Hollywood Hunter

"The fund that Jenny put me and Uriah in charge of, I don't know anything about nanomaterials and quantum computing projects. There is also the establishment of the Solvay Institute in Boston. I have read the materials, which are It's a very special school for extraordinary children, and I'm not sure if I can do it well?"

"It doesn't matter if you don't do well."

"what?"

"These projects you are responsible for are all left to the little ones in your belly. If they can't get anything in the future, they can only blame their mothers."

"..."

Boston the next morning.

In the manor mansion in the West District on the western outskirts of the city, Simon arrived by helicopter after breakfast to visit Maria and the two daughters.

Today is January 12th, Sunday, which is the coldest time of the year on the East Coast. It snowed a few days ago, and the manor was surrounded by plain sheets. Simon did not go out after arriving, but stayed in the villa with Maria. Chatting in a living room, the three boys greeted Simon and took the initiative to find an excuse to leave, apparently to leave space for Simon and his mother.

The topic was about a fund Janet arranged for the two women when she came to meet them late last year, mainly to use the research resources of several top Boston universities to study a series of cutting-edge projects.

In addition, after the success of Solvay College in Malibu, Los Angeles, Simon plans to gradually roll out similar college programs around the world from this year. The goal is to select children with high IQs to train them in a targeted manner, just like Ein at the 1927 Solvay Conference. Stan, Marie Curie and other scientists who are enough to influence the future of mankind.

The Solvay College project on the Boston side was of course handed over to two women, Maria and Ulyana.

At this moment, looking at the hesitant woman who was curled up on the sofa beside him, Simon couldn't help but reach over, stroke the woman's smooth face, and slowly draw his fingertips to his neck, and after being pressed by the woman in a panic, he did not continue down. , said: "As long as you and Ulia do it seriously, it doesn't matter if you fail. These things cannot be successful at one time or in a short period of time. Even before our short life ends, if we can complete half of them, we will It's not a waste of life."

Seeing the little man talking, Maria slowly withdrew the big hand she had just stretched out. She felt a little reluctant and moved, and said, "Actually, I can see that your arrangements will affect the future of our world. , are very beneficial.”

Simon shook his head slightly: "I'm not as good as you think."

Maria blinked her eyes and nodded with a blushing face: "Of course I know that."

A good man would not occupy her like a robber.

A blushing woman is always more attractive, especially if a woman with a dignified temperament seems to be always meticulous and suddenly blushed.

Simon stretched out his hand again, took the woman directly, hugged him beside him, and kissed her on the lips.

Maria was kissed for a while, and barely escaped: "Don't, no, baby... It's still young."

"Relax, I know," Simon reassured, seeing the woman's eyes still a little flustered, he just hugged her gently, and took the initiative to return to the topic just now: "Actually, in recent years, more and more people are asking me, Simon, you have so much wealth that you can never spend, what are you going to do in the future?"

Seeing that Simon didn't continue, Maria felt relieved a little and asked, "Have you thought of the answer?"

It makes sense to say.

Probably, the funds that I am responsible for and the projects I fund are the answer.

Simon nodded: "Such a huge wealth, from a personal point of view, as a selfish person, if possible, I certainly hope that I can leave it to my children in the future, so that the Westeros family will be passed on forever. However, this Obviously it is not possible, what's more, I can control these wealth now, it does not mean that the little guys will have this ability in the future, once they do not have the ability to control and inherit too much wealth, it will only lead to disaster."

Maria nodded in agreement: "Then what?"

"Then, let's create a possibility."

Maria began to wonder again: "Huh?"

Simon said: "It is unlikely that it will be completely passed on to the children. Donating to establish various foundations is probably the best attribution. However, I don't intend to let these foundations do the usual things in the past, vague Education, medical care, environmental protection, and interference in politics to promote peace, in my opinion, will only bring about stagnation and reincarnation."

Maria obviously still didn't get it.

