Heads Up Hollywood

Disney's live-action movies in later generations have three trump cards in their hands-the "Avengers" series, the "Star Wars" series, and the animated film remake series.

Originally, "Pirates of the Caribbean" was also a box office sweeper, but as Jerry Bruckheimer was eliminated by the times, and the flaws in the original setting of the script caused this series to gradually decline.

Twain lived a new life and made his way in Hollywood. He met many competitors, and even DreamWorks had conflicts to some extent.

These are all normal.

Only Disney, using vicious competition that violates market principles, wants to completely kill Tang En Pictures!

Don't look at Tang En's film industry, which is booming now. With the influence of "Assortment Investment", "Unsinkable" and "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" are sweeping the box office market.

But at this time last year, Tang En Pictures was once suppressed by Disney's unreasonable hegemony and almost went bankrupt!

Tang En will never forget the desperate eyes of the employees in the company at that time!

So Twain could turn the fight with 20th Century Fox into friendship, but he would never let Disney go!

Of course, he also knows clearly that it is absolutely impossible to obtain the copyrights of cartoons that Disney has accumulated over the past few decades.

However, the adaptation copyright... especially the adaptation copyright of live-action movies, has a certain room for operation.

Because most of Disney’s animated films in the past were princess series, at this stage, it is simply impossible for a woman to be the protagonist to carry the box office of a movie in a large commercial production.

Even the three most attractive female stars in Hollywood at the moment, Julia Roberts, Nicole Kidman, and Cameron Diaz, can only be the core of some small and medium-budget movies, and want to participate in commercial events. For production, it is necessary to make a background board to set off the actor.

Based on the current understanding of the film market by Disney executives, it is impossible to imagine that cartoons have the potential to be adapted into live-action movies.

Roy Disney's face was gloomy, and his tone was unquestionable, "Even if it's the right to adapt, it's impossible! Disney's classic cartoons are the painstaking efforts of my uncle and my father all his life. I can't let them leave the Disney family!"

Tang En said helplessly: "Mr. Disney, I didn't let them run away from home, I just invited them to come to Tang En Pictures to play for a while, and I will also do my best to give some small gifts!"

"small gift?"

"Yeah, I just want the right to adapt, the right to adapt live-action movies! That is to say, when the movie is successfully made in the future, it will definitely make Disney's animated characters popular again. Wouldn't Disneyland have more passenger traffic? "

Roy Disney sneered and said, "Don't lie to me. I'm old, but it doesn't mean I'm stupid! If you get the right to adapt, you will definitely make major changes to the plot and characters of the cartoon. This makes the original cartoon characters , How much strength can I borrow? At that time, with your personal influence, children all over the world will only know the movies of Tang En Pictures, but forget the cartoons of Disney!"

Tang En was not embarrassed when he saw through his thoughts. He smiled slightly, "Mr. Disney, it is wrong for you to say that. I see that you are a senior in the industry, so I made this request out of respect. Actually, you know, I can go the other way." Road."

Roy Disney's eyes became sharp all of a sudden, "Do you dare to infringe?"

"Infringement?" Tang En shook his head with a smile, "I don't dare to do infringement, and Bill Gates can't stand the punitive fine! But I remember that "Grimm's Fairy Tales" and "Andersen's Fairy Tales" are both public copyright?"

According to the "Copyright Act" of the United States, after the death of the author more than 70 years, his works have entered the public domain and become the public wealth of all mankind, and are no longer owned by individuals. Foreign countries have fewer restrictions, only 50 years.

Most of Disney's classic cartoons are adapted from "Grimm's Fairy Tales" and "Andersen's Fairy Tales", both of which are public copyrights.

Tang En's meaning is very clear, if Disney does not grant authorization, then he will directly adapt the original novel!

From another direction, pay tribute to Disney's classic cartoons.

Roy Disney smiled disapprovingly, and pointed to his chest, "Young man, don't forget, when I was in charge of Disney, my main focus was "Grimm's Fairy Tales". Do you really think that the original content is suitable for film adaptation?"

Now in the United States, the "Grimm's Fairy Tales" are gradually being removed from children's bookshelves, because these stories are full of sex and violence, and even plots of murder, destruction, cannibalism, infanticide, and incest.

Such a story would be banned even if it was adapted into a video game.

For example, in "Snow White", the queen asks for Snow White's lungs and kidneys, and the little princess was only seven years old at the time and was taken into the woods by a cruel hunter. In the end, the vicious queen was made to dance to death wearing red-hot dancing shoes.

For example, in "Cinderella", those bad sisters of Cinderella all had a very miserable end. They... all had their toes cut off!

