Chapter 147: Wrong Turn 2

[Chapter 147: Wrong Turn 2]

At Lion Corleone Film and Entertainment Group, Charlie held three crucial positions simultaneously: Chairman, President, and CEO. These roles didn't overlap in responsibilities, and Charlie wasn't just stacking titles to show off or grab extra salary. This professional approach was simply to display his ambition.

Besides these, Charlie was also a member of the project review committee, which had authority over decisions. At this moment, the meeting being held was a greenlight system meeting, attended by executives from two production and distribution companies, all project reviewers, deciding which projects to develop.

Generally, smaller budget projects or acquired scripts didn't go through the greenlight process. Otherwise, wasting resources on trivial matters would stall the company's activities. But since Lion Corleone was still in its infancy, they had a rule that any investment exceeding one million dollars had to undergo this process. This rule wasn't bureaucracy but based on the real need to evaluate market potential and assess risks.

Charlie wanted to set the rules early to hone everyone's abilities. Even with his advantage of being a transmigrator, he needed to think strategically and adapt to conditions to maximize performance. Overall, it was all about uniting the team to help the company grow.

...

Gore Verbinski introduced the script story of Wrong Turn 2, a movie produced by Lions Gate Studios. Though Gore was Vice President at Corleone Studios, he was also the producer of this project. Frank raised no objections. After all, Gore had directed the first film in the series.

The first three films of the series were expected to be under Gore's control. Everyone listened while flipping through the distributed scripts.

"After research, we found that many viewers of the first film were quite interested in humanoid creatures. Just like you expected, the die-hard horror fans turned the cowboy creatures into the main protagonists. So, in the new script, we boldly approach from the perspective of humanoid creatures, turning the plot into a hunting game," Gore explained.

Frank said, "Sounds fresh. The first was an escape mystery; the second is a hunt. Switching perspectives is really novel."

Spike asked worriedly, "But this doesn't align with Hollywood's sequel business model. Was it Roy from Disney pressuring for the sake of developing the Horror Theme Park?"

Before Marvel, Hollywood sequels mostly just copied the first film. They would throw in seemingly fresh gimmicks, but the rhythm, plot, and selling points were almost the same, especially in slasher horror -- a lot of blood was often the only new addition. After Iron Man reshaped the landscape, Hollywood blockbusters turned into long-running TV series.

Spike's concerns were valid, but the partnership with Roy and the Calgary companies did exert influence.

Etto said, "That was a factor. When we decided to develop Wrong Turn 2, the Canadian side, especially the Horror Theme Park company, promised substantial advertising support."

Pierza added, "Yes, Mafia and Corleone Home Entertainment advertising departments preliminarily estimated we could get about five million dollars in ad revenue."

Frank laughed, "The Trumm family also decided to provide an interest-free loan of about six million, as part of the Pillow Health Partnership agreement, to support the project's development and distribution."

Everyone there laughed and cheered, very pleased.

The production cost of the first Wrong Turn was under seven million, with most funds going to marketing and distribution. Even if the sequel's budget increased, it would be about ten million. Both companies' presidents indicated that the project could proceed without tapping into company funds. Developing a zero-cost, hands-free project was something any company would welcome.

Seeing this, Spike happily praised Charlie, acknowledging the path the big boss had laid early on.

Charlie smiled, "Actually, beyond these considerations, I personally recommend fresh attempts. They extend project life and could help us create a lasting IP, like 007. Obviously, it's a bit risky, but with Disney's support of the Horror Theme Park providing a safety net, we have room to make mistakes."

"Opportunities like this are rare. Whether it is from polling or advertising factors, I support this slightly risky script," said Frank. Though he didn't understand filmmaking deeply, he knew business. As head of Lions Gate Studios and group vice president, he wanted to show his presence.

Charlie didn't mind that decisions weren't his alone and welcomed collective responsibility.

Others then reported further on Wrong Turn 2 and greenlight system-related research, including professional script element breakdowns and revenue analyses. Every company's greenlight system was different and generally a trade secret.

Lion Corleone's greenlight process was the result of mutual discussion, with distinctions based on budget and project type. It would be continuously adjusted through actual project development.

After two hours, everyone unanimously voted to greenlight Wrong Turn 2. In many ways, the meeting was procedural, as the sequel was almost certain to develop.

But Charlie insisted on spending the resources to go through the process professionally, believing this attitude would take Lion Corleone further.

...

After the meeting, Charlie immediately exercised his CEO authority to approve the initial development fund, appointing Gore as lead and Frank as supervisor to start official development.

Etto and Pierza promised to arrange team members quickly and coordinate promotion and distribution plans.

Possibly as a first-time producer or to show respect to the boss, Gore said, "Boss, I began considering the director for Wrong Turn 2 last year. With our sufficient budget, I initially thought of Wes Craven, but he's busy with Scream 2. Later, a Mr. James contacted me through Fox, and I feel his..."

Charlie, somewhat distracted, interrupted, "Don't worry, Gore. Wrong Turn proved you. You control the new project, that's everything."

"Thank you, boss! I'll work hard!" Gore hesitated, "Recently, many projects have come my way."

"I know, and I'm not stopping talented partners from taking on projects. When you finish company work, you'll have time to grow your directing career. Corleone will hire you at equal or higher pay. The only thing is, it's best if project production belongs to Corleone," Charlie replied with a smile, then turned to Spike.

*****

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