HOLLYWOOD WHAT IF

[Pujimaki]

[Shout out to Timothy S!]

Hollywood What If Chapter 110


When Kazir said it, both Michaels realized his intention. Kazir was not interested in money, he had another motive.

The two old men looked at each other. Then Michael Eisner put down his wine glass and crossed his arms.

"What do you want?"

"Chairman Eisner, I want to knock a million off the price. But I have a very small request."

'Small request, my ass. Your grin is so wide you look like a devil.'

The old men realized that Kazir Grey was not that simple.

"It's very simple. I want you to get rid of the pest in your company. I have heard that the pest is crawling around in your administration. I'm worried about what the pest might do to you, Mr. Eisner."

"..."

Michael Eisner understood Kazir's intention. He was old and experienced.

'So he wants me to kick Harvey Weinstein out of Walt Disney.'

Kazir didn't say anything obvious, but Michael Eisner easily understood his words.

"... You have to understand, making a decision like this is messy. The pest could fly in and make a mess. Give me a week. I'll think about it."

"Then thank you, Chairman, for giving me the chance to talk to you."

Kazir bowed and left the private room.

When Kazir was gone, the two old men sighed.

"I thought we were cunning, but this guy is too calculating. He probably expected this meeting and planned his move."

Michael Ovitz muttered. He had the feeling that Kazir Grey had a clear goal for this meeting. He listened the whole time and found out that Kazir understood the situation.

"Indeed. I didn't sense any nervousness on his part."

Michael Eisner nodded.

They were just trying to buy a script, but instead they got a terrifying proposal.

This man, Kazir Grey, was trying to convince them to cut Harvey Weinstein out of Miramax.

"It's understandable because Harvey Weinstein is one of the people who caused Kazir trouble."

Michael Ovitz added.

"Ovitz, I can see that you have a favorable opinion of Kazir Grey. What do you think of him?"

"The reason I like him is because he signed a deal with CAA. Simple as that. Even though I'm not the president of CAA anymore, I'd rather work with them than WMA."

Michael Ovitz was kicked out of the William Morris Agency and had a grudge against the company. He formed CAA with the others and slowly built up the agency.

Of course, he would never help WMA destroy Kazir's career. When the scandal started, Michael Ovitz did his best to maintain his neutral position.

'Phenomenon and The Hangover were clashing at the time, so Walt Disney agreed with Harvey Weinstein's decision to destroy his career.'

Michael Eisner thought. There were two sides to the coin, and he knew why Walt Disney had partnered with WMA.

But lately, Harvey Weinstein had become an eyesore.

"Harvey Weinstein is getting closer to the shareholders. He is trying to consolidate his position." Michael Ovitz recalled.

"On top of that... He reached out to Roy Disney."

"..."

When Ovitz said that, Chairman Eisner got serious.

There was only one person in Walt Disney who could challenge his authority. It was the Disney family, specifically Roy Disney.

"The Disney family has already lost control of the company, and you already have the ultimate authority. But let's not forget that the company is owned by the major shareholders of Walt Disney. It will be problematic if they start to act."

"I understand."

Michael Eisner could not agree more. The Walt Disney of the Disney family was already gone. Now it was Michael Eisner's Walt Disney.

Still, the chances of the Disney family taking over the company were obvious.

"If Harvey Weinstein sides with Roy Disney and tries to make an alliance with the shareholders, it will be bad for both of us."

President Ovitz was hired by Chairman Eisner, so they were on the same side. If one of them was forced out, they would lose a tremendous amount of strength.

In this timeline, the two friends had a better relationship. Perhaps Kazir actually changed the timeline.

"The only thing stopping us from expelling the Weinstein brothers is their influence at Miramax. If we recklessly kicked them out, Miramax might cease to function altogether."

From the moment Walt Disney reached out to Miramax, it was clear what their intentions were. Miramax was getting stronger, and the Big Six realized it very early on. So the Big Six did their best to keep Miramax from getting better.

'The Weinstein brothers were broke at the time, so they were forced to sell Miramax to Walt Disney.'

To be honest, Michael Eisner had enough evidence to send Harvey Weinstein to jail. He knew all of his dirty deeds. The only thing stopping him was the consequences.

He wanted to get rid of Harvey Weinstein as soon as Miramax was stable. But the company was still growing.

If there was one other thing to consider, it was the fact that Harvey Weinstein was Jewish. So was Michael Eisner and Michael Ovitz.

'This is crazy because Kazir Grey is also Jewish.'

Yet both sides were trying to sabotage each other.

"First of all, let's think seriously about this. We can't throw Harvey Weinstein out because he's still useful."

"I understand. I will try to keep informed about his relationship with Roy Disney."

The two old men agreed. It was not difficult who to choose between Harvey Weinstein and Kazir Grey.

Harvey Weinstein was a talented executive. Even though he was a bad guy, the truth is that he got Miramax to where it is now.

As for Kazir Grey. It was obvious that his talent was as a director. He could make good movies, especially comedies.

"Kazir's new project is an action movie, right?"

"That's right." Michael Ovitz nodded.

"What a waste... If he chooses a comedy, I will not hesitate to sign a deal with him. Even a thriller like Se7en is no problem. But an action movie? Does he even know how difficult it is to shoot an action movie? A lot of accidents can happen when shooting an action movie."

 

[Lillie Jones]

Thanks for the chapter

 

[Pujimaki]

Hollywood What If Chapter 111


"Hello, Kazir! How's your day going?"

"Scarlett, you should keep your voice down. It's disturbing my concentration."

Kazir massaged his forehead when he heard Scarlett Johansson's loud greeting.

"Wow, so this is the editing room... It's too dark in here."

Two weeks had passed since the party at Walt Disney. Filming of Taken had officially wrapped a few days earlier, and Kazir had already begun editing Taken.

He hired Rector, the editor of Napoleon Dynamite to edit the movie together with him. They checked every films, saved footages that they would possibly use and combined them into a movie... It was not that simple actually, the time they had to spend on doing this was not simple.

Rector and Renner Hector are different people, their names were a little close, but that was all.

An editor like Rector didn't have any credits other than Napoleon Dynamite. All the movies he edited never went to theaters. They went quickly to the videotape market after editing. So Rector cherished his accomplishment of editing Napoleon Dynamite. It gave him confidence.

