Chapter 581： My condition

Every time I see the skyrocketing box office numbers of "The Passion of the Christ", Mel Gibson's pride spontaneously arises. As a person who tends to be arrogant, it is hard not to be proud of it.

But after being proud, there is an inexplicable irritability.

Because no matter how much the box office number rises, it is difficult for him to get the income.

The North American box office of the film exceeded 200 million US dollars. How much did he get when he sold the film?

Forty million dollars!

Only forty million dollars!

Excluding the cost of 30 million US dollars, the gross profit is only 10 million US dollars.

This fact makes Mel Gibson feel irritable and dizzy when he thinks of it. The income generated by the film is taken away by Embassy Pictures.

Willing? Mel Gibson is definitely not reconciled.

Not only him, but anyone who is replaced by a similar situation will be unwilling.

But Mel Gibson only stayed at the level of unwillingness, because he signed a copyright buyout contract with the Embassy Pictures, except for the negligible share of directors and producers, which was stipulated by the industry union. It is impossible to share other benefits.

However, the interests are moving, not to mention that Mel Gibson is similar to Ronan in some ways, and he is not a good person.

There is no such thing as good or bad in the face of business interests that might belong to them.

Moreover, this is not a few million dollars, nor tens of millions of dollars, but a huge gain of hundreds of millions of dollars.

Since the film was released, Mel Gibson no longer participates in the promotional activities of Embassy Pictures. He is not a fool. He knows that the controversy may be burned to him. He also kept a lot of low-key, and began to fully prepare for the new film project in cooperation with Walt Disney. "Revelation".

In Disney Studios No. 2 Studio, Michael Eisner stood near the door, looking at Mel Gibson who was looking closely in the studio, and said to Disney’s Chief Executive Cook Dick: “This project must focus on support. ."

Cook Dick first responded, and then reminded: "Mel Gibson annoyed some people."

Michael Eisner knew what he meant, and casually set his hand: "These are nothing, Mel Gibson has value."

Cook-Dick said: "Fortunately, this subject is not as sensitive as "The Passion".

Michael Eisner laughed: "There are also many people who are interested in Mayan culture and the Mayan Empire."

This new project by Mel Gibson tells the story of the hero who fought against the ruler of the Mayan Empire to protect himself and protect his family when the Mayan Empire was about to collapse.

This film has established its style and is in the same line as "The Passion of the Christ". The primitive and true violent aesthetics has become Mel Gibson's most commendable housekeeping skill.

After experiencing the precipitation of "Brave Heart" and "The Passion of the Christ", Michael Eisner believes that Mel Gibson is adept at controlling this type of action film.

Compared to Michael Eisner, who is becoming more irritable and arbitrary, Cook Dick is a rationalist. At this time, he said: "The success of "The Passion" is caused by many factors. Mel Gibson's I am afraid it will be difficult to achieve the same results in new films."

Michael Eisner waved his hand: "It doesn't matter, half of it will do."

After all, the production budget is not high, only 40 million US dollars.

This is the project that Michael Eisner personally contacted. Although Cook Dick is Michael Eisner's confidant, it is not good to say too much.

"The North American box office of "The Passion of the Christ" exceeded 200 million US dollars." Michael Eisner said slowly: "The overseas box office is not bad."

Cook Dick took the conversation: "Multiple parties predict that the global box office of this film will be more than $600 million."

Michael Eisner sighed and said: "The copyright was sold for $40 million. Mel Gibson's deal is too uneconomical."

"Embassy Pictures' vision is too poisonous." Cook-Dick said with envy: "Relativistic entertainment has to make a fortune."

Michael Eisner's eyes suddenly sharpened: "Ronan Anderson's relativity entertainment development is too fast, right?"

Cook Dick remembered the rumors he had heard: "It is said that Paramount Pictures and Shirley Lansing suffered a dark loss on Relativity Entertainment."

Michael Eisner rubbed his chin lightly: "According to the current trend, it will not take long for Relativity Entertainment to threaten Disney."

The Big Six companies just want to make fewer film companies of the same size, rather than adding another one.

The idea in this regard is exactly the same.

Cook Dick agreed, but thinking of Disney's current situation, he reminded: "We are still focusing on Disney at this stage?"

Michael Eisner has just used it for himself in recent years, but Cook Dick can hear a little bit, smiled, and said: "Yes, we have to stabilize the internal first."

