Chapter 63

If anyone regretted the success of the release of Saw, it was Lionsgate.

At the beginning of the year at the Sundance Film Festival, the buyers from Lionsgate noticed that nine-minute short film.

They had already reported to their higher-ups to support James Wan in making it into a feature film. But by the time the production manager approached James Wan, Carpe Films had already bought the script and signed him on as director.

Moreover, Lionsgate also lost to Focus Features' subsidiary, Rogue Pictures, in the battle for the distribution rights for Saw.

A film that was clearly capable of becoming a horror franchise slipped through their fingers, leaving Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer quite displeased.

...

In Beverly Hills, at ETA headquarters, Evelyn Carpe received a call from top star Britney Spears about joining ETA.

Ari Emanuel, as the CEO of ETA, took this very seriously. ETA's current big stars included Adam Sandler, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Hugh Jackman, Jude Law, and Christian Bale.

However, compared to the influence of Britney Spears, they were not enough. Britney's endorsements were more numerous than all of theirs combined.

"Britney, if you really decide to join ETA, we promise to treat your career with the utmost care and service," Ari Emanuel said with a wide smile.

Evelyn Carpe was slightly puzzled because Britney had specifically asked for her on the phone.

Seeing Evelyn's confusion, Britney Spears smiled and said, "I met Charles at the Met Gala in May and later attended the VMAs together. My current manager can't satisfy my career and life needs, so I decided to take Charles' advice and join ETA. Charles said Ms. Carpe's professionalism is impeccable."

"I see," Evelyn was thrilled. With Charles' help, managing Britney would be fantastic.

"Haha, that's great! Evelyn is our ace manager. We've had several great collaborations with Charles," Ari Emanuel felt relieved. Evelyn had delivered many surprises over the past two years thanks to Charles.

Keira Knightley, Naomi Watts, director James Wan, and other behind-the-scenes or technical personnel provided by Carpe Films.

Now, convincing Britney Spears meant ETA could rival CAA, which had Madonna.

The conversation was pleasant. Britney needed some image restoration, and ETA, as one of Hollywood's top five agencies, had PR capabilities far beyond smaller agencies.

Evelyn was tasked with leading Britney Spears' management team, responsible for her career investments and daily life.

Naturally, Charles was the first to receive this news. It seemed Britney Spears had made a wise and decisive choice.

Britney had just released a single titled Me Against the Music, in collaboration with Madonna. It was also the lead single from Britney's fourth studio album.

...

"Charles, the Morgan Stanley loan has been credited, and Universal gave the green light on your project after discussions," Henry Winston came to Charles' office, looking pleased.

"Alright then, let's officially start the Wedding Crashers project. Saw has made $55 million at the box office; it's been a month, and most theaters have ended its run," Charles had recently been looking for small independent theater chains to acquire, and the loan was part of the preparation.

"Universal is also thinking about the overseas market, DVDs, and TV right distribution," Henry reminded.

Shaking his head, Charles replied, "I've already talked to Netflix about handling online rentals and sales. We've also initiated discussions with Blockbuster for in-store sales and with Carrefour and other supermarkets for gradual entry. Universal can handle overseas distribution, and North American theaters can manage the box office releases."

Whether it was DVDs or TV networks, Carpe Films' movies were very popular and could negotiate directly.

"Let's have a detailed discussion with Donna Langley about the new film's investment after meeting, and we'd also discuss the box office revenue of Saw."

In the afternoon, Charles drove to Oxnard in Ventura County, north of Los Angeles, also known as Thousand Oaks.

Britney Spears had a luxurious vacation villa there. Since her debut, Britney had owned mansions in her hometown of Louisiana, New York, and Los Angeles.

However, she sold her Hollywood Hills mansion in Los Angeles last year after breaking up with Justin Timberlake.

"I want to buy a long-term residence in Malibu," Britney told Charles after he arrived in Thousand Oaks.

"Malibu is a great choice! Real estate has been a preferred investment for many," Charles wasn't too concerned. Such top-tier luxury villas wouldn't see sharp declines, even if a future subprime mortgage crisis occurred.

"I might buy a residence in New York, definitely in Manhattan, or purchase a seaside estate in East Hampton on Long Island," Charles thought aloud. Staying in hotels constantly was inconvenient and lacked privacy.

"Last year, I bought a penthouse in New York's Silk Building, a four-story penthouse, it's not bad. You should stay at my place when you're in New York next time!" Britney suggested, as she spent most of her recording time in New York - after all, all the major record labels had their headquarters there, with the best recording studios and musicians.

"We'll see. I go to New York mainly for film-related business. It's the hub for independent films in the U.S. and close to several major Canadian cities for easy filming," Charles replied.

After 9/11, the newly appointed mayor Michael Bloomberg had introduced various film tax incentives to attract the entertainment industry.

"By the way, your collaboration with Madonna was fantastic, so cool!" Charles praised. It was a partnership between two pop icons.

The kiss at the VMAs was still hotly talked about, and now the song collaboration would keep the buzz going.

Putting his arm around her, Charles found Britney incredibly captivating.

"Charles, Mrs. Carpe said I need to be low-key for a while. My reputation took a hit from the breakup," Britney said.

Charles nodded, "Absolutely, you should focus on singing and your career now. We can't go public; it wouldn't be good for your image."

After all, Charles himself wasn't keen on going public either; Britney Spears had way too much media exposure.

*****

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