Chapter 204: Lending a Hand in Pretense

Since Roy Disney's terms were nothing but pie in the sky, Ethan and Evelyn politely declined his proposal. After all, aside from some vulture lawyers, senior executives seeking massive profits from large corporations, and the wolves of Wall Street who plunder wealth without creating value, few people are willing to get involved in another family's internal strife. Such matters are too bothersome.

Surprisingly, there are still three types of people in this world who enjoy meddling in others' family feuds. It seems there are quite a few who like to stir trouble!

After deciding not to disturb, the couple, now free of worries, bid farewell to Hollywood's know-it-all, Mr. Smith, and returned to their hotel arranged by Fox for rest. The next morning, they lazed in bed a bit longer and by afternoon, Ethan finally headed to the Century City Fox headquarters to meet with Mr. Lucas.

Yes, his visit to Los Angeles was not just for the film's celebration party but also to deal with some work-related matters, specifically the global distribution of "Star Wars." Hollywood back then was different from the future. When a blockbuster was released, it would premiere in over a hundred countries and regions simultaneously. However, at that time, overseas distribution companies were just being established, and movies did not dominate the world as they did decades later. The task of global screening would only commence after the domestic box office returns were in.

The reason was simple: profit. Overseas distribution was a hassle, starting with the approval process of the country or region of release, followed by negotiations with local theaters for scheduling and revenue sharing. The process was time-consuming and labor-intensive. Moreover, in that era, movie copies were not digital but film, making copying costs prohibitively high. If a movie didn't do well domestically, global screenings would be counterproductive. As for concerns about piracy due to release delays...

That wasn't much of a consideration. At that time, VHS tapes were not yet widely used, and MCA, holding the patent for discs, was looking to strike a blow against their 'partner' Philips. With the breeding ground for piracy nonexistent, Hollywood companies were thriving because they could afford to release movies slowly.

Of course, how "Star Wars" would eventually roll out its overseas distribution was actually unrelated to Destiny Game. Ethan was sitting in the meeting room because Fox was eager to obtain the most advanced and interesting distribution tool.

"Mr. Jones, for the global distribution of the 'Star Wars' movie, we at Twentieth Century Fox have some modest ideas... We hope you can bring the 'Star Wars' electronic arcade games to the whole world, just like you did for its North American release," they proposed.

Ethan naturally agreed to such a profitable suggestion, smiling, "No problem."

However, he also had a question, "But Destiny Game doesn't have overseas sales channels."

"Or rather, even if we do, we might not be able to sell electronic arcade games to cinemas worldwide in a short time. First, because the channels are different, and second, because of language issues."

"You understand what I mean, right?"

"Ah-ha?" He winked at George Lucas sitting across from him.

Perhaps because Lucas had drunk too much the previous day, his eyes were still a bit bleary. However, upon hearing Ethan's words, he quickly reacted with a knowing smile, "Oh Ethan, I get your point. The Big Seven in Europe, right? That really is a headache!"

The Big Seven in Europe referred to the seven major countries on the continent, known for their independent languages. Companies from other countries looking to sell their products to these nations had to overcome the basic step of translation.

Hollywood movie companies were all too familiar with this, as the first step in the global distribution of their films was to add subtitles to the copies.

Localizing movies was relatively simple, but it was a different story for games. At that time, arcade games were not like the future's small computers; changing the language wasn't as simple as clicking "Language." It required modifying the code.

When Nintendo acquired game distribution rights, their first step was to change the game text from English to Japanese. Although this process was not difficult, it was prone to bugs. Therefore, before officially selling games in Europe, Destiny Game had not done any translation work.

And now...

A last-minute effort?

There wasn't enough time.

However, the difficulties seen by Ethan were not considered problems by Twentieth Century Fox. Seeing Ethan and Lucas laughing and mocking together, a Fox staff member said with a smile, "Oh Ethan, you don't need to worry about these things."

"We won't make any language modifications and will directly market the English version in other markets. After all, the only thing that really needs to be understood in the entire game is 'Play,' right? And English does have a certain level of popularity in Europe, so most people will understand those simple lines."

"As for the distribution channels for sales, Fox can handle that."

"Oh—" Ethan understood, "So you're suggesting I supply the machines to you?"

"Yes!" The Fox staff member nodded eagerly.

"Why not?" Ethan thought, seeing a chance to make a profit, "How many machines do you need? Fifty thousand or one hundred thousand? I'll manufacture them for you!"

"However, we need to clarify one thing in advance: you won't be able to enter the Japanese market. Plus, their movie won't be released until the summer of '98. I've already mentioned this to you."

"Uh— Mr. Jones, we are aware of the situation with Japan." Before signing the contract with Mr. Arakawa, Ethan had already discussed this with Fox. With Japan's unique regulations, even if they wanted to sell earlier, it would be challenging. "And we don't need that many..." The number Ethan mentioned made the Fox staff sweat.

Fifty thousand units was a monumental figure; without entering the Japanese market, they'd never sell them all. "Our current expectation is between five to eight thousand electronic arcade machines... Ah, no, I mean five to six thousand circuit boards, along with two thousand arcade machines."

"The former to be sold in Europe and Southeast Asia, the latter to be shipped to Canada."

"Would the purchase price for the arcade machines be at market rate? And for the circuit boards... one thousand dollars each? What do you think?"

"As for why we don't want the whole machine..."

