America's Road to Wealth

On May 18, 1927, in the heart of the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the film capital of the world.

A theater called "Huaxia Theater" was officially opened.

The architectural style of this theater can be said to be a combination of Chinese and Western styles.

The Chinese Theater is adjacent to the Dolby Theater and has hosted many Oscar Awards ceremonies.

It is famous all over the world for its theater square where stars leave their seals, and has become a tourist attraction.

This cement floor contains the handprints and footprints of the world's best filmmakers.

These "imprints" represent the highest honor and eternal commemoration of people who have made outstanding achievements in the world's film and entertainment industries. Known as "Hollywood's most valuable honor."

2001.

April 12th.

This theater welcomed the crew of "The Princess Diaries" headed by Disney.

In fact, the original premiere of "The Princess Diaries" was not planned to be held at the Huaxia Theater.

The Hua Xia Theater has enough specifications to host the Oscars.

This means that its scale is still very large, and the rent for holding a premiere show here is not cheap.

Although "Princess Diaries" has the support of big sponsors and Disney.

There is no shortage of rent.

But the director of the crew, Garry Marshall, was also under a lot of pressure.

It's obviously a low-budget comedy.

The hero and heroine are still little transparent in Hollywood.

Well, at least Annie was transparent before filming started.

But besides being labeled "Smith Girl", Anne is also a little transparent.

It can be said that among the entire crew, the most famous one is that the production company is Disney, and then he is the director.

Such a small-budget campus fairy-tale comedy shot by a small crew.

With Disney’s channels and operational promotion, it is difficult to lose money.

It should also be possible to make money, but how much it will make, Garry Marshall himself does not dare to guarantee.

There are no big scenes or actions in the whole film, no matter how abundant the investment is, that's all.

Even Garry Marshall had faith in himself and in the film.

But I am still a little worried that the box office will be sluggish and the cost will not be recovered.

So in many places, Garry Marshall felt. Save what you can. .

At the beginning, the premiere show prepared by Garry Marshall was just held in an ordinary Hilton hotel.

Not only will the cost be very cheap, Hilton will even give you a small advertising fee.

This will reduce publicity and distribution costs as much as possible and increase the profit margin of the movie.

Everything was ready.

But at around three o'clock this afternoon.

Garry Marshall was notified by Disney.

The Disney Company said that big names will come to support the movie.

The specifications of the movie premiere show should be as large as possible.

Garry Marshall was still wondering which big shot was coming.

Disney sent an executive over.

The executive brought people over and quickly moved the premiere to the Huaxia Theater.

By the way, the scale of the premiere was suddenly mentioned as a specification that "Princess Diaries" does not deserve.

Garry Marshall, for example, watched helplessly as Disney executives.

Make direct phone calls to many Hollywood A-listers and invite them to appear

Among them, Garry Marshall heard it, and Mr. Executive invited two Toms.

Tom Hanks and Tom Cruise.

There is no doubt that these two are two of the most popular actors in Hollywood in recent years.

There is also Jim Carrey, the undoubted number one comedian in Hollywood right now.

It requires a senior executive from Disney to make a personal phone call and make a temporary invitation. The worst is at this level.

After Mr. Executive finished the call, Garry Marshall couldn't help but asked in a low voice:

"Mr. Gavin, I'm very happy that Disney takes "The Princess Diaries" so seriously. But for a premiere show of this scale, to be honest, as its director, I don't think it deserves it."

As a result, Disney executives gave Garry Marshall this sentence:

"It's not because of "Princess Diaries" that we invited these people here. We invited these people here because a big shot is coming. Marshall, you just need to do your job well."

The executives made it so straightforward and clear.

What else can Garry Marshall say?

The director had to do his job well and discuss everything at the premiere with the producer.

As for other matters, they were all left to the temporary Disney executive.

Soon, five o'clock arrived.

The premiere show officially begins.

According to Hollywood tradition, it is natural to walk on the red carpet.

"Princess Diaries" originally had a red carpet arrangement at the Hilton.

But it’s only about ten meters, from the hotel entrance to the hotel lobby.

This time at the Huaxia Theater, the scale of the red carpet arranged was that of an Oscar awards show.

This made Garry Marshall, who was hiding in the car far away, and the film's producer couldn't help but feel a little twitchy.