And now that Napoleon Dynamite II has been released. People who hadn't seen the first movie bought the videotape. As the editor, his name was on the opening and closing credits. That was something to be proud of.

When Kazir Grey was looking for an editor for his current project, Rector did not hesitate. He agreed and signed the contract.

He was so excited that he stayed up all night on the first day of work. Because of Rector's enthusiasm, Kazir had no choice but to follow suit and stay up all night as well.

... It had been three days since he had a proper rest. Kazir Grey was therefore sensitive to noise and light. The life of a director in post-production was terrifying. If shooting was exhausting, editing was a sleepless venture.

Scarlett Johansson sensed that the people around her were tired, so she obeyed them and kept her mouth shut...for a little while. She was curious about the editing room, so she decided to enter it... Only to see abominations.

"K- Kazir, I thought you were a person who cared about your health. What is this then?"

She was stunned when she saw the tall tower of cup noodles and pizza boxes. They were like two Leaning Towers of Pisa.

"Scarlett, I don't have time to leave the room. So I can only order these things."

Kazir sighed. They had a schedule to keep. As much as possible, Kazir wanted to finish the post-production for a month. Fortunately, Kazir had the whole movie in his head, so he didn't spend any time experimenting. Although he did have to add a few easter eggs for the next upcoming movies in the Continental Cinematic Universe.

Overall, he did a good job.

"I think you need to eat right! You said I need to eat healthy food, and so do you! Let's go, we can eat somewhere."

"Scarlett, I have things to do. What about you? Have you finished dubbing your scenes?"

"I'm done for today, an underage actress like me has to follow strict working hours. Unlike you, Mr. Grey, who looks like a panda."

"All right, all right. Just leave the room when you're done exploring. Don't touch any buttons."

"What am I? A child?" She pouted.

"That's right."

"Geez! Don't change the subject! You need to eat something healthy."

She was irritated and kicked the floor. Principal Grey was a stubborn guy.

"...I'm hungry for some vegetables."

Kazir recalled a certain dish called Sushi. Unfortunately, he had to continue working.

"Um, Kazir... How about we finish work for today? My wife keeps calling me."

The editor, Rector, smiled bitterly and apologized. Because he was working too hard, he forgot to talk to his wife.

"Is that so? I don't mind. Let's take a break."

They left the studio at 4:21 pm.

"Where are your parents?"

"They are busy. Salvatore dropped me off at the studio. He left after that because he has a job to do. Probably something to do with your movie."

"Maybe."

Four of his clients were working on Taken, and Salvatore hoped the movie would be successful.

Salvatore's clients were: Kazir Grey, Enzo Park, Scarlett Johansson, and Brianna Evans. These people were his main source of income, so he was working hard.

'I think this time he is trying to get in touch with Warner Bros. My influence at Warner Bros and 20th Century Fox are getting better after the release of Napoleon Dynamite II.'

One month after the release of Napoleon Dynamite II, the film had already grossed $153.55 million.

Even though his position on the project was not that high, the money he earned was already over $1.4 million. His job as the screenwriter and executive producer of the movie already brought him this insane amount.

'... Unfortunately, my influence is not enough to convince Chairman Eisner.'

Their first meeting was quite good, but Michael Eisner felt it was too early to fire Harvey Weinstein.

Also, Kazir Grey was too irrelevant to ask for a big favor. Michael Eisner was not sure that Kazir Grey was worth the deal.

Of course, Kazir didn't sell the Meet The Parents script to Walt Disney. Although Walt Disney wanted to buy the script for $3 million, Kazir decided to keep it for now. Once Taken and The Hangover 2 were released, the Big Six would definitely buy his scripts, even if they looked like trash.

Taken will come out this year, while The Hangover 2 will come out next year, maybe around March or April.

"Hey, where are we going to eat?"

Since Scarlett was new to the place, she decided to follow Kazir. She let him choose where to eat.

"We're going to a Japanese restaurant."

"Okay." She nodded, quite curious about Japanese delicacies.

Kazir looked at her.

"By the way, who's going to take you home?"

"My mom. She said she would call me around 5:30. So I thought I'd play in the studio for an hour."

"Kid, you should focus on your studies instead."

He rubbed her hair and the little girl screamed and pushed his hand away.

"Don't mess up my hair."

She growled.

"... Alright." Kazir chuckled and left the child alone.

 

[Lillie Jones]

thanks for the chapter

 

[Pujimaki]

Hollywood What If Chapter 112


"I'm just wondering, where's Erica?"

Scarlett asked after eating a chicken teriyaki. It was the first time she ate a unique chicken dish filled with sweet sauce. Totally different from the fried chicken she likes to eat.

"I gave her a day off. Her kids want to go to Disneyland."

"Wow, I can't believe Mr. Serious Grey is so generous to give someone a day off. I remember you being so strict with me that I can't hold back my tears."

"I never did. You were the one who kept crying because you needed to cry at that time."

The scene was about the time Kim Mills was about to kidnap.

"Are you sure you're okay with being generous? I mean, Erica looks like a hardworking person, but you can't be too soft on people. They might take advantage of you."

"I know what I'm doing. I'm not a kid like you."

"I'm not a kid!"

"All right, all right. Erica has twins, so I understand why she has to work hard. I'm not a brutal person, especially when it has nothing to do with the movie."

"Yeah, right~," Scarlett said sarcastically.

Kazir shrugged and let the little girl make fun of him. He was not petty enough to fight a child.

"Having an assistant has made my work easier, but I'm still not used to people following me around. I'm the kind of person who wants to be alone and let my brain work without any disturbance."

"That's depressing. Are you sure you want to be so lonely?"

"Scarlett, I've been lonely for a long time. I can say that my brain works faster when I'm alone. So sending Erica on vacation once in a while is not a problem."

Kazir started to eat sushi with chopsticks.

Scarlett narrowed her eyes and looked into Kazir's.

'He's not lying... I can't believe there are people who like to be alone. Is that normal?'

She felt as if the man across the table had witnessed so many things. Like he was an old man who knew the meaning of life, someone who already died. To be honest, Scarlett have no idea what the director was talking about.

"Kazir, what do you think is the meaning of life?"

"There are many ways to live a good life. It all depends on the person."

"What about you then?"

She frowned as Kazir added wasabi to his sushi. Scarlett never liked sushi because it tasted raw. But Kazir was adding another abomination of condiments to the food.