Simon explained patiently: "In my opinion, human civilization can be divided into three stages: the prehistoric era, the agricultural era, and the industrial era. The prehistoric era is too long to talk about it. The most typical agricultural era lasted for thousands of years. Whether it is Asia, Europe or America, it is basically the change of dynasties accompanied by intensive wars, the stagnation of civilization, and the constant reincarnation. Until the industrial age, which is now, whether it is the subdivided age of steam, the age of electricity, or the information that has now unfolded Times, in my opinion, are still just different stages of the industrial age. If no one changes, the result is likely to be stagnant and reincarnated for a long time like the farming era that lasted for thousands of years. What I want , is a fundamental change that pushes mankind into the next era of civilization and creates a new possibility for the lucky race in this universe. I can only say it is a possibility, because I can't judge the good of this era in the future. and bad."

The little man explained that even though he focused on language subjects, Maria, who was the top intellectual in this society, completely understood.

An inexplicable feeling of admiration was born in my heart.

compared to those who

The rich politicians and tycoons who say that they want to make the world a better place, this little man, is really thinking about the future of mankind.

Simon keenly noticed the change in the woman's expression, and asked with a smile, "Suddenly fell in love with me?"

Maria dodged her eyes, then summoned up her courage to look over and said, "I'm just sure that the little guy in my belly has a very good father."

Simon stroked the slightly bulging belly under the woman's bottoming shirt, this time Maria didn't dodge, felt for a moment, of course there was no reaction now, just said: "The little guy may not think so in the future, and, I plan to do a lot of things, It might also be very controversial.”

Maria gently held Simon's big hand and said, "Great people will always be questioned and slandered in the process of moving forward, but history will give a fair evaluation."

"Oh, it's not as noble as you think, I just happened to stand in this position and have enough resources."

Maria shook her head: "Many people who can use more resources than you have never thought about doing so."

Having said that, the empire that collapsed a few years ago appeared in Maria's mind. Those who once stood at the pinnacle of power, in the end, only left behind countless ambitions that have been dissipated in the long river of history.

Simon felt the woman's sudden melancholy, and probably guessed what she was thinking, but he didn't say much.

Maria didn't indulge in it for too long. She came back to her senses, and chatted with Simon for a few more words. She hesitated a bit, and said, "You should go and see Ulia, I can see that she was pregnant when she was really just. An accident, no...no intention to rely on you."

"I'll go after lunch."

"Then, will you stay tonight?"

Simon's eyes swept across the woman's warm body, nodded and said, "Okay."

Maria shook her head: "I mean, you stay with Ulia."

Simon joked: "Are all women so generous now, pushing their men to other women?"

"I am your woman, but you are not my man."

"Oh..." Simon looked left and right: "Do you have other men? Remind me, don't let me find out, it will kill people."

Maria rolled his eyes at him inhumanely: "I mean, I just grabbed it from you."

"Sounds like I'm a robber."

Maria made a 'you are' look, paused, and said, "Or, I'll call Ulia to come over and have lunch together."

"You don't mind, of course I'm fine."

Simon said, seeing Maria take out her mobile phone, stopped with a smile, called the housekeeper, and directly ordered her to send a driver to pick him up.

Maria made a direct decision when she saw the man, and felt that she still had to call Ulyana to explain it. However, when I think about it again, I understand that the man did this just because he didn't want to cause any misunderstanding between her and Ulia. After all, she was well-intentioned, and Ulyana might not think so, in case she thought she was demonstrating, Then do bad things.

And if it was a robber-like little man who made a random decision, it would have nothing to do with her, and maybe it would make the two of them closer.

Connected by fate.

However, in order to avoid Ulyana's embarrassment, Maria still made a phone call to her eldest son, Victor, and asked the three brothers to have lunch outside and come back in the evening.

Simon stopped in Boston for a day and set off early the next morning to return to the West Coast, to San Francisco.

It is mainly to discuss with the high-level executives of Igreat about the annual financial report of Igreat for 1996, which will be released at the end of the month, and the article accusing the Internet industry that the Weijia intelligence team received from Richard Mellon Skeff a few years ago. It's an article about a Ponzi scheme, and the spearhead of the attack is Igret.

Therefore, this financial report will be related to the crucial long-short game in the technology stock market.

