is estimated to be next year. Other movies are even more impossible, they are all commercial blockbusters with an investment of hundreds of millions, and it is impossible to complete the production in less than a year or two.

Don looked at her with a smile, "Nina, have you forgotten?