Hollywood starts with a broker

Chapter 23 Warren Beatty

During the bustling summer season, the major Hollywood film companies are showing their unique abilities, chasing after each other.

However, the big news in Hollywood now is that the Japanese electronics giant Sony is acquiring Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group;

And the three-way melee between Time Inc., Warner Communications, and Gulf+Western Industries (Paramount's parent company)!

Time Inc., which owns assets such as Time Warner Cable, Time Magazine, and HBO, and Warner Communications Group, which owns Warner Bros. Entertainment, Warner Cable, Warner Music, and Warner Publishing, have been in negotiations for nearly 2 years.

Just as Time Inc. and Warner Communications announced that they were about to complete their merger, Gulf+Western Industries (Paramount's parent company) suddenly launched a hostile takeover of Time Inc.!

HBO under Time Inc. is the first company in the United States to transmit television signals via satellite, and it is famous for its high-quality dramas.

Aaron is no stranger to HBO. This profit model, which completely abandons the GG business and charges subscription fees to users, is definitely an innovation.

At CAA headquarters, Aaron was on the phone with Nicole Kidman in his office, planning to go to New York together to meet with David Lynch, the director of the "Wild at Heart" crew!

"Relax, it's not a big problem. The investors in 'Wild at Heart' are mainly from Europe, including Canal+ from France;"

"I dealt with them before when I was in Cannes, and we have a good relationship. It will be fine to talk to David Lynch then."

Aaron had previously recommended the television rights to "Sex, Lies, and Videotape" and "Cinema Paradiso" to Canal+.

"Moreover, the main investor in 'Wild at Heart' is PolyGram from the UK, who have recently entered the film industry;"

"I am quite attractive to them!"

Because Michael Kuhn, who is in charge of PolyGram's film business, has approached him and entrusted him to find a North American distributor for this "Wild at Heart".

Everyone knows that American films are xenophobic, and it is difficult for foreign film companies to do their own distribution in the United States. PolyGram has a strong international record distribution market, but it is still a newcomer in the film industry.

Therefore, PolyGram's works are definitely dominated by low-budget independent films, and they need a distributor in North America to cooperate.

Aaron's discovery of "Sex, Lies, and Videotape" won the Palme d'Or at Cannes, and this title is his greatest asset now.

When August arrives, if "Sex, Lies, and Videotape" performs well after its release, Aaron's reputation will be even greater.

On the other side, Michael Ovitz had just finished a long-distance call with Japan. Soon, his assistant Susan Miller brought Warren Beatty into the office.

"Good afternoon, Michael!"

"Good afternoon, Warren, please sit down," Michael Ovitz greeted him to sit down, "Susan, please bring in two cups of coffee."

Warren Beatty sat on the sofa, "I want to talk about Al's involvement in the 'Dick Tracy' project;"

"Why would he reject this blockbuster and participate in a stupid love movie?"

Michael Ovitz pressed his eyes, "We should respect his choice. Al is mainly preparing for the upcoming 'The Godfather Part III';"

"'Dick Tracy' has you, Dustin Hoffman, and Madonna Ciccone. The attention is already high enough!"

"I heard that a young agent from your CAA played a significant role in it?"

"Warren, this is all business..."

In the afternoon, Aaron had just arrived at the CAA lobby, preparing to leave the company.

"Are you Aaron Anderson?"

Under the guidance of his assistant, Warren Beatty walked towards the young man in front of him.

Aaron turned his head. The other person's eyes and tone made him dislike him very much, "Yes, that's me. What's the matter?"

"Young man, Hollywood is not as simple as it seems on the surface. You must have a sense of awe," Warren Beatty looked at Aaron and reminded him.

52-year-old Warren Beatty won the Academy Award for Best Director in the early 1980s, but he hasn't had any works appear in recent years.

Just last year, he directed and starred in a big flop called "Ishtar" with Dustin Hoffman and French actress Isabelle Adjani!

Aaron smiled. Warren Beatty has countless scandals, basically all of them are romantic news. The threesome scandal with Isabelle Adjani a few years ago was also exposed.

"A sense of awe? And then?"

For Aaron, Warren Beatty is just an outdated old star. If you were as powerful as Clint Eastwood, Aaron would indeed have some concerns!

"I heard that you think 'Dick Tracy' is not a good work?"

Aaron sighed, "Is it because Al Pacino took 'Pretty Woman'?"

"That was the intention of Disney executive Jeffrey Katzenberg, and the director is also optimistic about Mr. Pacino;"

"One is the male lead, and the other is the third male lead. Mr. Pacino himself will choose!"

"Kid, Hollywood depends on resources. You will have a hard time doing things this way. Do you believe that you won't be able to sign any stars in the future?" Warren Beatty smiled.

Aaron saw that there seemed to be many people watching the show, and the CAA executives did not come out to help him out.

"Looking at resources also depends on ability. Hollywood now is not what it used to be," Aaron stretched lazily,

"Not letting me sign stars?"

"Haha," Aaron laughed, approaching the other person, "Is Warren Beatty, the director who directed and starred in a big flop about ten years ago, going to ban me?"

Warren Beatty's face turned pale, and he was determined to make him look good in the future.

"Didn't you just ask me how 'Dick Tracy' is?"

Saying that, Aaron took a few steps back, looked at the surrounding crowd, and said loudly: "Everyone, please witness here, the 'Pretty Woman' to be released next year is what I am optimistic about;"

"Mr. Warren Beatty's 'Dick Tracy' will compete with this film at the box office, but I respect the old senior;"

"As long as the box office of 'Dick Tracy', which will be released next year, reaches half of 'Pretty Woman', I will lose. I will directly leave CAA and no longer participate in the entertainment agency business;"

"If I win, forget it, if I win, you won't be qualified to talk to me!"

Aaron's shocking scene directly shocked everyone present. A new agent and an old Hollywood star are clashing like this?

"Pretty Woman" and "Dick Tracy" are both works that CAA helped Disney prepare, but one is favored by Jeffrey Katzenberg, and the other is valued by Michael Eisner;

But how much investment does "Pretty Woman" have? "Dick Tracy" is a blockbuster with many stars?

Michael Ovitz upstairs saw this scene and did not stop it, because this would greatly promote the publicity of these two films;

Michael Ovitz doesn't care what the outcome of the two people betting will be. A newcomer and an outdated old star are indifferent to CAA!