Hollywood Director 1992

After returning to Los Angeles, Link felt much more comfortable.

Philadelphia, located on the East Coast, has a humid continental climate, and the last two months of the year are often a mix of rain and snow.

The average daily temperature in December is around 5 degrees Celsius, and the nighttime temperature often drops below zero.

Link and the crew members had to persevere in the cold weather, making it the most challenging weather conditions he had ever faced in his directed films.

In contrast, Los Angeles has a warm and pleasant winter, with the lowest temperatures remaining above 10 degrees Celsius, making it much more comfortable than Philadelphia.

Los Angeles' unique climate is also an important factor in its becoming the entertainment capital of the world.

"Director Yuan, how is their training going?"

In the morning, when Link went to the studio to edit the film, he went to the training center to see how the crew members were training, mainly Ben Affleck, Ryan Phillippe, and more than a dozen supporting actors and stuntmen.

"Not bad. Ben Affleck and Ryan exercise regularly and are in good physical condition. I've taught them some martial arts moves during this time, so there's no problem shooting action films."

Yuan Heping wore a Tang suit, with his arms behind his back, looking like a kung fu master.

"Train them more, especially Ben Affleck. He's Batman, so the fighting moves need to be more handsome, and it's best to be able to create a powerful aura."

"Okay! I'll train them more."

Yuan Heping said.

Link nodded, also exercised in the training center for a while, and then came to the studio to edit the film.

When "The Sixth Sense" wrapped up, the Hollywood film market also ushered in the winter holiday season.

Starting in November, North American theaters successively released many blockbusters.

Including MGM's science fiction film "Stargate", Columbia Pictures' horror film "Frankenstein", Warner Bros.' "Interview with the Vampire", Disney's "The Santa Clause", Paramount Pictures' science fiction film "Star Trek Generations", Dark Horse Entertainment's "The Mask", "Good Will Hunting", and so on.

"The Mask" was released on November 11, grossing $37.11 million in 2,360 theaters on its opening weekend, taking the top spot at the box office.

In the second week, it encountered "Interview with the Vampire", starring Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt, and ranked second with $31.37 million.

In the third week, "The Mask" grossed $26.35 million, surpassing "Interview with the Vampire", "Star Trek Generations", "The Santa Clause", and other films, regaining the box office crown.

The film's three-week cumulative box office reached $84.83 million, and it is expected to break $100 million at the North American box office next week.

Including "Dumb and Dumber", "Speed", and "Se7en", that's four films. If you include "Pulp Fiction", which Dark Horse Entertainment participated in producing, this year Dark Horse Entertainment has participated in investing in five films that have broken $100 million at the North American box office, with total box office revenue exceeding $800 million.

This achievement is too enviable.

"The Los Angeles Times" predicts that Dark Horse Entertainment is expected to lock in the total box office champion of the Hollywood film industry this year in advance, which will also be the first time in Hollywood history that an independent film company has won the annual total box office crown, marking a major shift in the Hollywood film industry.

At the same time, the latest survey released by "Business Week" shows that Dark Horse Entertainment's market value has exceeded the $500 million estimated at the beginning of the year, and even if the valuation of the next round of financing reaches $1 billion, many investment institutions will be willing to take over.

If the second round of financing is successfully completed, Dark Horse Entertainment will be among the top eight in the film industry's market value ranking, becoming a veritable 'New Big Eight'.

And the net worth of founder Link has once again soared, exceeding 3 billion, or even 4 billion US dollars.

"Damn it! Is this bastard robbing people?"

Michael Ovitz looked at the data in the newspaper and was so angry that he kept punching the desk.

Last time Link scolded him on the phone, he felt deeply humiliated and hoped that Dark Horse Entertainment would go bankrupt all the time.

But contrary to his wishes, in recent months, Dark Horse Entertainment has been reporting good news frequently, with films selling well one after another, and Link has been making money non-stop.

"Fortune Magazine" estimates that Link's net worth exceeds 2.6 billion US dollars, making him the highest-paid celebrity in Hollywood today.

Every time he saw this news, Michael Ovitz was so angry that he wanted to vomit blood.

He picked up the phone and called Ron Meyer, the current president of Universal Pictures, and asked them how they planned to deal with Link.

Ron Meyer said that in terms of film production, Universal Pictures will continue to shoot big productions to compete with Dark Horse Entertainment and other film companies for box office revenue. At the same time, in order to get more box office revenue, Universal Pictures is also preparing to cooperate with Link.

Michael Ovitz was not satisfied with this answer and asked if they had any more sharp methods?

Now Dark Horse Entertainment's films are selling like crazy at the box office, causing other companies' films to suffer repeated setbacks at the box office.

Such a Dark Horse Entertainment is extremely aggressive, like a deep-sea giant shark.

If it is allowed to continue to grow without being stopped, Universal Pictures and other film companies' revenue will be more greatly affected.

Ron Meyer said that the rise of Dark Horse Entertainment has become a reality, and there is no way to stop it for the time being, and asked him if he had any good suggestions?

