The Best Entertainment Era

In Manhattan, New York, at the headquarters of Marvel Comics, Avi Allard is talking on the phone with Arthur Malcolm in Los Angeles.

Since becoming the chairman and CEO of Marvel Comics, Avi Arad's hairline has been receding every quarter, and since last year, it has receded every month, and the hair on his head is getting less and less. The forehead is almost completely bald.

Avi Arad hung up the phone and looked at Marvel Comics' financial statements for the first quarter of 2004. He was very sure of one thing. If Marvel continued like this, he would become bald in at most two years.

The financial statements are nothing, losses, as usual losses, although the amount of losses is not high, not even tens of millions of dollars in a single quarter, but Marvel Comics can't afford to lose.

With the current situation of Marvel Comics, the loss of tens of millions of dollars in a single quarter can directly disband the partnership.

Avi Arad put down the financial statement and began to consider further layoffs. The comic creation department now mainly adopts the external creation mode, and does not need so many employees, leaving only a dozen people is enough.

In terms of external creations, apart from Spider-Man and X-Men, which have a knock-on effect because of the movie, the sales of other comics are so poor that I can't bear to read them. The more creations, the more prints and distributions, the worse the loss. .

Most of the comics created by external contracts can be cut off, and they can't be sold anyway.

Correspondingly, the distribution department does not need so many people.

There is also the copyright department. Marvel Comics has thousands of comic characters. They can't even handle copyright mortgage loans and the sale of adaptation copyrights. Except for a few elites, what's the use of keeping them?

Avi Allard has long reached an agreement with the board of directors that Marvel Comics layoffs are imperative.

Marvel comics must lose weight in order to last longer. Only by surviving the cold winter of the comic industry can it be possible to gain a new life.

Avi Arad sent two emails to the director of HR in succession, asking the HR department to determine the scope of layoffs and promote the layoffs as soon as possible.

It is really impossible to delay.

Avi Arad had hopes many times, but they all turned into disappointments in the end. There were too many disappointments, and there was no other way to go. He wanted to hold on to every bit of hope.

He now very much hopes that Arthur Macomb can get a good result.

It is best to pay 20th Century Fox in advance,

It also made up a large sum of money for the Fantastic Four copyright deal that year.

In that case, coupled with the copyright share of the upcoming Spider-Man 2, Marvel Comics can at least survive this year.

As for the Citibank loan due next year, we can only talk about it next year.

People are poor and short-sighted, and the same is true for companies.

What Marvel Comics considers the most these days is the most basic issue of survival.

There was a soft knock on the door, interrupting the train of thought, and Avi Arad said with a bit of displeasure, Come in.

The female secretary in a fitted skirt pushed the door in and said, Chairman, Mr. Fienster from Citibank is here and wants to see you.

This is the lender. Avi Arad didn't want to see him, so he waved his hand: Let him go to the finance department.

The female secretary reminded as gently as possible: He said it was about the loan, and he must talk to you.

Marvel Comics has always wanted to mortgage the remaining part of the copyright of comic characters to Citibank to raise more money. Avi Arad thought that this matter had progressed, and said: Let him come over.

As soon as Fienster, who was wearing gold-rimmed glasses, entered the office, Avi Arad enthusiastically stamped it and shook hands, saying, Why does Mr. Fienster have time to come over today?

At the warm invitation of Avi Arad, Feinster sat on the sofa in the office and said with a serious face: As for the loan business between Citibank and Marvel comics, there are some things that I, as the direct person in charge, must report to Mr. Allard explained.

Seeing Feinster's expression, Avi Allard's hopes and fantasies disappeared in an instant, and things like mortgages were simply impossible.

Please speak. Avi-Arad's heart sank.

Fienster said slowly: I'm here to inform Mr. Allard that the $40 million loan provided by Citibank to Marvel Comics will be recovered within this month.

Having said that, he took out an official document from his briefcase and handed it to Avi Arad: This is the notice. You still have two weeks to repay the loan.

Seeing the box office success of Spider-Man, Citibank thought that Marvel Comics would be lucky, so it provided a loan.

Avi Arad took it over and looked it over, his heart continued to sink, he touched Mingguang's shiny forehead, and with a bit of luck, he said: No, according to the loan agreement, this loan will not be until next year. It's due in June.

Feinster said: There are supplementary clauses in the agreement. If the operation of Marvel Comics exceeds the warning line set by Citibank, Citibank has the right to require Marvel Comics to repay the loan in advance.

Avi Arad's luck disappeared, and his heart sank to the bottom.