In the hand of "Girl Without Hands", there is also the plot of the little girl's hand being cut off.

This can also explain why "Grimm's Fairy Tales" has been remade by film companies in countless countries, but only Disney's movies are popular all over the world. It is because Disney's screenwriters have completed a successful adaptation, avoiding all bloody and creepy plots, and treating them warmly.

In this regard, there is no difference between animated movies and live-action movies.

If Tang En wanted to adapt "Grimm's Fairy Tales", he had to touch Disney's adaptation structure.

This kind of intellectual property lawsuit is very complicated and takes a long time. The key point is that once Disney sues Tang En Pictures for infringement, it will definitely cause a storm of word-of-mouth for Tang En Pictures' films.

More importantly, according to US law, works in copyright disputes are not allowed to be sold publicly!

In other words, if the lawsuit lasts for 10 years, the movie will not be released for 10 years.

This is a complete obliteration of the movie!

Back then, a small screenwriter wrote a script, using the idea of ​​traveling through robots. Later, when James Cameron filmed "Terminator", he directly sued Cameron for plagiarism!

What was the result?

Cameron paid a copyright fee of 200,000 US dollars and signed his name in the screenwriter column. It is to reconcile as soon as possible, avoid disputes, and let the movie be released smoothly.

To avoid copyright lawsuits, this is the fundamental reason why Twain had to reach an agreement with Disney to obtain the copyright of the adaptation!

Tang En saw that the old guy's thinking was so clear, so he smiled helplessly, "Forget it, anyway, I have already proposed the conditions. Whether we can cooperate or not depends on your wishes."

"The matter of copyright is absolutely impossible!"

Roy Disney categorically and emphatically refused.

Tang En shrugged, with an indifferent expression on his face, "It's okay, anyway, I'm not in a hurry. But there's nothing I can do to help Michael Eisner."

Roy Disney gritted his teeth and pondered for a long time, "Twain, let's change the terms!"

Tang En laughed loudly, "Another condition? Yes, why don't you sell ESPN TV to me? Don't worry, don't worry, I lost a lot of money in the stock market, but the price must be fair!"

ESPN Sports is the most profitable cable network in the United States.

Most of the cable channels, cheap channels, cost only 20 cents to subscribe, and ESPN's price... $7.90!

Same subscription fee as STA TV network!

More importantly, ESPN Sports has more than 70 million subscribers in North America and nearly 90 million subscribers worldwide!

In the past year, ESPN accounted for 25% of Disney's profit income!

Because ESPN is too popular, Disney even adopted a "bundle sales" strategy, which means that if users want to subscribe to ESPN, they must subscribe to hundreds of other Disney channels at the same time in the form of a package, even if many channel users spend their entire lives. Impossible to watch.

Extremely domineering!

In comparison, Tang En's STA TV network is so small and fragile.

Roy Disney's face was livid with anger, "Twain, this is a serious matter, I don't have time for jokes!"

Tang En sighed, and said slowly: "Mr. Disney, let's be clear about the secrets. The current Michael Eisner is a cancer of Disney! Disney's shareholders can't see clearly, because they are investment institutions." , They are businessmen and laymen, and you are seniors who have seen big winds and waves, so you must be able to recognize the reality."

Roy Disney didn't hide, and nodded.

Tang En said: "So, here comes the problem. You urgently need my help to get rid of Michael Eisner. Supply and demand determine the price of supply, and the rare is the most expensive! If you want me to make a move, you must come up with Conditions that satisfy me."

"The two things you said have no room for manipulation." Roy Disney shook his head.

Tang En smiled and said: "It's okay, I'm just raising a concept. Only conditions at this level can satisfy my interests! Hehe, I'm not boasting. In Hollywood now, I can also have a certain right to speak. Xiao Lai Xiao I don't like the small discounts for going."

Roy Disney's face was extremely ugly.

He already understood that this kid Tang En is a tough guy, and he will never give up until he gets the benefits.

"How can I be sure you can take down Michael Eisner?"

Tang En laughed loudly, "Mr. Disney, you don't have to talk to me anymore, you should think about my conditions first, and then talk to me when you think about it clearly. As for Michael Eisner, I can be very responsible Let me tell you, I have a secret weapon against him!"

"Secret weapon?"

"Not bad! As long as it is activated, and with your cooperation, I can guarantee that no matter how powerful Michael Eisner is in Disney, he will definitely step down!"

Roy Disney shook his head lightly, "Young man, you are too confident."

"I've always been so confident!"

Tang En picked up the coffee cup and took two sips leisurely. The aroma entered his throat with a long aftertaste.