Chapter 53: Release Date

Yesterday, Dawson also handed him the information.

Since Marvel's acquisition, they had considered venturing into the world of film and television. This year, they even released an animated version of the X-Men, which garnered decent viewership.

However, the rapid development of the internet this year brought immense pressure to Marvel Entertainment. The fundamental basis of Marvel, comic book sales, experienced a noticeable decline. The main reason was that people suddenly discovered that computer games and online content were far more entertaining than comics. People became infatuated with the internet, and the demand for physically purchasing comics diminished.

Marvel's revenue began to decline significantly.

This news revitalized Kevin's spirit.

It marked the beginning of Marvel's most difficult period. Since 1996, Marvel Entertainment had been struggling with immense financial pressure and gradually started selling the rights to their popular characters to stay afloat.

Before that happened, Kevin needed to acquire a substantial amount of funds to take over Marvel.

According to Kevin's estimation, he would need a minimum of $300 to $400 million, if not more, for this venture. Considering he also needed to purchase more shares in MGM, the financial pressure suddenly became enormous.

Lost in these thoughts and deliberately avoiding the two women sleeping in the room, Kevin dozed off on the sofa.

......

The next day, the butler from the Beverly Hills villa community called Kevin. Someone was looking for him, and the butler briefly described the appearance of the person. Kevin immediately knew it was the bodyguard and driver introduced by Dawson.

After soothing Julie and Hayek, Kevin headed directly outside towards the main gate.

Julie and Hayek had their own transportation, but Kevin, who didn't enjoy driving, chose not to buy a car.

A few minutes' journey took more than twenty minutes for Kevin to reach a checkpoint.

As a villa community, it was naturally a place where strangers were not allowed to enter, which was why Hollywood stars were keen on buying houses here.

Once Kevin passed the checkpoint, a middle-aged man with a humble appearance and a stubble beard appeared in front of him.

It was still September, not yet autumn, and the weather was hot.

The man was wearing a sleeveless shirt, and his muscular arms gave a sense of security. He had a bit of the heroic aura of Qiao Feng.

His appearance seemed to fit the image of a bodyguard.

Kevin approached him and extended his hand, saying, "Hello, I'm Steve Kevin."

"Hello, I'm Chen Zhiyun!"

Kevin observed Chen Zhiyun while Chen Zhiyun also looked at his future boss.

Being a bodyguard for wealthy individuals was actually a great profession. Although it carried some degree of danger, the salary was high, not to mention bonuses and various business insurances.

Dawson offered him a salary of $200,000 per year, including various business insurances. In the current economic climate, this salary belonged to the middle class in the United States.

It was enough to provide a prosperous life for a family, especially just after the end of an economic crisis. If this job opportunity were made public, who knows how many people would compete for it.

Chen Zhiyun could obtain this opportunity, not only due to his own abilities but also because of some external factors. It was because when Dawson was visiting Chinatown earlier, he was targeted by a black gang.

Chen Zhiyun bravely intervened and demonstrated exceptional skills in front of Dawson, saving him. Being indebted to someone for such a favor, when Dawson heard that his boss needed a bodyguard, he immediately thought of Chen Zhiyun.

"Zhuangzhi Lingyun, a great name," Kevin said in Mandarin, instantly making Chen Zhiyun feel a sense of closeness. As a second-generation immigrant, although Chen Zhiyun grew up in the United States, the descriptions of China by his elders still made him yearn for it. It felt as if that place was his true root, a deep-rooted sentiment buried in his Chinese genes and soul.

Kevin took Chen Zhiyun to find a place to eat. After getting in the car, they engaged in conversation, and Kevin finally learned the specific details about Chen Zhiyun. The overall direction aligned with Dawson's description.

As for combat skills, without weapons and in an open space, dealing with seven or eight people was a piece of cake for Chen Zhiyun. He was proficient in military combat techniques, grappling, and some routines of Chinese martial arts. He could skillfully apply them in everyday combat.

Kevin was very satisfied with Chen Zhiyun's combat abilities. In the real world, possessing such strength already placed him at the peak of human capabilities.

Having four hands is no joke when it comes to fighting.

After chatting and having a meal, Kevin decisively chose to hire him.

He then handed him a check and asked him to buy a luxury car from the dealership, followed by customizing a bulletproof vehicle.

As a wealthy individual, Kevin valued his own life and never took risks with his health. He took various supplements but probably only indulged in one harmful vice—women.

After arranging everything, Kevin began to busy himself with the film production.

The post-production process was not as simple as it seemed.

It required Kevin's full attention. However, once the specific completion date was determined, Warner Bros. and MGM decided on a release date for "Mission Impossible."

Based on the progress, the visual effects would take two months, plus some additional adjustment time, making the earliest possible release date for "Mission Impossible" in late November.

In North America, there were two lucrative periods for film releases.

One was the summer season, from the end of May to mid-September, spanning over three months.

The other was the Christmas season, from late November to the end of December.

In theory, "Mission Impossible," being a commercial blockbuster, was best suited for a summer release. However, both Warner Bros. and MGM had their own performance pressures.

They couldn't afford to delay "Mission Impossible" until the summer season.

Therefore, "Mission Impossible" had no choice but to be released directly during Thanksgiving at the end of November.

Fortunately, the Hollywood movie that posed the biggest threat to Kevin, "Jurassic Park," which had been the box office champion this year, had already finished its theatrical run in June.

And the eighth-ranked film, "The Fugitive," was an investment by Warner Bros. and fell under the crime thriller genre. In order to avoid cannibalization and considering that "Mission Impossible" was more family-friendly as an action-adventure film, " The Fugitive " was moved up one month, avoiding conflict.

Thus, the only remaining film that posed a significant threat to Kevin was " Mrs. Doubtfire," but scheduling conflicts were unavoidable. "Saw" and "Get Out" happened to be released after the major blockbusters finished their run. However, "Mission Impossible" had to confront them head-on at this time.

Kevin was confident that "Mission Impossible" could surpass the global box office record of $450 million achieved in 1996, even surpassing the $420 million global box office record set by "Mrs. Doubtfire" in 1993.

After the discussion, the scheduled release of "Mission Impossible" began its offline movie promotion, starting with a press event hosted by Tom Cruise.