When Eric heard Xiao Nizi say this, he raised his arm and knocked on the door of Ya's head as usual, there have been so many things recently, he doesn't have the heart to deal with women, let alone two identical women.

It was already past eight o'clock in the evening, and when he returned to the villa and sent the twins to prepare dinner, Eric checked the fax and took out the press release that had been prepared for tomorrow from the Firefly headquarters, as well as a few other materials.

Although Eric was confident in the conference room, he couldn't be completely carefree. Paramount and Universal, two heavyweight films, chose to be released before "Saving Private Ryan" at the same time, the purpose is to give Fireflies a blow to the head in this summer file, once "Saving Private Ryan" fails, under the guidance of people with hearts, the next two films will definitely be greatly affected.

Eric put aside the press release and first looked at the box office information for the first two installments of Paramount's "Beverly Hills" series, which was launched in 1984 and earned $230 million at the North American box office at a cost of $15 million, and won the box office that year, followed by "Beverly Hills 2" also earned $150 million at the domestic box office. The latest "Beverly Hills Police Detective 3" can be described as Viacom's ambition after the acquisition of Paramount, although it is a black comedy without special effects and big scenes, Paramount still spent $50 million in production costs, which is equivalent to more than twice the investment of similar films. Based on the box office curve of the second sequel, which is more indicative, and the growth of the Hollywood box office in recent years, Firefly's internal data analysis department predicts that the total box office of "Beverly Hills Police Detective 3" on the opening Wednesday and Thursday plus the three days of the opening weekend will exceed $50 million.

Meanwhile. Universal's "The Mummy" is only higher than "Beverly Hills Detective 3" in terms of publicity. This adventure film similar to the "Raiders of the Lost Ark" series has a total investment of only $60 million. But this is mainly due to Nicole's use of the form of remuneration and the crew's trip to Morocco in North Africa to shoot a significant amount of savings, without these two cost-reduction measures, the production cost of "The Mummy" would not be less than 80 million. Based on Universal's publicity model, trailers, and word-of-mouth accumulated from test screenings, the forecast department gave a box office of $50 million in the first three days of the first weekend.

Although both of them used a saturated distribution strategy with a generally large decline in the second week, according to the 40% decline in the second week of "Beverly Hills Police Detective 3" and "The Mummy", if the data in hand does not change much, the box office left for "Saving Private Ryan" in the first three days is only about 35 million at most, and the box office in the first seven days is only about $50 million.

Meantime. After the release of "True Lies" on June 10, four heavyweight films were assembled, plus cannon fodder films to share a box office, although the box office in a single week will hit a new high, but the four films are divided, and the box office of "True Lies" is likely to be limited to $50 million in the first week.

The next two weeks are Paramount's Star Trek 7, Warner's Law Enforcement and Firefly's The Lion King.

"Star Trek 7" and "Law Enforcement Warriors" are both big variables, and Eric has some sporadic impressions of "Star Trek 7", since he has no special memories, it means that this film is not a big threat.

Warner Pictures was spurred on by the box office double success of Clint Eastwood's "Unforgiven", and this summer season ignored the overall softness of Westerns. bucked the trend and launched two Westerns, in addition to "Law Enforcement Warriors". The other is the opening work of this year's summer file, "Gambler Ma Huali", starring Mel Gibson and Jodie Foster.

However, after the film was released on May 20, it only got $13 million at the box office in its first weekend, far below Warner Pictures' expectations, and also withdrew from the competition for the summer box office.

"Law Enforcement Titans" is also a Western film made by Kevin Costner last year, and with Kevin Costner's accumulated reputation in "Dances with Wolves", no one can be sure what the outcome of "Law Enforcement Titans" will be.

Eric has no memory of this film at all, so there are only two possibilities, one is that the film is silently pounced in the original time and space, and the other is that it is a new film that is affected by the butterfly effect. Eric very much hopes that the result is the former, but looking at the $63 million production budget of "Law Enforcement Giant" and the prime time schedule of June 24 given by Warners, Eric feels that the latter may be more likely.

