In the luxurious dining room of the presidential suite, delicate snacks filled the table, Victoria, wearing yesterday's khaki low-collar top, held the table with her left hand, and picked up a small piece of delicious Napoleon with her right hand trembling, her eyes half open and half closed, slowly brought to her mouth, and stuffed it into her mouth.

However, before Victoria could chew, there was another force of impact behind her, and her body shook a few times unconsciously, and the Napoleon cake fell out of her mouth that was desperately open and panting, and rolled a foot away on the white oak table.

"Honey, don't you like the breakfast I prepared for you?"

Grabbing Victoria's thin waist with both hands, Duke leaned against her cocked hips, "Or did you consume too little last night, and you're not hungry yet?" ”

"I like ......" Victoria said, turning around and holding Duke's hand firmly in her right hand, gasping for breath, "I like everything you've prepared for me, dear, hard!" ”

"Then taste it slowly."

With a little more force, Duke pushed Victoria forward, she had just picked up the Napoleon cake and wanted to put it in her mouth, but then she used the heaviest force, not only did the snack fall to the table again, but even because the impact was too violent, she let out a hearty shout, and her entire upper body fell on the table, crushing the delicate breakfast into countless crumbs, and her red face was stained with a lot of cream when she was turning over with excitement.

Five minutes later, the dining room was completely silent, breakfast was completely ruined, and a man and a woman who had not gone crazy enough moved the battlefield to the bathroom again.

Until noon. Wait for the Chanel suit that Duke calls to arrive, Victoria? Adams walked out of the suite.

"I'll miss you, dear." She seemed a little reluctant. "Shall we go on a date?"

There was endless anticipation in her eyes, as if it was really because of this night. Emotions moved true feelings.

Duke didn't answer the topic, took the business card with only a string of numbers in his backhand, stuffed it into Victoria's hand, and gently pinched her face at the same time, "You can make this call when you get to Los Angeles." ”

"Definitely." Victoria solemnly put away her business card and turned away.

Return to the battlefield-like room. Duke called for room service, walked to the balcony and dialed Tina? Filipino's number. Last night's events are a thing of the past, and he's back to work.

Things are going very well, Tina? Did Fitunguò contact Joanna? Rowling's bookseller, soon to meet the author himself. and negotiate the issue of film and peripheral copyright.

Duke had no plans to go out in person, and he was going back to Los Angeles; Second, this is completely unnecessary, the other party is not even a professional writer now, and his appearance will only increase the attention of the other party, thereby increasing the opponent's bargaining chips, this kind of thing is caused by Tina? The Philippines came forward enough, not only to keep the price as low as possible, but also to fight for the copyright of the next one or two copies at a not too high price.

Joanna? Rowling's experience is indeed sympathetic, and the process of struggle is also admirable. But business is business, and a fool will give a price that does not match the other party's current status at all because of this inexplicable and wonderful love.

Besides. If the Harry Potter series is really as successful as it once was, then Joanna? Would Rowling lower her price out of gratitude to him for reaching out to her?

No kidding, it's a business deal, not a kid playing house.

Although he hadn't figured out who to work with or shouldn't he should work with, Duke still planned to take the initiative first.

My mother also had to stay in Europe to negotiate business with some business groups. Tina? Faye wants to contact Joanna? Rowling and her agent, Duke simply returned to North America on his own. Time is very important to him, "The Matrix" wants to catch up with next summer, Tolkien's masterpiece wants to be adapted smoothly, it takes plenty of time to prepare, and "Chicago" is about to be removed from North America, and he still has a North American box office share to settle with Warner Bros.

By mid-March, the North American theater chain of "Chicago" fell to about 150, and the North American box office was unable to grow, with a single-day box office of less than $50,000, and on March 15, it was officially removed from North America.

The North American box office finally accumulated a total of $185.5 million!

At the same time, the film's global box office has also crossed the $300 million threshold, but as the popularity in the major overseas box office markets has passed, the film's overseas box office growth has also slowed down, and it can only rely on time to accumulate slowly.

Since its release on Thanksgiving, "The British Patient" has accompanied "Chicago" all the way, although it won the list of nominations for the 69th Oscars, it has been suppressed by "Chicago" from North American theaters to the North American box office, and now the Oscar effect brought by Oscar nominations has basically been exhausted, and the North American box office has accumulated 68.75 million US dollars, which can be said to be a complete failure at the box office.

