Walking slightly behind the group, Duke entered the exhibition hall of the Warner Building. The first things that came into view were some of Warner's most famous movie characters Superman Clark Kent, the Batmobile and Bruce Wayne, the little wizard Harry Potter, and the Ring-bearer hero Frodo Baggins...
Duke wasn't focused on the tour; he'd been here many times and could come anytime he wanted.
His eyes kept drifting toward a middle-aged man accompanied by Doug Walter. The man had a slightly balding head, short jet-black dyed hair, and small eyes that gleamed with intelligence. Perhaps others didn't notice, but Duke, with his past experience, could easily tell from the man's demeanor that he was someone long accustomed to holding a high position.
Although Duke didn't recognize the man, considering that the renowned "Zuoshandiao" ("Mountain Hawk") was only there to accompany him, Duke was certain the man had considerable influence in the matter of the Warner-Fox Grand World project.
Still, Duke didn't say much—this wasn't the time to speak.
The group had already toured the Warner Studios and office areas earlier, and didn't linger long in the exhibition hall before moving into a nearby corridor and entering a large guest room that Warner had long prepared.
With over a dozen people in total, both sides sat according to their respective groups on two rows of sofas. While waiters served coffee and tea, Tina Fey, who was seated next to Duke, leaned in.
She had just obtained some background information through her contacts in Asia.
"This Mr. Liu has significant influence over this project," she whispered, stating the man's position. Seeing Duke nod slightly, she continued in a low voice, "There's confirmed news that the largest city on their side is planning to introduce a world-renowned theme park. And they intend to use that as the foundation to build a world-class, massive amusement park hub."
Duke wasn't surprised this was all within his expectations. After all, Disneyland was constructed with the same vision. It wasn't just a theme park; it was the centerpiece of a meticulously planned supporting ecosystem.
Undoubtedly, the other party's initial preference must have been Disneyland. But once Time Warner and News Corp joined in and offered even more favorable terms, Disneyland was no longer the only option.
This was evident simply by the fact that the other side had dispatched a dedicated team to conduct on-site inspections in Los Angeles.
Most of the time, it was Doug Walter doing the talking with Mr. Liu. Duke merely listened, knowing full well that winning the other party over, especially to gain full support for Warner-Fox Grand World, wouldn't be easy.
Warner Bros. and 20th Century Fox would need to show genuine sincerity—sincerity that translated into visible returns for the other party.
"Disneyland has a bigger name in the East. Characters like Donald Duck, Mickey Mouse, and Sleeping Beauty are far more deeply ingrained in the public mind."
Mr. Liu raised this concern directly. "Compared to Disneyland, I don't see any advantages that Warner Grand World offers."
Doug Walter turned slightly, and Duke knowingly took over the conversation. He didn't raise his voice, but he spoke with clarity. "Mr. Liu, I wonder if you've noticed—Disney has been on the decline in recent years."
"I'd like to hear more," Mr. Liu showed a hint of interest.
"First, let's talk animation. Disney has been living off its legacy for years now, and its animated characters are gradually losing relevance."
There is no good or evil in commercial competition. Though Duke was stating facts, he didn't hold back in exposing Disney's weaknesses. "Since The Lion King, Disney hasn't produced any successful new animated characters. Disney animation has clearly declined, and the most popular animated characters at Disneyland over the past few years from the turn of the century until now actually belong to Pixar. Pixar is no longer part of Disney. Not long ago, they signed a merger agreement with Warner."
Pixar Animation Studios wasn't just about animated films.
Back in late February, Pixar Studios, Duke's own Duke Studios, and Time Warner officially signed an agreement. The two studios had completed a shareholder restructuring, and both Duke and Steve Jobs successfully became major shareholders and board members of Time Warner.
We live in an information age, and clearly, the other party had done their homework. Mr. Liu remained silent for a moment before saying, "Pixar's departure from Disney is indeed one of our concerns with Disneyland."
Everything Duke said was factual. In the past five years, the most popular characters at Disneyland had been Woody the cowboy, Buzz Lightyear, Nemo the clownfish, and the superhero family from The Incredibles. Everyone in the world chases what's hot and new and visitors to theme parks are no exception.
