Chapter 804: Huge Loss
In Hollywood, various companies are not very active in matters such as payment sharing. It is normal to delay for a year and a half. From the moment when Under the Machine was released, the young actors of Harry Potter and the agent of a British agency contracted by director David Yates flew to Los Angeles, chasing after Robin Grande Asking behind the ass of the head of the Harry Potter studio.
Now that the box office profit sharing agreement has been signed, it must be implemented, otherwise the relevant laws are not a decoration.
However, it will take time to calculate the box office profits of the first and second Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows films.
Currently, Warner Bros., as the distributor, gets $800 million from the combined box office of these two films.
Based on this amount, Harry Potter Studios began the relevant financial calculations.
Harry Potter Studio is only the producer of the film. It signed a distribution contract with Warner Bros. According to the agreement, 10% of the total box office of the two films of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows The distribution fee belonging to Warner Bros., which is 10% of the 2.4 billion US dollars, is about 240 million US dollars.
This part of the money will be deducted by Warner Bros. Even if it's just a service fee paid by itself, no one can pick the thorn.
Then there is the film's promotion and marketing expenses. In the statement submitted by Warner Bros., Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows spent 120 million US dollars in this regard, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows spent $120 million. The associated expenditure was $130 million.
This part of the funds is basically paid by Warner Brothers themselves, and most of the channels used for film promotion and marketing belong to Time Warner.
After deducting these amounts, which totaled a whopping $490 million, the remaining $310 million went to the Harry Potter Studios.
But those who signed up for a share of the box office profits were not yet able to participate in the ranks of sharing the funds, because the Harry Potter studio also deducted production costs.
In this regard, Harry Potter Studio did not do anything. The total production cost of the two films of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is 300 million U.S. dollars due to the savings of shooting the two films together...
However, this is not the end.
Harry Potter Studios didn't have enough money to invest in the film, and the $300 million investment came from a loan -- a loan from Harry Potter Studios to a film foundation at Duke.
Now, more than three years after the original loan, the Harry Potter studio needs to pay $47 million in interest to Duke's foundation.
Of course, this is the cost of borrowing the left hand from the right hand. However, Harry Potter Studio is a financially independent company, and paying interest on loans is not only a matter of course, but also fully complies with the relevant laws and regulations.
Therefore, from an accounting point of view, the first and second films of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows were completely loss-making at the box office.
In this way, those main creators who have signed a net revenue sharing agreement with the film studio will not receive any money.
Loss?
In the Harry Potter studio, the agent from England heard Robin Grande's reply. Not only was he furious, How is this possible! How could this film lose money at the box office?
He supported the table with both hands, staring at Robin Grande with scorching eyes, like a monster that chooses to eat people.
Robin Grande turned a blind eye to his attitude and pushed the thick financial audit report in front of his broker. This is the relevant financial audit data, which contains details of box office receipts and all expenditures in all regions. If you don't believe it, you can ask professional lawyers and accountants to review it.
From a legal and financial point of view. What the Harry Potter studio did was perfectly legal and reasonable.
Knowing this, Robin Grande doesn't care what the agent thinks. Sorry, I have other work to do.
Hearing these words that sounded like an order to evict customers, the agent became even more angry, You guys have gone too far! Don't forget. They are Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson, yes Today's superstar.
Looking up, Robin Grande just looked at him, but said nothing.
The manager's arrogance was disappearing little by little. Looking at Robin Grande, who didn't care much, he seemed to gradually understand something.
Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and other young actors under the company have indeed become popular stars because of the Harry Potter series. It is not too much to say that the first two are so popular.
However, the Harry Potter series is over, and their value to the Harry Potter Studio...
Taking a deep breath, the manager suppressed his anger and said, This matter won't end like this, Mr. Robin Grande, do you want to see a lawsuit?
Robin Grande smiled lightly, This financial calculation is completely in compliance with the law. If you want to sue the Harry Potter studio, please do so.
After speaking, he pressed the intercom, let his secretary enter the office, and invited the British manager out.
