Chapter 1128: Deep foundation

Unlike most film foundations in Hollywood, which are commercial investment types, George Lucas’s film foundation is more charitable and rarely invests in commercial films. Instead, it actively supports film education and will give some experimental film projects. With financial support, to explore the possible future of the film industry.
Many funding objects of the George Lucas Film Foundation are mainly graduates of the USC Film School.
The event was held in Los Angeles, in the grand banquet hall of a hotel near the University of Southern California Film School.
On the day that Ronan hurried back to Los Angeles, he appeared at the event on time. In fact, his personal foundation funded many projects, such as the latest practice base of the USC Film Academy.
Last year, Ronan’s personal foundation donated US$42 million to the USC Film Academy, and the subsequent establishment of the USC Film Academy practice base was named the Anderson Film Production Center by the school.
Ronan is not the only one, Spielberg, who is a member of the USC Film School alumni, also donated nearly 40 million US dollars. Currently, a brand new building called the Spielberg Building is under construction.
Ronan also knows that George Lucas intends to donate more than 100 million US dollars to the USC Film Academy at one time to strengthen the software and hardware conditions of the college's teaching.
This donation will not be realized until George Lucas sells Lucasfilm.
George Lucas is currently the focus of Hollywood. He has officially announced his retirement this year, that is, in 2009, and plans to sell Lucasfilm. Many companies are eyeing Lucasfilm.
After all, it is not only Relativity Entertainment and Twentieth Century Fox who can realize the value of Lucasfilm.
However, the severe economic situation, Wall Street's temporary full-scale divestment, and Hollywood's inevitable cash shortage for a period of time left most companies with more than enough energy.
Even if Warner Bros., the leading Hollywood company in the past decade, faced Lucasfilm’s asking price of more than US$3 billion, and did not accept exchange-for-purchase requirements, it must think twice.
In this special time period, once a problem occurs in a certain link of the capital chain, the entire capital chain may break.
Even so, in the banquet hall, the top executives of the six major Hollywood companies have appeared. If Lucasfilm can accept three-year or five-year installments, wouldn't their opportunity come?
Ronan briefly chatted with Kevin Tesuhara of Warner Bros. and saw that James Murdoch had also entered the banquet hall. After thinking about it, he found George Lucas directly.
"Hi, George." Ronan shook hands with George Lucas.
George Lucas said with a smile: "I heard that you went to the UK, I thought you would not come."
Ronan shrugged slightly and said, "I just rushed back today." He glanced at the sparsely crowded rest area of ​​the banquet hall: "Talk alone."
The two have known each other for many years, and George Lucas didn't mean to refuse, he responded and went to the resting place together.
Ronan didn't go around in circles, and asked directly: "George, haven't you made a decision yet?"
This acquisition negotiation has been going on for several months, and it has been difficult to reach an agreement.
When it comes to huge transactions, George Lucas is a qualified businessman. Together with the executives and shareholders of Lucasfilm, they have been using the attention of major companies to increase Lucasfilm's bargaining chips.
Someone has been paying attention to Ronan and George Lucas, but he walked over quickly and interjected: "George, why don't you focus on 20th Century Fox?"
Ronan had already seen James Murdoch, James Murdoch smiled and nodded slightly to him, and said: "Twentieth Century Fox has always been Lucasfilm’s closest partner. We have been with Lucasfilm since 1977. Up to now, with more than 30 years of cooperation history, no company knows Lucasfilm better than Twentieth Century Fox."
He emphasized his tone: "There is no company that is more suitable for Lucasfilm than Twentieth Century Fox!"
This is where the advantage of Fox in the twentieth century lies.
George Lucas did not answer, as if thinking.
James Murdoch took a look at Ronan and said, "Ronan, as far as I know, your Relativity Entertainment only cooperates with Lucasfilm in special effects production, and the cooperation time is only a few years. ."
Ronan smiled, and said: "Indeed, Relativity Entertainment is not as deep as the 20th Century Fox."
James Murdoch opened his chair, sat opposite Ronan, and said to George Lucas: "You leave it to Hollywood and to the world film industry. The greatest asset is the "Star Wars" series. Century Fox also holds partial rights in this series. George, you are retired. You can't let the "Star Wars" series be completely divided, right?"
George Lucas turned his head to look at James Murdoch: "Your style is the same as your father."
