Chapter 129: Investment Concessions

Chapter 129: Chapter 129: Investment Concessions

Disney’s involvement could share the costs and expand their influence. As the lead party, Fox would not only control the core rights but also leverage Disney’s channels to earn more profit. Looking at Irene, she was merely trying to use the strength of these two giants to realize her own IP dream. For Fox, this deal was by no means a loss.

"How do you want Fox to take the lead?" Baird finally spoke, his tone filled with inquiry.

"Fox can first sign an agreement with me as a partner, clarifying the rights and responsibilities of both sides in creation and production, and then Fox can come forward to negotiate a three-way partnership with Disney."

Irene spoke clearly and logically. "Disney trusts Fox’s industry standing. With your endorsement, they will certainly be willing to sit down and talk. As for profit distribution, I can make concessions. Echo Pictures will only take a 15% investment stake, and the rest can be negotiated between Fox and Disney. This is better than a three-way stalemate, only to be eliminated by the market in the end."

In fact, the production cost of Pirates of the Caribbean was estimated to be as high as 150 million dollars. Even just 15% would require 22.5 million dollars. Even if Irene put in all the earnings she received from Mean Girls, it probably still wouldn’t be enough. But Fox didn’t know this situation. Compared to the one-third investment stake in The Italian Job, a 15% investment was cut in half, so it certainly counted as a sincere gesture.

Adelaide quickly calculated. "That still leaves an 85% investment stake, which is indeed good. But will Disney agree to let Fox take the lead? They have always been unwilling to take a backseat to others."

"They have no reason to refuse." Irene smiled confidently.

"Disney is currently eager to open up the live-action film market, and Fox’s leadership can ensure the project proceeds smoothly. They only need to provide channels and part of the funding to share in considerable profits, and it can even boost supporting activities at their offline theme parks.

For them, this is a sure-win deal. Moreover, I can promise to fully respect the professional opinions of Fox and Disney regarding creation, reserving only the final veto power over core characters and plot points."

Baird and Adelaide looked at each other, both seeing hesitation in the other’s eyes.

A moment later, Baird slowly spoke. "Your proposal is very attractive and certainly worth a try. How about this: we will hold a senior management meeting to evaluate the feasibility of a three-way partnership, and then give you an answer as soon as possible. If senior management agrees, we will arrange for someone to contact Disney to advance the negotiations."

The weight in Irene’s heart finally lifted, and a look of relief appeared on her face. "Thank you very much for your trust. I believe this will be a win-win collaboration for all three parties, and Pirates of the Caribbean will definitely become a phenomenal IP."

Watching Baird and Adelaide leave the conference room with thoughtful expressions, Shelly couldn’t help but look at Irene. "Are you really sure Disney will agree? What if they still insist on developing it alone?"

Irene picked up the water glass on the table, took a light sip, and a look of certainty flashed in her eyes.

"Disney are business people. They won’t turn their backs on money. With Fox taking the lead, plus my sincere concession on the profit share, they have no reason to refuse. Besides, I have already asked Vera to compile Disney’s partnership cases from the last five years. They are actually very adept at working with other companies to build IPs. As long as the profit distribution is reasonable, everything is up for discussion."

Shelly couldn’t help but give Irene a thumbs up. Shelly knew that when finding out Disney also wanted to prepare a pirate movie and didn’t intend to cooperate with Irene, there had been a trace of panic inside. Who would have thought that Irene would find a solution so quickly.

The two left Fox Tower together. When they parted ways, Shelly suddenly remembered something and quickly called out to Irene,

"The Golden Globe Awards nominations will be announced the day after tomorrow. Mean Girls had quite a bit of buzz before. Remember to pay attention!"

Irene didn’t even turn her head. She waved her hand to indicate she knew, and walked straight toward her car.

Speeding along the way, the urban landscape outside the car window was gradually replaced by the coastline and greenery.

As soon as she got out of the car, the front door was pushed open. Her mother, Eleanor, hurried up to greet her and gave her a hug. "My dear daughter, you’re finally back. I’ve been talking about you the whole way back from Napa Valley. I heard you went to Fox today to discuss the release schedule. Did it go well?"

Irene hugged her mother back, her nose brushing against her soft hair. "It went very well. It’s set for April 15th."

"That’s good, that’s good." Her mother ushered her into the house. Her father, Francis, was sitting on the sofa reading a newspaper. Hearing the commotion, he looked up with a gentle smile on his face.

"Dad." Irene called out, and sat down on the single sofa next to him.

Francis put down the newspaper, his gaze landing on his daughter as he looked her over carefully. "You’ve lost some weight. Have you been too busy to eat properly lately?"

"I was busy with the editing for The Italian Job and also had to attend school, so I was indeed a bit tired. But now things are basically finished, and I just need to go to school for classes on time." Irene smiled.

Eleanor brought a cup of hot milk and placed it in front of her, sitting on her other side. "I heard from Vera that you invested all your money into the movie? Are you tight on cash now?"

Irene didn’t expect Vera to tell her parents about this, and she couldn’t help but laugh and cry. "Mom, I’m not short on money. The profit share from Fox will arrive this month. Besides, Vera’s salary is always on the production’s payroll, and I don’t have many expenses other than eating."

Francis chuckled. "All right, our daughter has grown up and has her own plans. Don’t always treat her like a child."

He changed the subject, his expression becoming serious. "I heard you are preparing a new project called Pirates of the Caribbean?"

Irene nodded and said, "Yes, I had this idea right after I finished filming Legally Blonde. I’ve been polishing it on and off for over a year and had Shelly submit it to several film companies. Right now, only Fox and Disney still have some hope, and I’m currently waiting for a response."

Francis raised his eyebrows slightly. "A pirate theme? This genre hasn’t had a hit in Hollywood for a while. The risks are not small. What is the estimated production cost? Have you found a partner yet?"

"The estimated cost is around 150 million dollars. We haven’t finalized a partner yet. Fox is still evaluating it internally, and Disney has some concerns for the time being because I haven’t managed a large-scale production before." Irene said truthfully.

Francis pondered for a moment, his fingers tapping gently on the sofa armrest. "Disney’s concerns are understandable. After all, the margin for error for large-scale adventure films is too low. However, since you dare to take on this project, you must have your own confidence."

He looked at Irene, his tone encouraging. "If you need financial support, or need me to step in to help you connect with some resources, just ask. Although your father’s company isn’t as big as Fox or Disney, it still has some influence in the industry."