Made in Hollywood

Every Monday is of extraordinary significance to Hollywood production and distribution companies that have just released their films. In today’s era, it is difficult for any film to maintain a show time of half a year or more like it did in the 1960s and 1970s. quite large.

Hollywood companies have been acquired by major media groups, and the power of publicity is not comparable to the past. Under the overwhelming publicity and marketing of the media, more and more movie fans are in the first few weeks of a commercial masterpiece. Over the weekend, I was 'drived into' the theater.

As a result, the first-week box office is becoming more and more important to the commercial blockbuster.

"There are some films that can take one-third or one-half of the North American box office in their opening weekend."

In CAA's offices on Wesher Street, Michael Ovitz put down his briefing, looked at David Ellison, who was sitting across from him, and said, "Duke Rosenberg's first weekend box office has always been high. , I'm not surprised to get such box office numbers against Ridley Scott's Kingdom of Heaven."

"I'm not surprised either."

Although his character is arrogant and arrogant, David Ellison will not underestimate a director who has already stood at the highest level of Hollywood, but he is also confident in himself. "The first weekend of "Batman: War Hour" did not make a big hit at the box office. 70 million US dollars, even if the decline is maintained within 50% next weekend, it will only be more than 30 million US dollars. Our "Air Combat Hero" will definitely be able to take the box office champion from Duke Rosenberg. Grab it!"

The final production cost of this air combat epic was as high as $115 million, and with a publicity distributor like Walt Disney, it was enough to become a box office bomb this summer.

Michael Ovitz is very cautious. As an opponent for many years, he is very aware of the horror of Duke Rosenberg's films, even if he counts the "Hundred Thousand Fires", which has the worst reputation among audiences. The box office of the films he made never dropped by more than 50% in the next weekend, and the trend in the previous weeks was very strong.

In his opinion, even if "Batman: Hour of War" is the weekend, and "Air Fighter" is the first weekend, the two sides are in fierce competition. The outcome is probably still unknown.

Ovitz has seen the demo, which is full of various marketable elements and bridges. In his eyes, it is quite good. If not for a strong competitor like "Batman: War Hour", he is confident "Air Fighter" grossed more than $50 million in its opening weekend.

"Forty million dollars!"

David Ellison, who was sitting opposite, said, "Michael, we only need forty million dollars. We can beat Duke Rosenberg and "Batman: War Hour"!"

Nearly sixty years old Michael Ovitz nodded slowly, clearly agreeing with David Ellison's words.

With his more than 20 years of experience, the ample funding of the Ellison family, and Walt Disney's distribution channels that are no less than Warner Bros., the first week of an air combat epic like "Air Combat Heroes." Can't beat the second week of a reboot of a once-stinky series that audiences have heard of?

And "Batman: Hour of War"'s first weekend box office was $68.85 million, and even if the box office is strong in the next weekend, it is impossible to maintain more than $40 million.

Could it be that "Air Combat Heroes", an air combat epic that gathers all kinds of favorable conditions, can't make more than 40 million US dollars at the box office in its first weekend?

Michael Ovitz is backed by more than two decades of experience in the industry. This is not going to happen.

David Ellison still looks reckless and believes that he has raised hundreds of millions of dollars through various channels to produce masterpieces. Definitely up to his and Walt Disney's expectations!

"Experience is a good thing, and often money can't buy it."

On the business jet, Duke closed the newspaper in his hand and placed it on the table in front of him. Looking at the curious Scarlett Johansson on the opposite side, he continued, "But experience can sometimes lead to misunderstandings..."

Scarlett Johansson didn't care what other people on the plane were looking at, she just stared at Duke and asked, "Like what?"

"For example, war epic films have always been successful in the past few years. The successful experience tells us that as long as this type of film is produced with a certain quality, it can sell well."

Duke shook his head gently, took a sip of water from the cup, and said calmly, "The facts are different from what experience tells us, whether it is a rigorous war epic, an entertaining duel, or a The genres full of literary and artistic style are failing one after another..."

Wrinkling a pair of golden brows, recalling the performance of the epic war movie after "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King", Scarlett Johansson nodded lightly, "It really seems like this."

She raised her chin, tilted her head to look here, and said, "When Ovitz was interviewed, he was very confident, as if "Air Combat Heroes" would definitely succeed, obviously..."

