Chapter 228: Caution

Chapter 228: Chapter 228: Caution

Transformers itself is the core toy IP of Hasbro and has long possessed mature commercial value. The other party would not let go of it easily.

More importantly, although she currently has box office appeal, she lacks the complete industrial chain capability to independently develop a mega IP.

From toy tie-ins to global distribution, and from special effects production to derivative product layouts, everything requires strong capital and resource support.

Once Hasbro knows she is interested in this IP, there is a high probability they would use it as leverage to contact major companies with mature IP operation experience like Universal or Paramount to hike up the price, or even exclude her directly.

After thinking it over, Irene picked up her phone and dialed Vera’s number.

"Vera, do something for me, and be sure to keep it low-profile." Her tone carried a hint of caution.

"Find a reliable third-party intermediary to test the waters with Hasbro. Mainly ask if the film adaptation rights for Transformers are still in their hands, if they have any intention of developing it for film and television, and what the preliminary terms of cooperation are."

"Alright, Boss." Vera’s response was as crisp and neat as ever.

"Remember a few key points." Irene emphasized her tone.

"First, you absolutely cannot reveal my identity, nor mention Echo Pictures. Just say an anonymous investment institution wants to evaluate the IP’s value.

Second, there’s no need to rush for results. Just get a sense of the situation, such as their psychological expectations for the adaptation rights, whether there are exclusive negotiation targets, and what type of company they prefer to cooperate with.

Third, do not show excessive enthusiasm. Maintain a neutral posture to avoid letting them sense our urgency, which would instead raise their asking price or vigilance."

She understood the subtleties of negotiation all too well. The more you value something, the more you must know how to hide your edge.

As a toy giant, Hasbro has an extremely high sensitivity to the commercial value of IPs. Once they catch the scent of "blockbuster potential," they will inevitably raise the threshold or even trigger a bidding war among multiple film studios.

By then, not only might she fail to secure it, but the IP could fall into someone else’s hands prematurely, causing her to miss the best opportunity.

"I understand what you mean." Vera immediately grasped the key point. "I will find the most professional anonymous intermediary in the industry and have them sign a non-disclosure agreement for the entire process. They will only conduct information gathering and won’t involve any substantive negotiations."

"Exactly." Irene nodded with satisfaction. "Also, have the intermediary incidentally find out their core demands for the film adaptation—whether they value box office profit sharing more, or the tie-in with toy derivatives, or the requirements for control over the adapted content. This information is crucial for subsequent negotiations."

After hanging up, Irene leaned against the back of her chair and exhaled softly.

The difficulty of securing Transformers was immense, and it might even end up being a futile effort, but she had to try.

To her, this was not just a fight for an IP, but a gambit for her future status in the industry. Having one more heavyweight IP meant one more layer of confidence against capital and one more piece of capital to build her own empire.

After stretching, she flipped open the Million Dollar Baby script on the table, her gaze falling back onto Hilary Swank’s profile.

The project proposal, character biography, and complete script had been sent through the official email a week ago, but it was like a stone sinking into the sea—there wasn’t a single reply. She was starting to doubt if she had been too confident. It turned out not all actors wanted to work with her.

Hilary was not a hot Hollywood starlet. Although she had already won an Oscar for Best Lead Actress, she didn’t frequent parties, didn’t manufacture scandals, and was extremely picky about roles, spending two or three years to polish a single film. Most of the time, her eyes held only the character and the performance, and she couldn’t even be bothered to deal with promotion.

Furthermore, she didn’t belong to CAA, so there were no familiar intermediaries. Irene didn’t want Shelly to intervene, fearing it might cause resentment from the other party, as she was the number one lead actress in her heart.

Irene’s eyes swept over the latest updates in the profile, and a line of text caught her eye: New work *Insomnia is about to be released, starring Al Pacino and Hilary Swank.*

Al Pacino?

Irene’s eyes suddenly lit up, and her thoughts were instantly awakened.

Her father, Francis Coppola, and Al Pacino were lifelong partners and close friends despite their age difference. Even now, they often gathered during their free time. It was just that she hadn’t seen him for a long time, so she had almost forgotten this networking resource.

At the premiere of Insomnia, Hilary, as a core supporting actress, would definitely attend.

No need for emails, no need for an agent, and no need for layers of relaying. She could go directly to the premiere.

In her capacity as a junior of the Coppola family and a filmmaker, she could appear openly at the scene. Using the opportunity to greet Al Pacino, she could naturally walk up to Hilary and have a face-to-face chat about Maggie and Million Dollar Baby.

This was the most decent, sincere, and most likely way to move Hilary. Aha, she really was clever.

Irene immediately picked up her phone and dialed Vera’s number again: "Get me an invitation to the Insomnia premiere. In my private name, a regular guest seat will do."

Vera was stunned for a moment: "Boss, you’re going to the premiere? Do I need to arrange for the red carpet or a backstage interview?"

"No need." Irene smiled, her gaze landing on Hilary’s photo. "I’m going to see someone."

Half an hour later, Vera replied: The invitation is ready. The premiere is in five days at the TCL Theatre in Hollywood.

On the night of the Insomnia premiere, Irene drove there alone.

Just as she got out of the car, she saw Al Pacino taking Hilary Swank to accept interviews from reporters by the red carpet, with flashes going off one after another. She didn’t step forward to disturb them, but bypassed the crowd and entered the backstage lounge first.

As soon as she pushed open the door, Irene bumped into a familiar figure, Christopher Nolan.

This film, Insomnia, was his first time directing a Hollywood commercial film. At this moment, he was leaning on the sofa, clutching a bottle of mineral water, his eyes occasionally drifting toward the lounge door. It was clear he was a bit nervous about the audience’s reaction, yet also harbored anticipation.

Most of the reporters outside were there for Al Pacino. Clearly, he had entered the lounge early to find some peace and quiet.

Irene walked forward with a smile to greet him: "Hi, Director Nolan, I’m Irene Coppola. It’s a real pleasure to meet you here! I absolutely love your Memento. It was filmed with such unique characteristics."

Nolan was stunned for a moment but quickly reacted, standing up to shake hands:

"Hello, Director Coppola! I really didn’t expect you to come. It’s an honor." He had long heard Irene’s name. Recently, no one in Hollywood wasn’t talking about this young female director.

But seeing her in person, he was still surprised. She looked even younger than in the newspapers, with a refreshing temperament, and at first glance, she looked more like an actress than a director strategizing behind the scenes.