Fienster solemnly said: Mr. Allard, Marvel Comics is a listed company. According to your first quarter financial report, Marvel Comics has suffered consecutive losses. We seriously doubt Marvel Comics' ability to repay. In order to ensure that Citibank For the benefit of the loan, we activated the seventh and eighth additional clauses of the loan agreement, requiring Manga Manga to repay the loan two weeks after receiving the notice.

Avi Allard quickly said: Two weeks are too tight...

Marvel also has some small loans in other areas, but the main debt is the 40 million.

Sorry, Mr. Allard. Feinster didn't give Avi-Allard any chance to bargain at all: I just delivered the notice, and I don't have any decision-making power.

He stood up: the company still has something to do, so I'll take my leave first.

Without Avi Arad getting up to see him off, Feinster walked out of the office quickly and left Marvel Comics.

This comic book company can't find investors with sufficient strength, and it won't take long, and it is very likely to become history.

Maybe some people will jump out to take over because of the copyright share of movies such as X-Men and Spider-Man.

That's the best way to avoid the bank taking compulsory measures, after all, it is the last option.

In the office, Avi Arad's face was gloomy. He called the female secretary and said coldly, Notify the department directors and board members to hold a meeting. I don't care where they are. They must come back tomorrow. Those who don't come submit their resignations themselves!

The female secretary was terrified, so she responded quickly and went to do her own work.

Avi Arad knows all too well that Marvel Comics has reached an existential moment.

After calming down a bit, he held his last hope and called Arthur Malcolm again. The 20th Century Fox is still talking, and there is no definite news yet.

In just two weeks, Marvel Comics may not wait for Twentieth Century Fox to compromise.

The method used by Marvel Comics to restrict Twentieth Century Fox will take several months or even more than half a year to really produce results.

Not so much time.

The funds, just a loan of 40 million US dollars, have driven the once-thriving comic giant to a desperate situation.

Avi Arad closes his eyes, is Marvel Comics going to take the last step? Sell ​​hard assets? Marvel also owns a peripheral toy and doll factory, which should raise $20 million if sold.

But this is not enough, and it is the most important fixed asset just like Marvel Comics' headquarters in Manhattan. If it is sold, it will lose the production capacity of peripheral products, which means that Marvel Comics will hardly have a chance to turn around in the future.

There is also the office building of the headquarters.

Selling the toy factory and the headquarters office building can raise 40 million US dollars. What is the difference between Marvel Comics and the end?

Avi Arad picked up the phone, made a call, and contacted several Citibank executives, but there was no good news. Citibank had only one attitude-drawing loans to collect money!

In Century City, Los Angeles, Jim Burrows once again sent Arthur Malcolm out of the reception room and back into the office.

The assistant followed into the office: Boss, New York just called, and Citibank officially issued a notice to Marvel Comics to draw a loan!

Jim Burrows nodded, and said: Don't relax the public relations work over there, it is related to the income of the two series of movies. He thought for a while, and then said: Also, the next time Arthur Malcolm comes over, You are responsible for the reception, find a way to delay it for a while, and then let him go.

The assistant said, I understand.

Although everything is under control, Jim Prose said: Remind them, don't take it lightly.

The next thing Marvel will face is not ordinary troubles. When the time comes, they will be too busy to take care of themselves. How can they find troubles from 20th Century Fox.

When Marvel is in a mess, maybe 20th Century Fox can take the opportunity to change the cooperation of X-Men to similar terms with Fantastic Four.

Someone suggested that Wolverine and Magneto should be filmed independently, so that 20th Century Fox would no longer have to consider Marvel's constraints and share.

Also in Century City, not far from the newly renamed Relativity Entertainment, the office of the Pacific Investment Foundation has already occupied half a floor of a building.

As soon as Ronan walked into PIF, Scott Swift greeted him.

The two walked into Scott's office, and Ronan asked directly: Is it okay for the foundation to transfer about 400 million US dollars? It won't affect the film project investment of Shahai Entertainment, right?

Scott immediately said: No problem. He simply explained: In the past few months, the Pacific Investment Fund has successively invested in the Philippines and Thailand, and our cooperation with many companies and investment institutions in many countries has become the most With a good brand name, the return on investment of the foundation is attractive and very stable, attracting a large number of investors.”

Ronan said, Scott, well done.

Scott said with a smile: In fact, the most difficult thing is to start. Once the foundation opens up, it can give investors a stable return, and it will be much easier to attract latecomers. He asked: When will the funds be used? It’s good to gather people.”

Ronan thought for a while: This month at the earliest, it will not exceed next month.

Marvel Comics has never been out of the sight of Relativity Entertainment, and Relativity Entertainment is definitely the company that knows Marvel best after entering the new century.