With a crisp sound, Harvey Weinstein threw a newspaper onto the table and let out a cold snort. "An inspirational drama film? What's this guy up to again?"
In the spacious office, Bob, who had just received the newspaper, sat on the couch.
Upon hearing Harvey's outburst, he didn't utter a word, for he was also pondering over Lyman's new film.
Unlike other film companies that sought collaboration or the glimmer of alliances, Miramax, from beginning to end, had never harbored such intentions. Perhaps Harvey had considered it at some point, but he had grown disillusioned after being rejected time and again.
Truth be told, while they had witnessed Lyman's rise to fame and fortune, Miramax had never truly considered Lyman a rival. The two were simply not in the same league, not even comparable to Lyman's success with "Miscreant", which couldn't match the annual operational earnings of Miramax.
Bob was well aware of Harvey's mindset. However, even when Lyman established something like Firefly Films and the box office of "Saw" surpassed "Kill Bill", it was a bit annoying but ultimately inconsequential.
After all, Miramax's primary focus was distribution, with production largely reliant on figures like Quentin Tarantino.
In terms of distribution, they might not match the Hollywood Big Six, but Lyman's film company couldn't hold a candle to them. Miramax, after all, was an international distributor, even if they leveraged Disney's channels. They were impressive, alright.
With profits garnered annually from the operation of other smaller company's film projects, they had little to worry about in terms of risk and pressure. The Oscar season was their annual harvest time, and as long as they secured those golden statuettes, the offline market would inevitably boom. Selling DVDs alone could rake in millions of dollars.
However, now Lyman had unexpectedly turned to Warner Bros. for collaboration, explicitly stating that the new film was an inspirational drama. This raised alarm bells for the Weinstein brothers.
The Oscar season was fast approaching.
What if Lyman's new work succeeded once again, with a compelling theme? It would undoubtedly exert a significant influence on Miramax's operations. This impact wouldn't be limited to merely outperforming "Kill Bill" at the box office.
As early as 1998, "Shakespeare in Love" had snatched an Oscar from Spielberg's "Saving Private Ryan", proving that PR tactics were the ultimate standard for winning awards. Over the years, Miramax had helped numerous financiers and film companies secure the awards they desired. It could be said that Harvey's smooth sailing in the industry was inseparable from his abilities and connections he had cultivated over time.
He was well aware of this fact. Besides nurturing close relationships with judges, he was willing to lend a helping hand to those who sought his assistance. For instance, this year's "The Lord of the Rings" third installment had reached a consensus with New Line Cinema to jointly operate during the Oscar season.
He wasn't particularly concerned about the success of others' projects, but what about the next round?
He had prepared for this scenario for a long time already. Could there still be unexpected variables?
Such a forceful move naturally led to various speculations.
Bob advised, "Speculating won't help. With our capabilities, if it comes down to it, we'll simply see whose tactics are more adept."
Bob was quite confident about this. They were Jews who had managed in the industry for so many years; no matter how one looked at it, they were on the advantageous side.
Perhaps they couldn't compete in terms of box office, but when it came to connections, they needed to ask whether the judges would approve.
However, Harvey still had some concerns. After all, it was Warner Bros.—a powerhouse even stronger than Paramount. He suggested, "Bob, do you think it's possible to cause some trouble for their project?"
Bob was surprised. "Why are you thinking about doing that? Warner Bros. is clearly trying to elevate him. If our interference is discovered, have you considered the consequences?"
"But this guy has always been an unstable factor. He keeps causing problems for us. If we can disrupt their collaboration project, it might be a good solution. And do you think Paramount might be willing to lend a hand?"
Bob had witnessed Harvey's journey to this point. How could he not understand Harvey's personality and methods? Whenever he perceived someone as a competitive obstacle, was there any sordid deed he wouldn't dare to undertake?
Last year, "Chicago" had defeated a slew of strong contenders to win Best Picture. Harvey hadn't hesitated to dig up dirt on others and ultimately compelled the judging panel to abstain from voting for "The Pianist" due to public pressure.
And now, Harvey wanted to sabotage Lyman's collaboration with Warner Bros. His motive was straightforward: to eliminate a threat and seek personal revenge.
After repeatedly clashing with him, Harvey wasn't known for his pleasant demeanor.
He continued, "Lyman appears to be ambitious as well. This sudden development—what does Paramount think of it? Warner Bros. is Paramount's most natural rival. Can Paramount simply sit idle? Distribution is a task many can handle; is Warner Bros. truly willing to provide significant support? I have my doubts."
After a comprehensive analysis, Bob could only sigh lightly. "Alright, I'll contact some people at Paramount and see if this is feasible."
He knew that once Harvey had an idea, he was hard to dissuade. It was better to go along with him.
...
Beverly Hills, Lyman's mansion.
Since his agreement with Warner Bros., he had withdrawn from the public eye.
He had immersed himself in preparing for the filming of "Million Dollar Baby".
Members of his production team in France, with the tacit approval of EuropaCorp, had mostly signed filming agreements with the crew. Then there were Ryan and Thomas. The former had some minor matters to attend to, while the latter had arrived and was catching up on sleep in a guest room on the second floor, adjusting to the time difference.
Furthermore, under John's management, the company had leased the second floor of a business building to expand its presence.
Apart from the initially appointed employees, a few more staff members had been recruited, all experienced professionals from the industry. They had been poached from other film companies and formed a market research department. Later, influenced by Jerry Boyd, Lyman had John hire several screenwriters from CAA to establish a script review department. Its purpose was to evaluate whether submitted scripts were worth adapting into films.
Additionally, on the financial front, James' sequel project had also begun. With a production expenditure of $15M, coupled with Lyman's budget of $12M, they were already spending $27M before even turning a profit. Adding the company's daily operations, the estimated financial expenditure for November was expected to surpass $30M.
However, this was only the beginning. They would take things step by step.