On Monday, July 3, 2006, last week's box office statistics came out.

In the North American box office list, "Pirate League 3: The End of the World" achieved a box office of 23.5 million US dollars in a single week, ranking third in the weekly box office list, and the North American box office has accumulated 420 million US dollars!

Last week's overseas market also achieved a box office of $54 million, pushing the overseas box office to $600 million!

So far, the first blockbuster with a box office of more than $1 billion in this summer file has appeared - "Pirate League 3: The End of the World"!

This is another phenomenal commercial masterpiece with a box office of $1 billion after 19 months after "Spider-Man 3" released in 2004!

Gore Wibbins, the director of "Pirate League 3", also became the second big director after Donn to have two movies grossing more than $1 billion.

However, is it really a big director?

I'm afraid people in the industry don't think so.

After Nolan finished filming "Daredevil" and Zack Schneider finished filming "Ghost Rider", they both immediately became popular in Hollywood, and major studios threw olive branches to poach them.

However, he was indifferent and chose to continue to cooperate with New Universal.

But Gore Wibbins is different, his first commercial blockbuster was "Pirate League 2: Soul Coffin", which grossed $460 million in North America and $1.08 billion worldwide, achieving an amazing achievement that has attracted worldwide attention.

However, industry insiders do not have a high opinion of him.

His success does not come from his personal strength, but from the super creativity of "Pirate League" and the interesting performances of Johnny Depp, Tom Hardy, and Anne Hathaway.

This is completely incomparable with Nolan and Zack Snyder's self-personality in the movie.

Don't look at Gore Wibbins has now made two films that have grossed more than $1 billion worldwide, but it is the movies that are popular, not the director.

In contrast, although "Daredevil 2" was released 1 month earlier than "Pirate League 3", with a global box office of $960 million, it has not been able to break through the $1 billion mark for a long time, but Nolan's reputation is too high!

He is almost the most prestigious commercial film director in the Hollywood industry after Spielberg, Done Walker, and James Cameron!

"Daredevil 2" is definitely a phenomenal movie, and it is not an exaggeration to call it the best superhero movie of all time.

Nolan has played both business and word-of-mouth to the extreme, and the movie has his own distinctive characteristics, which is the strength of a top director.

It stands to reason that this schedule in early July belongs to the hot period of the summer file, and there should be many new films released together.

But at the beginning of July this year, it was a little strange and a little deserted.

Major studios are avoiding this stage, such as Universal Pictures' "Threesome in Common", Twentieth Century Fox's "Little Sunshine Beauty" and "Assassin in Love", Warner's "Don't Mess with the Ants", Paramount's "World Trade Center...... have avoided this time period and chose to postpone the release.

Why?

It's very simple, on July 7, a box office aircraft carrier drove over!

"The Avengers", the finale of the first phase of Marvel Studios directed by Done Walker, was officially released on July 7!

This is a giant aircraft carrier, and once it travels, it will set off huge waves. The waves are so big that they can overturn a lot of innocent fishing boats around.

Before the release of "The Avengers", Donn took New Universal's senior management team to Wall Street, met with several pitchers, and determined some proposals for listing.

New Globe will issue an additional 200 million new shares, although the issue price has not yet been officially determined, but it is certain that the IPO of New Globe will be the largest IPO in history! The total amount raised is likely to exceed $30 billion!

The scale is so large that even the NASDAQ cannot afford it, so it can only be handed over to the New York Stock Exchange to operate.

Almost all of Wall Street's well-known managers and IPO experts were involved.

There is no doubt that the listing of New Globe will be the first prosperous era on Wall Street this year!

After the meeting, Donn accepted the invitation and went to Illinois, where he called his new love, Kate Darlings.

It's not a formal occasion.

It was Hugh Hefner, the founder of Playboy magazine, who invited Donn to come over...... Let's chat.

After Don went there, he realized that this dashing old man who always wore pajamas actually had serious things.

