raknovel Chapter 116 1974 Release Plan
Chapter 116 1974 Release Plan
Chapter 116 1974 Release Plan
After the two returned, the atmosphere in the meeting room became unusually strange.
The air conditioner vents emitted a slight buzzing sound, and apart from that, the only other sound was Stallone's slightly heavy breathing.
Ted Ashley's gaze darted back and forth between Qin Han and Fred, keenly capturing the subtle atmosphere between the two.
As the head of Warner, this was the first time he had ever seen such a scene.
Logically, at this negotiating table, the seller should be eager to close the deal, while the buyer should be extremely picky.
But now, Qin Han's calm and collected demeanor, as if he couldn't wait to sign this "suicidal" betting agreement, makes it seem as if he's afraid Warner will back out.
On the contrary, Fred, his capable henchman, was restless from the moment he entered the room. His small eyes were frantically trying to signal him, his eyelids almost twitching from blinking so much. Every expression he made conveyed the same message—"Boss, don't sign! Something's fishy!"
Ashley picked up the now-cold black coffee, took a sip, and the bitter taste spread across his tongue, gradually calming his mind.
He quickly calculated the figures in his mind: fifty million US dollars in North American box office? That's just wishful thinking!
It's worth noting that Warner Bros.' blockbuster "The Exorcist," scheduled for release at the end of this year, only had a box office expectation of 80 million.
How can a low-budget film with no stars, no big scenes, and a niche subject like boxing possibly make 50 million?
The probability of that is even lower than President Nixon admitting on television tomorrow that he was the mastermind behind Watergate!
The production team's prediction of 1500 million is already the most optimistic estimate based on the premise that the script is of extremely high quality.
Signing this performance-based agreement means that unless the box office reaches 50 million—which is almost a certainty—
Warner Bros. not only gets to earn box office revenue for free, but also pockets the huge profits from "Enter the Dragon" that originally belonged to Hansgrohe Films.
This is Qin Han sending money to Warner!
But----
Ashley glanced at Fred, who was covered in sweat: the fact that this fat man was so nervous meant that Qin Han must have revealed some information that made him wary.
"Qin," Ashley finally broke the silence, "I must admit, your proposal is very—tempting."
"However, Warner Bros. is not a casino."
He looked directly into Qin Han's unfathomable eyes: "I'm curious, where does your confidence come from?"
What makes you think that a film made by ————
Pointing to Stallone, who had been keeping his head down and not daring to speak, he said, "A movie starring an unknown newcomer who's even made those kinds of films can create a miracle of fifty million?"
Qin Han leaned back in his chair, his fingers interlaced on his knees, looking incredibly relaxed: "Because of the public sentiment, Ted."
"As for the fifty million in box office revenue—" A glint of fanaticism flashed in his eyes, "Ted, if you think I'm giving away money, why don't you dare take it? Does Warner Bros. not even dare to make money that's a sure win?"
It's a very simple, clumsy, but effective tactic of provocation.
Ashley showed no sign of panic in the young man's eyes, only a chilling certainty.
That certainty reminded Ashley of the look on Chin Han's face when he told him, "The old title is garbage," during the initial negotiations for "Enter the Dragon."
As it turns out, he was right.
Ashley, who had seen the preview of "Enter the Dragon," knew very well that the movie was absolutely nuclear-level.
"Fine." Ashley suddenly slammed his hand on the table. "I don't care if you're crazy or if you've really seen divine revelation, I'm willing to accept your guess about the box office!"
Once he made up his mind, the man immediately displayed the decisive and efficient style of a major studio head.
He pressed the intercom on the table: "Have the legal department bring over the draft contract and modify it according to the following clauses—yes, immediately."
Half an hour later, a 30-page business contract was placed on the table.
"Qin, let's double-check the details." Ashley resumed his businesslike demeanor. "Warner Bros. will invest $10 to buy out the global distribution rights for 'Mabinogi' in one go."
"The production budget, based on the proposal Fred previously submitted, is set at $150 million. This amount will be fully covered by Warner Bros., including the salaries of all cast and crew, filming equipment rentals, film consumption, and post-production."
At this point, Ashley glanced at Stallone, his tone softening slightly: "This includes $2 for Mr. Sylvester's lead role and $3 for the script's copyright fees. A total of $5."
Upon hearing the figure of "$5," Stallone's body trembled violently.
Before coming to Hollywood, he had to carefully budget even for the money to buy food for his dog, but now, he can earn $50,000 just by signing a document!
This money is enough for him to buy a decent apartment in Los Angeles, and also for a nice doghouse for Brooks.
"As for box office revenue sharing—" Ashley tapped his finger on the twelfth page of the contract: "Warner Bros. will pay Hans Pictures 5% of the total North American box office revenue, without any other performance-based conditions."
"Note that this refers to total box office revenue, not net profit."
Qin Han nodded, picked up the pen, and decisively signed his name in the "Party B" column: "Deal."
Seeing Qin Han put down his pen, Ashley finally felt a huge weight lifted from his heart, but what followed was a strange sense of absurdity.
He shook his head with a wry smile and reached out to shake hands with Qin Han: "Qin, to be honest, even after signing the document, I still think this is too crazy."