"As for me, I like making movies. I have longed to make an action movie for so many years. I know I'm not a talented director, but I hope to make a name for myself. Once people hear a movie, they will immediately think of my name.

Kazir looked ahead as if looking from a distance.

"Scarlett, what do you think of when you hear Jurrasic Park?"

"Dinosaurs."

"I think of Steven Spielberg."

"Meh, I don't think of old guys."

"Then what about Star Wars?"

"I'm thinking about lightsabers. Don't tell me you're going to say George Lucas?"

"That's right." Kazir nodded.

"You are too predictable."

She clicked her tongue. But that didn't stop her from eating the chicken teriyaki. Scarlett Johansson never liked rice, but the combination of chicken teriyaki and rice was impeccable.

"Well, now that you have finished filming Taken, I guess your dreams have come true."

"No, I still have to see it in theaters. Besides, I hope it grosses over $200 million worldwide."

The Hangover is the most successful R-Rated movie of all time, as of now, grossing over $500 million worldwide.

Kazir had that achievement under his belt.

Kazir was not stupid to believe that his first action movie would have such a success.

'Besides, the box office of Taken in my past life was also over $200 million. As long as the movie makes that amount, I'm satisfied.'

Too much expectation can lead to heartbreak. Kazir was too old to think that everything would revolve around him.

'... Sigh, I also have to find a distributor.'

He let out a long sigh. These problems plagued him all the time, even though he had to focus all his attention on editing the movie. He could not help it, he understood the importance of movie distribution.

"Hey, why are you sighing? Don't sigh in front of the food, it's disrespectful. You're an adult, be tough."

"You're right, Scarlett. I apologize."

"Geez! I said don't mess up my hair."

.........
......
...

And that was the end of post-production on Taken. Grey Pictures' $25 million investment has already been spent. Now everything depends on the result.

Because of Kazir's status, some big shots from the Big Six showed up. Terry Semel postponed the board meeting just to watch this small screening. Only a select few were invited to see the film. CAA contacted them personally.

"Looks like CAA is serious about Kazir Grey.

Even Tom Rothman showed up. He was in a good mood because Napoleon Dynamite II was doing well. Tom Rothman was the one who started Fox Searchlight Pictures. He was the one who bought Napoleon Dynamite.

The credits were all on him. Because of that, Rupert Murdoch met with him personally and praised his performance. He promised a big bonus for this year.

In return, Tom Rothman decided to take some time off to see Kazir's new movie.

But the two CEOs of major film companies didn't expect another big shot to show up.

"Nice to meet you, President Ovitz."

"Are you Salvatore? You have a good eye for talented people. Keep up the good work."

President Michael Ovitz showed up just to see the movie.

Because of his presence, the other film companies realized that Walt Disney was interested in Kazir's movie.

+++++

[Author's note: This question has already been answered on my Patreon, but you can still comment. I'll take all your criticism.]

[I have nine companies to choose from, which of them should distribute Taken in your opinion:]

Walt Disney

20th Century Fox

Warner Bros.

Paramount

Universal

Sony-Columbia

MGM(Metro Goldwyn Mayer, the lion logo one)

Orion Pictures

DreamWorks(they have been distributing movies since 1997, although their promotion is not that strong at the moment)

 

[Lillie Jones]

Thanks for the chapter

 

[Pujimaki]

Hollywood What If Chapter 113


For an up-and-coming director like Kazir Grey, it was already a privilege to have three big shots from the Big Six show up to watch the screening.

This time they were invited to Grey Pictures for a small screening of Taken. Grey Pictures was a studio/production company, so they have equipment related to filming such as cameras and lighting. They also had a small studio where about 30 people could watch movies.

Even though his initial intention for Grey Pictures was just for tax incentives, Kazir felt that he needed to invest to make sure that the studio had equipment for film-related things.

The projector was already set up, and Kazir Grey stood and greeted each guest. Even though he didn't know most of them, he greeted them with a smile.

'I guess Salvatore works really hard.'

He looked at his agent and chuckled when he saw that Salvatore Barlowe had dark circles under his eyes... Well, Kazir had dark circles as well. Like Salvatore, Kazir worked tirelessly. He hadn't had enough sleep in the last few days.

Of all the actors, only Enzo Park showed up. Scarlett Johansson was not allowed to see the movie without her parents. She was only 12 years old.

PG-13 means that children under the age of 13 need their parents to watch the movie.

As for Liam Neeson, the man was taking a break after months of filming. Action movies were definitely tiring. Liam Neeson spent months just to have a positive physique. So he took his time to rest.

Actors didn't have authority over post-production, only superstars could influence the director's decision. So far, Kazir had never worked with a superstar, so he didn't have a clear understanding of their behavior.

He knew a few superstars who had absurd terms in their contracts.

'Vin Diesel, Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham. It said that these people are not allowed to lose in a fight. It's in their contracts. Also, they are only allowed to get hit a couple of times. I can understand why they have specific things like that in their contracts.'

Actors have to keep up their appearances. Getting beaten up in a movie could do irreparable damage to their careers. So they don't want to lose in a fight... Even if it's just acting.

"Kazir, it's good to see you again. I hear you're busy these days."

Terry Semel shook hands and greeted Kazir.

"You're still as busy as ever. Haha, don't forget to read the revisions we made to the script of The Hangover Part 2."

Terry Semel didn't forget to tell him. Kazir finished writing The Hangover Part 2 a year ago. He had already given the script to Warner Bros.

Like a normal film company, Warner Bros was skeptical about the context of the script, so they decided to write a backup script just in case. Although they chose his script immediately after the release of Napoleon Dynamite II.

They even hired many writers to polish the script. But they felt it was not enough. Kazir's presence was important. Warner Bros believes that Kazir Grey had to read the script before giving the go signal.

They believe in his ability to make a script. Of course, they would pay him for his work.

"Don't worry Terry, I'll make sure to attend at least one script meeting this month."

"That's reassuring to hear."

Pre-production on The Hangover Part 2 began. Warner Bros had no choice but to increase the budget now that Ed Helms and Pedro Pascal had established their names.

Their agents demanded a raise! Which was understandable.

'If there's just one problem, it's...'

"Kazir, are you sure you're not interested in directing The Hangover Part 2? I can give you a better deal if you want."

