Made in Hollywood

Every Monday, for Hollywood production and distribution companies that have films that have just been released, the significance is extraordinary. In this era, it is difficult for any film to maintain a screening time of half a year or even longer like the 60s and 70s. Quite large.

Hollywood companies have been acquired by major media groups. The power of publicity is not comparable in the past. Under the overwhelming media promotion and marketing, more and more movie fans are in the first few weeks or even the first few weeks before a commercial masterpiece is released. On the weekend, I was'pushed into' the theater.

As a result, the first week's box office is becoming more and more important to commercial masterpieces.

"Some films can account for one-third or even one-half of the North American box office in the first weekend."

In the caa office on Wischel Street, Michael Ovitz put down the briefing in his hand, looked at David Ellison sitting across from him, and said, "Duke Rosenberg’s films have always had a high box office in the first weekend. I’m not surprised to get such a box office number under the competition of Ridley Scott’s "Kings of Heaven."

"I'm not surprised."

Although his personality is arrogant and arrogant, David Ellison will not underestimate a director who has already stood at the highest level in Hollywood, but he is also confident in himself, ""Batman: Hour of War" first weekend ticket ≯♂ , The room did not exceed 70 million U.S. dollars, and next weekend, even if the decline remains within 50%, it will only be more than 30 million U.S. dollars. Our "Air Combat Heroes" will surely take the box office champion from Duke Rosen. Berg grabbed it!"

The final production cost of this air combat epic is as high as 115 million US dollars, plus a publicity publisher like Walt Disney, enough to become a box office bomb for this summer's archive.

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 it is counted as "One Hundred Thousand Hurry", which has the worst reputation among the audience. The box office of the film he produced never dropped more than 50% during the weekend, and the trend in the previous few weeks has been exceptionally strong, and he is definitely a rival of "Air Combat Heroes".

In his opinion, even if "Batman: Hour of War" is the next weekend, and "Air Combat Hero" is the first weekend, the two sides are in fierce competition. I'm afraid the outcome is still unknown.

Ovitz has seen the sample, which is full of various elements and bridges with great market space. It is quite good in his eyes. If it were not for a strong competitor like "Batman: Hour of War", he would be confident "Air Combat Heroes" can get more than $50 million in the box office of the first weekend.

"Forty million dollars!"

David Ellison, who was sitting opposite, said again, "Michael, we can beat Duke Rosenberg and "Batman: Hour of War" with only 40 million dollars!"

Michael Ovitz, who is nearly sixty years old, nodded slowly, apparently agreeing with David Ellison's words.

He has more than 20 years of experience. With sufficient funds from the Ellison family, as well as Walt Disney's publicity channels that are no less than Warner Bros., the first week of an air combat epic like "Air Combat Heroes", can it not be a series that has been unsavory by the audience. The next week of the reboot?

Moreover, the box office of "Batman: Hour of War" was US$68.85 million in the first weekend. Even if the box office is strong the next weekend, it is impossible to maintain above US$40 million.

Could it be that an air combat epic with various favorable conditions, such as "Air Combat Heroes", couldn't pass 40 million US dollars at the box office in the first weekend?

With more than 20 years of experience in the industry, Michael Ovitz guarantees that this will not happen.

David Ellison still looked like he was awkward. I also believe that he has raised hundreds of millions of dollars through various channels to produce a masterpiece, which will definitely meet his and Walt Disney's expectations!

"Experience is a good thing. Often money cannot be exchanged."

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

Scarlett Johansson didn't care about the eyes of other people on the plane. Just staring at Duke closely and asked, "For example?"

"For example, war epic films have always been successful in the past few years. Successful experience tells us that as long as the production of this type of film has a certain quality, it can be sold."

Duke shook his head slightly, took a sip of water from his cup, and said unhurriedly, "The facts are different from what experience tells us, whether it is a rigorous epic of war, an entertaining showdown, or The types full of literary and artistic styles are failing one after another..."

Frowning a pair of golden brows, recalling the performance of the war epic film after "The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King", Scarlett Johansson nodded gently, "It seems that it is really the case."

She lifted her chin, tilted her head and looked here, and said, "Ovitz was very confident in the interview, as if "Air Combat Heroes" would be successful, obviously..."

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

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

"Doesn't belong to this era?"

Although Scarlett seems to be careless, her head is definitely not stupid. Reminiscent of the drastic changes in the social situation over the years, she quickly understood the meaning of Duke's words. She put down her hand that propped her head, slowly sat upright, and said seriously "It's not just Ovitz. In recent years, the films of Spielberg, Ridley Scott, Robert Zemeckis and others have also continued to fail. It is not only Michael Ovey that has fallen behind. Ci alone."

The old and the new are always unavoidable. Perhaps some directors, like Stanley Kubrick, will become more and more knowledgeable in the complexity of the so-called art and movie themes as they grow older, but quite a few people will increase with age. , The grasp of the market is getting worse and worse, because even people from all of Hollywood can't change a rule. The main force in the movie market has always been young people!

Thinking of this, Duke couldn’t help sighing slightly. It’s not uncommon for him to make empiricist mistakes. Even when he gets old in the future, he will be as conservative in thinking as the old man in the academy, and he won’t be able to touch the mainstream market. Pulse.

Seeing Duke thinking, Scarlett Johansson picked up the glass, took a sip of water, and said, "I remember you said, Duke. The North American film market was born in the 1980s and even the 1990s. People are mainly composed of moviegoers, and it is normal for Michael Ovitz, who was born in the 1940s, to not grasp the thoughts of my group of people."

Duke nodded in agreement, "What you like 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 was so serious, Duke simply said the answer in his mind, "Superhero movie."

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

After all, the comic characters of these two companies are now successful on the big screen.

"It's not just a comic hero."

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

For example, Optimus Prime, to a certain extent, the leader of the Autobots is very similar to the superhero protagonists of DC comics and Marvel comics.

"Is that why you made me play Natasha Normanoff?" Scarlett looked at Duke curiously, "Let me be the key to connecting the Avengers?"

"Scar, you have to understand one thing."

The girl opposite is the mother’s goddaughter anyway, and Duke can’t treat her like other Hollywood actresses. “It takes more than acting skills to become a superstar.”

"I understand." Scarlett Johansson nodded earnestly, "No matter how good the acting is, at best it is like Meryl Streep. The superstar needs popularity and commercial box office performance."

Scarlett Johansson was not stupid, and she grew up with a businessman like Mrs. Leah, even less likely to become a literary girl.

Scarlett Johansson suddenly squatted down on the table with a smile, got a little closer, and said, "I know that although you are always fierce to me many times, you always care about me."

Duke raised his head and glared at her, Scarlett shrank her neck unconsciously, and quickly sat back to her position, just like what happened countless times in these years.

Glancing at Scarlett again, Duke didn't bother to continue talking to the guy who likes to be stubborn, took 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 Scarlett Johansson to Burbank. She asked Jimmy Carter to report to start a very rigorous physical, endurance and combat training for Duke’s Preparing for the next movie.

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

Although "Iron Man" changes, as the opening chapter must explain the process of Tony Stark becoming Iron Man, but many of the small plots and characters will definitely be adjusted.

Of course, whether it is Pepper Poz or Natasha Normanoff, the actors must be white.

First, this is the setting of the comics. Second, is there any value in other markets in this era that is worth changing the heroine's identity?

Not to mention now, even if it is pushed back ten years, there is no market worthy of Duke to do so. North America is the world's largest film market. (To be continued...)