"How are the numbers?" Ethan sat in his office, listening to Yuffie report on the day's various matters.
Today, she was wearing a white silk-textured blouse paired with a black pencil skirt. Without stockings, her thighs slightly trembled as she walked.
Hearing Ethan's question, Yuffie adjusted her glasses and replied, "The data from YouTube indicates that our trailer is a big success. In just one week, it has already reached 12 million views."
"That sounds pretty good." Ethan tapped his pen against the desk. "If only all those viewers could convert into ticket sales."
"The data includes repeated views as well," Yuffie added.
"I know."
This was Ethan's first attempt at collaborating with a video platform for movie marketing, and so far, the results were promising.
He had already negotiated with YouTube for continued cooperation. When the next movie trailer was released, it would also be promoted in fullscreen mode.
Of course, once other studios realized the effectiveness of this strategy, they would likely start reaching out to video platforms as well.
After finishing her report, Yuffie looked at Ethan and said, "MGM's CEO Harry is here. He says he has something important to discuss with you."
"Let him in." Ethan was curious—was Harry planning to leave MGM and join his team?
But when Harry entered the office and spoke, Ethan was surprised.
"Ethan, are you interested in acquiring MGM?"
"What?" Ethan raised an eyebrow. "You're joking, right, Harry?"
Acquiring MGM wasn't a $600 million deal—it would take at least several billion.
Unlike Miramax, which was in decline, MGM was one of Hollywood's historic eight major studios, possessing a vast film library and valuable intellectual property.
"I'm not joking, Ethan. What if I told you that you could take over MGM without spending a dime?" Harry's tone was filled with temptation.
Ethan had to admit, the idea was intriguing. If he could obtain MGM's IPs for free, it would be a great deal for Norton's Eye.
"Go on."
"Here's the situation… You know that MGM has been looking for a buyer, but so far, no company has agreed to the acquisition. As a result, the board has decided to file for bankruptcy." Harry lowered his voice as he revealed the company's decision.
"Bankruptcy? And then what?" Ethan asked, frowning.
"After bankruptcy comes reorganization…" Harry clasped his hands together. "This is a golden opportunity, Ethan. You could merge Norton's Eye with MGM, creating a new company. Not only would you gain shares, but you'd also get access to MGM's film library."
Ethan raised an eyebrow. He hadn't expected the situation to take this turn.
"But what about you? What do you get out of this?" Ethan asked.
"I… I'd continue managing MGM. That's my biggest gain." Harry's words seemed selfless, but in America, believing someone had no personal agenda was naive.
Ethan pondered for a few seconds before smiling. "Harry, you're trying to drag me into the mud."
Harry frowned. "Why do you say that?"
"Because if Norton's Eye merges with MGM, then MGM's debts become my debts. Isn't that right?"
Harry hesitated, then awkwardly admitted, "You're not wrong, but you'd also gain access to the film library and IPs. And most importantly, you'd get shares."
"But how much? Three percent? Five percent?"
"Uh…" Harry didn't know how to respond.
"Besides, the real controlling entities behind MGM are Sony, Providence Equity Partners, and Texas Pacific Group," Ethan continued. "Even if I do merge with MGM, once they find a suitable buyer, the film library and IPs still won't belong to me, correct?"
"Mm."
"So why should I waste my time helping MGM get out of trouble? Do I look like a charity?"
Under Ethan's questioning, Harry seemed a little guilty.
He had indeed come to Ethan with the hope that he'd be interested in MGM. After all, this was one of Hollywood's historic major studios—not just any ordinary film company.
If Ethan took control of MGM, he'd immediately transition from a Hollywood newcomer to part of the old guard.
That would be a major boost to his status.
But in return, Ethan would also have to bear significant risks and responsibilities.
Just as Harry thought the negotiation was about to fail, Ethan suddenly spoke.
"I'm willing to agree to the reorganization."
"Hm?" Parent was stunned by the sudden turnaround. "Really?"
"Yes." Ethan crossed his legs and clasped his hands over his chest. "But I won't merge Norton's Eye with MGM."
"What do you mean?"
"I'll establish a subsidiary of Norton's Eye, which will then merge with MGM. I'll serve as the CEO of this new company to help MGM escape its crisis."
"That might be…" Parent hesitated. If it was only a subsidiary, then if MGM's operations failed, Ethan could withdraw at any time without taking on any financial risk.
It would be like getting MGM for free.
However, Ethan spoke bluntly. "There's no 'might be,' Harry. MGM is the one asking for my help right now.
"Let me put it this way—right now, I'm the only person in Hollywood who can confidently pull MGM out of this mess because my instincts have never been wrong."
"If I take charge of MGM's film investments, I guarantee profits and debt repayment."
"But if you go with someone else, you'll only get uncertainty and anxiety. If your investments fail, MGM will sink deeper into debt."
Although Ethan was being direct, Harry didn't refute him because, deep down, he felt the same way.
Being able to keep his position while making money—he truly believed only Ethan could pull it off.
After all, he had watched Ethan rise step by step, becoming one of Hollywood's top directors.
In fact, part of the reason Harry sought Ethan was because he considered letting him direct a film for MGM.
After all, Valkyrie had made a hefty profit. But Ethan had turned down every subsequent film project, making it impossible to replicate that success.
"I know you don't have the final say on this matter," Ethan said, noticing Harry's hesitation. "Go to the board and present my terms."
"First, Norton's subsidiary will merge with MGM, and I will take over management."
"Second, I want a 10% stake—this will be my compensation for managing the company."
