Best Movie Star

Due to Guillermo del Toro's illness, the filming of "I Am Legend" was suspended. Since visiting Guillermo del Toro in the hospital, Matthew has paid special attention to the relationship between Skydance and Universal Pictures. From time to time, I would rush to David Ellison's office to have an interview with David Ellison.

He couldn't come forward to participate in the negotiation in person, otherwise there might be unforeseen complications.

This is not the opinion of Matthew alone. Helen Herman and David Ellison have both warned them several times.

The negotiations between the two parties were extremely difficult. In the first negotiation, Universal Pictures directly rejected Sky Dance Pictures’ offer of $30 million for the sequel, and Sky Dance Pictures later raised the offer to $40 million. Universal Pictures It has also been adopting a delaying strategy in the negotiation and has not given a direct reply.

A few days later, the two sides sat down at the negotiating table again. Universal Pictures put forward an extremely strict precondition and signed a non-disclosure agreement in advance for the relevant negotiations. Whether it is Universal Pictures or Sky Dance Pictures, both It is strictly forbidden to disclose the negotiation content to the outside world before the end of the negotiation.

Although they thought it was a big deal, Matthew and David Ellison agreed to sign a non-disclosure agreement, but Skydance Films, on the grounds that the production team of "Three Hundred Spartans" had the right to know The production team was included in the list of negotiating teams of Sky Dance Films.

In this way, as the nominal producer of "Three Hundred Spartans", Matthew's name also appears on the list, and it will not arouse the suspicion of Universal Pictures.

With the signing of the non-disclosure agreement, the negotiation entered a tug-of-war stage. Matthew and David Ellison hid behind the remote negotiation team. They originally wanted to find an opportunity to propose a copyright replacement. What they didn't expect was that they would not wait for the sky. Dance Pictures proposed that Universal Pictures offered the conditions for the copyright of the sequel to "Three Hundred Spartans".

At the same time, Universal Pictures, like Matthew and other businesses with the initiative, opened a terrifying lion's mouth.

In addition to the "Spartan 300" sequel rights in exchange, Universal also asked Skydance to continue to pay the $40 million in copyright transfer fees.

In addition, the distribution rights of all "Fast and Furious"-related films produced by Sky Dance Pictures in the future will all belong to Universal Pictures. Universal Pictures will not only take a cut of the film's box office revenue, but also enjoy copyright-related rights. Fifty percent of all earnings are distributed as dividends.

"Such conditions are more than harsh."

In the reception room of Sky Dance Pictures, Helen Herman said with a cold face, "All the efforts we will make on this series in the future are just working for Universal Pictures."

David Ellison also shook his head, "They're more greedy than I thought."

The bald CEO replied, "Universal Pictures thinks they have an absolute advantage..."

The atmosphere in the conference room was a little stagnant. Matthew squeezed the calluses in his palm and said, "Reject them! Stop the negotiation!"

"Huh?" David Ellison was thinking.

The bald-headed CEO said, "Matthew's words are very reasonable, we directly withdraw from the negotiation."

"I'm a layman in business, just from the point of view of profit and loss, let's see if there is any operability." Matthew said directly, "Before Universal Pictures proposed the copyright of the sequel to "Three Hundred Spartans", it was our Seeking Universal Pictures, the initiative is completely in the hands of Universal Pictures, but after Universal Pictures put forward the copyright request for the sequel to "Three Hundred Spartans", the situation has completely changed. We have a North American box office better than "The Fast and the Furious". "The rights to the sequel to the film that the trilogy adds up to."

He spread his hands, smiled, and said, "So, I think the advantage is now on our side."

Hearing this, David Ellison nodded slowly.

Helen Herman said, "We should change the negotiation strategy appropriately."

Matthew shrugged, "Sorry, I can make suggestions. It's up to you professionals to figure out how to do the negotiation."

David Ellison frowned and thought for a while, then said, "Leave this to me."

That afternoon, in another round of negotiations between Sky Dance Pictures and Universal Pictures, Sky Dance Pictures categorically rejected Universal Pictures' proposal, and clearly informed Universal Pictures that any involvement in the "Spartan Three Hundred Warriors" 》The content of copyright is not for sale, etc.

In short, Matthew and David Ellison expressed an attitude through negotiation that Sky Dance Films would rather not sell the copyright of the sequel to the "Fast and Furious" series, nor sell the "Spartan Three Hundred Warriors" related. copyright.

Sky Dance Pictures took the initiative to suspend the negotiation.

It was a risky gamble, but after TMZ broke the news that one of the film's producers, Zach Snyder, as a Warner Bros. representative, had contacted Frank Miller several times, Universal asked to resume talks.

