Chapter 42: MGM Undermining

Kevin was now like a gold mine, and everyone wanted a share of the profits.

Harvey Weinstein was no exception.

With two consecutive profitable films, it meant that Kevin had the ability to deliver, and the chances of his next film making money were also as high as 80%.

As long as he continued making low-budget horror films, investors would never have to worry.

Harvey Weinstein couldn't help but feel envious when he saw Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema making huge profits.

His purpose for attending this party was to get in on Kevin's next film.

Facing Harvey Weinstein's friendly gesture, Kevin couldn't directly reject him and simply replied, "Thank you!"

Kevin's cold attitude couldn't stop Harvey Weinstein from trying to gain benefits from him. The potential business at stake was worth tens of millions of dollars, and compared to that, saving face meant nothing.

Harvey Weinstein forcefully approached Kevin and adopted a concerned expression, speaking with sincerity, "Kevin, you've recently entered Hollywood, and there are some things you may not know."

"In Hollywood, the Oscars are the fastest path for you to become a great director."

Kevin nodded. Although he didn't like Harvey Weinstein, he admitted that there was truth in his words. Without the recognition of awards, becoming a great director would require several classic works. But with the acclaim of an Oscar and a few notable films, accompanied by media publicity, he would immediately be recognized as a great director.

No, that would only make him a renowned director.

Being a great director also meant being involved in big productions.

As Kevin pondered this, he made up his mind to embark on an upper-tier big-budget production for his next project. Otherwise, even if he achieved massive success with smaller films, it would still be difficult to gain recognition from major awards.

Observing the changes in Kevin's expression, Harvey Weinstein's heart leaped with joy and he struck while the iron was hot, saying, "Work with me, Kevin."

"MiraMax Films has extensive experience in Oscar campaigns and can help you make the strongest push for the Best Director award."

Silence filled the air as Kevin contemplated the proposition.

As Harvey Weinstein continued his persuasive speech to Kevin, a well-dressed, elite-looking Caucasian man in a suit, the president of MGM, Reed, approached Kevin.

"Hello, Kevin. I'm Reed, the president of MGM!"

Reed's face displayed a friendly demeanor, and his position in Hollywood was equally influential.

Ignoring Harvey Weinstein completely, Reed spoke on his own, saying, "MGM can offer you the same conditions as Miramax. Whatever they can't provide, we can."

Although Kevin didn't recognize Reed in front of him, he knew that MGM would have a new president after 1993. In other words, the current president of MGM standing before him might be replaced next year. Was he here to salvage MGM's performance?

Harvey Weinstein's face darkened as he watched the president of MGM interfere with his intentions. To be honest, he was furious about the situation, but MGM had an unparalleled legacy in Hollywood that he couldn't match. The roaring lion logo of MGM had once been seen as a symbol of America and had created countless classics.

Even though there is a huge financial crisis due to poor management now, the network and influence accumulated over the years are still not something Harvey can afford to offend.

Not to mention, just for the Oscars, Harvey Weinstein spends a lot of money, while MGM can sell personal favors.

Julie, standing by, could only listen in excitement.

Whether it's Harvey or MGM, they are both figures she can't aspire to be, yet they are seeking collaboration with Kevin.

This is the charm of being a director.

The status of stars in Hollywood is far lower than that of directors.

The position of Leonardo DiCaprio, a superstar, is far different from that of a great director like Steven Spielberg, not to mention ordinary actors.

Only by reaching the highest echelons can one have a certain degree of autonomy.

As for directors, as long as they have achieved a certain level of success, they can become guests of major film companies.

Most importantly, as a director, there is no need to focus on personal image or other miscellaneous things.

Faced with the CEO of MGM's goodwill, Kevin naturally wouldn't offend him.

"It's an honor for me to collaborate with MGM. However, I haven't come across a project that interests me at the moment. It may take some time."

Kevin replied politely.

After hearing Kevin's words, Harvey left in anger, keeping this matter firmly in mind.

"Kevin, as a director, MGM can directly provide you with over $30 million in production funding if you agree to let MGM invest in your next film."

Reed directly presented his offer, a staggering investment of $30 million, which would still be a significant blow to MGM if the investment failed.

In today's Hollywood film industry, any film company would struggle to bear a loss of $100 million.

As publicly traded companies, their film success or failure is intertwined with their stocks.

If a film incurs a loss of over $100 million, it would result in a sharp decline in stock prices, with serious consequences.

Faced with MGM's sincere approach, Kevin found it difficult to refuse.

However, he hadn't decided on his next film yet.

The planned Ghost Rider film was not suitable at the moment.

If he were to shoot it now and later consider acquiring Marvel, it would come at a significant cost.

As for other projects, he needed to carefully consider them and observe the audience's preferences over the past two years to determine which types of films were most popular.

"Alright, once my next film is released, I will contact you if there is a need."

Kevin's response clearly didn't satisfy Reed.

Given the circumstances, Reed presented his final condition.

"Kevin, if you are willing to continue signing contracts with MGM after the success of your first film collaboration, MGM's shareholders are willing to give you a portion of the shares without any cost."

MGM's shares?

Kevin widened his eyes in astonishment.

As a practitioner in the film industry, he had some knowledge of MGM's history.

In the normal course of events, MGM would announce bankruptcy and undergo asset restructuring in 2010.

Of course, it wouldn't be a case of no one acquiring them, but rather the inability to reach a consensus on the price.

MGM wanted to sell for $5 billion, but the highest bid didn't exceed $3 billion, and it wasn't in cash but rather through stock exchange.

However, for Kevin, even $3 billion was a colossal amount.

To be honest, at this moment, Kevin was tempted.