Heads Up Hollywood

On Monday, July 3, 2006, last week's box office statistics came out.

On the North American box office list, "Pirate League 3: At World's End" earned $23.5 million in a single week, ranking third on the weekly box office list. The North American box office has accumulated $420 million!

Last week's overseas market also achieved a box office of 54 million US dollars, pushing the overseas box office to 600 million US dollars!

So far, the first blockbuster movie in this summer with a box office breaking $1 billion has appeared - "Pirate League 3: At World's End"!

This is another phenomenon-level commercial masterpiece with a box office of 1 billion US dollars that was born 19 months after "Spider-Man 3" released in 2004!

Gore Verbins, the director of "Pirate Alliance 3", also became the second major director after Twain to have two films with a box office of more than 1 billion US dollars.

However, is it really a great director?

I'm afraid people in the industry don't think so.

After Nolan finished filming "Daredevil" and Zack Snyder finished filming "Ghost Rider", they immediately became popular in Hollywood, and major studios threw olive branches one after another, wanting to poach corners.

However, he was indifferent and chose to continue to cooperate with New Universal.

But Gore Verbins is different. The first commercial blockbuster he directed was "Pirate League 2: Dead Man's Chest", which had a North American box office of 460 million US dollars and a global box office of 1.08 billion US dollars. .

However, industry insiders did not have a high opinion of him.

His success is not derived from his personal strength, but from the super creativity of "Pirate League" and the interesting performances of Johnny Depp, Tom Hardy, and Anne Hathaway.

This is completely incomparable with Nolan and Zack Snyder's self-indulgence in the movie.

Even though Gore Verbins has already made two films with a global box office of more than 1 billion US dollars, it is the films that are popular, not his director.

In contrast, although "Daredevil 2" was released one month earlier than "Pirate Alliance 3", with a global box office of 960 million US dollars, it has not been able to break through the 1 billion US dollar mark, but Nolan's reputation is too high!

He is almost the most prestigious director of commercial films in Hollywood after Spielberg, Dunn Walker, and James Cameron!

"Daredevil 2" is definitely a phenomenon-level movie, and it is not an exaggeration to call it the best superhero movie ever made.

Nolan has played both commercial and word-of-mouth to the extreme, and the film has his own distinctive characteristics, which is the strength of a top director.

It stands to reason that the beginning of July is the hottest period of summer vacation, and there should be many new films released together.

But at the beginning of July this year, it was a little strange and deserted.

Major studios are avoiding this stage, such as Universal Pictures' "Living Together", Twentieth Century Fox's "Little Miss Sunshine", "Assassin in Love", Warner's "Don't Mess with the Ants", Paramount's "World Trade Center"... all avoided this time slot one after another and chose to postpone the release.

Why?

Very simple, on July 7th, a box office aircraft carrier came over!

"The Avengers", the finale of the first phase of Marvel Pictures directed by Dunn Walker, will be officially released on July 7th!

This is a giant aircraft carrier, once it sails, it will set off huge waves. The waves are so big that they will overturn many innocent fishing boats around.

Before "The Avengers" was released, Twain took New Universal's executive team to Wall Street, met with several investors, and decided on some listing proposals.

New Global will issue 200 million new shares when it goes public. Although the issue price has not yet been officially determined, it is certain that New Global's IPO will be the largest IPO in history! The total financing amount is likely to exceed 30 billion US dollars!

The scale is so large that even Nasdaq can't afford it, so it can only be handed over to the New York Stock Exchange to operate.

Well-known managers and listing experts from almost the entire Wall Street participated.

There is no doubt that the listing of New Global will be the biggest event on Wall Street this year!

After the meeting was over, Tang En accepted the invitation and went to Illinois to meet his new love, Kat Dennings.

This is not a formal occasion.

It was Hugh Hefner, the founder of "Playboy" magazine, who invited Dunn to come over...for a chat.

After Tang En went there, he realized that this flamboyant old man who always wore pajamas was actually serious.

"This is a reality show produced by my company. It's very good." Hugh Hefner is almost 80 years old, but he has a strong body and a bright smile.