The traditional power of Disney, headed by Roy Disney, is his confidant: "I don't have the energy to manage outside matters, but there are some things that I just need to push."

Cook Dick didn't quite understand, and looked at Michael Eisner curiously.

Michael Eisner said: "You have been dealing with Mel Gibson a lot recently. Do you think he has ideas about the high box office of "Passion"?

"I have ideas." Cook Dick pretended to be relaxed: "not to mention Mel Gibson, the director, producer and investor."

Michael Eisner turned his head and ordered the assistant who had been standing next to him: "Find a few people and chat with Mel Gibson in private. How can he not fight for his own benefit when "The Passion of the Christ" has such a high income. What?"

Cook Dick smiled and nodded, and said to his assistant: "You also do this kind of work."

This is really just a matter of convenience, without investing any resources at all.

At the end of the day’s work, Mel Gibson accepted the invitation of several partners, went to the bar to drink together, and returned home in the evening, because he was in a bad mood and opened a bottle of wine. He was drunk and even the bottle. It's all broken.

Thinking about it all night, early the next morning, Mel Gibson called his agent. When he waited for the agent to come over, he quickly took a cold bath to let the alcohol-stimulated brain gradually wake up and calm down, but saw The newly added box office numbers of "The Passion of the Christ" made the unbalanced heart even more restless.

He was the one who initiated the project, he was the one who invested the money, he was the one who made the film, and he was the one who caused the controversy and the topic, but he paid so much and only made 10 million dollars in profit.

This is not even the cut that the tax bureau will cut from it...

It was him who paid the most, but it was Embassy Pictures that made money from taking the film.

The agent quickly rushed to Mel Gibson's mansion. Mel Gibson was a violent and straight-tempered, and he didn't have any nonsense. He directly told the agent Cameron Sloan what he had considered last night.

"Not talking about offline revenue, just talking about cinema screenings." Mel Gibson hummed and said: "The global box office of "Passion of the Christ" is expected to exceed $600 million, even if Embassy Pictures is promoted and released. Counting the investment, the net profit of the film will be more than 100 million US dollars!"

Cameron Sloan didn't take Mel Gibson's words, but seriously considered what he just said.

Mel Gibson's words continue: "Calculating the offline income, the profit will be higher. And me, the producer and investor, can only get 10 million US dollars in income, and the net profit is lower. Is this fair? "

Cameron Sloan could only answer: "Frankly speaking, this is very unfair." But he maintained his sense, knowing that business matters cannot be measured by fairness or unfairness: "We signed with Embassy Pictures There is a copyright sale agreement. From a legal perspective, all the income generated by "The Passion of the Christ" has no direct relationship with us."

This is not the answer Mel Gibson wants to hear. He waved his hand and asked: "Karen, I asked you to come here to ask, how can I get what I deserve!"

Cameron Sloan glanced at him and cautiously persuaded: "This is difficult..."

Mel Gibson's sharp eyes immediately fell on Cameron Sloan, and he said without hesitation: "If you can't do it, I'll find someone else."

"I..." Cameron Sloan was helpless, and a grumpy client like Mel Gibson was very difficult to serve. After thinking for a while, he said, "I suggest that we first communicate and coordinate with Embassy Pictures. "The Passion" is a big box office, and the copyright buyer should also express it."

Mel Gibson said directly: "A 10% revenue share or a 10% box office share, this is my condition."

Cameron Sloan did not object, and first offered a high point, and then the two sides had room for bargaining, saying: "I will contact Embassy Pictures."

Mel Gibson asked patiently: "Will Embassy Pictures agree?"

Cameron Sloan hesitated and finally said: "The possibility of agreement is unlikely, after all, we signed an agreement with them."

"What about the legal aspect? For example, I was deceived or deceived." Mel Gibson is a rough man, and he doesn't particularly believe in the legal aspect: "Shall we sue and take legal means?"

Cameron Sloan as an agent, from the point of view of Mel Gibson's interests, said: "It is best not to take this step. Embassy Pictures is part of Relativity Entertainment Group. This company is developing rapidly..."

Mel Gibson interrupted with a wave of his hand: "Can you take this route?"

Faced with the employer's request, Cameron Sloan can only tell the truth: "It can go. Generally, this kind of prosecution is resolved by the accused party meeting out of court settlement."

Mel Gibson made a decision: "You first communicate and coordinate with the Embassy Pictures. If you can't satisfy me, find a suitable reason and sue them."