Chapter 1179: Refused settlement

Chapter 1179: Refused settlement

Among them, although they belong to the third sequel, compared with the great success of "Mummy 3", the film "The Matrix 3" taken by the Anthony Film Group from the Firefly Group, the total box office in North America is only 139 million US dollars, the global box office It also barely broke through $400 million, and both data created a new low.

The total cost of making and declaring "Matrix 3" is more than 200 million US dollars, and the global box office of 400 million US dollars is not enough for Angelin Pictures to recover the full budgetary cost. Spielberg and others can only look forward to the follow-up DVD and film. The TV perimeter compensates for the loss.

Although this summer file, another low-cost production of "America Beauty" by Anbert's film has won 130 million in North America and 350 million in the world at a production cost of 15 million US dollars. It can be said to be a great success. However, the overall film business of Ann Berlin, including "The Matrix 3", still shows a serious loss, which has once again accelerated the separation of several partners of the film.

In addition, this summer file, from Ben Stiller and Adam Sandler's two comedy stars, "I am Mary Mad" and "Dad Forward" have all achieved unexpected box office success.

"I am Mary Mad" created a good box office score of $170 million in North America for a production cost of $23 million.

Although the production cost of "Daddy Forward" is slightly higher than "I am Mary Mad", it reached $34 million, but the film's North American box office still reached 160 million US dollars, which is also small.

The success of the two films also announced the rise of two other comedy big coffees in Hollywood after Kim Kerry.

From the box office performance of various film companies, the two magazines of Firefly Group "Iron Man" and "Cars" have more than 500 million US dollars at the box office, ranking first easily.

Fox and Universal followed closely. Fox's "I am Mary Mad" and "Shrek" films have a total of $430 million in North American box office. The global "Mummy" North American box office has exceeded $300 million, but another one is the main one. The film "Notting Hill" has just exceeded 100 million in the box office. The two films have a total of 420 million US dollars at the box office in North America, which is slightly worse than Fox.

The next four studios in Warner, MGM, Paramount and Columbia, the North American box office of the summer release film has slipped to $300 million.

Moreover, unlike the previous years in North America, there are always two or two independent productions of the company's films. This year, only the filmmakers of "A Matrix" and "American Beauty" have a total of 2.6 US dollars at the box office. , became the only independent studio that can barely be tied with the seven major film companies.

The reason for this situation is that it has nothing to do with the recent tightening of overseas film capital to Hollywood investment, and it is also the result of further monopolizing the film's resources by the seven major film companies and various media groups.

It is conceivable that after the dissolution of the film industry, the situation of the seven major film companies monopolizing Hollywood will be completely formed, and it is impossible for a latecomer to break in the short term.

With the end of the summer file, the end of the year is no longer far away.

Eric’s “Gravity Gravity” was released on November 19th. It’s only been more than two months away. At the end of August, the first eight-second concept trailer was released.

The global IMAX and 3D cinema transformation work has also entered the final commissioning phase.

Including some additional expenses such as real estate purchases and peripheral software updates, the Firefly Group has invested more than $1.9 billion in the entire ‘4200’ program.

Although the purpose of the Firefly Group is to promote 3D and IMAX film formats, however, from the outside world, this is more of the "willfulness" that Eric, the owner of the Firefly Group, has made for his new work.

After all, the public is not aware of the detailed promotion plan of the Firefly Group, and the media often prefer to use more eye-catching words to attract readers. For a film that costs only $100 million, it has invested huge amounts of $1.9 billion in front and back, which can be linked to words like squandering. Therefore, the outside world is generally not optimistic about the Firefly Group's move to promote 3D and IMAX.

However, such a huge expenditure has easily attracted a large number of eyeballs for "Gravity", making this film the most anticipated movie of 1999.

After spending a few days with Cindy on Martha's Vineyard, Eric returned to Manhattan.

This is the second week after the Firefly system filed a lawsuit against At-Home and Microsoft.

