A new week began, and early in the morning, a Lincoln was en route to Los Angeles International Airport.
Inside the car sat four people: Harry Cooper, Eric Cooper, Chen Xing, and a driver.
Their destination was New York, where negotiations with Hasbro had concluded, and this flight was for the purpose of signing the contract.
Immediately after signing, a press conference would be held. Since they were going to do it, they might as well make it big and build momentum in advance!
Even his father had come forward, as this would be New MGM's first major decision.
After flipping through the newspaper, there wasn't much important news, but one piece of gossip caught his eye—the final trial of Winona Ryder's shoplifting case was opening.
It wasn't a coincidence of names; it was the goddess in the hearts of countless people, who had starred in classic films like "Edward Scissorhands" and "Little Women" and had already received an Oscar nomination.
In December 2001, at a department store in Beverly Hills, she secretly stuffed clothes and accessories worth $4,760 into her bag, and the entire incident was captured on surveillance footage.
Such an act was not only morally reprehensible but also illegal, especially for a public figure.
Moreover, it wasn't long after 9/11, and the United States had not yet emerged from its grief and anger when they were betrayed by their goddess. Winona instantly became a public enemy.
In a short time, her film offers were canceled, her jobs lost, and she became an outcast, but at the same time, she attracted 24-hour media coverage.
Until this Monday, nearly a year later, the final trial of the shoplifting case finally opened. The previously subsided buzz resurfaced, and he believed that photos of Winona entering and exiting the courthouse would be in the newspapers tomorrow.
Eric shook his head. "I don't understand. She's the hottest female star, the leading lady choice in the hearts of countless directors. Why would she steal? Is it a special Hobbies? Wouldn't it be better to steal props from the set? Everyone loves to do that!"
Harry Cooper also sighed regretfully, "No one knows what she was thinking. When the news broke last year, all of Hollywood was stunned. Of course, many actresses were overjoyed."
"But I guess maybe the pressure was too great. Every Hollywood star has this worry: Can I get this role? Will my movie's box office fail? Will I be surpassed by younger talent?"
"This is the most realistic Vanity Fair. Even if you win an Oscar, it's no exception. And while Winona's fame is great, she has never starred in a blockbuster film."
"Moreover, in recent years, younger talents like Gwyneth Paltrow and Angelina Jolie have emerged. Perhaps feeling the pressure, it's possible she acted out of temporary mental instability."
Eric recalled that Winona had been dormant for a long time because of this. Although she gradually returned to the public eye later, she never again had a starring film that stood out. It must be said that one wrong step leads to many.
"Chen Xing, how's the box office for red dragon?"
After finishing the gossip, Eric inquired about business.
Chen Xing blurted out without thinking, "North America box office dropped by 52%, with a box office of 14.9 million, and Europe's second-week total box office was 29.5 million."
"In addition, the first weekend box office in several other countries has also been released: Japan $10.65 million, South Korea $5.8 million, Australia $6 million, and New Zealand, India, Hong Kong, and other regions combined for $22.2 million. Currently, red dragon's global total box office is $300 million!"
"$300 million, not a bad result. It seems those analysts still have some skills. The final box office is estimated to be around $300 million, give or take."
Harry Cooper said with some nostalgia, "The storytelling is still not strong enough. Back then, the silence of the lambs used $19 million to earn $700 million. That was in 1991, $700 million eleven years ago."
"Times are different, Dad. Once we get transformers, MGM will be ready to take off. $700 million? You'll just laugh at it!"
"Eric, you're always so confident!"
"Because confidence is more important than gold!"
Rhode Island, Hasbro Headquarters building.
Inside the conference room, the leaders of both sides sat on either side of a long table.
Filming a live-action transformers movie was a groundbreaking event for Hasbro. With Harry Cooper personally present, Hasbro's CEO, Alan Hassenfeld, naturally had to attend.
After three rounds of negotiations, the specific details had been finalized, and the signing was merely the final procedure.
Ultimately, Hasbro could not resist the temptation and chose to sign a gambling agreement, though the details were modified.
The percentage amounts of all clauses were adjusted. For example, if toy sales increased by more than 200% within one year, Hasbro would only share 5% of the net profit with MGM.
And the most important clause for Eric, the toy sales target, was increased from tripling to quadrupling. But if achieved, Hasbro would have to give MGM 4% of its equity or pay 55% of the toy's net profit.
Everyone sat together, chatted, and exchanged pleasantries. Then, Harry Cooper and Alan Hassenfeld signed their names on the contract.
The moment the signatures were made, the transformers copyright was secured, and the gambling agreement officially took effect.
Afterward, everyone took their positions for a group photo. A beautiful etiquette lady then led them to the press conference venue.
In the hall, it was already bustling with people, representatives from various entertainment media, and some mainstream media. Cameras and microphones were set up, aimed at the row of seats at the front.
Hasbro is currently the largest toy distributor in the United States, and MGM is one of the seven major film and television giants. Although this giant has declined, and its competitiveness is even inferior to companies like New Line Cinema and Lionsgate, it is still an old brand, and its influence remains.
Now, with the two companies jointly releasing news, there was bound to be a big announcement.
As people entered, countless flashes began to flicker.
After some introductory remarks, Alan Hassenfeld announced in a deep, powerful voice, "As you can see, Hasbro and MGM have reached an agreement. We will grant the film and television rights for transformers to MGM for development, and together, we will produce a live-action transformers movie!"
Before he had finished speaking, exclamations erupted in the venue.
In fact, before receiving the invitation, the media had already speculated, but when this fact was presented to everyone, it still caused a stir of surprise.
That was transformers. Most of the male reporters present had watched it and bought toys as children. Even the Female Reporters who hadn't seen it had heard of it.
These Autobots have held a place in the anime and toy market for decades, and no one expected a major movie to be quietly made.
After Alan Hassenfeld finished speaking, the host signaled the start of the media Q&A session, and a multitude of arms immediately shot up in the hall.