Terry Semel said. The importance of a talented director in making a successful movie was obvious. Everyone in Hollywood believes that Kazir Grey can produce another successful comedy film. For that, Warner Bros was willing to accept any terms, as long as they were possible.

If Kazir wanted 15% of the North American box office, Warner Bros would say yes. If he wanted 20%, Warner Bros would nod its head.

Kazir Grey as the director of The Hangover Part 2 was the best assurance they could get.

"Terry, I have to be honest, my schedule is already full for the next four years. I'm going to be busy."

"What?"

Terry Semel tilted his head in confusion.

'Did he sign a deal with the other film companies? Why have I never heard of this?' He thought.

"Is it because of the Cinematic Universe you're talking about?"

"That's right."

Kazir didn't deny it. Terry Semel had read the script for Taken, and he had also read John Wick. Kazir was trying to create a series of movies that were connected.

"I see. Well, if you're having trouble, you can go to Warner Bros."

As long as Kazir Grey was profitable, film companies would do their best to work with him.

But Taken was different. To be honest, Terry Semel felt that the script didn't have the X factor. The plot was mediocre and the action sequences had too much hand-to-hand combat. It was also pretty brutal.

Also, Kazir was a newcomer to action movies. He didn't have enough experience.

Still, Terry Semel would never say it in front of Kazir. He still needed the man to continue the Hangover franchise. Even if The Hangover was only a trilogy. Considering that the cast's salaries were on the rise.

Kazir also welcomed Tom Rothman and Michael Ovitz. Just like Terry Semel, the two big shots wanted to make a connection with the up-and-coming director.

Just like that, the small screening of Taken began with only 23 guests in attendance.

 

[Fellwinter]

Well, that was a tease ending on a chapter. Show the reactions to the movie for all that's holy.

 

[Lillie Jones]

Well now Terry Temel may have a few good points for the first Taken movie
But that's not what made a Taken trilogy for 3 movies by Liam Neeson and excellent casting.
Terry Temel will see soon enough for Kazir Grey on Continental Cinematic Universe, but Kazir Grey got get through this first hurdle of convincing the big Six Companies it worth the effort.
Looking forward to reactions chapter to the first Taken film movie.
Continue on
Cheers!

 

[Pujimaki]

[Shout out to Brent W, Andreas S, and Jonathan I!]

Hollywood What If Chapter 114


Action-packed, blood-boiling and intense. The guests watched the movie with these emotions.

Most of the people in the audience were men. In fact, they were fathers.

They had a pretty good idea of the plot, so they knew that the daughter would be kidnapped. Still, it was satisfying to see the traffickers beaten up.

The fathers would do anything to protect their children, they might even kill a person if they had to. Bryan Mills' mission was to find his daughter and bring her back.

The audience cheered him on. Some of them even screamed when Bryan Mills found the group responsible for the crime.

There are many unforgivable crimes and human trafficking is one of them. For Bryan Mills to beat these criminals was something that gave them satisfaction.

When the movie ended and the lights went on, people started talking about the movie.

'It's good. It entertains me. But I'm not sure if the movie can make us a profit. Unless we bought all the copyrights, this movie could be a loss for us.'

Michael Ovitz thought. He had a good impression of Kazir, but it was different when it came to business.

'I heard this movie has a budget of $25 million, maybe I can negotiate and buy it for $50 million. Grey Pictures didn't lose anything if they agreed to that. They doubled their investment.'

Signing a distribution deal for Taken was a gamble. They could lose money. Unless Grey Pictures paid them for distribution. But Grey Pictures didn't have that kind of money.

In the end, it all comes down to Kazir Grey's decision.

Michael Ovitz looked around. He saw Terry Semel and Tom Rothman talking. As the three big shots looked at each other, they came to one conclusion.

The movie was great and entertaining... But they would never sign a losing deal. If Grey Pictures wanted to release this movie, they would have to play the game with them.

The three nodded to each other.

'We will not lower the terms.'

That was clear.

Kazir Grey watched everyone's reaction. Just as he expected, most of them had a mediocre reaction to Taken.

The movie had its pros and cons. The theme of the movie was dark. Some scenes were confusing. People didn't understand the easter eggs.

Kazir risked it, but he was careful not to show too many easter eggs. Just enough to make people curious.

Now it is up to the film companies. It depends on them if they are interested in distributing the film.

'One of them will give us a satisfactory contract. They can't get over the what-ifs.'

Sony-Columbia wanted 35% of the North American box office.

Walt Disney settled for 40% of the North American box office. It was funny because Walt Disney never lowered their contract. At least they kept their promise to keep it under 40%...

'Although Touchstone, Disney's subsidiary, contacted me. They want to buy the movie for $50 million. Walt Disney knew how to do things right.'

Warner Bros didn't respond positively, so the deal was 40% as well. Maybe Terry Semel was disappointed that Kazir didn't agree to direct The Hangover 2.

As for Universal Pictures... They didn't bother to attend the screening. Their relationship with Grey Pictures was non-existent. Especially after the scandal.

If there was one thing that surprised Kazir, it was the contract that 20th Century Fox gave him. He thought Tom Rothman would never agree to it. Maybe the results of Napoleon Dynamite II changed that.

20th Century Fox agrees to a 30% North American share of the box office. The lowest... As of now.

.........
......
...

"Sir..."

"What is it?"

Terry Semel was reviewing documents when his secretary arrived. It was already three days after the screening of Taken. Warner Bros had already dropped their intention to sign a distribution deal.

In their opinion, Taken was not worth it. Also, they could not give the movie a good release date. The summer schedule was always full.

"It's about Taken. Grey Pictures has found a distributor.

"As expected, they chose 20th Century Fox, right? Tom Rothman gave them a good deal."

Terry Semel dropped his pen and listened.

"No, sir. It's not 20th Century Fox. Grey Pictures had a deal with Paramount. It says that Paramount will distribute the three Grey Pictures films, including Taken."

"What?"

Terry Semel wasn't expecting it. Kazir had a good relationship with 20th Century Fox. He thought Grey Pictures would pick them.

There was only one conclusion.

"What's Paramount's offer?"

"Paramount signed a 25% North American box office deal with Grey Pictures."

"..."

Terry Semel was confused.

"What's wrong with Brad Grey? Did he agree to Kazir because they have the same last name?"