In the annual financial report scheduled to be released on January 22, Igreat will hold a special press conference. The dazzling revenue and profit data are second, and the focus will be on promoting Igreat's changes in public life, Help for local employment, promotion of social efficiency, etc.

In short, it is to weaken the impact of an article and related public opinion operations on the new technology industry in advance.

When Simon returned from San Francisco, another box office week in January 1997 came to an end.

In the week from January 10th to January 16th, the first thing that received attention was that the domestic box office of "Wonder Woman 2" officially broke the US$400 million mark, becoming the only film released in 1996 to break the US$400 million domestic box office. 's super blockbuster.

specific aspects.

Last year's Christmas show "Charlie's Angels", after surpassing "Jumanji" last week, was released in its fourth week, and still held the top spot in the weekly box office with a good weekly drop of 29%, and received another 27.16 million. US dollars, the cumulative box office of 197.19 million US dollars in four weeks, breaking 200 million is imminent.

From the first week of more than 70 million US dollars that started strongly on December 20 last year, to the three-week release last week when the domestic total box office achieved the overtake of "Jumanji", "Charlie's Angels" has surpassed the two major producers Danni Fang in a series of data. Liz and MGM expected.

At present, the blockbuster here is only the local box office, which is expected to exceed 250 million US dollars, enough to recover the total investment of only 105 million US dollars in production and publicity and achieve profitability. Not only that, but most importantly, the continuous success of "Spectre 007" and "Charlie's Angels" in the past year has created a worthy title for the planned "Agent Cinematic Universe".

Amazing start.

After "Charlie's Angels", "Jumanji" barely held the runner-up position on the list.

However, compared to the $27.16 million of "Charlie's Angels", the box office of "Jumanji" has fallen to $13.72 million in a single week, which is because this week's decline has narrowed again compared to last week.

In five weeks of release, "Jumanji" has a cumulative box office of 169.71 million US dollars, which is about 30 million US dollars away from the 200 million threshold. Although it is not a big problem to collect another 30 million US dollars in the future, the domestic box office of the film will probably stop at the early 200 million, and there is a high probability that it will not even exceed 210 million.

Fortunately, according to the production of the film of 82 million US dollars and the publicity and distribution of 35 million US dollars, the domestic box office is 200 million US dollars, and the film can get more than 60% of the revenue in the cinema, which is still enough to recover the cost and realize a small amount. profit. However, compared to the predictions that the industry generally prefers this cg blockbuster rather than the relatively traditional "Charlie's Angels" before its release, it is really difficult for Warner, who is responsible for the distribution, to be too happy with the reversal of reality.

Then there is "Good Will Hunting", which is almost tied with "Jumanji" at the third place on the list.

From the point of release, "Good Will Hunting" has been released in the sixth week, with the largest single-week box office drop of 27% since the beginning of the film, and another $12.65 million, just over $1 million from the previous "Jumanji" difference.

More than the rest, it's a super blockbuster that has succeeded and deservedly failed, directed by Gus Van Sant, Matt Damon, Robert De Niro, Ben Affleck and Kate Beckinsale This dark horse literary and artistic drama starring et al. has a production cost of only US$10 million. The cumulative box office this week also successfully exceeded 100 million, reaching US$1071.7 billion.

This year's Ballon d'Or is coming up this Sunday, January 19.

As a popular award season, "Good Will Hunting" has been stimulated by a series of subsequent awards until the Oscars. The box office curve must be very good. It is conservatively estimated that the domestic box office can reach more than 150 million US dollars.

The fourth place is Madonna starring "Mrs. Veron".

This biographical film, which opened on December 20 last year, made the producer Paramount regret that it wanted to hit the wall.

In order to avoid the competition in the end of the year, Paramount has arranged two weeks of screenings for this film starting from December 20, spanning Christmas and New Year's Day, completely avoiding the fierce competition at the end of the year, and starting the film on January 3. The scale of the painting, as a result, the film's box office trend, proved a serious error in Paramount's distribution strategy.

Still have to start from the beginning.

