Chapter 880 - Second in Film History

"Great, I look forward to seeing the final product," Roy remembered Leonardo mentioning once that diamond cutting was a highly technical process, requiring someone with significant experience to achieve the most perfect facets, making the diamond appear brighter.

"Does the diamond cutting need to be handed over to someone else?"

Although Bernie had no experience in custom designing engagement rings for others, it didn't mean he was ignorant of the process. After all, he graduated from a top design school. If he hadn't returned to care for his mother, he would have interned at major jewelry companies with his classmates.

"Rest assured, Mr. Seasonstar. I'll seek out my teacher, who knows an outstanding diamond cutter. Although this expert has not been hands-on in recent years, I believe your diamond will capture his interest."

Based on his assessment, Roy's blue diamond was undoubtedly of the highest flawless grade. An excellent diamond cutter would be unable to resist the temptation to cut it perfectly. Witnessing a diamond stone emit a dazzling light in their hands brings a sense of accomplishment to anyone.

Hearing this, Roy felt relieved, "Then I'll leave it to you. Let me know if you need anything."

"Okay." Bernie felt a bit embarrassed, knowing that Roy made the offer because he was short on funds. However, it was true; he didn't even have the money to travel abroad to find his teacher, let alone hire someone to cut the diamond. 

In the end, amid Bernie's hesitations, Roy generously signed a check and left it for him.

Their relationship was quite interesting. A penniless rookie designer dared to take on the design of a diamond worth millions; meanwhile, Roy was willing to trust a precious diamond, worth millions and obtained at great risk, to this impoverished and inexperienced rookie designer, just because his girlfriend liked the design.

This kind of story would be hard to believe if told to others. Even if someone believed it, they might think Roy was a fool with too much money.

The next day, Bernie locked his shop and boarded a plane to find his teacher. With such a diamond in hand, he was confident he could persuade the master to personally undertake the task.

While Roy was anxiously waiting, "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" had already reached $1.5 billion at the box office, officially surpassing Laila's other works and taking the second spot in the all-time box office rankings.

Although it was still $300 million short of the top spot, judging by the global box office trend, it didn't have much momentum left to sustain significant growth. Many media outlets predicted that when the film was pulled from theaters, it would likely reach around $1.58 billion and might break $1.6 billion but would certainly not dethrone "Titanic" with its $1.8 billion.

Thus, some media outlets grabbed attention with headlines like "Laila Fails to Claim the Top Spot in Film History," asserting that she lacked the strength to achieve this feat and might never succeed in her lifetime.

Such statements angered many of Laila's supporters, who flooded the forums of those media outlets with posts of criticism. When had Laila ever claimed she aimed for the top spot? She never had such intentions from the beginning!

Claiming she lacked strength was even more absurd. Just look at the box office rankings, filled with Laila's name. With such achievements, who could say she lacked strength?

Fortunately, brainless media were in the minority. Many people gave positive evaluations of Laila, considering her a miracle of this era. They believed that when her era passed, film history would be deeply marked by her presence, forever remembering this incredible girl.

As the summer season ended, so did "The Lord of the Rings" at the box office. Fans expressed that it was the greatest movie they had ever seen, with a grand worldview, touching story, and beautiful scenery, all making them deeply enamored.

There was no doubt that when the CDs were released, they would bring substantial revenue to Laila's company.

Additionally, the movie's merchandise was also expected to perform well.

When it comes to selling merchandise, Japan was the best. Their industry chain was extremely mature, especially in animation and manga, where everything from small handkerchiefs and stationery to large models and cosplay gear was thoroughly commercialized.

In the U.S., merchandise sales were also significant, but Laila felt it wasn't enough. Especially after acquiring Marvel, she adopted Japan's approach. If you like a hero, wouldn't you want a set of their "gear"? Their favorite clothes, glasses, tools, T-shirts, and pillows printed with their heroic images, wouldn't you be tempted?

To expand merchandise sales, she planned to open a few specialty stores in bustling city areas this year. Don't underestimate these items that seem like children's toys; the profit margins would surprise anyone.

Laila knew this well; otherwise, she wouldn't have made such plans. For example, a regular life-sized pillow might cost $20, but with a superhero print, it could sell for $40-$80. If made more exquisite, the price could go even higher.

Are fans foolish? No, for them, it's a form of faith. They are willing to spend money to get closer to their beliefs. Wearing superhero costumes, holding their tools, and pretending to be that invincible hero brings them immense fulfillment and satisfaction.

More importantly, opening merchandise stores was also a competitive strategy.

Imagine seeing a Marvel merchandise store on the street; wouldn't you want to go in and take a look? Once inside, comic book fans would be drawn to the products, increasing the chance of converting DC fans to Marvel fans.

For existing Marvel fans, the presence of merchandise would make superheroes feel more real, strengthening their sense of belonging and connection to Marvel.

While managing Moran Group, Laila didn't neglect the company she founded.

Although Dragon Soul temporarily had no movies she needed to make, the sequels directed by others kept the company busy, ensuring it didn't halt due to her absence.

When initially building Dragon Soul, the entire company served her alone. She realized this was not a sustainable model, so she later delegated sequels to trustworthy directors.