Disney Group.
As one of the executives of the Disney Group, Robert Iger would one day defeat the current Disney Chairman, Michael Eisner—known as the 'Disney Tyrant'—and ascend to the highest throne of power, status, and honor within Disney.
However, at this moment, he was in his office, brow furrowed.
"Robert, I mistakenly underestimated Page Pictures. Your judgment was correct; it cannot be underestimated in the future. No! It has already grown to a point where it cannot be ignored!" Roy Disney said in a deep voice.
"Indeed."
Robert nodded, his expression grave. "Its development is just too fast; everything has caught us off guard."
The rapid development of Page Pictures was far more terrifying than that of DreamWorks, which The Big Six of Hollywood regarded as a formidable enemy.
Isn't that right...
During this Christmas season, excluding Paramount Pictures and 20th Century Fox Film Corporation, the other four of The Big Six of Hollywood were all exerting tremendous pressure on Page Pictures.
The number of theaters screening the Harry Potter movie in America said it all.
Roy Disney, a member of the Disney family, was also the leading figure within the Disney Group opposing Chairman Michael Eisner.
The conflict between the two sides was truly like fire and water!
Roy Disney believed that the Disney Group was founded by the Disney family, and even in today's era of commercialization and shareholding, the status of Disney family members within the group could not be stripped away.
Eisner, however, scoffed at this.
He stated: "I am grateful to the Disney family for inviting me to serve as the group's CEO. The facts have proven that it was I who led Disney toward today's greater glory, so it is only natural that I should receive more benefits."
The contradiction between the two sides was completely irreconcilable.
Robert Iger, the future CEO and Chairman of Disney, happened to be in Roy's camp. Because of this, he had suffered years of suppression and was exiled to the Japan branch for several years.
"In the end, we still failed."
Thinking of the box office results the Harry Potter movie had achieved in Britain, Roy couldn't help but sigh repeatedly.
"One of the laws of survival in Hollywood: if you can't suppress them, do your best to win them over!"
Robert said self-deprecatingly: "We were once on the verge of becoming partners with Page Pictures, but that piece of shit Eisner actually pushed Page Pictures away."
"..."
Roy Disney was speechless.
Once upon a time, under the advice of Mr. Bill, Kyle had taken the initiative to contact the Disney Group, hoping to jointly develop the pirates of the caribbean project.
This was undoubtedly beneficial for both sides.
But! What did Disney do?
"Wanting to cooperate is no problem, but the prerequisite... is that the Disney Group must obtain the full rights to pirates of the caribbean."
These were the original words of Disney Chairman Michael Eisner.
How arrogant and overbearing!
Kyle had tried to be friendly but got a cold shoulder in return. Naturally, Kyle was annoyed; he broke off the deal and decided he wasn't going to play with them anymore.
At the time, as one of the executives, Robert Iger had tried hard to maneuver within the situation to facilitate this cooperation, and for this, he had even sought help from Roy Disney.
However, Roy Disney hadn't paid much attention to Page Pictures. Well, to be precise, he looked down on Kyle, believing that Kyle was just a lucky person with no real talent, someone who wouldn't last long and was destined to fail sooner or later.
"Sigh."
"Mate, stop saying these things!"
"I admit, I made a mistake—a mistake of arrogance, conceit, and looking down on others."
"After all, before this, even though Page Pictures had released quite a few good films, it had never proven its strength during the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons. But... this Harry Potter movie has slapped me hard in the face."
Roy Disney was filled with regret and annoyance. At this moment, a sentence from Robert stabbed him hard in the heart once again.
"If, and I mean if, if the pirates of the caribbean project that Page Pictures produces in the future also becomes a massive hit, wouldn't you regret it even more?"
Suddenly, Roy's old face stiffened.
The pirates of the caribbean movie, will it also be a huge hit in the future? It won't actually be a hit, will it? Thinking of this, Roy couldn't help but feel even more regret.
If he had gotten involved back then, perhaps the pirates of the caribbean project really would have been jointly developed by Page Pictures and Disney.
"How could there be so many good things?"
Roy said stubbornly: "They first developed Spider-Man, and then there was the explosion of Harry Potter; this is already a very rare occurrence. I don't believe that pirates of the caribbean can be just as successful in the future!"
In the end, the Disney Group had missed the opportunity to win over Page Pictures. The two sides couldn't be called enemies, but they were definitely not friends.
...
20th Century Fox.
"The rise of Page Pictures is already unstoppable!"
Rupert Murdoch said in a deep voice: "In just a few days, the movie Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone has achieved nearly 30 million pounds at the box office in the British market. If nothing goes wrong, it will definitely be the champion of this year's British box office chart, and it might even... have a shot at the champion of British film history box office."
Annual box office champion? British film history box office champion?
"No way?"
At this moment, Murdoch's third wife, Wendi Deng, said in astonishment: "Over the years, many Hollywood blockbusters have failed in the British market. Can Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone really compete for the champion of British film history box office?"
Wendi Deng couldn't quite believe this statement from Murdoch.
Murdoch smiled and then recited a set of data—the British box office chart.
As of December 2020: 1. The Lion King, released in Britain in 1996, with a cumulative box office of 76.5 million pounds; 2. Titanic, released in Britain in 1998, with a cumulative box office of 69.8 million pounds; 3. The Full Monty, released in 1997, with a cumulative box office of 52.23 million pounds; 4. Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, released in 1999, with a cumulative box office of 51.6 million pounds;...
As Wendi Deng had said, many films that achieved high box office results in America failed to achieve stunning box office results after being released in Britain, and some were even very mediocre.
The Matrix, it was awesome, right? It achieved a super high box office of 171 million USD in America alone, with a global box office as high as 460 million USD.
However, in the British market, it only raked in 17.28 million pounds. And this was after a wide release in over 900 theaters. Tsk tsk tsk~, honestly, the box office really wasn't much.
But, the results Harry Potter had achieved in Britain now, as well as its future development trend, had completely exceeded everyone's expectations!
50 million pounds is definitely not its endpoint! 60 million, 70 million, or even 80 million pounds has a high possibility!
In the original timeline, the final result for Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone in the British market was 66 million pounds, but Kyle's version of the box office will definitely exceed 66 million pounds.
As for how much box office it will end up with, who knows?
Similarly, the final global box office for Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone is also a big unknown. Because soon, to be precise, in three days, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone will be released in America.
Opening in over 1,900 theaters? NO! It's now over 2,700 theaters!
Seeing that Harry Potter was a massive hit in Britain, the three major theater chains in America, which operate based on profit, naturally quickly increased the number of screenings and showtimes.