"Lastly, after the reorganization, Norton will have the right to use MGM's IPs, with revenue distributed to MGM according to standard licensing agreements."
"If these three conditions are met, we have a deal."
Ethan finished speaking and pressed the buzzer on his desk. The next moment, Yuffie walked in.
"Mr. Harry, please."
Harry didn't even get a chance to say another word before Yuffie ushered him out. The deep furrow in his brow reflected his inner turmoil.
To be fair, Ethan's terms weren't excessive, but they definitely pushed MGM to its limits, making things difficult for Harry.
He could only take the proposal back to MGM for board discussion.
Upon returning, Harry immediately sought out his ally on the board, Sully.
When Sully heard Ethan's terms, he was equally surprised and troubled.
"These are pretty steep conditions," Sully said after a long silence. "We need to see the box office numbers for Lucy first."
"Lucy?" Harry repeated.
"Inception only proved that Ethan can direct a blockbuster. Lucy will determine his box office appeal and business acumen. And if we want to convince the other board members, we need strong box office figures as proof. Right now, we need money to pay off our debts. Whoever brings in the most revenue will be the most valuable to MGM."
In fact, apart from Sully and Harry's recommendation of Ethan, other board members had suggested different candidates.
For instance, Board Member Robert had recommended Telescope Entertainment's CEO, Barber—a self-made entrepreneur who had been running a successful independent production company in recent years. Robert believed Barber's vision could help MGM out of its slump.
Of course, compared to Ethan, Barber was on a lower level.
However, Barber's conditions were also far less demanding than Ethan's.
That was precisely why this was a difficult choice—should they pick the most capable but expensive option, or go for a cost-effective but riskier alternative?
It was a decision with no room for regret.
Thus, they needed Lucy to serve as their reassurance.
If Lucy's box office numbers matched those of Inception, it would confirm Ethan's extraordinary market appeal and blockbuster instincts, making him the safest bet for MGM.
But if Lucy failed to meet expectations, they could use that as leverage to negotiate Ethan's terms down.
Among those waiting for Lucy was also Vincenzo.
Ever since writing an article analyzing Lucy's first trailer, Vincenzo had seen his blog's traffic skyrocket.
With each repeat viewing and subsequent analysis, his blog had racked up 20,000 visits.
The surge in attention excited him, prompting him to keep searching for new details in Lucy to write about.
He even managed to snag a Lucy poster, which now adorned his bedroom wall.
He had also watched countless interviews with the cast and crew, hoping to uncover overlooked details.
And today, the wait was finally over—the second Lucy trailer was set to drop. He ran downstairs to buy three bottles of soda and a large bag of chips, making sure to eat dinner early.
Everything was ready.
4:59 PM.
Only one minute left until the Lucy trailer premiere.
Vincenzo took a sip of soda, locked his door, and sat at his desk, eyes glued to the screen.
"10, 9, 8…" He counted down while watching his clock. The moment the second hand ticked forward, he clicked the mouse.
Click.
The webpage refreshed, and the black crystalline structure from the first teaser spread across the screen. Then, a line of text appeared:
Brain Utilization: 0%
"What? What is this?" Vincenzo frowned in confusion and clicked the screen, which redirected him to a dedicated campaign page. The explanation was clear.
It turned out that Lucy's marketing team had set up an interactive campaign. The "Brain Utilization" meter represented the number of trailer views.
As more people watched, new materials and videos would unlock at milestones: 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, and 100%.
Essentially, it was an interactive game repurposed for film marketing.
Vincenzo found the format incredibly fun—and beneficial for film analysts like him, as it meant more footage to scrutinize for hidden details.
Without hesitation, he hit play, contributing his own view count.
The trailer opened with a disheveled Scarlett Johansson.
She was crammed into an elevator with a group of burly men, her face filled with fear.
"I'm just an ordinary person… please don't do this!" she pleaded as the elevator doors slowly closed.
Ding!
When they reopened, she stood alone, blood splattered on her face, her expression ice-cold.
A voiceover echoed: "This world is survival of the fittest."
"We need you to do something for us."
The scene cut to the exterior of a hotel.
"What?" Scarlett's character looked confused as she spoke to her cowboy-hat-wearing boyfriend. "Why do I have to deliver it? I'm not doing it."
"No, no, sweetheart, I've done it plenty of times. It's totally safe."
Seconds later, she was in the hotel lobby, watching as her boyfriend was gunned down.
The scene shifted to a hotel room. Bound to a chair, she struggled in panic, her body tense like a caged panther.
Then, heavy footsteps approached.
A mechanical hum filled the air.
She looked up, eyes widening in shock at the figure entering the room.
Vincenzo held his breath, eager to finally see the villain's face.
But before the camera could reveal him, the scene cut to a high-speed car chase, followed by shootouts and brutal fight sequences.
Each scene showcased different superpowers—mind control, remote manipulation…
When the intense action settled, Scarlett reappeared in a hospital corridor.
Dressed in a patient gown, she faced a squad of armed police officers, all aiming their weapons at her.
She lifted her hand.
Instantly, every officer collapsed, unconscious—except for one, played by Chris Hemsworth.
Looking around awkwardly, he let out a whistle. "Oh, that's incredible. Can you teach me?"
Scarlett smirked. "No."
"Then forget I asked." Chris shrugged, lowered his gun, and surrendered.
"Let's go. We don't have much time." Scarlett led him out of the hospital.
The camera panned up, revealing a fleet of warplanes in the sky.
"We have a lock on the target, sir."
"Fire!"
Boom!
As explosions filled the screen, the title Lucy appeared once more.
.....
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