[Chapter 945: Eyes Made for Horror Films]
After discussing Yahoo's development plans for the following year all morning, as noon approached, everyone signed off for the day. Eric finally got the chance to check the box office data for the opening day of Jurassic Park 3.
The opening day revenue for Jurassic Park 3 was $19.02 million. While it couldn't compare to the $23.1 million opening of Rush Hour 2 from the previous week, it did align with the projections from Firefly Films' distribution department.
According to an analysis report from Los Angeles, based on the opening of $19.02 million and the early reception, Jurassic Park 3's first week box office should be around $80 million, with North America expected to easily surpass $200 million in total gross. Feedback from some international markets that opened simultaneously indicated that the film could also reach about $400 million in overseas box office.
The original Jurassic Park series had faltered due to Spielberg's missteps with the second film, resulting in a decline in both critical reception and box office performance. However, under Firefly Group's careful guidance, the new Jurassic Park trilogy maintained a strong reputation and commercial potential. Although the anticipated global box office of $600 million could not be compared to the first two films, it still surpassed over 90% of big-budget films in North America.
However, after the third installment, the series would be put on indefinite hiatus, awaiting the right moment for a reboot in the future.
...
Eric had arranged to meet Chris that evening in Manhattan for a fund manager meeting. At four o'clock, he left East Hampton with Chris.
The gathering was hosted by JPMorgan and took place at The Plaza Hotel.
Winter days were short, and by the time Eric and Chris arrived in Manhattan, night had nearly fallen. After choosing a restaurant for dinner, they headed to The Plaza.
Recently, after wreaking havoc across Southeast Asia, many in the U.S. held critical views towards the actions of hedge funds. Therefore, this meeting was quite confidential -- there was no red carpet, no reporters, not even any indication that a group of financial moguls was in secret conference within the hotel. Following Chris to the entrance of a banquet hall, Eric only understood they had arrived at their destination when Chris presented an invitation.
Walking into the banquet hall, Eric spotted a few middle-aged men in suits approaching, smiling and asking Chris, "I remember hearing that Soros enjoys attending various gatherings of artists, writers, and musicians, but he usually avoids these types of circles. Do you think he'll show up tonight?"
Chris nodded. "Of course. I specifically called him and mentioned you'd be here, and he said he would come."
Suddenly recalling Chris's earlier teasing words, Eric thought of a joke. "You know, I'm beginning to think you're quite... cunning."
Chris clearly didn't grasp Eric's improvised compliment. "Oh, is that meant as a compliment?"
"It counts," Eric confirmed with a nod.
As Chris introduced Eric to a few fund managers, they all unexpectedly turned to look behind him and Chris.
Turning around, Eric saw an older gentleman with graying hair and a rounded face step inside the entrance -- it was George Soros.
Soros nodded at the people who acknowledged him but walked directly up to Eric, extending his hand. "Hey, Eric, nice to meet you."
Given his familiarity, Eric responded amiably, shaking his hand and saying, "Hello, George."
Soros appeared uninterested in interacting with anyone else, briefly greeting the people in the hall before finding a seat with Eric and initiating small talk. "Eric, I've wanted to meet you for a while. I ran into Jeffrey at a party the other night, and he mentioned you shared a few thoughts in response to my book. It was... very interesting!"
Listening with a smile, Eric replied, "Hmm. What I shared with Jeffrey was mostly about nature's survival rules."
Nodding, Soros said, "I see. Eric, there's one thing I'm still puzzled about. In light of the Southeast Asian situation, why did you jump from the Thai baht and Indonesian rupiah directly to betting on the Korean won, skipping over currencies of other countries? To be honest, while your investment volume is small, your returns outpace those of most hedge funds during this crisis. Many are reluctant to give up their chances this past half year, yet they hardly gained anything."
Eric wasn't surprised that Soros was aware of Firefly Investment's various strategies during the Southeast Asian economic crisis. He couldn't give Soros an explanation, nor did he wish to fabricate a response, so he deflected, "George, I think you might want to ask Chris about that; I only understand some basic theoretical knowledge."
"I already asked Chris; Hansen said it was your decision," Soros stated, fixing his gaze intently on Eric.
Eric glanced at Chris, who was nearby chatting amiably with others, then shrugged. "If you absolutely need an answer, I'd say it's because I'm an outsider. While everyone else was scrambling to destroy the currencies of Southeast Asia, I didn't go that route. I'm not that greedy either. Instead of diversifying my focus, I concentrated all my efforts on one pivotal point. Given that South Korea is the most economically developed country in Southeast Asia aside from Japan, I believe the ultimate showdown in this crisis would be against the won; the potential for profit is maximized there, and it allows for ample planning time."
Soros carefully considered Eric's words. Just as he was about to nod in agreement, he hesitated and shook his head. "No, South Korea won't be the final stand in this financial crisis."
