The conditions offered by 20th Century Fox and Warner Bros. were, in Kazir's opinion, not at all a good deal.
Given the current situation, instead of agonizing between these two companies, it would be better to talk to a few more production companies; perhaps he could find a more suitable collaboration opportunity.
So, Kazir said to Salvatore, "Salvatore, contact Universal and Paramount. They will definitely be interested in our project. Oh, and don't forget Touchstone Pictures and Miramax Films."
"Understood," Salvatore replied.
Touchstone and Miramax are both companies under Disney.
In the 90s, Disney was essentially run by Michael Eisner alone; the Disney family had long lost real power.
The chairman was completely focused on live-action films. He believed that once the new century arrived, 2D animation would gradually become outdated, and facts proved that his view was not wrong.
It was precisely for this reason that he kicked out Jeffrey Katzenberg, who was in charge of 2D animation.
Jeffrey, in a fit of anger, turned around and partnered with Steven Spielberg to found DreamWorks.
However, the truth of these inside stories is hard to discern. Hollywood may be glamorous on the surface, but who knows how many unsavory secrets are hidden beneath!
At that time, Disney valued live-action films more, after all, 2D animation had too long a production cycle, taking over a year to produce one, which was truly grueling.
Kazir knew this and secretly thought, "They'll probably change their minds once they acquire Pixar."
After all, Pixar is the undisputed leader in computer animation.
"I'll send the script over now and contact their producers and managers," Salvatore said.
"Remember to leak the news, let everyone know we're looking for new collaboration opportunities," Kazir added.
"No problem," Salvatore nodded, and the two exchanged a look, understanding each other implicitly.
By January 1996, napoleon dynamite and Se7en had both joined the "billion-dollar club."
After napoleon dynamite was released overseas, its current overseas box office has reached 59 million, plus 132 million in North America, bringing its total global box office to 191 million.
Las Vegas betting companies are all placing bets, predicting it will break 250 million before it leaves theaters. It's worth noting that this is a film with a budget of only 500,000, and this achievement has made many film companies incredibly envious.
In fact, during this time, many companies wanted to contact Kazir, but he had been holding back, not showing up, just waiting for Warner Bros. and Fox to give their final offers.
After all, he had dealt with the CEOs of these two companies and still had some fondness for them.
"Too bad, their sincerity is still not enough," Kazir shook his head helplessly.
"But if they are willing to change their terms, it's not impossible to negotiate."
The initiative is now firmly in Kazir's hands.
Just then, Kazir's phone rang.
He looked at the caller ID, a smile appearing on his face: "Reese? Oh, you're coming back tomorrow? Did you bring me any Australian specialties?"
It turned out that the napoleon dynamite crew had signed contracts and had to go on promotional tours in various countries. Although Reese and the others were exhausted, they also saw many new things.
"Alright, see you at the airport tomorrow," Kazir hung up the phone, feeling particularly good.
After parting with Salvatore, Kazir planned to go to the cinema to watch a movie. After all, as a director, watching how others shoot films and learning from them is always beneficial.
He chose the film Jumanji.
"The film is good, but the cost is too high."
The film's budget was as high as 65 million. Kazir sat in the cinema and spent two hours watching the entire film.
At this moment, he couldn't help but think of Ed Helms.
At that time, Ed was still an unknown actor, 21 years old, with no family background, and determined to become an actor.
But with his looks, becoming a big star was almost as difficult as reaching the heavens.
"Napoleon! Napoleon!"
When Ed walked onto the talk show stage, the audience shouted his name in unison. At that moment, he felt like he was dreaming; he seemed to have truly succeeded.
But he also knew in his heart that if he didn't get the next role, this hard-won fame would disappear without a trace in an instant.
Fortunately, Kazir had him play Napoleon, and now he has invited him to shoot a new film, so Ed is naturally preparing with all his might.
For the director who made him famous, he yearned from the bottom of his heart to collaborate again.
It wasn't just Ed; Pedro Pascal was the same. As a Chilean-American actor, he always wanted to prove himself in Hollywood, and Kazir gave him this opportunity. He felt that following Kazir was definitely the right choice.
To be honest, both actors were a bit nervous. Kazir's new film, the hangover, was completely different from napoleon dynamite, with a rougher style.
But after reading the script, they laughed hysterically, both knowing that the film had the potential to be a blockbuster.
To secure the roles, the two of them were studying the script like madmen.
"Ed, take a look at these scripts too; a director has invited you for an audition."
His agent, John Harris, placed a stack of scripts on the table. They were currently in a hotel suite in Australia, and after this promotional tour, they would be able to return to America. To be honest, promotional tours were more tiring than filming.
"Got it. But if it clashes with the hangover, I'll turn it down," Ed said.
"Don't worry, I've already checked; there's no conflict."
John Harris was actually the one who had spoken with Karl Morlin last time; both of them worked at William Morris Agency (WMA).
"Karl was truly blind to not sign Kazir, such a promising talent. If it were me, I would have held onto him no matter what."
John Harris couldn't help but sigh inwardly, feeling that Karl's move was truly terrible.
"Alright, I need to eat more."
For the dentist role in the hangover, Ed had been trying hard to gain weight these days. After all, when he played Napoleon, he was a slender figure, and now he needed to differentiate his image.
It was clear that he was truly dedicated to his work.
"When we get back to America, I'll find you a nutritionist."
John Harris shook his head inwardly. He knew that napoleon dynamite was going to have a sequel, and given Ed's current weight, he would probably be constantly gaining and losing weight for the next two years.
Ed nodded and stuffed another sandwich into his mouth.