Two days later.
Inside a hotel suite in London.
"Boss, the director of the 'Original Flavor Chef' production team just called to inform us that the episode you participated in will premiere next Wednesday at 8 PM on ITV Variety Channel 1," Alexander said respectfully.
"Next Wednesday, is it? Our movie Finding Nemo begins its release in Britain next Friday. Hmm, the timing is perfect," Kyle mused briefly.
Why go on a variety show?
Isn't it just to promote the movie? Otherwise, why would Kyle, a dignified billionaire, personally participate? Just like in many episodes of Bear's man vs. wild, why do so many celebrities and political figures appear? Isn't it all for publicity?
"How many of those Vampires will attend tonight's banquet?" Kyle asked.
Alexander understood and immediately replied, "Based on the feedback received so far, 13 people will be attending tonight's banquet."
"Heh heh!"
Kyle couldn't help but sneer, "These guys really take advantage of my youth! We sent out 27 invitations, yet only 13 people showed up. Tsk tsk tsk~ Not only are they making our money, withholding our box office share, and embezzling our rightful profits, but now they won't even give me the chance to have a meal."
Alexander agreed, "Capital is endlessly greedy!"
Withholding and delaying box office revenue sharing amounting to 110 million U.S. dollars;
Embezzling funds totaling 13 million U.S. dollars;
The overseas distributors cooperating with Page Pictures were completely reckless in sucking Kyle dry.
How could Kyle tolerate this?
Furthermore, Kyle had already compromised twice, lowering the revenue share ratio two times in a row.
The overseas box office share ratio dropped from 33% to 31%;
And subsequently dropped again to 30%.
Although these two actions only reduced the share by 3%, based on the multiple films released by Page Pictures, their total box office exceeded 1 billion U.S. dollars. Reducing the revenue by 3% meant Page Pictures conceded 30 million U.S. dollars in profit;
This price of compromise,
was truly significant!
Moreover, Page Pictures also conceded a considerable amount of profit to them in terms of peripheral product sales and licensing, with the total concession amounting to no less than 20 million U.S. dollars.
"I conceded 50 million U.S. dollars in total, but their greed has absolutely no bottom line."
"Once or twice is acceptable, but not a third time!"
"Alexander, do you believe that if we aren't forceful this time, they will definitely pressure us into making concessions again? And it won't just be 50 million U.S. dollars then."
Kyle suppressed his anger.
Alexander sighed, "Boss, you are right. In fact, let alone our Page Pictures, even powerful entities like The Big Six of Hollywood face no fewer than 20 lawsuits annually against overseas distributors. Didn't Fox Pictures and Paramount Pictures sue film companies and distributors in Britain, France, and Germany in July 1998 over the box office revenue of Titanic, seeking 130 million U.S. dollars in compensation?"
This circle is truly chaotic!
Kyle cursed silently in his heart.
In Hollywood, messy incidents like box office revenue sharing disputes are extremely common.
Production companies versus directors and actors;
Production companies versus distributors;
Production companies versus cinema chains;
Distributors versus U.S. domestic cinema chains;
Distributors versus cinema chains and distributors in various overseas countries and regions;
...The frequency of financial lawsuits is simply endless!
7 PM.
The "Zwili" Restaurant in London.
Inside, in a small banquet hall capable of accommodating 50 people, more than a dozen well-dressed individuals, men and women, young and old, were chatting in small groups.
"Mr. Juan, it's been several years since we parted ways in Madrid, Spain. Your business is booming more than ever, I truly envy you!" said Demata, a film merchant from Denmark.
"Mr. Demata, you are too modest. As far as I know, your performance in the film merchandising industry operating in Denmark and Norway this year is enough to make many people feel ashamed," the Spanish businessman Williams Juan chuckled.
"Heh heh!"
A 20-year-old brown-haired beauty from Rome, Italy, walked over, holding a wine glass, and smiled, "Good evening, Mr. Juan and Mr. Demata."
Juan frowned, "Miss, and you are?"
Williams Juan from Spain did not recognize this brown-haired beauty, but the Danish businessman Demata beside him did.
"Mr. Juan, allow me to introduce you. This beauty is Miss Bellica Kessing, the second daughter of Mr. Raymond Kessinger, the second-largest individual shareholder of the Redu Group," Demata said.
The Redu Group?
The full name is Pinault-Printemps-Redoute Group!
Hearing this, Williams Juan's eyes immediately lit up, and he quickly offered greetings.
Perhaps some people are unfamiliar with the Redu Group, but mentioning the brands under its umbrella, they are definitely known to many.
Brands such as Gucci, Balenciaga, Girard-Perregaux, and Puma are all sub-brands of the Redu Group.
The Redu Group was founded in 1963 and was renamed Kering Group in 2005. It is one of Europe's luxury goods giants, alongside Louis Vuitton Group, Hermès Group, and Richemont Group, known as the Four Major European Luxury Goods Giants.
As of 2020, all four luxury goods giants are large enterprises with market capitalization exceeding 150 billion U.S. dollars!
Undoubtedly, the 13 people invited today are all wealthy and influential major merchants and entrepreneurs, none of whom have a net worth less than 100 million U.S. dollars.
"Baron Torbett!"
"Elder Mr. Torbett!"
"Baron, you've arrived!"
Just then, Baron Torbett, a small old man with a hunched back but piercing eyes, made his entrance. Consequently, all eyes in the room focused on him.
His wealth might not be the greatest among those present, but his network of connections was definitely the strongest of all.
"Has Mr. Kyle Page arrived?" the old man Torbett asked.
Juan, standing nearby, immediately curled his lip and said, "How could he arrive right now? He's a multibillionaire super-rich man; doesn't he have to put on airs?"
"That's outrageous!"
The Danish merchant Demata chimed in, "Baron Torbett has arrived, yet Kyle Page, as the Master, expects all of us to wait for him. Heh heh~ That's extremely disrespectful!"
For a moment, many people present showed expressions of dissatisfaction.
Only Miss Bellica Kessing, the second daughter of the Kessinger Family, revealed a mysterious smile.
"Boss, what they say makes sense," the young secretary beside Bellica frowned.
"Heh heh, what do you know?" Bellica said flatly.
Dong!
Just then, the door to the small banquet hall was pushed open again.
"Who said I was putting on airs? And who said I was being disrespectful?"
That's right, Kyle has arrived.