After all, after years of experience, studios are almost able to make a detailed assessment of the quality and box office prospects of a film before it is released. Although it is often blind, this assessment is like a weather forecast, there is no guarantee of accuracy, but there is also little chance of deviation in the general direction.

If the box office results of "Law Enforcement Warrior" can really match its production costs and schedule, then the box office of "The Lion King" will also be affected by unpredictable.

With the platform given by Eric over the years, even if Drew, who was already very shrewd, did not repair nine tails, he must have seven or eight, but the girl has become less and less shrewd to show her shrewd side by Eric's side. Of course she knew the current situation, and seeing Eric's frowning and contemplative appearance, Xiao Nizi meekly rubbed over and said, "Eric, why don't I return the distribution rights of "Mission Impossible" and "Wonderful Night at the Museum", as well as those copyrights, to Firefly?"

Drew's voice broke Eric's contemplation, and looked at the data analysis data in his hand, Eric smiled self-deprecatingly at the gains and losses just now, he has so many 'good cards' in his hand, even if he really loses this game, it can't affect too much, and it will come back. Picking up Xiao Nizi and kissing her white face, Eric smiled: "Of course not, these are our little coffers, and no one will give them to them." By the way, how is the preparation of Forrest Gump?"

Xiao Nizi shrunk into Eric's arms and said, "Hanks's salary has been negotiated, $8 million." However, he hopes that we will be able to provide enough Oscar PR resources in the future. Other than that. The Godfather also liked this script. Amy and I visited his home last week, and he went out of his way to invite Robert Zemeckis, who had already agreed to take on the project. ”

Tom Hanks signed "Saving Private Ryan" with a salary of 10 million, Eric knew that the reason why he lowered his salary was that it was likely that he would regard "Forrest Gump" as an Olympic film, Hanks will be forty years old soon, and his desire for an Oscar winner is more urgent. If it weren't for "Saving Private Ryan", Hanks would probably be like the original plane. Took over the filming of "The Philadelphia Story". Although history has deviated, with his outstanding performance in "Saving Private Ryan" and the following "Forrest Gump", it is not impossible to repeat the miracle of winning two consecutive Oscars.

Hearing that director Robert Zemeckis was Spielberg helping to match, Eric became curious and asked, "What film has Steven been preparing lately?"

"No, the godfather was only the producer of a few films, and I heard that he and David Geffen were planning to set up a new studio, just like Chaplin's United States, which was only responsible for production and not distribution. Drew shook his head as he said this. Said: "But I don't think this plan will work at all, if you don't do your own distribution, it's not like you're going to be constrained by the Seven." ”

Eric thought that this time and space "Jurassic Park" fell into his hands, and Katzenberg was honestly staying at Disney, Spielberg should not want to stand on his own, listening to Drew, he realized that this matter should be led by the wealthy David Geffen, David Geffen has his own record and production company, net worth more than 2 billion US dollars, last year left Time Warner, Eric refused him to join Firefly, it is estimated that David Geffen then had the idea of establishing a large studio.

Thinking of Nizi's last words, Eric asked, "You wouldn't say that to Steven's face, would you?"

Drew grinned and shook his head, "I'm not a fool, Godfather is excited to do something, I'm not bored when I say this." ”、

Eric smiled, although Nizi has been much closer to Spielberg in recent years, it is true that she has not yet reached the point of saying such things.

Although he had made up for a while in the car, Eric had eaten the dinner prepared by the twins and quickly rested.

The next day, before dawn, Eric was awakened by the rapid ringing of the phone.

groggily touched the microphone and put it to his ear, and Katzenberg's excited voice immediately came: "Eric, the news that the company just got, can you imagine, $1.72 million, only $1.72 million, haha." ”

Eric looked at his watch, it was not yet four o'clock, and sighed to Katzenberg, this madman, doesn't workaholic need to sleep, so energetic.