"It's a reality show that my company produces, and it's pretty good. "Hugh Hefner is almost 80 years old, but he has a strong body and a big smile.

It is especially exaggerated that Donn is also accompanied by a Kate Darlings and Hugh Hefner...... With three bunny girls!

That's right, they're all the kind of fiery playboy girls with bunny ears and miniskirts.

That chic and indulgent look, even if it is Tang En, he has to praise and admire.

Terrible!

Don didn't move, trying not to look at the three scantily clad bunny girls, mainly because they weren't very beautiful, and even if they were in shape, they weren't necessarily hotter than Kate Dallins next to him.

Hugh Hefner is old, and when choosing a girl, he needs to be young enough.

"What reality show?"

""The Girl Next Door, haven't you seen it?"

Don shook his head, "No. ”

This is a press conference site, Playboy Company is going to announce to the outside world that its reality show "The Girl Next Door" is about to produce a third season.

Naturally, Don would not show up at the front desk, or even let outsiders know that he had been here.

Hugh Hefner was not reluctant, inviting him to sit down in the lounge backstage, saying, "It's a shame that you haven't seen it." Hawley, you tell him. ”

The bunny girl next to him smiled and said, "This reality show...... In fact, it's a bit like the style of "Hilton's Family". "The Hilton Family" is about the living conditions of the Hilton family, and the biggest selling point is the Hilton sisters. "The Girl Next Door" is about the life of Mr. Hefner, and the biggest attraction is naturally his enviable lifestyle. ”

Don blinked a few times, a little stunned.

An enviable lifestyle?

No way?

Is this old man going to show his romantic life in front of the American audience through a reality show?

Is this for showmanship, or is it to make money?

Rich people are eager to protect their private lives tightly, for fear of being known by others. This Hugh Hefner is good, to make a reality show, to spread the word?

Hugh Hefner said: "Actually, it's very simple, every season of "The Girl Next Door", I will find three hot, delicate-looking playboy girls to live in my mansion and live with me. This TV show is to record the flirting and sexual well-being in our daily life. ”

Don almost fainted.

Kate Darlings next to her also opened her mouth and looked incredible.

It's scary, isn't it?

Tang En swallowed raw and said, "Hugh, that ...... I know it may not be appropriate to say that, but I want to say that your age is ...... It doesn't seem like it's suitable for too many jobs like this anymore, right?"

Hugh Hefner was deeply unimpressed, "I have slept with thousands of women, and they still love me, which is the charm of my life." I am 80 years old, but 80 years old is just another person's middle age, as long as the spirit is not old, young and energetic will never leave the human body. ”

As he spoke, he opened his arms and surrounded the three bunny girls around him, all of whom leaned on his arms delicately, and continued: "In the company of these three girlfriends, he feels younger than fifteen years ago!"

Don was a little speechless.

It's also an eye-opener.

Isn't he coming here today just to see this kind of big scene with his own eyes?

Sure enough, ginger is still old and spicy!

Compared to Hugh Hefner, Donn feels he still has a long way to go.

There is still a long way to go, and we have to continue to work hard!

Hugh Hefner seemed to be unsatisfied, and continued: "Do you know what the theme of 'The Girl Next Door' is? It tells the story of a guy over 80 years old, who takes one or two small pills a day, holds three or four beautiful women in his arms, shuttles between celebrities, and enjoys a casual life as he likes. This show will arouse the impulse of young people to fall in love, which is a good thing and an incentive for young people. Young people nowadays...... Many people spend the first half of their lives chasing fame and fortune, and the second half of their lives claiming to hate fame and fortune, and I am unwilling to exchange my life with anyone. ”

Even Don couldn't stand this sentence.

Your goal, your direction...... Is it just a woman?

It's too low-grade fun.

Don shook his head, not wanting to continue the topic, and instead said, "So you invited me over today?"

"Two things!"

Hugh Hefner patted the girls on the waist and motioned for them to leave.

Don was interested and let Kate Dylins go.

