Chapter 69: The Waldorf Astoria Hotel

  After the weekend, when Ryan and his party set foot on New York soil, Terminator 2's first week box office was freshly released.

  Perhaps due to his influence, this film was not handed over to Columbia Pictures for distribution like the previous one, but instead signed a distribution contract with 20th Century Fox.

  20th Century Fox secured an unprecedented 2,274 screens for the film and Terminator 2: Judgment Day took in $31.8 million in its first four-day weekend, stunning everyone with a number that eclipsed the 1989 blockbuster Batman.

  Ryan scratched his head after seeing this, he couldn't remember the box office of this movie in its first week in his previous life, but vaguely remembered that it should be lower than "Batman", it seems that his popularity and appeal have played a significant role, and this movie has already made a profit.

  In fact, Terminator 2 had recouped most of its costs before it even opened, and Mario Kassar may not have been equipped to run a major studio, but running this mid-sized film company was well within his capabilities.

  After three months of negotiations, he sold the film's videocassette rights for $10 million and television broadcasting rights for $7 million. Due to not having overseas film distribution rights, he also sold the overseas distribution rights to 20th Century Fox for $65 million. Additionally, several subtle product placements earned him nearly $2 million.

  To prevent monopolies, the law stipulates that film production and distribution cannot be done by the same company, and overseas distribution rights are all in the hands of the seven major film companies. Neither James Cameron nor Annie Hurd can agree to this practice.

  At that time, Ryan wanted to buy the overseas copyright of the movie, but unfortunately he didn't have that much money and didn't have the right to distribute it overseas.

  As Eastern Europe underwent drastic changes, the market in Eastern Europe gradually opened up. Many films' overseas box office began to exceed their North American box office. For example, Terminator 2 made over $200 million at the domestic box office but made as much as $300 million overseas. Even though the percentage of revenue that goes to theaters is much higher overseas than it is in North America, it's still a huge profit.

  It's all controlled by the giants, don't think that setting up a film company and making over a dozen films can truly rival Hollywood's big players, it's just a joke.

  Another important point is that they have a seat on the MPAA, or the Motion Picture Association of America, which controls the film rating system and can directly influence the rating of a movie after it's completed. For example, Terminator 2 was originally rated R, meaning anyone under 17 had to be accompanied by a parent or guardian to watch it. If it were rated NC-17, meaning no one under 17 could watch it at all, box office sales in North America would likely decrease by at least half.

  It's simple: young people have always been the main consumers of movies.

  No library of thousands of films, no controllable studio, no independent overseas distribution rights, no MPAA seat, not even Steven Spielberg's DreamWorks, which was closest to the seven major film companies, ultimately had to shut down under the joint suppression of the giants.

  In the future he may become a rich man and a superstar, maybe even one of the most influential people in Hollywood, but becoming a giant in the film industry? The difficulty is extremely high!

  No one is clearer than him that in the next few years, media giants such as Viacom, Comcast, and Vivendi will soon extend their reach into the film industry, after which Hollywood will thoroughly enter the era of giants, and second-tier companies like New Line and Miramax can only become subsidiaries to be acquired.

  As for relying solely on making movies, publishing books and releasing records to become a media giant...

  Ryan shook his head, throwing away those unrealistic thoughts he had brought from his previous life to the farthest reaches of the sky. From now on, he would try his best to control himself and not think about these impractical ideas that could get him killed. He definitely didn't want to end up jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge or the Empire State Building in the future.

  The movie was a huge success, and the crew simply put their accommodation in New York at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. Ryan walked into the hotel lobby with a warm smile, only to encounter someone who made him feel quite surprised.

  "Ryan Jenkins, don't say you don't know me." The girl was wearing a pink knee-length dress, looking much more mature, and her height had increased by a head compared to a few months ago, especially the originally flat chest, which had slightly bulged out.

  "Miss Hilton, okay, Pari!" Ryan rolled her eyes helplessly and changed to using her nickname instead, "Nice to see you again."

  "What about the manuscript for the new Harry Potter book? You promised me when we were at Beverly Hills that you'd give it to me first." Paris Hilton was being totally unapologetic.

  "I...I...when did I ever agree to that?" Ryan's eyes widened bigger than a copper bell, the other party was clearly unreasonable, thinking "can't afford to provoke me and can't hide either", Shanshan~

  Just as he turned around, the little girl behind him grabbed his backpack. She had been staring at him all along and wouldn't let him get away so easily. If it weren't for the chaos that happened last time, she would have come to his door to ask for updates long ago.

  "Ryan, is this how you treat your fans......"

  "Hey, Ryan, who's the little lady?" James Cameron walked by from one side, not only didn't lend a hand but also added insult to injury, "Is she your girlfriend? Not bad, you have good taste!"

