Chapter 189: Another Film Snatched Away

[Chapter 189: Another Film Snatched Away]

Eric's sudden rise in Hollywood was undoubtedly a unique anomaly in the history of the industry, which spanned over half a century. This wasn't to say that Eric's films were exceptionally brilliant. In fact, several of them, upon closer examination, didn't have much artistic merit, nor did they present any groundbreaking innovations.

However, after Eric's string of films scored incredible box office success, aside from the media that excitedly dissected why Eric's films were commercially successful -- capturing attention to boost sales or ratings -- several major studios had convened experts to conduct detailed analyses of Eric's work. Many conclusions from these analyses were likely to begin reflecting in the Hollywood market over the next two years. For instance, live-action films targeted at kids would undoubtedly increase, the number of Cinderella-style romance films would rise, and there would be a surge in clever cop versus criminal narratives.

Disney was certainly not an exception in analyzing Eric's films. After Michael Eisner reviewed various reports on Eric's work, he quickly understood that the miraculous box office success of Eric's films was not merely due to their alignment with the demands of the children's market or the aspirations of young women for fairy-tale romances. The most crucial factor was Eric himself.

This conclusion stemmed from the fact that all of Eric's movie projects lacked any common thematic elements. There seemed to be no patterns whatsoever; his films ranged from family comedies to police thrillers. These seemingly unrelated projects had all achieved success, leading to the obvious conclusion that Eric was indeed the most significant common thread among them.

All these projects were orchestrated by him, primarily under Fox's banner. If it was brought up now, no one would attribute the success to James Brooks or Penny Marshall; Eric Williams was the key figure behind the films that grossed over a hundred million.

After arriving at this understanding, Michael Eisner became increasingly attentive to Eric and everything involving Firefly Films, always on the lookout to win him over. If he could pull Eric into Disney's fold, that would be even better.

Eisner was an ambitious man, and as Disney continued to grow, so did his ambitions. However, he hadn't yet become the headstrong "Disney Tyrant" who would be ousted in disgrace, as he had accomplished remarkable feats in these past few years, earning unparalleled respect within Disney.

It was well-known that Disney had built its reputation on animation. Although Michael Eisner emphasized developing live-action films after taking charge, he also understood that animated films were Disney's greatest strength. It was crucial to maintain Disney's dominance in animation in Hollywood. Therefore, while developing live-action movies, Eisner worked on expanding Disney's animated film business, coordinating numerous classic Disney video releases and licensing agreements for merchandise. He achieved outstanding results.

When Eric grew increasingly prominent, and after he privately acquired a 3D animation studio, Michael Eisner started to keep a watchful eye on it.

For many, the concept of 3D films was entirely new. Just a short while ago, Michael Eisner was scarcely informed about 3D movies. However, due to historical precedents where sound films replaced silent ones and color films overshadowed black and white, he knew he had to pay more attention to this trend. He had a gut feeling that 3D movies could herald a transformative shift in the industry.

To this end, he sought out Pixar, which had just won an Oscar for Best Animated Short, collaborating with executives from Disney's animation department to review and analyze it. Despite the infant character's crude execution making Disney's veteran animators scoff, the computer graphics experts brought in from Silicon Valley explained a series of technical points and difficulties to Disney executives. They stated that with ample financial backing, Pixar's technology could absolutely produce a 90-minute-plus 3D animated feature, and its quality would rival traditional 2D hand-drawn animation.

As Michael Eisner recalled the computer expert's words, he noted Eric's sly demeanor and realized that Disney's plans to intervene with Pixar would be futile. Establishing their 3D animation division would not be a swift endeavor either.

"Eric, how about this -- Pixar is currently working on an animated feature. Would you be open to letting Disney distribute it once it's done?" Unable to work directly with Pixar, Michael Eisner pivoted to seize the distribution rights for the first 3D animated feature, believing this would keep developments within Disney's controllable range.

Eric chuckled, "Mr. Eisner, why rush? Pixar's first animated feature won't be finished for at least two years. Signing a contract now would carry substantial risk for both of us."

Michael Eisner led Eric over to a nearby couch and continued gently, "Eric, you've been in Hollywood for a short time. Many things may not be clear to you. Most big-budget films secure their distributors before filming begins to ensure a swift recovery of funds. A feature-length animated film costs at least thirty million dollars, and I suspect a 3D film will cost even more. That's a hefty investment, and if proper arrangements aren't made ahead of time, the risks increase significantly."

There were unspoken considerations, such as the potential for the animated film to be a flop, resulting in nobody willing to distribute it and risking millions down the drain. Securing a distribution deal in advance could mitigate this risk, allowing for some recovery even if the film flopped. Yet, he didn't believe Eric would produce a bad film under his oversight.

Eric casually swirled his wine glass before feigning deep thought for a moment, then looked up, "Mr. Eisner, I can only say that when the time comes for animation distribution, Disney will certainly be my first choice."

This amounted to no real commitment; "first choice" was just a possibility. In Hollywood, the first choice often didn't end up being the final choice.

As Michael Eisner felt disappointment and a hint of anger, he realized that as Disney's captain, it had been a while since anyone so openly and continuously rejected him. While he didn't lose his composure, his tone grew noticeably colder. "Eric, you should know that I faced considerable internal pressure at Disney to propose such a revenue-sharing deal. You need to give me an explanation for the board. Your distribution partner for next year's film remains undecided, doesn't it?"

Eric sensed Eisner's chilly tone and discontent. He hadn't planned on negotiating with another partner; discussions with New Line were nearing completion, and next year, he would certainly focus on his company's growth. However, he knew that if Firefly wanted to rise, it would face pressure from all sides. Eliminating even one adversary was a win. After contemplating for a moment, Eric reluctantly extended a finger. "One film, Mr. Eisner. You should know the direction Firefly is heading, so I can only offer Disney distribution rights for one film, excluding video and merchandise rights."

"Is it a film you'll direct personally?" Michael Eisner's expression brightened ever so slightly but still sought clarification.

"Of course," Eric nodded.

Michael Eisner finally smiled, raising his glass of wine, "Then here's to a successful partnership!"

"To a successful partnership," Eric replied, clinking glasses with him. He recognized that their collaboration was essentially settled. In Hollywood, oftentimes remarks could be as flimsy as air. Trusting them could lead to busted dreams. But sometimes, what was said meant more than a contract. Now that he made a promise, backing out later would mean creating enmity with Disney.

Having secured the advantage, Michael Eisner no longer pressed Eric further. After offering a few parting words, he drifted away to mingle with other guests.

...

Eric watched as Eisner's figure disappeared into the crowd, letting out a light sigh as he took a hefty swig of wine, unsure of the taste.

"Eric, there you are! I've been looking everywhere for you," Jeffrey rushed over, his hand pressing a handkerchief to his forehead, wiping off beads of sweat.

Eric shifted to make room for Jeffrey to sit down and asked, "Didn't you say you were meeting with Robert Shea about the acquisition? Why are you here?"

"I finished the talks, but there's really nothing to discuss," Jeffrey shook his head, and upon seeing Eric's still-present disappointment, added, "What's wrong? Isn't Disney's high revenue share a cause for celebration?"

*****

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