"It's mainly because they're not very convenient to transport."

Five to six thousand circuit boards? Two thousand whole machines?

This order brought a nostalgic smile to Ethan's face.

Since "Snake," he hadn't sold products in this manner.

The profits were too low!

When Fox proposed this plan, Ethan also realized their true intentions. When they were willing to purchase game machine boards at one thousand dollars each, they probably weren't planning on making a huge profit from the "Star Wars" game.

After shipping the game boards to their destinations, they'd still need to hire people to install casings, TV screens, joysticks, etc. Just the cost alone could reach two to three hundred dollars.

Adding shipping, tariffs, and various other expenses, Fox's cost per machine would surely not be less than one thousand six hundred dollars.

Selling them at that price, it was obvious they'd be operating at a loss.

Under such circumstances, their net profit from this business would likely be around five percent.

Is that even profitable?

It's more like playing house!

So, Fox's real goal was actually to use the video game to promote the movie and then test the market's reception to the combination of video games and films in other markets. If the response was good—they might, like Roy Disney, eagerly court Ethan.

Ethan thought to himself but agreed readily.

"No problem, one thousand dollars per board, six thousand boards that's six million, two thousand machines that's four million. Pay thirty percent deposit upfront, and the rest upon delivery..."

"Okay, I'll have my lawyer draft the contract and send it to your company later."

Fox's staff member was quick to reply, then they revealed their true colors, "Ethan, we've really enjoyed working with 'Star Wars' with you. Your straightforwardness is admirable. If possible, we'd like to collaborate on other projects in the future?"

"Do you like sci-fi themes?"

"Coincidentally, Fox has been thinking about producing a sci-fi movie recently..."

'Here we go!'

Ethan chuckled inwardly at their blatant flattery.

'It seems my guess was right!' he mused.

He also cast a curious glance at Lucas, who responded to his query with a zipping motion across his mouth, signaling he hadn't said anything.

Lucas's childlike gesture made Ethan laugh, but he turned his attention back to the Fox staff, "If there's a good project, I'll consider it."

Although he was noncommittal, the Fox staff eagerly nodded in agreement.

However, before they could celebrate, Ethan stood up, walked behind Lucas, and placed his hands on the back of his chair, "Like, for example, 'Star Wars 2.'"

"If it's this project, we can talk now. As for the others..."

"Show the script to George first. If he doesn't like it, don't bother coming to me."

Lucas, leaning back in his chair, laughed heartily and gave Ethan a thumbs up.

The Fox executives nodded awkwardly, but Ethan paid them no mind. After concluding the business, he announced his departure, "If there's anything else, call me."

With that, he glanced around the room, nodded to everyone, and left the meeting with a smile.

As the door closed behind him, Ethan faintly heard eager voices from inside.

"George, I told you, 'Star Wars' should have a sequel!"

"Yes, yes! Look, Ethan is waiting for your new script! When will you have time to refine the story of Luke Skywalker further? Or maybe—we can find some screenwriters for you?"

"Pshaw! What are you talking about? Does George need screenwriters? He's the best screenwriter on this planet! We just need to find him some writers to jot down the stories he tells! Does he really need to write the screenplay himself?"

The eagerness of the crowd brought a flurry of support for Lucas, who remained confidently amused, gesturing for silence with a wave of his hand.

"Let's remember—if I'm not mistaken—the rights for the 'Star Wars' sequel are in my hands, right? I have the authority to accept your investments but can also refuse them—"

"So, please take the global distribution of 'Star Wars' seriously. Make the box office numbers high, and sell more of the game. Otherwise, I might start doubting your capabilities."

This statement left the Fox executives momentarily stiffened.

But in the next moment, they eagerly agreed.

"Of course, George! You can count on us!"

Their swiftly changing expressions amused Lucas, who then tapped the table with his finger, a gesture that seemed to both command silence and strike at their consciences.

"You'd be better off showing some sincerity instead of crowding around me. Maybe if I'm in a good mood, I'll pass your proposals to Ethan."

"Did you all hear that?"

"Brothers!"

"Huh?"

"Shall we speak through our achievements?"

Lucas's sharp gaze swept across the room.

As his words fell, the previously noisy meeting room became as silent as a tomb.

After a pause, the room quickly emptied as the attendees scrambled to leave, their eagerness to please Lucas evident in their haste.

Lucas, satisfied with the outcome, chuckled to himself. He then pulled out his sunglasses from his collar, placed them on his nose, and left the room with a swagger.

The interaction between Lucas and Fox was something Ethan was only vaguely aware of...

Alright, claiming he was unaware would be a stretch. He had left early to give Lucas a moment to shine confidently.

It was inevitable. After all, who wouldn't want Lucas, who had been stifled in promoting "Star Wars," to have his moment of vindication?

When he achieved success against all odds and skepticism, what he most desired was to make those who had doubted him apologize with a smile.

Though it might seem petty to flaunt one's success, if not used to boast, what's the point of success? To walk in glory unnoticed?

Hardly. Even Elon Musk's mother would boast about her son being a prodigy after his success!

No one dislikes showing off. No one.

Of course, Ethan's willingness to help Lucas had a bit of self-interest as well...

He really liked "Star Wars 2," along with "Indiana Jones," "Jurassic Park,"

And even more so...

The feeling of touching success with closed eyes,

The sensation of reaching the skies with a mere hand raise—

Was simply too splendid!

Hehehe~