Michael Ovitz suggested that Ron Meyer find ways to poach Dark Horse Entertainment's talent and film projects, and continue to suppress Dark Horse Entertainment's films in publicity and distribution, increasing Dark Horse Entertainment's costs in publicity and distribution.

At the same time, continue to implement a high-pressure policy on Dark Horse Entertainment until Dark Horse Entertainment goes bankrupt.

"Michael, that's too difficult. Hollywood is not just Universal Pictures, we suppress Dark Horse Entertainment, Columbia Pictures, Warner Bros., and MGM are cooperating with Dark Horse, this kind of suppression not only has no effect, but also wastes time and money, it's very uneconomical to do so."

"It should be done even if it's uneconomical, don't you want to see Dark Horse Entertainment become a behemoth and dominate Hollywood?"

Michael Ovitz said.

"Michael, I said, Hollywood is not just Universal Pictures, there are other companies, telling me is useless, if you can persuade other film company executives, I am also willing to cooperate with your actions.

Before that, all I can do is manage the company well, create more profits for the shareholders, and strive to sit in the position of CEO of Universal Pictures for longer."

Ron Meyer said that there was other work to do, and then hung up the phone.

Michael Ovitz gritted his teeth and continued to call Sherry Lansing of Paramount Pictures, Barry Diller of Fox Pictures, Michael Eisner of Disney Pictures, and Miggs Gauss of Warner Pictures, among others.

Inviting them to jointly suppress Dark Horse Entertainment and divide up this fat company.

Several people agreed, asking him to help contact them, as long as other film companies are willing to join forces, they will also take action at critical moments.

No mistake, one first, one hair, one inside, one volume, one in, one look!

At the same time, Michael Eisner asked him if he wanted to consider coming to Disney as CEO, and he could hand over the Disney film production department to him for management.

Michael Ovitz was very tempted. Disney is one of the seven major Hollywood film companies and also the film and entertainment company with the highest market value.

Going to Disney would allow him to use the company's resources to compete with Link and Dark Horse Entertainment.

There is a lot of room for operation.

However, Michael Ovitz did not immediately agree, saying that he needed to consider it.

He is now the president of CAA. Using his connections, he can contact the seven major film companies, and everyone gives him face. After taking a position at Disney Pictures, he and other film companies have become competitors, and it will be inconvenient to join forces to deal with Link.

So going to Disney as CEO has its advantages and disadvantages.

After hanging up the phone, Michael Ovitz thought of Nicole Kidman, this hidden pawn. Now that Nicole Kidman has become the heroine of the "Batman" sequel, she will have the opportunity to contact Link when filming in the future. As long as Nicole Kidman is more proactive, there is a great chance that she will knock Link down on the bed.

As long as the two of them sleep together, everything will be easy.

Michael Ovitz called Nicole Kidman and said that Link had finished filming "The Sixth Sense" and had returned to Los Angeles to be active again, asking her to call Link more often in peacetime, cultivate their relationship, and strive to take down Link earlier.

"Michael, I really want to do what you said, but as you know, Tom is a very suspicious person. Sometimes when I go out shopping with friends, he interrogates me when I come back, asking where I went, what I did, and whether I had a date with a man.

When I call a friend, he also interrogates me about whose phone it is, what I said, and also my clothes, shoes, and hairstyle, all of which must be dressed according to his aesthetic views. I'm almost driven crazy by him.

He treats me like a slave, not allowing me to do anything. I don't have the time or opportunity to seduce Link, or you can replace me with someone else."

Nicole Kidman's tone on the phone was very aggrieved.

Michael Ovitz thought about it and realized that Tom Cruise was indeed this kind of person, "Nicole, don't worry, I'll talk to Tom in a while and tell him not to restrain you too much."

"Will Tom listen to you?"

"I will convince him."

Michael Ovitz said confidently.

"Okay, I believe you, but this matter is too risky. Once it is exposed by the media, my reputation will be completely ruined, and Tom will also divorce me. Then I will probably have nothing. I hope the company can give me some compensation in advance."

Michael Ovitz considered it and agreed, but also hoped that she and Link would have more substantive contact, rather than standing still.

Nicole Kidman said she would definitely do it.

After chatting, Michael Ovitz called Tom Cruise again, persuading him not to stare at Nicole so often, give her more free space, and give her the opportunity to contact Link.

Tom Cruise said that Nicole Kidman was becoming more and more excessive, not only sleeping in separate rooms from him, but also not even letting him touch her hand on weekdays.

Every time she goes out, she dresses up very beautifully, like she's going on a date. He suspects that Nicole Kidman may be cheating.

Michael Ovitz advised him not to think too much, the most urgent task is to deal with Link, as long as Link is defeated, everything else will be easy.

After getting Tom Cruise to see his point of view, Michael Ovitz took the company's list of actresses and flipped through it, preparing to find two backup candidates, so that with the three prongs approach, he would definitely be able to bring Link down.