Because the patent evidence provided by the two companies in the Firefly system is undoubted, At-Home's share price has continued to plummet for more than a week, when the market value of the original $7.6 billion slipped to the present, only $2.6 billion remained.

In the face of Yahoo's lawsuit, the first reaction of At-Home's board of directors after the chaos, is to ask Microsoft for help, but also specifically released Microsoft's upcoming acquisition of At-Home.

However, Microsoft, which was still in contact with At-Home, denied the news about the acquisition for the first time.

After all, both sides know that this is a collision between Microsoft and the Firefly system. If Microsoft bought the At-Home company at that time, it would be a complete violation of At-Home.

Yahoo’s claim against At-Home was $1 billion.

Although it has a market value of billions of dollars, even if At-Home is squeezed out, it will definitely not get out of $1 billion.

However, if Microsoft buys At-Home at this juncture, it would mean that a fat sheep has gotten into the tiger's mouth. Microsoft can easily come up with $1 billion.

As for Firefly Electronics’ lawsuit against Microsoft’s upcoming Zune player, although the trial was not completed overnight, the San Francisco District Court issued a ban to Microsoft for a week after the firefighter filed a lawsuit against Microsoft. The Zune player may not be released until the end.

Although Microsoft raised objections in the first place, it temporarily canceled the Zune player TV commercial that was originally intended to be sent to various TV stations in North America.

As a company that often relies on patent monopolies to suppress competitors, Microsoft clearly understands that they want to develop search engine and digital music player business, and they absolutely cannot bypass the patent barrier of the firefly system.

Therefore, Microsoft executives quickly got in touch with the Firefly system and hoped to reconcile.

Bill Gates obviously didn't want to deal with Eric at first, but let Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer and Eric make a few phone calls. There were no results in a few consecutive times, and the door students apparently understood that they had to fly to Manhattan again.

In the Upper West Side, Eric’s bodyguards led to an ordinary apartment. Bill Gates couldn’t help but look at the building, which was obviously not very good. It’s doubtful why Eric has a residence here. For this reason, I still can't help but despise it in my heart.

However, when the apartment door is opened, even if you wear flat-bottomed slippers, you will still be taller than him. There is a beautiful face with a smile and a straight leg. The door student just rises. The pleasure of that moment suddenly dissipated.

"Hello, Mr. Gates," the girl did not introduce her own meaning, but she leaned sideways and said: "Eric is already waiting for you."

Gates didn't know that Carmen Kathy was accustomed to alienating strangers. In addition to the compliments of people in these years, it was natural to recognize the girl's attitude as a scorn, and then naturally moved the grievances. Go to Eric.

Walking into the apartment, watching Eric, sitting in the living room sofa and looking at the magazine leisurely, remembering the recent series of bad things, the door students would like to go forward and slap someone.

Of course, this thought he will only think about it, and does not say that he wants to maintain grace in front of a beautiful woman. With the age and physical disparity between him and Eric, he is in conflict with the youth in front of him. Yourself.

"Hey, Bill," Eric got up and Gates shook his hand and gestured to the opposite side. "Sit."

With that said, Eric saw Carmen Kass going to the kitchen and stopped to say: "Carmen, no, Bill will leave soon."

Carmen Kass stopped and voluntarily turned to the bedroom.

Bill Gates listened to Eric's words, and his expression was obviously not very good-looking. Is this even the surface kung fu not willing to do it?

After learning the lessons of the previous two, Eric is really too lazy to do any more work.

I can't drink anyway.

As Carmen Kathy disappeared and the atmosphere stagnated for a few seconds, Gates first said: "Eric, what do you want?"

Eric put down the magazine in his hand and looked at the opposite side. He said, "Bill, in fact, what do you want to do. On the Microsoft side, the fireflies have expressed their goodwill without reservation. I have always wanted to be with Microsoft. Keeping the relationship of cooperation, but the result? I helped Microsoft solve the biggest problem you faced, Microsoft's return to the firefly is to tear up the contract."