He didn't say the rest. James Murdoch deserves to be Rupert Murdoch's favorite son. This overwhelming mannerism is exactly the same.
James Murdoch understands the implications of the words of George Lucas, but the situation of Fox in the twentieth century is not good. George Lucas’ personal opinion is biased towards relativity entertainment, and Fox wants to win Under the opportunity of Lucasfilm, we must think of something.
He smiled and said, "Don't get me wrong, George. I'm just explaining an objective fact."
George Lucas kept quiet: "I understand."
Ronan said at this time: "James, Twentieth Century Fox really has the sincerity to buy Lucasfilm?"
James Murdoch first smiled at Ronan, then looked at George Lucas: "That's right, as long as Lucasfilm is willing to sell it, 20th Century Fox will buy it."
Ronan asked slowly: "Buy? Acquisition? What method does Twentieth Century Fox intend to use? Equity exchange? Installment payment?"
In the twentieth century, Fox was financially tight. Because of the failure of successive large-scale production projects, bank borrowings and investors forcing debts, it is not a secret in Hollywood. The news has long been spread.
Ronan and George Lucas have a very good personal relationship. These relationships involve billions of dollars in transactions. At most, George Lucas, a businessman, has similar conditions. Priority will be given to relativity entertainment.
But this level of personal relationships and closer contacts allowed Ronan to accurately grasp George Lucas’ mentality in selling Lucasfilm.
A group of shareholders of Lucasfilm, headed by George Lucas, who have an absolute advantage, are not interested in equity swaps and installment payments. What they want is cash transactions.
Especially George Lucas himself, Ronan once disclosed that he wants to use Netflix's equity as a redemption condition.
But George Lucas, who only cared about movies and related technology industries, refused.
George Lucas has considered all aspects of the Hollywood film industry, experimental films, philanthropy, his alma mater, USC Film School, and the future of his new girlfriend. In his plan, these require a lot of money. cash.
As the second richest man in Hollywood, one of the purposes of George Lucas's sale of Lucasfilm was to cash out.
Everyone has their own ideas, Ronan has long grasped George Lucas's ideas.
Therefore, Ronan didn’t need James Murdoch’s answer and said directly:
James, even if I and Relativity Entertainment make a move, will Twentieth Century Fox have to pay in installments? Three years or five years? The copyright revenue sharing dispute between the two countries is the same.
James Murdoch retorted: "Twentieth Century Fox has a foundation..."
Ronan laughed: "I don't know which part of the 20th Century Fox is going to sell? Who will take over?" He no longer cares about James Murdoch: "George, let's talk to another place."
George Lucas stood up first and said, "Come with me."
Ronan went out of the banquet hall with him.
James Murdoch watched the two leave, and George Lucas's attitude has already explained a lot of problems.
Really want to sell some assets and continue to bid for Lucasfilm?
To tell the truth, James Murdoch did not make up his mind. The successive failures of large projects have caused him to be questioned by shareholders and Rupert Murdoch.
If Lucasfilm can accept share swaps or installments...
James Murdoch frowned slightly, thinking of George Lucas' attitude, and gradually understood.
He immediately thought of the next move. If the 20th Century Fox is out, it is not a complete failure. The rights and interests of the "Star Wars" series, any company that acquires Lucasfilm, will not be able to bypass the threshold of the 20th Century Fox.
Even if Relativity Entertainment successfully acquires Lucasfilm ~EbookFREE.me~, if it wants to recover its investment, it will inevitably have the idea of ​​a Star Wars series. At that time, whether it is shooting a sequel or other aspects of operation, it can evolve into a long time. Long-standing copyright disputes.
Unless, Twentieth Century Fox can get more cakes in this series.
In a hotel lounge, George Lucas asked: "Ronan, although I am not inclined to Twentieth Century Fox, James Murdoch’s words are not unreasonable. Twentieth Century Fox has always been "Star Wars." The publisher of the series, the copyright of the first "New Hope" is always in their hands, other aspects..."
"I have considered this issue." Ronan considered carefully, and the plan has developed to the present. Even if some things leak out, it doesn't matter, and said: "On this point, Relativity Entertainment has an overall plan. If everything goes well , Relativity Entertainment can integrate all the copyrights and related benefits of the "Star Wars" series."
George Lucas asked, "Can you tell me?"
Ronan said directly: "Relativity Entertainment is preparing to acquire 20th Century Fox!"
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