Page Pictures.
Kyle, Mr. Bill, Kevin Feige, and Zack Snyder stared intently at the television.
The content currently playing on the TV was a live broadcast of a press conference provided by the Viacom TV platform.
"Friends in front of the television, we are currently broadcasting live the press conference where DreamWorks Animation signed a distribution agreement with Paramount."
"As we all know, since 1997, Paramount Pictures has signed a series of cooperation agreements with DreamWorks Animation and its parent company, DreamWorks Group."
"The cooperation agreement expired in early March this year."
"As a result, the various bustling film and television companies in Hollywood have engaged in quite a few struggles to obtain the overseas distribution rights for DreamWorks Animation!"
"Among them, there are many well-known film companies, such as Mr. Kyle Page's Page Pictures!"
"Recently, while promoting'Spider-Man,' Page Pictures made many overtures to DreamWorks to compete for the overseas distribution rights of DreamWorks Animation. Well, Page Pictures' active assistance in promoting 'Chicken Run' is sufficient proof."
"However, today... the overseas distribution rights and future distribution contracts for DreamWorks Animation have once again gone to Paramount Pictures!"
"Here, let us congratulate DreamWorks and Paramount. Their reunion is bound to bring even more excellent films to Hollywood, to America, and to movie-loving audiences around the world!"
The next scene naturally switched to the podium.
The representative from Paramount was none other than Kyle's old friend—Jordan!
It must be said that old friend Jordan has been promoted recently. In addition to being the head of Paramount's distribution department, he has also been promoted to Senior Vice President of Paramount Pictures, so he was in a great mood, practically walking on air.
"A reporter friend just asked me why Paramount and DreamWorks are joining hands again?"
Jordan said humorously, "Why else? Naturally, both parties are interested in cooperating, after all, cooperation is beneficial to both of us."
The person from DreamWorks was the "good character" Jeffrey Katzenberg.
"I also heard many reporter friends asking why we didn't cooperate with Mr. Kyle Page's company?"
Jeffrey Katzenberg looked around and said solemnly, "In fact, we did seriously consider cooperating with Page Pictures, and our cooperation was very good. Several negotiations also went very well. It can be said that it was so good that we were just short of signing the official contract. Alas, I personally deeply regret not being able to continue the cooperation."
He paused and then said, "However, the results also show that the cooperation between DreamWorks and Paramount is clearly superior to cooperating with Page Pictures."
The reporters at the scene nodded frequently.
However... at this moment, Mr. Bill and the others, who were watching the press conference on TV, were so angry that they almost smashed the television.
Kevin Feige said angrily, "I never expected that Jeffrey Katzenberg, who has always had such a good reputation, would also be such a scoundrel?! Cooperation reached the final step, just short of signing the contract? He's fooling ghosts!"
Several friendly negotiations?
Negotiations my ass!
Zack Snyder, who holds the position of director and head of the production department,
also chimed in, "A few days ago, at a directors' exchange summit, I heard other directors say that DreamWorks often withheld directors' salaries and bonuses. They complained about this a lot, but I didn't expect DreamWorks Animation to be so unreliable and easily break its promises!"
"Calm down~"
Mr. Bill, however, remained composed and said with a smile, "Aren't we already prepared for DreamWorks to break its promise and lose trust? If we can't cooperate, we'll just treat it as a scapegoat in the future."
"Even so, I'm still quite annoyed!" Kevin Feige's eyes gleamed with cold light.
Zack Snyder couldn't help but chuckle, "DreamWorks' reputation was already terrible, and now with this, its reputation is even worse!"
Kyle nodded.
In fact, when Kyle learned he had been played, his initial reaction was, of course, anger and agitation, but after only a short while, Kyle had already calmed down.
It was a bit of a shame not to secure DreamWorks' overseas distribution rights, but Kyle wasn't dependent on them.
If he didn't get it, he didn't get it!
"Kevin, Zack, you don't need to be angry. DreamWorks is proud now, but they'll have plenty of hardships to face in the future!" Kyle burst into laughter.
DreamWorks?
Heh heh!
In the original timeline, DreamWorks had a very prominent name.
It can be said that its popularity was no less than that of the Hollywood Big Six.
Let's not even talk about the animated films produced by DreamWorks Animation. Just the live-action films produced by DreamWorks, such as "A.I. Artificial Intelligence," "Saving Private Ryan," "Vanilla Sky," "Catch Me If You Can," "The Island"... all of them were quite good films.
DreamWorks Group has a huge fan base worldwide.
But!
But DreamWorks Group, in the industry and in capital circles both at home and abroad, had a reputation that could be described as—stinking to high heaven.
Indian large capitals, South Korea's Samsung and Daewoo Group, Japan's Honda Keishukai, Southeast Asia's Li family consortium, European aristocrats... many, many people had been deceived by DreamWorks!
It is inevitable that outsiders investing in Hollywood's film industry would be swindled and exploited out of a large sum of money, but in the final stage, many investors would still make money, it was just a matter of how much.
However, almost no outsider who invested in DreamWorks ever made money!
Even if DreamWorks' films sold well, Spielberg could still manage to show a loss on the books.
To put it bluntly, they were swindling people. And the kind that was brazen about it.
As the saying goes: "It's not that there's no retribution, it's just that the time hasn't come yet!"
Starting in 2003, DreamWorks fell into a predicament, with funds facing a severe shortage.
At this time, Spielberg's reputation as a world-renowned director was once again brought out, but no one believed him anymore, well, except for a few stubborn guys.
Sure enough, within a few years, DreamWorks was carved up by other film companies.
Ultimately, it ended in a dismal failure~
...That evening.
Kyle received a call from Jeffrey Katzenberg of DreamWorks.
"Sorry~"
"Sorry, my best friend!"
"You know, the decisions for many things are not made solely by me!"
"I know anything I say now is useless, but please believe me, I had no intention of hurting you, and I hope we can still be good friends."
Jeffrey said a lot on the phone and apologized to Kyle many times.
"I understand, of course I understand!" Kyle said with a smile.
Go fool a ghost~
And you hope we can still be good friends in the future?
Dream on~
At this moment, Kyle had already made a decision: "Now I still need you to take the fall and resist the suppression from the Hollywood Big Six, so I will remain still for the time being; but when your DreamWorks falls into crisis, I will definitely laugh... and give you a push, pushing DreamWorks into the abyss."
Soon after, Spielberg also personally called Kyle.
He talked at length with Kyle about film matters, and Kyle responded with a smile.
"Just you wait~"
Those who knew Kyle knew that this guy was never a magnanimous person.