Gates retorted: "Microsoft has not torn the contract, and every Windows system is still pre-installed with Yahoo!

"That was because Microsoft's attempt failed," Eric stared at Gates. "So, do you want to deny that the sudden hearing of the Justice Department has nothing to do with Microsoft?"

Gates hesitated, still said: "This is hosted by Steve."

Eric shrugged: "I don't care about this, so it doesn't matter if you pull out the top tank."

Gates also wanted to learn Eric to make some free and easy gestures, but in the end he just straightened his waist and said: "Well, Eric, I think we still have to talk about what to do now."

Eric asked directly: "So, what about Microsoft's conditions?"

"At-Home and Zune have obtained the corresponding patents, in return," Gateston said, with some willingness to express the expression, said: "Microsoft can not pursue the infringement of Microsoft software patents in the operating system of Yahoo! We can also make certain patent licenses for Yahoo."

Eric listened to Gates and couldn't help but smile. "So, only these?"

"Eric, you have to know, the tablet device that Yahoo is developing, in terms of operating system, can't avoid Microsoft's patent anyway. So, this is a win-win situation."

In Eric’s memory, Microsoft did charge a lot of royalties to the Android operating system. This is mainly because the software patent pool accumulated by Microsoft Windows system is too large. Generally, the software operating system can’t avoid Microsoft’s operation. System patent.

Of course, there are exceptions to this, and that is Apple.

Apple's graphical interface operating system is earlier than Microsoft's, and it has accumulated a large number of patents. Coupled with a series of black history such as plagiarism, Microsoft rarely finds Apple's troubles in patents.

"If that's the case," Eric said with a sneer in his mouth, said: "Bill, congratulations, you managed to exhaust my last patience. I thought you came in personally and would bring some sincerity. The conditions, but you are just threatening me. So, the Firefly system does not intend to reconcile with Microsoft, you can now go back to Seattle, ready to file a lawsuit against the mini music store. Similarly, I assure you, whether in the search engine field, or In the field of digital music players, Microsoft doesn't want to get one point."

Eric said that Gates apparently also came to the temper, adding to the tone: "The Microsoft will also be able to make the Firefly Electronics tablet banned in the future, Eric, you should think about this consequence."

"You seem to have forgotten a little," Eric said: "In terms of operating system, although Windows is already a big one, but this world is not only an operating system of Windows, no matter how whitewashed, Windows eventually copied Apple. McIntosh. So, leaving Microsoft, Firefly Electronics can also obtain a patent license from the operating system from Apple. Just in time, Firefly Investment also holds a large part of Apple's equity, and if necessary, I can even buy Apple. ”

"The Apple system has long since become obsolete," Gates raised his voice and retorted: "You should know why Microsoft wants to leave this company. If Firebug buys Apple, Microsoft can immediately attack the company."

"I just need to get a patent, even if Apple goes out of business, it doesn't matter," Eric said, still calmly responding with a smile, saying: "And if the firefly really buys the apple completely, then, Windows can also be said to be a patent that needs to use the firefly system."

"That Jobs, do you think that stone will want you to buy an apple?"

"Steve Jobs was driven out of Apple once, and of course he could be driven out again. For so many years, everyone should understand that in the face of capital, he is not a big deal. I appreciate Jobs’ talent, but if necessary, the fireflies are sure. Will focus on his own interests," Eric said, pointing again to the direction of the door, said: "So, Bill, you can leave now."

Gates was never a good-tempered person. He stood up and stood up, but he still lived. "Eric, you are not good for everyone."

"If I compromised with Microsoft, is it good?" Eric sneered at Gates and said: "Your attitude has made me fully understand that one thing, fireflies and Microsoft can never cooperate closely. I will never have this extravagant hope in the future. Even if the fireflies reach a settlement with Microsoft this time, then next time? I believe that even if we have a cooperative relationship, Microsoft will also launch the firefly system again. In the final analysis, Microsoft It’s really a company that is not worthy of trust."