What's even more exaggerated is that Tang En also had Kat Dennings with him, and Hugh Hefner...with three bunny girls!

Yep, hot playboys with bunny ears and miniskirts.

Even Tang En would give a big compliment to that look of unrestrained, carefree and indulgent enjoyment.

sharp!

Tang En remained calm and tried not to look at the three bunny girls who were very revealingly dressed. The main reason was that they were not really pretty. Even in terms of figure, they might not be hotter than Kat Dennings beside him.

Hugh Hefner's getting old, when picking a girl, just be young enough.

"What reality show?"

"The Girl Next Door, haven't you seen it?"

Tang En shook his head, "No."

This is a press conference site. Playboy is going to announce to the outside world that its reality show "The Girl Next Door" is about to produce a third season.

Naturally, Tang En would not appear at the front desk, and he would not even let outsiders know that he had been here.

Hugh Hefner was not reluctant, invited him to sit in the backstage lounge, and said, "It's really a pity that you haven't seen it. Hawley, you tell him."

The bunny girl next to him smiled coquettishly and said, "This reality show... is actually a bit like "Hilton's Family". "Hilton's Family" is about the living conditions of the Hilton family, and the biggest selling point is the Hilton sisters." The Girl Next Door is about the life of Mr. Hefner, and the biggest attraction is naturally his enviable lifestyle."

Tang En blinked his eyes a few times, somewhat startled.

An enviable lifestyle?

no?

This old man wants to show his romantic life in front of the American audience through a reality show?

This is for showing off? Or go outside to make money?

Rich people can't wait to protect their private life strictly, for fear of being known by others. How good is this Hugh Hefner, to make it into a reality show and advertise it widely? Global promotion?

Hugh Hefner said: "It's actually very simple. Every season of "The Girl Next Door", I will find three playboy girls with hot bodies and pretty looks to live in my mansion and accompany me. Life. This TV program is to record our flirting and sexual life in our daily life."

Tang En really almost fainted.

Kat Dennings next to her also opened her mouth, looking incredible.

Too scary, right?

Tang En swallowed hard, and said: "Hugh, that... I know it might not be appropriate to say that, but I still want to say that your age... seems to be no longer suitable for too many such jobs, right? "

Hugh Hefner deeply disagrees, "I have slept with thousands of women, and they still love me so far. This is the charm of my life. I am 80 years old, but 80 years old is just another person's middle age." Years, as long as the spirit is not old, youth and vitality will never leave the body."

As he spoke, he opened his arms, and the three bunny girls who surrounded him leaned delicately into his arms, and continued: "With the company of these three girlfriends, he feels more beautiful than he was fifteen years ago. young!"

Tang En was a little speechless.

There is also an eye-opening feeling.

Isn't he coming here today just to witness this big scene with his own eyes?

Sure enough, ginger is still old and spicy!

Compared with Hugh Hefner, Dunn felt that he still had a long way to go.

There is a long way to go, and we must continue to work hard!

Hugh Hefner seemed to be full of ideas, and continued: "Do you know what the theme of "The Girl Next Door" is? It tells about a guy who is over 80 years old, takes one or two small pills every day, has three or four beautiful women in his arms, and shuttles celebrities It is a good thing, and it is a kind of encouragement to young people. The young people nowadays... don't know how to fight at all, don't know how to fight Many people spend the first half of their lives chasing fame and fortune, and spend the rest of their lives claiming to hate fame and fortune, but I am unwilling to exchange my life with anyone."

Even Tang En couldn't stand these words.

The goal of your struggle, the direction of your struggle... Is it a woman?

This is too low-level fun.

Tang En shook his head, not wanting to continue this topic, and instead said: "So you invited me over today?"

"Two things!"

Hugh Hefner patted the girls next to him on the waist and motioned them to leave.

Tang En knew what was going on, and let Kat Dennings leave.

