Hollywood Road

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After getting off the plane and out of the airport in Milwaukee, Murphy saw Bill Rossis. Since Dark Horse Comics is headquartered in Milwaukee, the other party came here earlier than him, and had a meeting with the Weinstein Brothers with Dark Horse Comics. Several rounds of formal negotiations.

"Frank Miller has already nodded," got into the car, Bill Rossis told the driver to drive, and then said to Murphy next to him, "Dark Horse Comics has no intention of refusing to sell, as long as the price and conditions are right, get the adaptation Rights are not an issue."

"What's Miramax's bid now?" Murphy asked concerned.

"Five million U.S. dollars," Bill Rossis obviously had a headache when he mentioned the price, "and it's a one-time buyout request."

Murphy frowned slightly, "What about Dark Horse Comics' reaction?"

The five million dollar buyout is a one-time payment of the copyright fee. Any profits generated by the film adaptation in the future will have nothing to do with Dark Horse Comics and Frank Miller. This is a very favorable clause for the buyer, but the seller is very happy. Seldom agree.

Sure enough, Bill Rosses said, "The conditions offered by the two sides are quite different now. Dark Horse Comics asks for a basic copyright fee of 8 million US dollars, and also enjoys a 15% dividend of the total income of the film."

Hearing this, Murphy frowned even tighter, it was just like a lion opening his mouth.

But they do have the capital to do this, and the current Hollywood environment is like this.

In the past five years, especially in the two years since the beginning of the new century, Hollywood original films have shrunk sharply, and the proportion of films adapted from literature or other works among blockbuster films has been increasing. Last year's box office champion and runner-up "Harry Potter and Magic" Stone and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring are both adaptations, and Spider-Man, which is pre-booked for this year's box office champion, is not only an adaptation, but also a comic adaptation.

It is no exaggeration to say that what Hollywood is good at these days has never been originality. Those literary or other works that have already gained a certain influence are the targets that Hollywood production companies are keeping a close eye on.

For example, after the success of the two movies "X-Men" and "Spider-Man", the current Marvel comics have become popular with their superheroes. Marvel comics themselves have learned to be smart, and easily refuse to sell the comic copyrights of well-known heroes. .

There is also DC Comics, which has recently been rumored in the circle that Warner Bros. and DC Comics intend to restart the Superman series.

Although the popularity of "Sin City" is not as high as that of the Superman and Batman series, it is not even comparable to Wonder Woman,

But there are also a large number of fans and enthusiasts. To use a word from the past to describe it, it is not an exaggeration to say that it is a popular IP.

This kind of negotiation will never sit together and be settled in a few words. From the basic buyout fee to box office dividends to peripheral revenue sharing, every inch of land will be contested.

The car took Murphy directly to a hotel in the business district and entered the reserved suite. Murphy first called Harvey Weinstein. As Bill Rossis said, the negotiations did not go well.

To sum up all the difficulties, there is actually only one point, and the price cannot be negotiated.

Even after Murphy submitted the budget and project proposal, Miramax was more optimistic about the profitability of the project after research and estimation, and still did not want to pay too much cost.

On the other hand, Dark Horse Comics and Frank Miller also want to get more possible income.

And in addition to income, they also have more requirements.

In an office building in Milwaukee, Frank Miller was sitting on a chair and was thinking deeply. A big fat man with gray hair on the opposite side reminded him, ""Sin City" is too important to you, Fran! You are so Do you feel relieved to hand it over to a young director like Murphy Stanton, who is less than twenty-three years old?"

Speaking of this name, a face suddenly appeared in front of Fatty's eyes. The young man who was mocked and rejected by him at the beginning, who would have thought that he would become a rapidly rising director...

He shook his head, shaking the image of the other party out of his head, and continued, "I admit that the short film was really well shot, it was like a reenactment of the comic scene, but Fran, aren't you worried?"

Frank Miller took off his cowboy hat and asked strangely, "What are you worried about?"

"Murphy Stanton didn't follow the style of this short film to shoot and produce!" Fatty reminded emphatically, "He just gave you the position of assistant director, and you won't have much say in his crew! "

Touching the flattened hair on his head, Frank Miller had a thoughtful look on his face. Bruce Berman's words were not unreasonable.

"Fran, an assistant director can't guarantee the adaptation style you want!" Bruce Berman seemed to be thinking about his old friend, "You know what kind of place Hollywood is, it's full of lies and fraud, you have to ask for more power!"

After thinking for a while, Frank Miller agreed with his old friend and nodded slowly.