Got out of bed lightly, pulled a thin blanket for the sleeping little Nizi, Eric walked out of the bedroom with a cordless phone, although he had realized something, Eric still asked again: "What $1.72 million?"

"Of course, the first-day box office of "Beverly Hills Police Detective 3", only $1.72 million, only 30% of the first day of the expected $6 million, Paramount originally hoped that this sequel could hit the box office of 200 million, but now it seems that the total box office is not necessarily $50 million, as long as "The Mummy" can't get out of the box office curve of "Jurassic Park", our "Ryan" box office potential will not be suppressed. ”

Hearing Katzenberg's confirmation, Eric instantly fell asleep, and at the same time understood why Katzenberg was so energetic, and when he heard a faint voice on the other end of the phone, Eric asked, "Jeffrey, you won't be in the company now, will you?"

"Of course, Michael is also on his way here, I just want to inform you, you have other work today, so you don't need to come, I will call you as soon as there is anything," Katzenberg said after saying this, and added: " Paramount originally wanted to cover up this news, it took more than two hours for the duty manager of the data department to get the exact data, and we are now contacting the media to further expand the influence of this news, although the morning newspaper is a little late, but ABC's morning news will focus on this message, and there will also be special film review articles in the evening newspapers of major cities today, even if "Beverly Hills Police Detective 3" is only a temporary loss, we have to let it have no chance of turning around. ”

Hanging up the phone, Eric's mood suddenly relaxed, as Katzenberg just said, even if "Beverly Hills Police Detective 3" is only a temporary box office failure, the subsequent one-sided bad reviews will make the film have no chance to turn over at all, although Universal and Paramount have a vague intention to jointly target Fireflies in this matter, but Eric believes that Universal must be doing the same job. After dawn, there will be a lot of negative news about "Beverly Hills 3" in the media, and the dismal box office of "Beverly Hills 3" of $1.72 million on the first day also leaves Paramount without any excuse to refute.

Once the United States loses at home, as a black comedy with a good reputation, don't look forward to the overseas box office. Although Hollywood's current comprehensive statistics only account for 30% of the total box office revenue, and the rest of the surrounding area is as high as 70%, but that is also when the quality of a movie is good, once the box office reputation of "Beverly Hills Police Detective 3" hits the street, forming a domino effect, then the film will also be unpopular in the videotape and TV broadcast market. Based on the $50 million North American box office of "Beverly Hills Police 3," the comedy, which cost close to $100 million to produce and distribute, could ultimately cost Paramount no less than $50 million. For Lei Shidong, who is ambitious and wants to show his strength in Hollywood, this defeat is enough for the old man to hurt for a while.

Next is only "The Mummy", only this movie, even if "The Mummy" is a small explosion, it will no longer suppress "Saving Private Ryan", as long as "Saving Private Ryan" plays a normal box office level, under the guidance of fireflies, it will be able to form a healthy competition relationship with the subsequent "True Lies" in word-of-mouth and box office. The defeat of "Beverly Hills Police Detective 3" is like the opponent suddenly losing an important piece in a game of chess, and the Firefly side immediately gains the initiative again.

In the excitement, there was no thought of going back to sleep, Eric got dressed and went downstairs early, went to his underground study to deal with some of the emails accumulated yesterday, and left the study after the window was white, intending to exercise.

No sooner had the automatic door to the study opened than Eric saw the twins walking down the stairs side by side.

The sisters wore identical black vests and shorts, which further contrasted the fairness of Slavic girls with slender waists and long legs, blonde hair tied into a ponytail, delicate and round goose egg faces, blue eyes that looked large even without eyeshadow, a very small nose and mouth, and a different kind of purity between thin eyebrows and thin lips.

Seeing Eric, who suddenly appeared after the automatic door opened, the twins invariably stopped and shouted in unison, "Boss." (To be continued.) )