Terry Semel muttered. A 25% share of the box office was not too good from a business standpoint. That amount might not be enough to cover expenses if the movie flopped.

.........
......
...

While Terry Semel was in a state of confusion, Kazir Grey and Brad Grey officially signed a contract.

"To be honest, I didn't think it was worth it, but the terms you gave me are tempting."

Brad Grey shook hands with Kazir.

"Selling Meet The Parents for half a million is not so bad, especially if you promise to be the writer and executive producer."

"I'll do my best to give Paramount a good franchise."

Kazir's plan kept changing, but he had no choice but to adapt. The Meet The Parents trilogy was smaller compared to the Continental Cinematic Universe entity. He was willing to sell it as long as he could get a better deal.

"Glad to hear that."

Before Marvel was bought by Disney, its films were distributed by Paramount. In a way, Kazir was just following in the footsteps of the MCU.

 

[Lillie Jones]

We want to disappoint our future mcu fans and the unexpected signing of Paramount company threw Terry Temel a loop and not because of the Same last name .
Which Kazir Grey does the Meet the Parents script trilogy for the future mcu verse world in the works by Grey Pictures. A reasonable small price to pay for Continental Cinematic Universe and MCU verse world.
But Continental Cinematic Universe survived the first hurdle and now must continue the Cinematic Continental world building.
Continue on
Cheers-

 

[Pujimaki]

[Shout out to Overated!]

Hollywood What If Chapter 115


The Marvel Studios. It was a production company created by Marvel Comics to try to revive their company. After watching Spider-Man take over the world, Marvel Comics found a reason to stay alive.

Sony-Columbia had the movie copyright of Spider-Man, but Marvel had the other copyrights such as the comics, merchandise (costumes, toys, etc.), and games.

Marvel made a profit after the release of Spider-Man. The comics related to Spider-Man increased in sales and even products related to Spider-Man sold out.

It was a win-win situation for both Marvel and Sony-Columbia. After that, many film companies tried to buy their superheroes, but Marvel was adamant about keeping them.

Marvel had already lost some of its big superheroes like the X-Men and Fantastic Four. Marvel gritted their teeth after selling X-Men and Fantastic Four to 20th Century Fox. They regret that.

In fact, they regret almost every superhero they sold. They did their best just to get back the movie rights to the Hulk and other superheroes.

When the 2000s arrived, Warner Bros had the idea of bringing the Justice League to the screen by releasing Superman Returns and Batman Begins. The information was limited and no one could confirm if Warner Bros was really trying to start a Cinematic Universe. But it was clear that Batman Begins had a bit of a superhero vibe, unlike The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises.

Unfortunately, Superman Returns was a huge disappointment. So Warner Bros decided to make The Dark Knight Trilogy instead.

While DC was busy with The Dark Knight Trilogy, Marvel was making plans and starting their Cinematic Universe.

The superhero they chose was none other than the Incredible Hulk... However, working with Edward Norton was not so good. They decided to change the actor, maybe Edward Norton had an extravagant salary and unreasonable requests and Marvel Studio could not afford his wants.

Marvel Studio wavered in their decision at first. But their next movie said otherwise.

Iron Man was distributed by Paramount and it did well. A second-rate superhero like Iron Man became one of the most famous superheroes of the next decade. Everybody knows him, Tony Stark, Iron Man and Robert Downey Jr.

Kazir never expected that his first opening film for the Continental Cinematic Universe would be distributed by Paramount. Maybe that was a good sign.

On top of that, they agreed to sign two more movies for the same deal. It's a very good deal.

A 25% box office deal was hard to come by. Even Kazir was shocked when he heard Paramount's intentions. Well, it was good for Grey Pictures. At least they didn't have to worry about their two upcoming projects. Their problem was solved for a while.

With the exchange of the Meet The Parents script, Kazir felt that the negotiation was worth it. Unlike Meet The Parents, which had three possible films, Taken was the first film in the Continental Cinematic Universe. It was very important, because there are billions in that movie alone. Although Kazir was the only one who thought so.

So far, nobody thinks that Cinematic Universe was profitable. But once it was pioneered, every movie company would salivate.

"Paramount will release the movie at midnight on July 24, 1997. Two weeks from now."

It was actually July 25th because it was released at midnight, but whatever.

The thing was that Taken had to face a strong opponent. Air Force One with Harrison Ford would be released the same day.

'Sigh... I can't help it. Paramount already has a schedule for their movies. They can't put Taken ahead of their own movies. They can't give us a good release date because their summer schedule is already packed.'

It was already a good thing that Taken had a release schedule. Besides, Paramount already showed their sincerity by giving Grey Pictures a good distribution deal.

'The initial advertising budget for Taken is $4 million. If the movie doesn't do well, they'll stop advertising it.'

So for now, Kazir could only trust in his movie... He was actually scared because Air Force One was a strong opponent. It was one of the top 10 grossing films of 1997.

'I hope Sony-Columbia will not do anything bad. I can't protect myself because Taken is under Grey Pictures. If Sony-Columbia tries to make trouble, I can't defend myself against the media.'

Paramount would not protect him, nor would Warner Bros or 20th Century Fox. That was the downside of not working with the Big Six, he was all open with no defense.

'That's why I prefer to work with the Big Six. Because their umbrella is safe. They'll never hurt me as long as I'm useful.'

Kazir was lying when he said that he was not interested in starting his own film company. But he knew it was the stupidest decision he could make.

Building distribution channels was not that easy. The Big Six had already absorbed almost all the companies that had distribution channels.

DreamWorks and Lionsgate might try, but their track record was not good.

Even in the next two decades, DreamWorks and Lionsgate didn't have international distribution.

As soon as he showed his intention to build a distribution channel, the Big Six would destroy him. Just like they did to their competitors.

'If you can't beat them, join them. Also, I didn't like working with business. It's a hassle. I would rather make movies than run a company.'

With that, Kazir Grey let time pass. He waited for the release date of Taken. No lie, Kazir Grey was lonely with Reese Witherspoon gone. She was busy with The Hangover Part 2.

+++++

[Author's note: Do you want this novel to be a harem or not? Although I can't assure you that all of your favorite actresses will be part of the harem. I didn't want to focus on romance in the first place. Anyway, say yes if you want a harem. Say No if you don't. Write down the actresses you like, I might set up scenes for them].