In the first week of screening, with only 22 opening screens, "Mrs. Veron" won the box office of 1.02 million US dollars, and the average hall reached 46,000 US dollars, which is already a very good result. But then, in the second week of the film, which is the New Year's Day week from December 27th to January 2nd, with the same 22 screens, not only did the film's pavilion not decrease, but it jumped to 77,000 US dollars, and the revenue in a single week reached $1.69 million.

What this means is self-evident.

Even if the film's reputation in the media is barely passable, the audiences in New York and Los Angeles who opened the screenings obviously liked the film, otherwise there would not have been such a super high hall where the screening venues were crowded the next week. all.

Unfortunately, Paramount did not even seize the last chance.

According to the operation idea of ​​the award-winning film, on January 3, "Mrs. Veron" still only got 704 screens. Finally, from January 3 to January 9, in the first week of the large-scale opening, the box office of the film was only $11.3 million, in sharp contrast to the $16,000 average for the pavilion.

Then it was just the past week, Paramount finally reacted and quickly increased the size of the screening to 1319 yuan.

Unfortunately, the best opportunities were all missed.

Popular schedules are popular schedules because enough audiences have the time and motivation to watch movies in theaters, while unpopular schedules are just the opposite. A good time to watch the movie.

In short, there is a lack of sufficient audience base, and it has to compete with other films that still have momentum. After all, there are only more than 1,300 "Mrs. Veron" screens. In a box office week from January 10th to January 16th, It only managed to achieve a slight reverse decline, not even a percentage point, and made a profit of 11.46 million US dollars.

In the four weeks from the point of release, "Mrs. Veron" ended up with a cumulative box office of $25.47 million.

It is conceivable that if Paramount can be bolder and start a large-scale painting in just one week of screening, and grab a popular New Year's Day week, the box office and trend of "Mrs. Veron" will be greatly changed.

Even if Paramount abandons the point-and-shoot and directs a large-scale filming at the end of the year, or adopts a distribution idea comparable to that of "Good Will Hunting", even if it will still be squeezed by a large number of blockbusters, it is, after all, a film that does not Other biographical musicals with conflicting themes can still gain considerable living space, and perhaps the box office has already exceeded 50 million US dollars.

It's a pity that there are too many "ifs" in this world, and there is always only one "result".

In the face of the media's comments, the straight-faced Queen Mai couldn't hold back her rant, saying that when she showed the movie to Simon, her good friends all expressed optimism, but the conservative Paramount screwed it up. Her Lady Queen moved out all her 'good friends', and Paramount, who really made a mistake, could only endure it and couldn't refute it.

And then there's Wonder Woman 2.

Although it grabbed the fifth place on the list, it was eventually influenced by "Jumanji", "Game of Thrones"

With the impact of Charlie's Angels and even "Good Will Hunting", the weekly box office of "Wonder Woman 2" has only remained at 6.98 million US dollars. There is only a box office potential of 10 million US dollars left, and the initial local 500 million expectation is completely useless.

In addition to the top five, it is worth mentioning the sixth place "The British Patient".

Different from "Mrs. Veron", which is actually more suitable for commercial film operation, the same focus of the awards season, this literary and artistic film with a niche theme is not suitable for large-scale screening at all. In the fifth week of its release, it still only has a screen size of 636 screens, which has just passed. It made $4.65 million in one week and accumulated a total of $18.17 million at the box office.

With the arrival of the Golden Globe Awards, MGM only increased the number of screens for the film to 1,103 this week, and it will remain until the Oscars in March. During this period, various media awards and trade union awards will continue to stimulate audiences to enter the arena. The ultimate goal is more than $50 million, enough to recoup its $27 million production cost.

If it turns out to be a big Oscar winner in the end, the prospect of overseas distribution will be even brighter.

In the past, "The English Patient" relied on this stable long-term distribution strategy. The domestic box office was close to 80 million US dollars, and it was even better overseas. Because the Oscars in the 1990s had a strong gold content and appeal, audiences in other countries also bought it. In the end, the overseas box office exceeded 150 million, and the global box office totaled 230 million US dollars. Both the production and distribution parties made a lot of money.