Whether it is Robin Grande, or Duke and Warner Brothers standing behind, they don't care that this has turned into a lawsuit. From a legal point of view, there is no problem with the accounting loss of the Harry Potter studio.
This involves hundreds of millions of dollars in funds. Duke and Warner Bros. will not give up easily, and those actors and their agents certainly will not give up on this.
They are moving around in Hollywood, trying to put pressure on the Harry Potter studio, and even found relevant lawyers, preparing to sue the Harry Potter studio to the Delaware Chancery Court.
Like most companies in Hollywood, Harry Potter Studios is also registered in Delaware.
The box office really didn't make a profit?
In the office of Warner Studios, Joanna Rowling, who came from London, sat across from Duke, holding a coffee cup, and asked, Duke, this is unfair to Emma and the others.
Joe...
Looking at Joanna Rowling, Duke said slowly, I believe you can also get the relevant statistics from the Harry Potter studio. You can ask your own accountant and lawyer to review it.
Joanna Rowling didn't answer.
The cooperation between us has always been smooth, and your share has never been less than a penny. Duke continued, And I believe that our cooperation will continue.
Unlike actors, Joanna Rowling has the right to share all relevant income, and box office profits and losses have no impact on her income.
Cooperation? Joanna Rowling looked at Duke.
Of course, Duke raised his eyebrows, Warner Bros. and I hope to continue working with you, and our cooperation has always been very pleasant. Joe, you don't think you want to cooperate with those strange companies, do you?
In any case, Duke and Warner Bros. have never played a hand on Joanna Rowling's due income.
After thinking for a few seconds, Joanna Rowling smiled, Of course I want to continue working with you.
If there is no platform like Time Warner, there will be no upsurge in the Harry Potter series, and she will not have such fame and wealth.
Joanna Rowling is not an idiot, she knows the importance of a media group to herself.
In fact, it is not difficult at all to choose between the media group and those basically worthless actors.
Afterwards, Joanna Rowling no longer mentioned the actors' box office share, but talked with Duke about some ideas of her new work Fantastic Beasts and Where Are They.
However, the Harry Potter movie series has just ended, and Where are Fantastic Beasts is still in the stage of imagination. If it is to be adapted into a movie, that belongs to the future.
After sending Joanna Rowling away, Duke turned his energy back to the preparations for The Avengers, but just after half an hour of watching the storyboard artwork, Tina Fey knocked on the door and walked in.
Emma Watson is here, she wants to see you.
Hearing Tina Fey's words, Duke thought for a while and said, Let her in.
Within a few minutes, Tina Fey brought Emma Watson into the office.
Hello, Director Rosenberg.
She took off her sunglasses and greeted Duke.
Duke nodded to her, and pointed to the chair across the desk, Sit wherever you want, Miss Watson.
When Emma Watson sat down, Tina Fey brought a cup of coffee. She didn't leave and sat behind another desk in the office.
Duke was busy with work, so he asked directly, What's the matter?
The two are just acquaintances, not to mention that they don't have any friendship, they are not even considered acquaintances.
Obviously, Emma Watson has certain fantasies about Duke, Director Rosenberg, I don't know if you have heard, but there are some problems with the contract I signed with the Harry Potter studio.
Hearing this, Duke frowned slightly, I'm sorry, Miss Watson, although I am the producer of the Harry Potter series, this is only a name, and the specific affairs are Robin Grande and Harry Potter. Potter Studios is in charge, you've got the wrong guy.
Emma Watson wanted to say something, but was stopped by Duke raising his hand, I'm preparing for The Avengers, what you said has nothing to do with my work.
Without waiting for the other party to continue talking, he gave Tina Fei a look, and the female assistant came over and made a gesture of please.
A pair of eyebrows were tightly frowned, and Emma Watson looked at Duke in puzzlement, as if she didn't expect such a result.
Perhaps the actress was too favored by the Harry Potter crew and agency before, and she was obviously a little naive.
It’s just that this kind of naivety is used in the wrong place, and Duke will not be moved by her few words. After Tina Fey invited her away, she put this matter behind her and focused on the work of The Avengers . (to be continued ^)
PS: Ask for monthly and recommendation tickets!