With "Chicago" officially out of production, Duke's accounting team began to make frequent contact with Warner Bros. in order to get a share of the North American box office. Josephson, for his part, had already started contact with Crews' studio and Paramount Pictures, which would be a huge investment if it were to be smooth.

Duke's successes have had a significant impact, and Warner Bros. has always been committed to building a good relationship with him, and wants to participate in the investment and promotion of the next film, "Chicago" is almost the fastest settlement with Duke Studios in the program.

After deducting various taxes and fees, Warner Bros. received $84.5 million from the theaters at the North American box office, and according to the publicity and distribution agreement signed with Duke Studios, they withheld 10% of the North American box office - that is, $18.55 million as distribution fees, as well as deducting $15 million in advance marketing and other expenses, and then a total of $50.95 million went to Duke Studios.

The Duke Studio paid a series of fees to various associations and organizations for the first time, and made up for the remaining one-third of the remuneration of the actors and crew members, and finally had a book balance of 45 million US dollars, if you count the original soundtrack of the film, the first round of TV broadcast rights in North America and other peripherals, just in the North American market, the pre-tax profit of "Chicago" exceeded 30 million US dollars!

It will take some time for the overseas account to be divided, but this part of the money, plus the remaining overseas box office share of "Saving Private Ryan" paid by Warner in February, is enough to support Duke's investment in Tom? Cruise's Mission Impossible project, and the start of pre-work on New Zealand's Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Nancy? Good news soon came from Josephson's side, and after five rounds of three-way negotiations, Tom? Cruise and Paramount Pictures eventually agreed to add the Duke's $30 million investment to Mission: Impossible, in order to solve the project's final source of funding, according to the signed agreement, the Duke studio will not only enjoy the same percentage of the revenue share as the investment, but also own the corresponding film rights.

Of course, Tom? Cruise agreed to the Duke's investment because Duke would fully support him in leading the project, and he was the film's largest copyright holder.

$30 million is not a small number, plus to leave enough funds for the start of the New Zealand project, and a large amount of income was invested in the stock market some time ago, Duke suddenly found that his capital chain is extremely tight, especially "The Matrix", according to his vision, at least about $80 million in production costs, and now he can't come up with this money.

After all, net worth and liquidity are completely different things.

Today, Duke's personal net worth is infinitely close to $400 million, even excluding the gains from buying stocks such as Microsoft and Yahoo on the stock market, but most of it has become fixed assets such as stocks and shares, and he has been increasing his holdings in Warner Bros. and Victoria's Secret, and his liquidity is really limited.

"My Jianyì."

In the conference room of the Duke's studio, David, Duke's accountant, said, "Mortgage the bank with the rights to 'Chicago' or part of Warner Bros.'s shares, and settle some of the funding problems for the new film." ”

Duke nodded, agreeing with David's opinion, which was the most normal business practice.

"And, Duke."

Is the person who speaks Robin? Grande, although "The Matrix" is not officially launched, he will definitely be the production manager, "We can bring in foreign investment, Warner Bros. has pushed the review as fast as possible, we can accept some of their investment, and this is a science fiction film, we can also think of something in terms of advertising." ”

This is also the usual method used by Hollywood studios, Duke thought for a moment and said to the agent lady, "Nancy, once the project is reviewed by Guò Warner Bros., you will immediately negotiate with them on the proportion of film investment, publicity and distribution, and copyright pre-sale, you know where my bottom line is." ”

Something Duke doesn't need to say, Nancy? Josephson also understands that this is also related to her future income, and if she wants to get more, she must first let her employer take as much as possible.

Nodding, Nancy? Josephson suddenly thought of something else, "The Oscars are coming soon, aren't you going to attend?" ”

"I'm not going to attend." Duke looked at Robin? Grande, "Robin, and Charles, I'm going to Australia and New Zealand first, and then to Hong Kong, and the people from Warner Asia are already waiting for me. ”

When I go to Australia, I naturally go to the Fox Studios in the suburbs of Sydney, and New Zealand is the focus of the next few years.

As for Hong Kong, it's simpler, one is to go and have a look, and the other is to meet the two action directors that Warner Bros. contacted.

Warner Bros. had approached them several times, but had never been able to negotiate a price. (To be continued)

ps: Thank you Alvin for your tip~~~ Continue to ask for recommendation votes~~R580