[Chapter 486: Jurassic Park]
A remote island in the Caribbean finally welcomed its first guests. This small island, named Jurassic Park, caught the attention of public figures once again.
In recent years, the pace of filmmaking at White Films had clearly slowed down, particularly for the so-called blockbuster movies. Not to mention the constantly delayed 007 film, even the much-anticipated Jurassic Park had yet to show any progress.
Now that the billionaire was on vacation, it seemed that there might finally be some leads on that Jurassic Park movie.
Spielberg felt conflicted; William White had put him in a tough spot. Yes, the film would be made using the latest IMAX technology.
Speaking of IMAX, it was quite an achievement for William White. A few young entrepreneurs had created something truly impressive. However, without funding and support, to be honest, this company might have gone under without White's backing.
3D movies weren't anything novel in Hollywood; they had their moment in the 70s. Unfortunately, due to a slew of poorly made films, that craze had fizzled out.
Spielberg's hesitation was only brief. For him, while money was important, what mattered more was the opportunity to push his limits. Without a doubt, Jurassic Park was the kind of film that could allow him to do just that.
"Hey buddy, don't overthink it. I had to twist his arm just to get a 10% investment. He's got high hopes for this film. If it weren't for my inability to shoot it, man, you really make me jealous."
"George, please, you know full well that if this thing works out, the biggest beneficiaries would be Star Wars. Didn't they say the price is whatever you want it to be?"
"Ha, I'm not selling. That's my baby." George Lucas said, puffing out his chest with pride, unfazed by his friend's teasing.
"Sixty million bucks for the shooting budget, Lucas. That's some serious cash." Spielberg clearly had no intention of continuing the previous topic and shifted to discuss the budget.
"Sure is a big deal now. With post-production and marketing, it's close to a hundred million. I reckon this might be the highest-budget film made worldwide," Lucas replied.
"Highest budget worldwide? George, look at this paradise under your feet. You won't be thinking about it without a hundred million bucks," Spielberg remarked.
At this point, Lucas felt a bit relieved; with such a hefty investment, there was no way outsiders would share in the profits. If he didn't have a top-notch special effects company, they wouldn't bother with him at all.
...
Jurassic Park was not just about a few dinosaurs; it featured an aquarium and exciting amusement park rides like log flumes and roller coasters. It had it all.
The employees loved this place; families came to have fun, and the kids were absolutely thrilled.
If anyone grew weary, they could take to the sea. The island also boasted a golf course and a tennis center. In short, anything you could think of was available, and most importantly, it was completely free.
Well, saying free isn't entirely accurate; to be precise, the boss picked up the tabs, as long as everyone had a good time.
"Sweetheart, does your company have that many people?"
"No way, those are their relatives. Honey, this is quite the expense; you better console me," he said with a teasing eye roll. Michelle Reis couldn't help but find it amusing how the guy acted like a spoiled child when throwing a tantrum.
"Hey, what do you want me to do? They're like that. Maybe we can talk after the baby comes."
"Alright, alright, really now. You say that every time."
...
With no other option, William White had to find comfort elsewhere, and the absurdity of the situation was all too clear.
"Jason, how's it going? Are they having fun?"
"Pretty good. It's been a while since we did something like this at home."
"Yeah, it seems so, your family is not too keen on traveling or spending money."
"Boss, this place is bigger than Lanai. Will there really be that many tourists?"
"Ha, what's there to worry about? You'll see once that film comes out; it's definitely going to pull in a crowd. Even if we don't get tons of tourists, the employee amusement center is nice; I didn't expect so many people to come."
Alright, the employee amusement center was certainly a show of wealth.
"Boss, are you trying to avoid taxes?"
"Ha ha, smart thinking! That's exactly it. By the end of the year, I'm gonna spend like crazy; rather than hand it over to those crooks, I'd prefer my employees get some perks."
...
After breakfast, the group decided to hit the golf course. They weren't kids anymore; a theme park was just a gesture, really.
The outside world was buzzing with curiosity about this island, but security here was way more intense than at Lanai. Lanai only had Black Hawk helicopters, whereas this place had Apaches and Kamov Ka-50s. If you didn't have permission, it was best to keep your distance from this island.
Those paparazzi thinking of taking a chance were unfamiliar with this kind of situation. These guys meant business -- they actually had the guts to shoot.
Faced with such brazen characters, the paparazzi had no recourse. To be blunt, if they accidentally got taken out, it would just be bad luck. Including the island and the adjacent waters, everything was private property.
Of course, the Bahamian locals were not entirely pleased, but they were lured by the greenbacks. Nowadays, if you tried to buy an island, you'd run into tons of restrictions; they wouldn't let you be that reckless.
As for those that had already been sold, there was nothing to be done. If you were just an ordinary tycoon, that might be manageable. But going up against America's wealthiest? You're looking for trouble.
Some folks may wonder, why put in so much effort? Running an amusement park would easily make a profit.
Oh, come on, this place wouldn't do. Americans banned drugs, so they secretly shipped it to Miami; they also prohibited Cuban cigars, but that didn't stop business. With such a crowd around, if you didn't show some muscle, you couldn't make it in business.
*****
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