After the screening, Hugh Hefner said, "'The Girl Next Door' is a very good TV show, better than all the reality shows I've ever seen. Compared to "The Girl Next Door", "American Idol" is like a child's play. It's a pity that in the first two seasons of "The Girl Next Door", I chose the wrong broadcast station to cooperate with, and my influence and popularity were not opened. ”

Don understood as soon as he heard it.

This guy wants to rely on the new Universal TV channel!

Although the USA television network was sold, New Globe also has a thriving Starz channel and a Discovery Channel in more than 200 countries and regions around the world.

These are trump card TV stations.

"No, I'm afraid it's hard to do. Although Starz is a professional cable TV station, "The Girl Next Door" is ...... It's still too big and doesn't fit the TV station's operational strategy. Not to mention the Discovery Channel, which is a mass channel with strict scale requirements. Don barely gave it much thought and immediately refused.

"The Girl Next Door"?

Listen to Hugh Hefner's introductions, which are idiot reality shows with stupid content. And it's also produced by Playboy Company himself, do they understand film and television entertainment?

Want to work together?

No way!

Hugh Hefner didn't seem surprised by Donn's reply, pondered for a moment, and said, "You don't have to rush to reply to this matter, you can go back and think about it again." I have invited you here today because I want to tell you another thing, a big thing. ”

"What?"

"What do you think of Playboy?"

"That's good. Donn smiled, "I believe that every man is a big fan of Playboy." ”

Playboy is undoubtedly the most influential men's magazine in the world, with more than 100,000 daily visits to its website.

Its brand influence is one of the top 500 brands in the world all year round.

Hugh Hefner shook his head and said, "No, I'm not talking about magazines, I'm talking about this company." ”

Don frowned and looked at him deeply.

Of course, he knows that Playboy is a company, and it is diversified, with multiple publications, films, television and other businesses, as well as food, sports, clothing, sunglasses, bags, underwear and other fashion industries, and even games.

For example, the game "Playboy: Mansion" is based on the reality show "The Girl Next Door", which depicts the mansion life of the male protagonist and a group of girls.

Seeing that Donn was silent, Hugh Hefner said bluntly, "Are you willing to buy this company?"

"Buy Playboy?"

Tang En immediately couldn't cry or laugh.

How can it be?

He's running a serious business!

Playboy's fame is great and its brand value is high, but its actual value is low, mainly because of the company's products...... Most of them are vulgar.

If New Globe acquires Playboy, isn't it a fishy pot of soup?

Hugh Hefner said: "Ten years ago, when I retired, I handed over the company to my daughter. But she doesn't seem to have the talent for it, and the company's stock price continues to fall, and its annual performance statement is on the verge of loss. If this continues, it won't take a few years for her to ruin the company. ”

Don shook his head, "No, this is not in line with New Universal's strategic direction. ”

"Why?" said Hugh Hefner, "it seems to me that New Universal's diversification is exactly the same as Playboy's philosophy. For TV shows, you have Universal TV, and for games, you have Blizzard. You even have sites like Netflix and Facebook that can further promote Playboy and deepen its influence. Playboy is in my hands, if it's worth $500 million, but in your hands, it's worth $5 billion!"

This is true.

But it's not attractive.

Let sites like Netflix and Facebook promote Playboy?

What are you doing?

Do you know the Internet, old fellow?

Before Donn could speak, Hugh Hefner spoke again, "Exclude, of course, Playboy magazine. ”

"What do you mean?"

Tang En was slightly stunned.

Hugh Hefner said: "Playboy is a magazine that I want to leave to the descendants of my family, and I can't sell it." However, the other assets of the group can be sold. ”

Don was immediately angry.

No sincerity!

The biggest brand asset of Playboy Group is Playboy magazine, and now you say that the magazine does not sell, but sells other assets?

Take me as the big one?

"It's not in our plans. And you know, New Globe is planning to go public, and there's no more energy to distract from other things. Don maintained the most basic respect and politely declined.

The old playboy opposite, except that there are enough women, is really not convincing.