Chapter 232: The Money is Coming

Chapter 232: Chapter 232: The Money is Coming

Gil Leonard gritted his teeth and slammed the table hard: "Fine! 48 million it is! But I have one condition: the contract must be signed within three days, and Fox must immediately start preparations for overseas promotion and distribution."

"Wait," Irene Coppola spoke up suddenly. "48 million is fine, but I need another 2 million to make it a round 50 million. In return, I can cooperate with Fox’s global promotional activities, including attending premieres in Europe and Australia and accepting exclusive interviews with local media."

50 million, plus the director personally promoting the film, was undoubtedly a pleasant surprise for Fox. Gil’s eyes lit up, and he nodded immediately:

"Deal! 50 million for a one-time buyout of exclusive global overseas distribution rights, with Director Coppola cooperating in promotional activities. We can draft the contract now."

Cooperating with overseas promotion also had many benefits for Irene. Although many of her films had been released, not many were truly popular on a global scale, so few people overseas recognized her as a director.

Her current workload wasn’t heavy. The early actor training for Million Dollar Baby would take four or five months, and it was still a long way from filming. During this time, she could go overseas to build her profile and prepare for Pirates of the Caribbean.

The atmosphere at the negotiation table instantly relaxed, and both sides showed satisfied smiles. Tom leaned over and whispered to Irene with a smile: "Beautifully done, this price exceeded my expectations."

Irene smiled back, feeling exceptionally steady. She was confident that the overseas box office for this film would likely far exceed 150 million. While the 50 million buyout price wasn’t the absolute maximum, it was already a huge victory for her first time independently negotiating overseas distribution.

More importantly, she held a 24% investment share in this film. According to this price, she would receive 12 million dollars from the overseas distribution buyout fee alone. This fund would provide sufficient financial support for the filming and Oscar public relations of Million Dollar Baby.

Shelly sat next to Irene and quietly gave her a "thumbs up" gesture. He had originally been worried that Irene would lose out due to a lack of negotiation experience, but he didn’t expect her to not only have a clear mind but also accurately grasp the opponent’s psychology, ultimately securing a price far above the industry average.

After the meeting ended, Fox’s legal team immediately set to work drafting the contract, and the tense atmosphere in the conference room finally eased.

At that moment, the phone in Irene’s pocket vibrated slightly. She nodded to Tom Hanks and the Fox executives beside her, then walked quickly to the floor-to-ceiling window and pressed the answer button.

Hilary Swank’s steady yet enthusiastic voice immediately came through the receiver, "Irene, this is Hilary Swank. I read the script for Million Dollar Baby all night, not missing a single word."

"The character of Maggie really struck a chord with me—her resilience in crawling out of the mud, her stubbornness for her dreams, and that final insistence on dignity. I want to play her so badly. I have many thoughts about the character and want to talk to you in person."

Irene leaned against the cool glass window, a relieved smile spreading across her lips. The heart that had been hanging for two days finally settled:

"I’ve been looking forward to talking with you in detail too, Hilary. Is ten o’clock the day after tomorrow convenient for you to come to my studio office? We can take our time discussing character details. If possible, you should bring your agent. I can’t wait to sign you for the role. Once you’re locked in, my later work can proceed smoothly."

"Of course it’s convenient, I’ll definitely be there on time." Hilary agreed readily. After a few more brief words about their initial understanding of Maggie, they hung up the phone.

Just as she put away her phone, Gil Leonard walked over quickly. The aggressive aura from before was gone, replaced by a face full of smiles. His tone was half-familiar banter and half-genuine respect: "Irene, I just heard you on the phone. Is a new project finalized? I must say, you’ve really kept it under wraps!"

Irene raised an eyebrow and asked with a smile, "Why, is Gil interested?"

"It’s more than just us being interested!" Gil spread his hands, his tone full of seriousness. "Everyone at Fox, from CEO Adelaide to our project department, is guessing every day what your next film will be. After the box office of My Big Fat Greek Wedding reversed its decline last time, the high-level management held a meeting and stated clearly: as long as it’s an Irene Coppola project, regardless of the genre, Fox must get the right of first refusal. And here you are, keeping it so well-hidden that not even a whisper of The Message reached us!"

Irene smiled helplessly and explained honestly, "It’s really not intentional, Gil. This project is different from Pirates of the Caribbean and My Big Fat Greek Wedding. It’s not a crowd-pleasing commercial film. It’s a through-and-through low-budget independent production. The plot is serious and heavy, telling the struggle and growth of a bottom-tier female boxer. No special effects, no gimmicks, a niche subject matter—it’s likely not going to make much money, so I didn’t want to bother you with it."

Gil immediately waved his hand in disagreement, his eyes full of certain recognition, even carrying a bit of an "you don’t need to be humble, we understand" look:

"You’re just being too low-key. Who in Hollywood doesn’t know now that the name Irene Coppola is a double guarantee for box office and reputation? Who had high hopes for My Big Fat Greek Wedding at first? A 5-million low budget, no A-list stars, a family warmth theme—everyone thought it was just a small-time thing. And the result? A miracle of reversing decline and a global hit!"

He took a half-step forward, his tone exceptionally sincere, directly showing Fox’s greatest sincerity:

"I’ll be honest with you: no matter what you film—commercial blockbusters, indie films, or even experimental works—as long as you nod, Fox is willing to fully invest at any time. Unlimited budget, full creative freedom, and we’ll provide the best global channels for distribution and promotion.

Even if it really doesn’t make money, we are willing to cooperate with you! In today’s Hollywood, you’re the only director for whom Fox would set aside profits to support."

Irene couldn’t help but raise her eyebrows. She hadn’t expected Fox to value her to this extent. She responded with a smile,

"Thanks, Gil. I appreciate the sentiment. I want to do this Million Dollar Baby independently first, purely to settle into the creative process. But for the subsequent sequels to Pirates of the Caribbean and other projects, we’ll definitely continue to work together."

"That’s a must!" Gil immediately agreed with a smile. "I’ve been waiting for those words! If the studio lacks equipment, venues, or post-production resources, just say the word. Fox’s warehouses and teams will always have their doors open for you!"

Irene smiled sincerely: "Give my thanks to Adelaide."

Gil Leonard then leaned closer to Irene and whispered, "From what you’re saying, maybe you’re aiming for the Oscars with this new project?"

Irene didn’t answer, but simply looked up at him with a knowing smile in her eyes and gave a light wink.

Gil understood immediately, nodded with a smile, and tactfully refrained from asking further.