"In addition to that, Disney's top leadership is currently embroiled in a fierce internal power struggle." Duke brought up matters he wasn't worried about being fact-checked—he had been orchestrating some of it since last year. "Group Chairman Michael Eisner and Disney family-backed Robert Iger won't see a resolution in just a few years."
A significant portion of Robert Iger's campaign funds against Michael Eisner had come from one of Duke's foundations and Warner's support.
Though Duke didn't want the business genius Robert Iger to run Disney, after their meeting, they reached a mutual understanding. After all, a chaotic Walt Disney was exactly what he and Warner wanted.
"Mr. Liu, your country has a saying, 'When a person leaves, their tea cools.' The same applies in America."
Glancing at Mr. Liu, Duke continued, "The plan to build Disneyland was Michael Eisner's vision. If he loses the power struggle and Robert Iger takes over, the latter may not approve of this investment. There's a real risk of the agreement being torn up, funding withdrawn, or the project being half-heartedly implemented."
Mr. Liu slightly furrowed his brow but continued looking intently at Duke.
Duke understood that merely discussing Disney wouldn't achieve the desired effect. He turned to Doug Walter, and the two of them, like performing a duet, continued the conversation.
"Pixar Studios is currently a wholly-owned subsidiary of Time Warner, the best animation studio in the U.S. and even the world. Now and in the future, it will create countless classic animated characters, all of which will appear in Warner Fox World. Moreover, Time Warner will collaborate with the Hilton Group to build a super five-star Pixar hotel."
Regardless of what the other party was thinking, Doug Walter continued to highlight their advantages, "Warner promises to build the world's first Harry Potter theme park in the future Warner Fox World..."
As Doug Walter finished speaking, Duke added, "Harry Potter has already become a global pop culture phenomenon."
With his unique experience, he somewhat understood the mindset of the other party's officials and said without hesitation, "Your country is a top-tier global power, actively aligning with international standards. That city is an international metropolis. I believe your purpose in building this is not just to attract domestic tourists, right? If there's a Harry Potter theme park as a flagship, I believe it can attract many foreign tourists, even Western visitors, thereby bringing more international influence to your country."
After speaking, Duke glanced at the other party. Mr. Liu appeared calm, but Duke could still discern that he was intrigued by what he had just said.
International influence is undoubtedly something the other party has been striving for.
Expecting the other party to make a supportive decision easily would be unrealistic. But since Mr. Liu showed interest, Duke naturally wouldn't let it go. After thinking for a moment, he suggested, "We can make the panda the most representative character of Warner World, even its mascot."
Without waiting for a reaction, Duke continued, "We will tailor a globally popular animated feature film for the panda."
Mr. Liu turned to look at Duke, suddenly smiled, and said with a double entendre, "Director Rosenberg is one of the world's top directors. The film you propose will surely not disappoint."
Duke also smiled slightly, "Of course not."
Later, he planned to have someone check with DreamWorks Animation. If DreamWorks had already initiated the project, it would be best to acquire it. If not, they could draft a brief outline and have Blue Sky Studios, a subsidiary of 20th Century Fox, produce it.
Indeed, Duke never considered Pixar Studios for "Kung Fu Panda."
Each animation studio has its own style. Assigning this purely comedic genre to Pixar would be a disaster for both the project and the studio.
Pixar has never produced, nor planned to produce, this type of animated film.
In contrast, Blue Sky Studios, which started with comedic animations, is undoubtedly more suitable.
Randomly assigning an animated feature to any studio, without considering production concepts and technical styles, is naive. Those people probably never understood the fundamentals of animated filmmaking.
Duke and Doug Walter had said everything they needed to. The other party couldn't possibly respond immediately. This formal meeting concluded quickly. Although there was a reception party in the evening, it was more about Warner and Fox doing their part.
Of course, since Time Warner and News Corporation had joined forces, the investment scale of Warner Fox World far exceeded that of Disney parks.
Although Disney successfully transformed into a media conglomerate, losing Pixar Studios, Michael Eisner not stepping down, and other factors made the current Disney far less powerful than it once was. Moreover, with Robert Iger and the Disney family distancing themselves from Michael Eisner, the competitiveness of Disney parks isn't as strong as it appears on the surface.
But Walt Disney wouldn't give up easily. After all, the vastness of the other market is too enticing.
.....
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