Despite numerous challenges during the initial casting, we eventually found a suitable candidate after a day of effort.
The role of actress Haley is portrayed by Scarlett Johansson.
The male lead, Jeff, is played by Mark Ruffalo.
"That's intriguing."
Upon seeing the final list, Kyle couldn't help but chuckle.
I too sense the oddities of fate.
Scarlett Johansson, who was just 13 years old at the time, would later become Marvel's Black Widow; simultaneously, Mark Ruffalo, who takes on the role of the male protagonist Jeff, will also portray the Hulk in the "Avengers" series in the future.
...
May 5, 1996.
As of today, "Run Lola Run" has been in North American theatres for a month, accumulating a total box office of $15.375 million. While North American films during the 1990s typically had extended screenings, remaining in theatres for two to three months in less populated areas as long as there was an audience, one shouldn't expect substantial earnings from them.
The final box office target for "Run Lola Run" in North America is approximately $16 million.
Consequently, several prominent Hollywood studios with international distribution rights have taken the initiative to reach out to Page Pictures to secure overseas rights.
However, their offers were considerably low.
This was far from meeting Kyle's expectations.
"Mr. Page, you need to understand that typically, overseas box office earnings are roughly 1.5 times that of the North American box office. Based on 'Run Lola Run 's performance in North America, the overseas box office would max out around $24 million. At Paramount, we still incur significant manpower and resources. Therefore, a copyright fee of $2 million is a very reasonable offer."
This statement came from a representative in Paramount's distribution division.
Logically speaking, this pricing does align with market standards.
However, others are unaware of the international potential of "Run Lola Run." Yet, Kyle, being a time traveller, understands that "Run Lola Run" has made hundreds of millions in box office revenue overseas. Although the film may not benefit from the three major European film festivals as it did originally, it is unlikely to reach a box office total of $100 million offshore, but even halving that figure would yield $50 million.
Why would Kyle agree to sell it for a mere $2 million now?
As for any possibility of sharing overseas box office revenues, forget it! Do big corporations operate like charity organisations?
"Thank you for Paramount's considered offer, but we still need to think it over. I trust you can appreciate that," CEO Victor responded politely.
Upon hearing this, the Paramount representative replied regretfully: "If your company has decided, please don't forget to reach out to me."
Even if the deal doesn't materialise, we can still maintain goodwill!
It must be said, the contact from Paramount is quite adept.
There's no hint of arrogance typically associated with a major firm in his tone; instead, he leaves an impression of warmth and politeness.
"Boss, do you see this? This is the hallmark of a major corporation. Even a contact in their distribution department is a remarkable find in Hollywood. Placed within any small firm, he would be fit to serve as CEO," Victor remarked.
Kyle agreed.
What a remarkable individual!
The talent pool in large firms is truly astounding!
Kyle found it hard to accept the $2 million offer for the overseas rights, yet he felt he had no option.
We lack an overseas distribution network!
Even within North America, Page's distribution network is incomplete and currently only influences California.
Kyle clenched his teeth and stated, "Victor, I will be injecting another $3 million into the company soon, which will include the initial box office share from the theatre chain. You should use all of it to establish a distribution network in North America, whether by acquiring other firms or developing one from the ground up. I'm not concerned about the method; I just want results."
"Understood."
Victor nodded with determination.
Without a fully developed distribution network, Page Pictures will always remain at the lower end of the Hollywood hierarchy and be taken advantage of. It's comparable to a large corporation that can still generate significant profits from small and medium businesses each year, despite producing films that may not break even, thanks to its efficient distribution network.
Major corporations with strong distribution capabilities sit at the top of the hierarchy!
Are the overseas rights for "Run Lola Run" only $2 million?
Kyle clenched his teeth and decided to sell it!
Additionally,
Kyle managed to sell all the rights for Run Lola Run, which included DVDs, videotapes, television broadcasts, and ancillary rights, bringing in $4.5 million.
Given its production cost of just $800,000, World Pictures can certainly be regarded as having struck it rich!
....
On the set of the film "Hard Candy".
"All departments, get ready~!"
It's worth noting that even though Zack Snyder, a director new to the field, may not possess the advanced directing abilities he showcased in "Man of Steel", his directing talent is still quite remarkable. He opted to shoot the movie's climax right at the beginning.
In his words, "At the start of filming, both the cast and crew are at their most energised, even if they need to acclimate to each other due to their unfamiliarity with the film. If we can successfully film the climax, the rest will likely be much smoother."
Kyle was also seated nearby, paying close attention to the monitor in front of Zack.
"Please, please~!"
The Hulk, played by Mark Ruffalo, who portrays the deranged male lead, is currently bound to a small bed, his lower body exposed, and sitting in a critical position that is covered with ice.
He was drenched in sweat and tears fell uncontrollably from his eyes.
This scene portrays castration!
Meanwhile, the female lead Haley, the young Black Widow donning a medical outfit, looked calm and innocent.
As she handled the scalpel, she began, "I asked my friend if she would want to castrate a man, and her reaction was one of disgust, as though I had asked her to eat a bug. Alright, you might feel a slight tug because I will pull it tighter, okay? So, bear with it."
"Alright, we're halfway through, the finish line is in sight."
"Don't faint, don't faint, it's alright."
"Jeff, you know, some men can manage just fine with only one testicle throughout their life, right? Of course, I've heard that, and I believe it's true. Well, I'll leave you one, so it won't be harsh. Don't faint, don't faint, Jeff, it will be over soon. However, if I leave you one, you might not be able to walk straight, right?"
"You're about to enter a whole new reality."
"Remove it. Alright, that's all. This procedure is quite straightforward. That's why I believe it's important for girls to acquire skills like camping and cookie purchasing. I consider these to be valuable abilities. In the coming eight or nine days, you will undergo unparalleled agony. Oh, you might need to take out the stitches by yourself. After all, you wouldn't want to feel humiliated in front of anyone."
"Oh, and by the way, would you like me to leave you with a keepsake? You don't need it, so let me see how far this object can rebound?"
The composed tone of the 13-year-old Scarlett Johansson, akin to casually asking, "Have you had your meal?", sent chills down the spines of all the men in the vicinity.
Oh no!
Kyle overheard a flurry of hushed criticisms from the crew members beside him.
Man, castration!
Usually, just hearing about it would make me shudder, let alone confronting it now!
Kyle also stood in shock.
"Dammit, I don't even want to be a director anymore, but being a producer isn't exactly a walk in the park either!"
"Fortunately, this is merely Hard Candy, not Human Centipede."
That's correct; Kyle, with an active imagination, immediately recalled a future Hollywood film with a disturbing theme, "Human Centipede." In comparison, this is truly twisted!
Several young individuals were stripped bare, anaesthetised, and surgically connected.
Indeed, through surgical means, the excretion organs of the first person are attached and sealed with the mouth of the second person using needles and thread, and this pattern continues. The first individual consumes junk food, and the second can only ingest the waste of the first.
This is what you call heavy themes!
Yet, even so, the castration scenario in "Hard Candy" still makes all the men break out in cold sweats.
The filming over the subsequent days unfolded just as Zack Snyder had anticipated. Once they captured the climax, they could easily proceed to shoot the other scenes, making it significantly more manageable.
"Indeed, I, an inexperienced director, am truly not as accomplished as others." Kyle couldn't help but reflect.
On May 12, Kyle departed the set and journeyed to Silicon Valley to participate in an event.
It was, in fact, a networking event for both new and established Internet companies arranged by Silicon Valley.
Naturally, Kyle was eager to join this type of event, as he might stumble upon some worthwhile investment opportunities.