"His industry experience is indeed very rich, pushing forward more than ten years, leading projects are even synonymous with success."

Thinking of the super agent's almost completely different later life trajectory, Duke tapped his forehead slowly with his fingers and said, "But he doesn't belong to this era."

"Not of this era?"

Although Scarlet seems to be carefree, her head is definitely not stupid. Thinking of the drastic changes in the social situation in recent years, she quickly understood the meaning of Duke's words. She put down the hand that supported her head, slowly sat up straight, and said seriously. "It's not just Ovitz. In recent years, the films of Spielberg, Ridley Scott, Robert Zemeckis and others have also been failing, and it's not just Michael Ove who has fallen behind. Z alone."

The elimination of the old and the new can never be avoided. Perhaps some directors will become more and more sophisticated in the so-called art and the complexity of film themes like Stanley Kubrick as they grow older, but quite a lot of people will grow with age. , the grasp of the market is getting worse and worse, because even all Hollywood people can't change a rule, the main force of the film market has always been teenagers!

Thinking of this, Duke couldn't help sighing softly. It is not uncommon for him to make empirical mistakes. Even if he gets old in the future, I am afraid that his thinking will be as conservative as the old man in the academy, and he will not be able to grasp the mainstream market. pulse.

Seeing Duke thinking, Scarlett Johansson took a glass of water, took a sip of water, and said, "I remember you said, Duke. Now the North American film market is born in the 1980s and 1990s. People make up the majority of moviegoers, and it’s normal for Michael Ovitz, who was born in the 1940s, to not grasp what people like me think.”

Duke nodded in agreement, "What you like is what is popular."

People of every age group have different tastes and preferences, but since entering modern society, the preferences of teenagers undoubtedly represent popular elements.

Scarlett blinked and asked, "What kind of movies will be popular now or in the next few years?"

Seeing that this naughty guy is rarely serious, Duke simply said the answer in his heart, "Superhero movie."

"Comic movies?" Scarlett immediately thought of DC Comics and Marvel Comics.

After all, comic characters from both companies are now finding success on the big screen.

"Not just comic book heroes."

With one hand resting on the armrest of the seat to prop up his chin, Duke thought for a moment and said, "There are other superhero movies that are similar to comic book heroes."

Take Optimus Prime, for example, the leader of the Autobots, in a way, is very similar to the superhero protagonists of DC Comics and Marvel Comics.

"That's why you cast me as Natasha Normanoff?" Scarlett looked at Duke curiously, "Let me be the key to connecting the Avengers?"

"Scarlett, you need to understand one thing."

The girl opposite is her mother's goddaughter anyway, and Duke can't treat her like other Hollywood actresses. "If you want to be a superstar, you need more than acting skills."

"I understand." Scarlett Johansson nodded earnestly. "No matter how good her acting skills are, at best she is like Meryl Streep. A superstar still needs popularity and commercial box office success."

The former Scarlett Johansson is not stupid. After growing up with a businessman like Mrs. Leah, it is even more impossible for her to really become a literary girl.

Scarlett Johansson suddenly leaned on the table with a smile, leaned a little closer, and said, "I know that although you are always mean to me, you have always cared about me."

Duke raised his head and glared at her, Scarlet shrank her neck unconsciously, and quickly sat back to her seat, just as it happened countless times over the years.

Glancing at Scarlet again, Duke was too lazy to continue talking to this guy who likes to mess around. He took off the blindfold and put it on his face to block the light inside and outside the cabin, and slowly closed his eyes.

The business jet flew back to Los Angeles. Duke specially sent a car to take Scarlett Johansson to Burbank. She wanted to report to Jimmy Carter, and began a very rigorous physical, endurance and combat training for Duke's Getting ready for the next movie.

Duke not only introduced Agent Natasha Normanoff in the first Iron Man, but also designed an action scene for the character.

Although "Iron Man" no matter how it changes, as the opening chapter, it must explain the process of Tony Stark becoming Iron Man, but many of the small plots and characters in it will definitely be adjusted.

Of course, whether it's Pepper Waves or Natasha Normanoff, the actors must be white.

First, this is the setting of the comics, and second, is there any value in other markets in this era worthy of changing the heroine's identity?

Not to mention now, even if it is pushed back ten years, there is no market worth Duke to do. North America is the largest movie market in the world. (To be continued ~^~)