  Girl... girlfriend? Ryan had an urge to bang his head against the ground, if she was his girlfriend, with so many green hats in the future, he would be crushed.

  "Who is this big beard?" Paris raised her chin.

  "Dictator, tyrant, old thug." Ryan launched a counterattack without any courtesy.

  That's it, Cameron turned around and left, he was too lazy to argue with two little brats, besides, that little guy could really get on his nerves when he wanted to, and he didn't want to look for trouble.

  Ryan was helpless, and many people around him had already looked over. In this public place, he couldn't think of pulling and tugging with his opponent, so he turned his head back, changed the subject, and asked, "How did you end up here?"

  "I've always lived here?" The little girl gave him a "you're an idiot" look, "The Waldorf Hotel is my family's, I've been living here since I was a kid."

  Ryan suddenly remembered that this hotel was indeed under the Hilton Group, blinked his eyes, and recalled some things. Paris Hilton and Nicky Hilton, two sisters, were actually raised in the Presidential Suite here since they were young.

  "Alright, Parry." Ryan pulled her aside to avoid standing in the middle of the hall and letting others watch the show. "The fourth book of Harry Potter hasn't even started yet, and besides, I just arrived in New York, can I go back to my room to rest?"

  "Hmm...alright then."

  George made a face at Ryan, who was bowing and scraping, and Ryan hastily retreated towards the elevator, only to let out a sigh of relief just as Paris followed him from behind.

  Arriving at the floor where the crew lived, Ryan entered his own suite, facing the pink girl who followed closely behind him, he was quite helpless.

  Indeed, the reputation of Paris Hilton from her past life has affected his senses. After living in North America for so long, he should understand that many girls in several open states along the US coast are even more promiscuous before marriage than she is. They just aren't as famous and weren't sold out by their ex-boyfriends, creating a sex tape scandal. In some sense, she can also be considered a victim.

  Of course, after the video incident, she smashed the pot and broke the ladle, that can only blame herself.

  "You guys are really petty." The little girl pouted, seemingly disdainful of the suite, "With your status, you should be asking for the Presidential Suite instead."

  The room was just a standard suite in the Waldorf Astoria, a small living room and two bedrooms, which was decent enough in Ryan's eyes but far inferior to a luxury suite or presidential suite.

  Ryan could only roll his eyes. What could he say? Did he expect the rich missy who was born with a golden spoon to understand the difficulties of budgeting and making money?

  "Want something to drink?" Ryan pointed to the water glass, after all, guests should be treated with hospitality.

  Seeing the girl shake her head, Ryan simply stopped paying attention to her and pulled his suitcase over to the desk, gathering up his belongings. Except for a few clothes and the guitar he had brought with him, almost everything was manuscripts and sheet music. As he placed the thick stack on the desk, Paris's mouth grew wider and wider.

  "May I have a look?" the girl asked curiously.

  "It's okay, but don't tell anyone else after you've read it." Ryan said without lifting his head as he organized the setting draft.

  "I guarantee."

  Actually, there's nothing special inside, just the script and setting drawings of "The Lion King", as for the score, can you expect that girl to understand sheet music now?

  The script of "The Lion King" is not complicated, to be honest, it's just a simplified animal version of the prince's revenge story. Ryan has already completed more than half of it, but in some ways, this script is similar to "Bodyguard", and the songs inside are particularly excellent, especially "Circle of Life" and "I Just Can't Wait to Be King".

  Since the script was plagiarized for most of it, the songs wouldn't be spared either. He remembered several classic songs fairly clearly, and even if he forgot some parts, with his musical accomplishments in this life, he could easily fill them in completely.

  However, some songs are still forgotten, and he needs to recreate them based on the plot and animal settings.

  "Wow, this painting is so beautiful! Is that a little lion?" Paris pulled one out of the stack and asked, "Can I have it?"

  Her tone was inquiring, but her expression said this painting is mine, no giving it up.

  Renee took a glance and it was a colored pencil sketch of two little lions walking together, which were Simba and Nala in their youth.

  Simba and Nana's setting draft He drew more than one, nodded at the moment, in order to prevent this lady from taking a fancy to his other things, Ryan quickly sorted out the manuscript and score, handed it over to George on the side.

  "Thanks, Ryan." Rarely saying thank you, Paris's eyes flickered and she said, "How about this, to show my gratitude, I'll treat you to dinner tonight."

  Today was busy with work, so I automatically posted this. These past few days have been spent revising the text until I'm vomiting blood. That suggestion to hook up with Nicole is really too much, our usual style is always worth reading, even if it's just a bunch of fragments pieced together... Friends who are passing by, please take a moment to collect and give me a vote, that would be great