This time the copyright negotiation restarted. Although Sky Dance Pictures did not have the absolute initiative, it also placed the negotiating parties on a relatively equal position.

The rest is a tug-of-war bargain.

"How are the negotiations between Universal Pictures and Skydance Pictures going?"

Inside a Burbank coffee shop, Vin Diesel, with his bright bald head, asked his new agent, Brock Lesnar, "They don't know there's a circus Horner behind this, right? "

Brock Lesnar had just arrived, pulled out his chair and sat across from Vin Diesel, and said, "I don't know yet, Universal Pictures always thought it was a David Ellison operation." He held it up in front of him He took a big sip, loosened his tie, and said, "I speculate that in a week at most, Universal Pictures may reach an agreement with Sky Dance."

Vin Diesel touched the light, and his voice was clearly dissatisfied, "Speculation?"

As an agent, Brock Lesnar knew that Vin Diesel's temper was the center of the world, and he didn't take it to heart, saying, "Since three days ago, in addition to knowing that the two sides are negotiating, There is no new situation to be heard any more, and they have clearly reached a consensus of confidentiality."

Hearing this, Vin Diesel was expressionless.

Brock Lesnar continued, "The afternoon before yesterday, Sky Dance voluntarily withdrew from the negotiation. Yesterday afternoon, at the invitation of Universal Pictures, Sky Dance's people returned to the negotiating table."

Vin Diesel remained expressionless, as if it would always be this way.

"This shows that the two sides are not far from reaching an agreement." Brock Lesnar reminded.

"Yeah." Vin Diesel nodded and said in a loud voice, "That means the opportunity I've been waiting for is coming?"

Brock Lesnar was a little helpless, but nodded and replied, "That's right."

He heard the relevant news from Martin Davis more than a week ago, and gave it back to Vin Diesel in time. Originally, according to his plan, he would immediately report it to Universal Pictures and let Universal Pictures Completely cut off contact with Sky Dance Pictures, and then work on my own to run the sequel to the "Fast and Furious" series.

But Vin Diesel didn't plan like this at all, insisting to choose the time he thought was appropriate, and then go to Universal Pictures.

"You still think what I'm doing is redundant?" Vin Diesel asked, staring at Brock Lesnar.

Because he had to rely on Vin Diesel's funds, Brock Lesnar could only accommodate Vin Diesel before, but instead of being afraid of him, he replied directly, "Very redundant."

"Hmph, what do you know." Vin Diesel snorted coldly and said, "I not only want to restart the "Fast and the Furious" series and create a successful series of movies, but also make Matthew Horner look good!"

When he mentioned this name, he seemed to still have a pain in his chest, as if the depression of the night of the Victoria's Secret show never dissipated.

At the beginning, he was only interested in restarting the "Fast and Furious" series. After all, the cooperation with Universal Pictures was not a pleasant one. Those people were often talkative on the set, which was annoying.

But after listening to Brock Lesnar talking about Matthew Horner wanting to buy the copyright of the series, his interest increased instantly. What could make him feel more happy than directly attacking Matthew Horner?

"I'm just going to show up when Matthew Horner is about to get his hands on it~www.readwn.com~Vin Diesel stands up and looks like the whole galaxy is kneeling in front of him," he said. Taking away the "Fast and Furious" series, I'm going to humiliate him face to face! I want him to know that in front of me, he is still the poor **** that was worthless back then! "

The corners of Brock Lesnar's mouth jumped, and an unstoppable thought appeared. Is it a mistake to dig up a megalomaniac like Vin Diesel?

This kind of person is too difficult to deal with, how much trouble and criticism will they cause in the future?

However, the thought was fleeting, and Vin Diesel had the resources he needed behind him, especially the money to start a film project.

After lunch together, Brock Lesnar accompanied Vin Diesel to Universal and met with a director of Universal's production department, and everything went as expected.

After learning that David Ellison and Skydance were behind Matthew Horner, Universal reconsidered the market for the "Fast and Furious" franchise.

The two senior executives of Universal Pictures took the opportunity to push behind the scenes. In addition, Vin Diesel made it clear that he could draw tens of millions of dollars in funds. CAA would also invest certain resources to cooperate. The management of Universal Pictures obviously began to hesitate. .

Since someone can solve most of the production funds, Universal Pictures certainly wants to give it a try. Even if there is a loss in the future, there will not be too much loss.

The news of the interruption of the negotiation quickly reached Matthew and David Ellison. The two quickly figured out the basic situation. There was no need for Matthew to continue to hide, and he directly participated with David Ellison. During the negotiation, after two extremely confidential negotiations, he appeared in Universal Studios at the invitation of Universal Pictures.