On the second day after arriving in Manhattan, Murphy, as the project initiator and future director, joined the negotiations, but just like the negotiations between "Planet Terror" and international distributors, most of the time, he was a bystander. Those who are not directly involved in the matter of the director have no right to speak.

Negotiations were still going on around the price. Both parties had a certain degree of sincerity and made appropriate concessions. Miramax's bid was increased to 6 million US dollars, and Dark Horse Comics' asking price was also reduced to 8 million US dollars. The gap of 10,000 U.S. dollars is not difficult to bridge, but there are still huge differences between the two parties on the additional sharing clauses behind the basic adaptation fee.

"A 15 percent share of all revenue is unacceptable to Miramax," Harvey Weinstein stood up directly when Dark Horse Comics repeated the condition in the conference room, "This is not the case in Hollywood. A precedent! Up to three percent!"

"Three percent?" Dark Horse Comics' director of the copyright department in charge of negotiations looked at Harvey Weinstein and shook his head. "You guys have no sincerity in negotiating! This negotiation can come to an end!"

Negotiations between the two sides suddenly stalled.

Murphy wanted to say something, but it was very inappropriate for him to speak at this time.

He winked at Bill Rosses. CAA is the middleman who facilitated this cooperation, and it is perfect to be the party to ease the atmosphere of the negotiation.

In fact, Bill Rossis was also ready to speak. In the previous few contact negotiations, he was the mediator whenever there was a stalemate.

"Negotiations, the conditions have to be negotiated slowly." He is one of the people who most want to make the project happen. "The 15% income share is indeed a bit high."

Just as Nilek was about to say something, Bill Rosses preemptively said, "Three percent is indeed a bit low."

"How about this," he suggested, "How about a 15% profit share?"

"Too low!" Nilek said.

Harvey Weinstein glanced at Nilek, "Too tall!"

Although there were still differences between the two sides, the atmosphere eased and the negotiations continued.

Enjoying dividends from the profits of future films has also been recognized by both parties.

Although they have found a common starting point for the negotiations, Miramax and Dark Horse Comics are still at loggerheads over the share percentage, and there is no tendency to reach a consensus in this negotiation.

Today's negotiation is coming to an end, and the two sides are preparing to fight another day. Frank Miller, who has been silent for a while, suddenly speaks.

"I have one thing to explain." His eyes looked at Murphy, "If the cooperation can be reached, I need to join the crew and participate in the whole process of filming and production."

Murphy and Harvey Weinstein exchanged a look, and said, "No problem, Fran, I promised you that in the first place."

Frank Miller smiled, remembering the suggestion from an old friend to ensure that the project would follow the comic book style, and said again, "I ask to be one of the directors of the film and sign the subtitles!"

Harvey Weinstein immediately asked, "Cost director?"

Frank Miller nodded, "That's true, but I ask..."

He turned his head and glanced at Murphy, knowing that this was not a comic, and some things should not be taken too far, "In terms of director, I ask for power second only to Murphy."

Hearing these words, both Harvey Weinstein and Bill Rossis turned their heads to look at Murphy. Frank Miller is the prerequisite for cooperation. If he repents, there is no need for subsequent negotiations.

Although it is extremely rare to ask for a signature on the director, it is not uncommon for the original author to ask for a certain amount of power in the adaptation crew. Harvey Weinstein doesn’t think much of it, even if he agrees to Frank Miller. It is mainly based on Murphy, whose producer is enough to limit Frank Miller, and the crew is very flexible in this aspect when actually operating.

In fact, it was Murphy who was most affected. After all, the other party asked for the director's signature.

Bill Rossis frowned. Frank Miller's request was completely beyond his expectations. Murphy had agreed to let him be the assistant director before, and now he also asked for the authorship of the director...

Murphy didn't say anything, but was just thinking. From his point of view and the final style of the film, it's nothing to give Frank Miller more power. The most likely thing the other party wants is to worry about him messing up. Change the style of the video.

He turned to look at Bill Rosses, who was shaking his head slightly.

"Fran," Murphy said, looking at Harvey Weinstein again, "We need to discuss it and give you an answer in a few days."

Today's negotiation came to an end. On the way back to the hotel, Murphy and Bill Rossis took the same car.

"The power he asked for is actually easy to solve, and Harvey has no objection in principle," Bill Rossis said, "With your ability, it is not difficult to deal with him, and you originally planned to shoot a movie similar to the style of comics. The biggest trouble is that he asked for the director's signature!" (To be continued.)