Chapter 271

At night, in the Central Park Suite Bedroom of the Pierre Taj Hotel in New York, Charles was holding Ivanka Trump, enjoying the afterglow.

"What do you think of Jared Kushner?" Charles asked.

Ivanka leaned against Charles, her fingers tracing his abs, still savoring the storm they had just weathered.

"He's alright. The Kushner Group has a sizable real estate business, and Jared took over the family business after his father, Charles Kushner, went to prison," Ivanka responded directly to Charles' question.

"Is that so," Charles chuckled, feeling Ivanka's 34C, "Last time the Kushner Group tried to acquire the New York Observer, they lost to me and seemed quite bothered by it."

"In business, it's all about skills. The New York Observer is in the media industry, and they had no experience. Losing to you was normal," Ivanka shook her head.

"Besides, you, Charles Capet, are currently the idol of the young generation in America. You started from scratch and made it to the Forbes Rich List in just three or four years. How many people can compare to you?" Ivanka held Charles' neck and gazed at him, "Could it be that you were really kissed by God?

Born a street punk in East LA, your rise in Hollywood was almost unstoppable. The speed of your success is simply astounding."

"Alright, enough," Charles pushed her hands away, "Some people are born in Rome; most of us start from the bottom. I was just lucky."

The Manhattan night, with its revelry of lights and boozy extravagance, continued, though many did not realize this was the calm before the storm.

300 had been in theaters for over half a month, grossing over $100 million in North America and over $100 million overseas.

Sony distributed MGM's reboot of Casino Royale, which grossed over $100 million in North America and over $300 million overseas.

December was unmatched in liveliness, given it was awards season in Los Angeles.

"Charles, which young actress are you planning to cast in Mamma Mia!?" Evelyn asked her son on a private jet flying from New York to Los Angeles.

Charles put down his newspaper, noticed the smile on his mother's lips, thought for a moment, and instructed Phyllis Jones, who was beside him, "Let Scarlett Johansson play the role in Mamma Mia!

Having veteran actors like Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan, along with the young and sexy Scarlett Johansson, should be a good combination."

Evelyn Capet nodded, "Woody Allen's new film, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, also wants Scarlett Johansson for a role. Looks like Scarlett will be busy next year!"

Charles smiled, "Woody Allen sure knows how to pick beautiful women."

"How did you guys manage to get Will Smith over to ETA?" Charles asked.

"His agent brought him over. You know, big-name actors are very independent. He has worked with his agent for years. Now, ETA is the fastest-growing talent agency, so it's normal for him to come over," Evelyn wasn't too surprised. For big-name stars, talent agencies play a minor role since they have their own teams to handle business.

Charles nodded.

Talent agencies are just auxiliary services for big names, used mainly for promotions or attracting investments. They can earn up to 10% commission on actors' fees, but many big names now work independently, reducing what agencies can earn.

Project package deals, where agencies take a cut from the project budget, are currently the main revenue source.

...

Back in Los Angeles on the West Coast, the climate here was much more comfortable compared to the cold of winter in New York.

The phenomenal box office success of 300 quickly brought the newcomer director Zack Snyder into the limelight of Hollywood producers.

After all, his previous film Dawn of the Dead had already gained some recognition, and now his second film 300 showcased his talent.

Capet Pictures hosted a grand celebration party for the crew of 300 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel on the Walk of Fame.

"Henry, I've got to head out. The company's performance this year is pleasing. You all continue to celebrate!" Charles also attended the celebration, mingled with others for a bit, and then prepared to leave.

Henry Winston nodded. After all, his boss had many responsibilities, and a couple of good films were unlikely to impress him too much.

"Keep pushing forward. I really hope Hollywood's landscape can change," Charles smiled, patted Henry Winston on the shoulder. As the manager of the production department, Charles valued him a lot.

"Boss, I hope so too. The dominance of the six major Hollywood studios has lasted too long. What DreamWorks couldn't achieve, we might be able to," Henry Winston replied earnestly.

Charles' business car drove along Sunset Boulevard towards Beverly Hills.

"How's the analysis from the home entertainment department on Blu-ray high definition DVDs and HD DVDs?" Charles asked with his eyes closed.

"There are pros and cons for both. The head of the home entertainment department and Ms. Langley believe we shouldn't take sides too early, but we also can't remain neutral forever. We need to look at the results of next year's confrontation between the two camps," Phyllis Jones, sitting next to him, answered.

"The cost-effectiveness of HD DVD is quite appealing. The large capacity and difficulty in pirating Blu-ray DVDs is also an advantage. Both sides are currently focusing mainly on content such as movies and games."

Charles smiled and reminded, "Next year we could sign an exclusive Blu-ray DVD distribution deal with Sony, as long as Sony covers part of our Blu-ray DVD promotional expenses.

Make sure they remember that Capet Entertainment is also a shareholder of Netflix. We have some sway over DVD sales channels, and they know how well Capet Pictures' new films perform at the box office."

Phyllis Jones nodded. Indeed, Netflix, Blockbuster, and Walmart stores are the largest DVD sales and rental sources.

"Both HD DVD and Blu-ray high-definition DVD players and recorders have already hit the market this year. Next year, the competition will be fiercest," Charles sighed. "The two formats are incompatible, which is a real pain for consumers."

In the gaming sector, Sony launched the Blu-ray integrated PS3, while the other camp had Microsoft's HD DVD integrated Xbox 360.

...

Evening, Beverly Hills, Capet Mansion.

Kevin Feige from Marvel Studios came over to discuss work with Charles. "Iron Man is set for release next summer, then Thor the following year, and after that, we have Captain America and more. But, we don't have the rights to an important character in The Avengers, the Hulk."

Charles rubbed his eyes. "Universal's last Hulk movie came out in 2003. According to the five-year rights agreement, if Universal doesn't release a Hulk film by 2008, the rights will revert."

If Universal makes another Hulk movie in 2008, they retain the rights for another five years.

"Kevin, find a chance to approach Universal Studios and see if we can reclaim the film rights to the Hulk," Charles instructed. Even if the chances were slim, they had to try.

Kevin Feige nodded. After all, the Hulk, as a popular member of The Avengers, definitely needed to come back.

Otherwise, without Spider-Man in The Avengers, would they continue without the Hulk too?

Charles pondered as well. If Universal wasn't willing to let the Hulk return, they would have to release a Hulk movie every five years.

A lose-lose situation?

*****

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