[Update: Most patrons prefer not to have a harem. And I'm glad about it.]

 

[chimmichangaa]

No harem.

 

[TheShadowDeamon]

No harem

 

[Moran]

Naturally, no harem.

 

[Anthony]

No harem

 

[Fellwinter]

No harem. Would feel unnatural in the story.

 

[Lillie Jones]

No Harem.
List
Jennifer lopez
Hayley Atwell
Jennifer Gardner
Salma Hayek
Margo Robbie
Naomi Campbell ( scream franchise)
Kate Beckinsale
Charlize Theron
Lucy lawless
Lynda Carter

 

[Pujimaki]

[Shout out to Roberto Morse D, Jack A, Sean S, and Kevaughn C!]

Hollywood What If Chapter 116


"I apologize, it looks like Kazir Grey never intended to work with us."

Michael Ovitz faced the chairman.

"That's okay. I expected this. From the moment we didn't agree to his terms, I knew Kazir wouldn't choose us. Although it's a waste that Paramount got the Meet The Parents script. I'm very interested in the script. I think it has potential."

"It's written by Kazir Grey, so you're probably right."

The two old men chuckled. Even though their negotiations with Kazir had failed, it did not affect them. This was business, after all. Kazir Grey might be a talented director, but there were many talented directors in this industry.

Walt Disney could find another director to work with. Maybe they could work with Kazir Grey next time.

'Although I heard that Paramount signed a three-movies deal with Grey Pictures. It's a North American distribution, so we can still contact Grey Pictures regarding international distribution of the film.'

They didn't lose. They didn't even fight. They used Touchstone as a proxy to contact Kazir, but in the end it was futile.

"Ovitz, you saw Taken. What do you think of the movie?"

"It's good. I cheered for the father, it's entertaining, and it has a lot of good points, although there are some bad ones. But I think it will not do well, especially if it has the same release date as Air Force One".

Between Harrison Ford and Liam Neeson, Harrison Ford had more fans.

Han Solo of Star Wars.

Rick Deckard from Blade Runner.

Indiana Jones of the Indiana Jones series.

Harrison Ford had more box office appeal than Liam Neeson. Harrison Ford was a superstar, while Liam Neeson was at best a first-rate actor.

With these facts, the two Michaels believe that Taken had already lost the edge. Maybe Paramount just fucked with Taken by pitting it against Air Force One. Who knows?

The two old men laughed about it.

"Kazir's too arrogant this time. He tried to convince us to dump Harvey Weinstein."

Kazir was too weak to ask for such a thing. Of course, Chairman Eisner would disagree.

"Chairman, don't be like that. I think Kazir is right. We really do need to kick the Weinstein brothers out of Miramax and Disney."

"Indeed. But it's not the right time."

They confirmed that Harvey Weinstein was siding with the Disney family, and that was bad for Michael Eisner. He wanted to retain as much authority as possible.

He was the one who brought Walt Disney to its current status. He is the tyrant Michael Eisner. He even stopped the production of hand-drawn animation and fired Jeffrey Katzenberg.

From now on, he focused his attention on luring Pixar. He tried to convince Steve Jobs to sell his Pixar's shares to Walt Disney.

In the middle of their conversation, Michael Ovitz received a message from his secretary.

"Chairman, we have a TV here, right?"

"Hm, here's the remote."

Chairman Eisner was confused as to why Ovitz was interested in watching television.

Michael Ovitz changed the channel to a news channel... As the two Michaels watched the news, they immediately realized they had made a mistake.

[Breaking news: An underage girl missing for eight months has been found in Mexico. She had been kidnapped by human traffickers and sold to the Mafia... They found dozens of young American girls in an underground facilities.]

As they watched the news, the two old men were stunned.

"Ovitz, is this a Paramount movie promotion for Taken?"

"I'm afraid not. This is ABC. Our own television network. Paramount has no control over it. This is real news... I heard that even the President is going to address this problem in his speech."

"Shit."

Chairman Michael Eisner rubbed his forehead. This was a fucking coincidence, a good coincidence for Paramount!

"Ovitz, when is the release date for Taken again?"

"July 24th, midnight. Three days from now."

Michael Eisner sighed.

"I think we made a mistake."

"..."

This time the two agreed. This news alone was covered by every news channel. The missing girl had already become famous a few months ago, because her disappearance had already been reported by news channels.

And now this topic was revived again. The poor girl was caught in a crime of human trafficking!

That day, the whole of North America dealt with the news related about the missing girl and the other kidnapped underaged girls.

While this was happening, the movie companies were sighing in defeat. They had lost a big fish!

Who would have thought that the missing girl was actually kidnapped by human traffickers? Moreover, she was rescued along with many underage girls! The news attracted the people of America!

This is unfair! The will of heaven was on Kazir's side!

Just like CEO Michael Eisner, the other big shots gritted their teeth.

Well, except for the executives at Paramount. They were too busy. This was their chance to cash in!

Three days before the release of Taken, Paramount launched an all-out attack! They used the news of human trafficking while promoting Taken.

Paramount's parent company was Viacom.

Viacom was a big media company and their influence was strong. With their help, the promotion of Taken had a positive response.

Now everyone was interested in seeing the movie!

..........
.......
...

As for Kazir...

"Huh? Did this happen in my past life?"

He was confused because he could not remember if news about human trafficking came out at this time of the year. He had no idea.

'Is this part of the butterfly effect? Man, I don't know anymore.'

He just wanted to start the Continental Cinematic Universe. He was not even hoping for a huge box office for Taken.

But with this... The movie might exceed his expectations.

[Author's Note: This is the reason why having advanced chapters is the best, you can easily add foreshadows.]

 

[Abdi12345]

Did the human trafficking really happen or is it just for the story?

 

[Pujimaki]

Did the human trafficking really happen or is it just for the story?

Click to shrink...

Human trafficking happened in Mexico, especially tourists who visited some dangerous areas. However, in this case, this is just for the purpose of the plot.

 

[Moran]

Did the human trafficking really happen or is it just for the story?

Click to shrink...

I could be wrong, but it could be related to the film "Sounds of Freedom", which is based on a true story of a former agent investigating a child trafficking ring in Colombia.