"With these conditions, I'm under immense pressure to convince those old fogies at next week's board meeting. They'll think I'm going crazy with you."
"If it weren't for the quality of the 'Enter the Dragon' sample, and if it weren't for the good reputation that Hans Films has built with Warner Bros. over this period, this contract would never have left this meeting room."
Ashley's words were half true and half false. While there was certainly pressure involved, it was more of a self-deprecating attitude of getting something for nothing.
In his view, using $100,000 in distribution fees and $1.5 million in production costs to gamble on a potential blockbuster with 50 million views, if it succeeds, his dividends next year will make him glad he made today's decision.
"Ted, trust me," Qin Han said, shaking his hand. "This movie won't disappoint you."
It will become Warner Bros.' most shining brand in the 1970s.
"I hope so," Ashley shrugged. "However, to ensure the quality of this film, Fred will serve as executive producer, overseeing the entire production process and the use of funds."
"No problem, Fred is our best friend." Qin Han smiled and looked at Fred, who still had a constipated expression. "It's a pleasure doing business with you, Fred."
Fred sighed. "Pleasure doing business with you, Qin. I hope so."
Stepping out of Warner's impressive office building, the California sun shone down without reservation.
-
Sylvester Stallone clutched a copy of his actor's contract in his hand, feeling as if he were walking on cotton, his steps almost unsteady.
It wasn't until he sat inside the Citroën sedan, closed the door, and shut out the noise from the outside world that this tough guy seemed to suddenly come back to his senses.
"Boss—did we really do it?" Stallone's voice trembled slightly as he looked at Qin Han starting the car. "I'm the male lead? And there's $50,000?"
"This is just the beginning, Sly," Qin Han said with a smile as he turned the steering wheel. "When the movie comes out, you'll find that $50,000 is just a tiny fraction of what's in your bank account."
Stallone scratched his head sheepishly, but then his brows furrowed, as if a problem had been bothering him for a long time.
"Boss, although I don't know much about business, but—" He hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Is that agreement really a good deal?"
"If we followed the original performance-based agreement, wouldn't you have received 10% of the profits?"
Qin Han glanced at Sylvester Stallone, who looked indignant, and couldn't help but laugh out loud: "Sly, that's not how you settle things."
"Hollywood accounting is the darkest magic in the world," he patiently explained. "In the future, just remember one thing: for any film you don't participate in producing, you'll only ever get a share of the total box office revenue. As for the 10% and 5%—"
Qin Han paused, then smiled and said, "Even if I'm confident of winning the bet, Warner is unlikely to agree to a 10% share. The original purpose of this figure is to secure a reasonable share for Han's company."
"Now, no matter how much the box office revenue is, we're guaranteed a 5% profit. Isn't that great?"
Of course, Qin Han was very clear about what kind of income that 5% meant.
In its previous life, Rocky was released in 1976.
At that time, the United States had just passed through its darkest period, Jimmy Carter was about to step down, the prelude to the Reagan era had begun, and the whole society was in a period of recovery of "regaining confidence".
In this atmosphere, Rocky grossed $1.17 million at the North American box office.
Now? According to the normal schedule, the crew will be assembled in two weeks, filming will take three months, post-production will take two months, and the film can be ready for release in early 1974.
In his plan, Rocky was supposed to be released in September 1974—a period that was the darkest, most oppressive, and most despairing time for Americans.
In a few months, the Middle East oil crisis will fully erupt, oil prices will skyrocket, gas stations will see long lines, and inflation will shrink the dinner table for every American family.
The earth-shattering Watergate scandal will reach its climax in 1974—the following August, Nixon will become the first president in American history to resign.
At that moment, Americans' faith completely collapsed, and anger, confusion, and cynicism became the main themes of the entire society.
In such a dark moment, Rocky Balboa suddenly appeared on the screen.
He was an uneducated, even somewhat simple-minded, rough man, but he was honest, resilient, and simple-minded.
He doesn't lie, he doesn't scheme, he only uses his clumsy fists to get knocked down time and time again, but he gets up again and again, roaring at life, the biggest villain, "I'm not trash!"
This intense emotional resonance, at this particular juncture in 1974, will produce a more terrifying nuclear explosion effect than that of 1976!
When the whole of America is watching politicians lie on the news, this man on the screen, beaten black and blue but not falling down, becomes the most steadfast spiritual support for Americans.
Most importantly, in 1974, no movie could rival Rocky!
The strongest competitor, The Godfather Part II, was not a commercial film. At most, it could compete with Rocky at the 1975 Oscars. If managed properly and with the right media coverage, the 1974 version of Rocky would have grossed more than $2 million at the North American box office.
Even the most conservative estimate would be between $1.2 million and $1.5 million!
Even if we calculate based on 1.2 million, 5% of the total box office revenue would be a full 600 million US dollars!
Hans Pictures will not only be able to achieve instant success and have ample cash flow to buy up assets during the oil crisis, but more importantly, they will use this film to firmly establish themselves in Hollywood and acquire their own trump card IP.
The more he thought about it, the happier Qin Han became. He was in a great mood and hummed an unknown tune: "Slay, don't worry about the profit-sharing ratio. Get ready and welcome the highlight of your life!"