Chapter 22: The Deal, $30 Million

As a director of a blockbuster film, Kevin received a warm welcome from New Line Cinema upon his arrival.

As soon as he entered, he was led to a lavishly decorated reception room.

Dawson, accompanied by his lawyer, was waiting for him.

After taking a short break and snacking in the office, Dean hurriedly arrived.

"Kevin, have you been having a good time these past few days?"

"Not bad at all. The feeling I've had these days can be summed up in one sentence: Money is great!"

Kevin deliberately revealed his extravagant spending in his expression, implying that he was ready to make a big profit.

Dean's face instantly showed a wry smile, and he no longer beat around the bush.

Since they had brought their lawyer along, there was nothing more to say except that they were here to sell the sequel rights to Saw for a good price.

"Kevin, how much money do you want to sell the sequel rights to Saw for?"

Kevin calmly extended three fingers.

"Thirty million dollars? Impossible!"

Dean's expression suddenly changed.

Kevin's asking price was undoubtedly exorbitant.

"Don't be hasty. Preliminary estimates suggest that Saw itself will generate nearly $100 million in revenue for you. That's not a problem, right?"

Considering box office earnings alone, after deducting the share and promotional expenses, New Line Cinema could still make nearly $100 million in profits based on this trend, not to mention the additional revenue from the sequel.

However, with Kevin holding a portion of the rights, this portion of the revenue would undoubtedly be significantly reduced.

Now, Kevin was offering to sell all the future revenue and rights to New Line Cinema. While $30 million was a bit high, it wouldn't be a loss.

Just a slightly smaller profit.

Dean's face eased a little with Kevin's reminder. He was about to speak and continue negotiating the price.

Kevin continued, "The scripts for both Saw films, and I'm willing to be credited as an executive producer while fully cooperating with your marketing efforts."

Kevin laid all his cards on the table.

The script was the foundation, especially for low-budget films. It all depended on telling a good story.

Having two scripts that continued the Saw universe and the ability to continue promoting the franchise under his name would maximize the potential for the next two Saw films to make money.

At the very least, this $30 million should be able to be recouped without any surprises.

Of course, this time Kevin would only receive a fixed fee for editing and producing, without any share in the profits.

"Well..." Dean hesitated and said, "Let me step out for a moment."

Kevin nodded. Clearly, Dean needed to consult with someone who had the authority to make this decision.

"Kevin, are they really willing to pay $30 million?" Dawson couldn't hold back any longer and asked after Dean left.

Although he knew the price wouldn't be low, he had thought that $10 million would be the maximum.

He didn't expect Kevin to ask for three times that amount, which is $30 million.

Even as his agent, Dawson was taken aback, but he also hoped the deal would go through.

CAA would earn 5% from Kevin's income, which was the standard for A-list clients. As Kevin's direct agent, Dawson would receive 1.5% of that, while the rest would be shared among the company and other CAA agents working for Kevin.

In other words, if the deal went through, Dawson's commission would start at several hundred thousand dollars.

For the first time, Dawson realized what having a high-end client like Kevin meant.

He couldn't help but praise himself for recognizing a talented individual early on and signing Kevin, as their cooperation had been pleasant.

Kevin had no objections to the commission CAA took from his income. After all, CAA had been very helpful to him.

Without CAA's assistance, his career wouldn't have progressed as smoothly.

Not to mention, if he had to seek investments for his projects by himself, he would have faced numerous rejections and might not have obtained any funding.

Kevin was someone who valued win-win collaborations, and CAA's resources were worth the money he paid.

"Trust me, they will. I have calculated it in detail!" Kevin replied confidently.

"This deal is almost pure profit, aside from the time it takes to recoup the investment. If they are unwilling, I don't mind selling the sequel rights to someone else."

"At the Beverly Hills party, Jeff Robinov, the president of Warner Bros., expressed interest in the sequel rights to Saw..."

Kevin slowly revealed, exuding confidence in his words.

"Who said we would give the Saw rights to someone else?" Shaye walked in with confident strides, teasing Kevin. "It's just $30 million, right? We'll buy it at New Line Cinema!"

With Kevin's commitment to two sequels, Shaye decided to directly purchase the sequel rights to Saw for $30 million.

In essence, Shaye chose to make big money rather than quick money.

Kevin's face also showed a smile.

"Deal."

After reaching an agreement, the atmosphere instantly became harmonious. In this harmonious environment, Shaye took the opportunity to discuss Kevin's next project.

"Kevin, let New Line handle and invest in your next project. Trust me, New Line Cinema will always be your strong support."

"You have complete control over the project, and no one else can interfere. The producers only handle the money, and they have no say in anything else. You have full authority over casting!"

These words granted Kevin the greatest directorial authority. Of course, the main reason was that Kevin's next film would still be a low-budget production.

Even if Steven Spielberg were to come, he wouldn't be able to get such a high level of control.

"In theory, there shouldn't be a problem. However, in order for the new film to secure a better release date and more screens, I suggest allocating a portion to other reputable film companies," Kevin proposed earnestly.

For Kevin, this would be the choice that maximizes profits.

Shaye pondered briefly and immediately agreed.

The unexpected success of Saw had surely attracted the attention of numerous film companies. If Kevin's next film continued to monopolize everything, there would likely be problems with the release, screens, and marketing.

Saw had stood out during this Halloween season, inviting envy from many film companies. If they didn't start sharing profits soon, they would become a target in no time.

After all, they were not yet one of the "Big Five" of Hollywood.