 

[Lillie Jones]

Kazir Grey Taken franchise saved by real news report about Human trafficking ( or Sound of Freedom) accreditation Moran) and the Devils luck just for the Cinematic Continental universe.
And Kazir Grey didn't even know it might happen in his past life memories and might exceed his
expectations .
Continue on
Cheers!

 

[Pujimaki]

[Shout out to Dashawn W, bomber-harris, and Wrobe06117]

Hollywood What If Chapter 117


The news broke in North America and the coverage of the CIA infiltrating the sex den in Mexico was caught on camera.

The video was shown on almost every news channel. That month, people's awareness of sex/human trafficking was at an all-time high.

People rallied. Testimonies of people who had been kidnapped told their stories and gained the sympathy of citizens. People created a public organization for people who suffered from human trafficking.

While this situation was happening all over North America, Paramount used this opportunity to promote Taken. Even though they could only profit the 25% of the box office, with the current situation, Paramount believed that they would still profit a huge amount of money.

"I should be happy. But sometimes I can't help but regret my decision."

Brad Grey, Paramount's current CEO, sighed. He had complicated feelings about Taken.

Of course, he had read the script and had a chance to work with Kazir. Even if Kazir wanted a 30% investment, it was no problem as long as he could guarantee that the movie would be a success.

However, at that time, Brad Grey felt that letting Kazir invest in the movie was not good for the future development of the movie. Kazir Grey wanted to make sure that he had authority over the project and Paramount felt that he was overstepping the line.

So their negotiations ended. Paramount decided to walk away.

Brad Grey felt that his decision was right because even Warner Bros and 20th Century Fox backed out.

But right now, Brad Grey wanted to slap his past self.

'I should have said yes even if Kazir invested in the movie. As long as we have a higher percentage of the investment, we can control the project.'

The problem with letting Kazir invest in Taken was simple. Paramount didn't want him to have a piece of the pie, such as videotapes and peripherals profits.

Kazir knew how Hollywood worked and he would fight for a better deal. Once he invested in the movie, he would definitely ask for a share of the profit from the videotapes and peripherals. This was the profit that Paramount never wanted to share, and neither did the other film companies.

"What if here, and what if there? I can't let myself sulk. Right now I have a good reason to promote Taken... I should have signed a contract with at least 30% of the box office."

No crying over spilled milk. Besides, Taken was going up against Air Force One. Paramount wanted to beat Sony-Columbia, even if it was for petty reasons.

'Once Taken is finished, I need to make sure Kazir works hard on Meet The Parents. He should return the favor.'

"CEO Grey, this is me, Shirley Lansing."

"You may come in."

Shirley Lansing walked into the office with a document in her hand. She was the head of Marketing Management.

Her job right now was to promote Taken.

"This is the report for yesterday's event."

Shirley Lansing handed the documents to Brad Grey and the man took them.

He read the papers and frowned slightly.

"Shirley, are you the one who came up with this plan?"

"No sir, it's Kazir Grey. I felt that his plan was possible, so I decided to accept his suggestion."

"I see..."

The context of the documents was about the organization that was recently founded to help people who suffered from human trafficking.

Kazir Grey suggested that Liam Neeson should be the organization's ambassador. In fact, Liam Neeson appeared in front of the reporters just to announce that he wanted to help these poor people.

As for Liam Neeson's sincerity, it was not important. Well, he has been a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador since 2011. He is probably a good guy.

Another thing, Grey Pictures announced that they would donate 5% of the North American box office of Taken to the young women who were rescued from the Mexican Mafia.

Because of this, their status became positive and many people supported them.

"5%? Looks like Grey Pictures is doing some goodwill. Not my problem. As long as they don't touch our money, Grey Pictures can donate all they want.

CEO Brad Grey understood that the move was to promote the film. It was not a bad thing. As long as they could make sure the result was worth it.

.........
......
...

"I am heartbroken to hear what happened. I hope they can overcome this situation. Let's all pray for them."

Tom Cruise had a sad smile on his face as he faced the reporters. He was interviewed about the young women who were in distress.

He attended the premiere of Taken and appeared on the red carpet. On his left arm was his loving wife, Nicole Kidman. The couple offered their prayers for the broken underaged girls.

Tom Cruise and Paramount had a strong relationship. Mission: Impossible was confirmed to have a sequel. The two sides negotiated the contract. While that was going on, Paramount invited Tom Cruise to the premiere of Taken.

"Director Grey invited me, so I decided to go see it. Maybe next time we can work together."

Upon hearing his answer, reporters began to ask him about his relationship with Kazir Grey. Tom Cruise said that he knew the guy since the shooting of Rain Man 9 years ago.

The reporters got more and more excited, but Tom Cruise decided to end the interview. Another actor would show up on the red carpet and it was time to pass the baton.

Honestly, Tom Cruise read the script of Taken and he was a little interested. Unfortunately, he found out that the budget of the movie was not enough to hire him, so he decided to keep quiet.

'I offered to invest in the movie, but Kazir obviously didn't agree. If I knew this would be the result, I should have pushed him to agree.'

Tom Cruise entered the theater and found many invited actors like himself. He saw many movie critics and regular audiences in the middle and back of the theater.

Of course, with his status, he had a reserved seat at the front of the theater.

With his wife, he began to greet his acquaintances in the industry. Nothing wrong with having more connections.

 

[Abdi12345]

Now i am just wondering but is kazir going to take any directing techniques or methods that he learned from the future and adapt them to his current time or is there any methods used in the future that can be used in the past as things do tend to change and I am guessing the movie making business has definitely change and evolved but I have no idea how much.
if he is limited on the technology of his time is he capable of investing in the technology that he needs in order to advance movie making and all the corresponding technology plus all the money he will be making from being apart of it to invest in his movies.

 

[Pujimaki]

Now i am just wondering but is kazir going to take any directing techniques or methods that he learned from the future and adapt them to his current time or is there any methods used in the future that can be used in the past as things do tend to change and I am guessing the movie making business has definitely change and evolved but I have no idea how much.
if he is limited on the technology of his time is he capable of investing in the technology that he needs in order to advance movie making and all the corresponding technology plus all the money he will be making from being apart of it to invest in his movies.

Click to shrink...

About that, I'm actually not good with technicalities and filming styles or techniques since I'm never a fan of movies. I like reading, not watching. Although I will try to add filming styles if possible, with a bit of research.