Eric countered, "The profit margin for a second wave of attacks on Southeast Asia is already slim. Many will certainly go for it next year, but I think it's unnecessary. Beyond that, I can't think of any other valuable targets."
Soros gently urged, "Think a bit further north -- toward that polar bear."
Eric felt as if Soros were a wolf trying to coax a sheep into a trap. He sensed no malice from the older man, yet he couldn't help but want to tease a little. "George, if I remember correctly, Russia pulled in about $10 billion this year from foreign investments via treasury bonds and stocks, which is more than the total of the previous five years combined. Quantum Fund must have a substantial piece of that pie. Do you really want Russia to face an economic crisis?"
In memory, 1998 saw Russia inevitably plunged into a financial crisis.
However, Soros's stance leaned toward preserving the ruble's exchange rate. The previous year, based on a positive outlook for Russia's economic recovery, he had channeled the substantial profits made from Southeast Asian currencies into Russian treasury bonds and stocks. Then, with the ruble's significant devaluation, both stocks and bonds plummeted, costing Soros nearly $3 billion.
Soros stared at Eric with a questioning gaze, genuinely surprised. "Eric, it seems you don't have much faith in Russia's economy."
Eric shrugged. "Your book, The Alchemy of Finance, greatly benefited me. You described the influence of human factors on economic activity as reflexivity. The less human intervention there is in economic activities, the more they conform to theoretical economic laws.
But look at Russia: while it outwardly appears as a capitalist nation, capital does not play any decisive role in its economy; it's the people who truly determine Russia's economic trajectory. But people are selfish; they have their own agendas and interests. Ultimately, very few are willing to make any concessions for a country or a nation. Yeltsin dragged the entire Soviet Union into the abyss for his political ambitions, leading to the collapse of what could have rivaled the U.S.. He remains president of Russia -- who can guarantee he won't do so again? Who can assure that another Yeltsin won't emerge?
So, I hold a pessimistic view of Russia's future. Mark my words, George -- once a financial crisis hits Russia, the first thing those people will consider is how to protect their own interests. When all is said and done, it's the common people who suffer the most from the depreciation of the ruble, and they will try to shift those damages onto the civilians as much as possible."
Soros suddenly felt he couldn't quite grasp this young man before him. Still, he found Eric's arguments quite reasonable. Soros was all too familiar with the current Russian president's character. He suddenly regretted putting substantial funds into Russia, but at that moment, it was simply unrealistic to withdraw those billions in the near term.
Setting that thought aside, Soros remarked, "Eric, I find you to be a thorough pessimist."
Eric with a smile, said, "Yes, many around me say I'm a pessimist, but I don't see anything wrong with it. Pessimism can also be a driving force. I feel I still have many things to accomplish, so it's better not to be overly optimistic."
"Speaking of which, Eric, it seems you are overly infatuated with investments in new technology. In my view, the portfolio of Firefly Investment is mostly a collection of bubbles. The Nasdaq market is bound to collapse eventually. If I were you, I would invest all funds in the development of the Firefly Group instead."
Eric realized Soros was genuinely giving him advice, but he still disagreed. "George, you seem overly pessimistic in this regard. It is true that tech stocks are beginning to show signs of bubble formation. However, even if that trillion-dollar bubble bursts, the fragments left behind will still represent significant wealth."
With Eric raising this topic, they began discussing the wave of new technology and the third technological revolution.
As the two engaged in fervent discussion, would-be interlopers found their advances thwarted. Only Chris passed by to deliver two drinks and exchanged a few pleasantries before subtly stepping away.
By the time they exited the gathering, it was well past ten o'clock at night.
As Eric was leaving, he exchanged business cards with Soros, but neither mentioned plans to meet again. After a night of conversation, they both realized they shared a tendency for maintaining distance in relationships.
...
Having spent several hours possibly drinking too much, Eric returned to his apartment on Sixth Avenue. After a shower, he found his buzz slightly stronger.
Wearing a bathrobe and drying his hair, he collapsed onto the couch, reluctant to move. He picked up the remote and turned on the television.
Fox was airing a historical drama. Eric couldn't discern the era, but the characters' costumes bore some resemblance to those he encountered in fantasy games like The Elder Scrolls.
He glanced a few times, realizing the show was likely a rerun. He held no interest in period dramas. Just as he was about to change the channel, he was captivated by a female archer on screen.
It wasn't solely due to the actress's beauty; it was more about her eyes.
The actress's eyes weren't particularly large and could not be described as beautiful or alluring. Yet, whether it was because of their pale hue, her pupils appeared strikingly dark and vivid, exuding a peculiar witch-like quality. However, her entire demeanor reflected that of a cat, one who was easily startled, appearing timid and fragile, almost neurotic.
During this time, Eric had been seeking the lead actress for Ring, and upon seeing this performer named Vera Farmiga on screen, he suddenly believed that her eyes were perfectly suited for a horror film -- she seemed tailor-made for the role of the lead in Ring.
*****
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