After the scene was cleared, Hugh Hefner said: "The Girl Next Door is a very good TV show, better than any reality show I have ever seen. Compared with "The Girl Next Door", "American Idol" is nothing. It's like a child's play house. It's a pity that in the first two seasons of "The Girl Next Door", I chose the wrong TV station to cooperate with, and the influence and popularity were not developed."

Tang En understood it as soon as he heard it.

This guy wants to rely on the TV channel of New Universal!

Although the USA TV network has been sold, New Universal also owns the thriving Starz channel and the Discovery Communication Channel in more than 200 countries and regions around the world.

These are ace TV stations.

"No, I'm afraid it will be difficult to do. Although Starz is a professional cable TV station, the scale of "The Girl Next Door" is... too big, and it doesn't fit the operation strategy of the TV station. Not to mention the Discovery Channel, This is a public channel, and the standard requirements are very strict." Tang En almost didn't think too much, and immediately rejected it.

"The Girl Next Door"?

Listen to Hugh Hefner's intros and it's a dumbass reality show. And it was produced by Playboy Company themselves. Do they understand film and television entertainment?

Want to cooperate?

impossible!

Hugh Hefner didn't seem surprised by Tang En's reply. After pondering for a moment, he said, "You don't have to rush to reply to this matter. You can go back and think about it. I invited you here today because I actually want to talk to you." You said something else, a big thing."

"What?"

"What do you think of Playboy?"

"Very good." Tang En smiled, "I believe that every man is a loyal fan of Playboy."

There is no doubt that "Playboy" is the most influential men's magazine in the world, and even the website has more than 100,000 daily visits.

Its brand influence ranks among the top 500 brands in the world all the year round.

Hugh Hefner shook his head and said, "No, I'm not talking about the magazine, but this company."

Tang En frowned and gave him a deep look.

Of course he knows that Playboy is a company with diversified operations. It has multiple publications, movies, TV and other businesses, as well as food, sports, clothing, sunglasses, bags, underwear and other fashion industries, and even games. industry.

For example, the game "Playboy: Mansion" is adapted from the reality show "The Girl Next Door", describing the mansion life of the hero and a group of girls.

Seeing Tang En's silence, Hugh Hefner said bluntly, "Are you willing to buy this company?"

"Buy Playboy?"

Tang En immediately couldn't laugh or cry.

How can it be?

He runs a serious business!

Although Playboy has a great reputation and high brand value, its actual value is very low. The main reason is that most of the company's products...are vulgar.

If New Universal acquired Playboy, wouldn't it be a mess?

Hugh Hefner said: "Ten years ago, after I retired, I handed over the company to my daughter. But she didn't seem to have the talent in this area. The company's stock price continued to fall, and the annual performance statement was losing money. Marginal. She's going to destroy the company in a few years at this rate."

Tang En shook his head, "No, this is not in line with New Universal's strategic direction."

"Why?" Hugh Hefner didn't think so. "In my opinion, the diversification of New Universal is exactly the same as Playboy's philosophy. For TV shows, you have Universal TV; for games, you have Blizzard. You even have websites like Netflix and Facebook, which can further promote Playboy and deepen its influence. In my hands, if Playboy is worth 500 million U.S. dollars, in your hands, it can be worth 5 billion U.S. dollars! "

This is true.

But unattractive.

Let sites like Netflix and Facebook promote Playboy?

What are you doing?

Do you know the Internet, old man?

Before Tang En could speak, Hugh Hefner spoke again, "Of course, the magazine "Playboy" is not included."

"What's the meaning?"

Tang En was slightly taken aback.

Hugh Hefner said: "I want to leave the magazine "Playboy" as a way of making money to the descendants of the family. It cannot be sold. However, other assets of the group can be sold."

Tang En immediately became angry.

No sincerity!

The biggest brand asset of the Playboy Group is the "Playboy" magazine. Now you say that the magazine is not sold, but other assets? Is this worth a fart?

Take me for a fool?

"This is not in our plan. And you know, New Universal is planning to go public, and there is no more energy to distract you from other things." Tang En maintained the most basic respect and politely refused.

The veteran playboy on the opposite side is really not convincing except that there are enough women.