 

[Lillie Jones]

Thanks for the chapter

 

[Pujimaki]

Hollywood What If Chapter 118

[Author's note: This is my own summary, so I'm not sure if it's all right since I watched Taken two months ago. By the way, I hate writing summaries of movies or novels. I find it time consuming and not fun. Just think of the summary as bullet sentences. If you are curious, you can watch the movie instead].

[You're probably wondering why I've been gone for about three days. Well, I have been diagnosed with a disease called procrastination, unfortunately it seems that this disease is very hard to cure.]

++++++
++++++
++++++

[Bryan Mills(Liam Neeson), a retired agent with a daughter. His ex-wife married a rich man, and his daughter lived with them.]

[With his normal status, he wanted to buy a karaoke box for his daughter's birthday. He knew his daughter wanted to be a singer].

[On his way to the store, two people were sitting at a table. They were discussing a movie budget. Their conversation was muffled in the background, so few could hear what they were saying.]

"Is that a cameo? Kazir and the producer are talking."

Nicole Kidman Cruise muttered weakly. Everyone was watching seriously because the atmosphere was too heavy.

Note that the reason people were watching this movie was under the influence of the sex/human trafficking incident a few days ago.

"I think so. This is the first time I have seen Kazir on the screen. He is tall, so he looks like a buff guy who can beat a person in a boxing match." Tom Cruise replied.

"Hm." Nicole Kidman nodded to Tom Cruise.

'Tom, I don't know why you said that, but I'm just going to nod my head. Let's watch the movie first.'

[At his daughter's birthday party, Bryan Mills found his ex-wife and daughter. He gave his gift, but was easily outdone by the stepfather, who brought a horse as a gift for Kim Mills. He left the party with shame as he knew that he could never do that to his daughter.]

[Bryan had a job at a security agency. Along with his retired friends, they work as bodyguards for celebrities. The last time he protected a famous singer from a crazy fan].

[After the birthday party, a few days later, Bryan was called by his daughter to talk. Kim Mills wanted to go to France to see an art exhibit.]

[As a father, Bryan felt it was not good for a young woman to travel to a foreign country with her only friend, Amanda. But because of his ex-wife's words, telling him that he needed to be good to his daughter, he was convinced and let his daughter leave the country.]

"Who is this woman?"

Nicole Kidman frowned. Brianna Evans may not have had a pretty face, but she had the aura of a queen. Nicole Kidman looked around and realized one thing: most of the audience was staring at the woman on the screen without knowing it.

As an actress, Nicole Kidman realized that Brianna Evans could be a difficult opponent. She had the power to grab people's attention with her acting alone.

In fact, even her husband, Tom Cruise, was staring intently at Lenore (Brianna Evans).

Nicole Kidman bit her lip and squeezed the man's hand.

"Huh? Are you okay, honey?"

"I'm fine." She smiled.

[To make sure Bryan could contact Kim, he reminded her to call him every day.]

[The two young girls, Kim and Amanda, went to the terminal and flew to France. Bryan had no idea that Kim was actually lying. She wasn't interested in going to the art exhibit, she was going to see her favorite band in concert].

[As Kim and her friend came out of the airport, they met a handsome man named Peter. The man was a gentleman and captured Amanda's heart. But this man was actually a scout. Someone who scouts out a potential target for kidnapping.]

[Amanda told Peter where they lived and that they were alone in the house. This information was the cause of their suffering.]

The audience clicked their tongues at the obvious plot. But this kind of thing was why they were here in the theaters. To see movies with obvious plots and be entertained.

"Kids, don't talk to strangers. Even if they are handsome."

A father reminded his daughter. They watched the movie because of current events.

"Yes, Dad."

This movie was a good way to educate young women. They shouldn't believe people so easily.

[Bryan Mills waited for his daughter to call him, but she never did. So Bryan decided to call her instead. After a few minutes of ringing, Bryan picked up the phone.]

[Kim: "Dad. Let me go to another room. My friend's playing music too loud."]

[Kim went into another room. There she could see her friend dancing to the music through the window. Kim had a conversation with her father, but it didn't last long.]

[Kim: "D- Dad, something is going on!"]

[At the window she saw her friend being kidnapped by a group of men!]

"That kid's got a nice reaction."

One of the higher-ups from Paramount who attended the premiere saw Scarlett Johansson's emotions. Though young, the girl showed that she could act.

[Kim panicked and realized she was in danger.]

["Oh my God, they got Amanda." Kim shuddered]

["What?" Bryan sensed that something bad was going on.]

["Okay honey, did you meet anyone? How about the airport?" Bryan started going through his things.]

["P- Peter"]

["Peter who? Did he know where you were staying?"]

["He took a cab with us." Her breathing became ragged. "Dad... They are coming. Dad, I'm scared." She began to sob].

["Stay focused, Kimmy. Get under the bed. I'm going to tell you something important. They are going to take you away." Bryan closed his eyes.]

["No." Kim whimpered, realizing the hard truth.]

["You have five important seconds. Leave the phone on the floor. Shout out everything you see, their appearance, hair color, eyes. Everything you see."]

[Through the phone, Bryan heard the footsteps of the kidnappers.]

Even the audience was silent the whole time, waiting for the suspense.

[Just then, Kim screamed as she was pulled out from under the bed. She started screaming. Bryan listened with a serious expression as his daughter was taken.]

Just like Bryan Mills, the fathers in the audience had horrified expressions.

[Suddenly, someone grabbed the phone. It was one of the kidnappers. In frustration, Bryan Mills said the iconic line.]

[I don't know who you are. I don't know what you want. But what I do have is a very specific set of skills, skills that I have acquired over a very long career. Skills that make me a nightmare for people like you. If you let my daughter go now, that's the end of it. I will not come looking for you, I will not hunt you down. But if you don't, I will look for you, I will find you, and I will kill you"].

And that was the beginning of a meme...

 

[Secretlore20]

And here we go the start of meme culture.

 

[Abdi12345]

This is the iconic speech in its entirety

"I don't know who you are. I don't know what you want. If you are looking for ransom I can tell you I don't have money, but what I do have are a very particular set of skills. Skills I have acquired over a very long career. Skills that make me a nightmare for people like you. If you let my daughter go now that'll be the end of it. I will not look for you, I will not pursue you, but if you don't, I will look for you, I will find you and I will kill you."

but everything else is good