Producer Debra Martin Chase said:

"Gary, who is here? This battle is almost as good as Oscar's!"

"Debra, I don't know either. Even you, the producer, don't know. How could I, the director, know!" Garry Marshall said innocently.

Debra Martin Chase speculated: "Could it be Michael Eisner coming over?"

Michael Eisner is the current CEO and chairman of Disney and one of the Hollywood giants.

"Probably not," Garry Marshall said uncertainly:

"The total investment in The Princess Diaries is only 30 million US dollars. It's impossible for Michael Eisner to attach such importance to such a small movie, right?"

And Garry Marshall felt that even Michael Eisner was coming.

The scale of the premiere show shouldn't be so exaggerated, right?

Michael Eisner attends several movie premieres every year.

If only we could make it this big every time.

Then Disney's financial statements in this area will definitely be very ugly!

Producer Debra Martin Chase is also unsure.

At this time, people were already walking on the red carpet.

Someone arrived on the scene.

He is an actor from "The Princess Diaries". He is the supporting actor Heather, Julie, the male lead, and another supporting actor. The four of them go together.

This aspect was arranged by producer Debra Martin Chase.

When it comes to things like walking the red carpet, the person who appears first has always the lowest status.

The person who is the slowest to appear and the last person has the highest status.

These four actors have the highest status among the cast except Anne.

Now he appears first, which means that the people who appear later have a higher status than these people.

Thinking of this, producer Debra Martin Chase suddenly had an idea.

The producer remembered that when he was arranging Anne Hathaway's catwalk sequence, he was asked not to arrange her.

Think of Anne Hathaway again, she has a very rumored boyfriend.

Producer Debra Martin Chase immediately said to the director:

"Gary, you said, could it be Abe Smith coming?"

Garry Marshall was startled at first, then his eyes widened and he nodded repeatedly:

"Yes, yes, yes! It's very possible. It should be Smith who is coming, which is why there is such a big battle!"

The director who stays on set all day.

But the producer knows the relationship between Abel and Annie better.

The last time Abel went to visit the class, Garry Marshall had seen with his own eyes the intimacy between the two people.

Nowadays, there is such a big scene and a big battle.

If it weren't for Abe Smith.

Who in Hollywood can afford such a big battle?

"If Abe Smith is coming, it all makes sense."

Producer Debra Martin Chase said excitedly:

"He deserves to be on this scale! In addition, I remember that Abe Smith has never appeared in any premiere show. He has never been interviewed by TV media. If he really comes today, that is first!"

"Gary! This will definitely be helpful for the box office of "The Princess Diaries"!"

"Today all Americans will know the name of our movie because of Abe Smith!"

"Gary, our movie box office may explode!"

Garry Marshall thought of this too.

By this time he was as excited as producer Debra Martin Chase.

If "Princess Diaries" explodes at the box office.

Among the entire cast, the one who gained the most was Garry Marshall!

The two of them were happily guessing.

Reporters outside were wondering.

As usual, small-investment movies like "The Princess Diaries" are released.

Reporters from major newspapers generally don't come on their own initiative.

Unless the editor asks them to come.

Or if there are red envelopes to get, there are benefits to be gained, then this will come.

Only tabloids that have nothing to report, or simply media invited by the crew, will come.

Not to mention the TV reporters.

Those that can mobilize TV stations are large investments of more than hundreds of millions of dollars.

Usually, reporters from some entertainment TV stations are allowed to go to the scene for interviews and filming.

But today, many tabloid reporters are finding out.

It's obviously just a premiere show for a small-scale investment movie.

However, some TV interview teams with cameras came to the scene.

Through the station logo, the tabloid reporters discovered that there was actually a reporter from ABC TV in the group.

ABC is one of the American public television networks and a giant in the American media industry.

It is one of the four major commercial public television networks in the United States.

In addition, they also saw people from AMC TV, a cable station that has been relatively active recently.

Many tabloid reporters with a keen sense of smell noticed this unusualness.

At this moment, the cast of "The Princess Diaries" on the red carpet had already finished walking the carpet.

The beginning of the red carpet.

A Mercedes-Benz S sedan slowly stopped, and A-list comedy star Jim Carrey stepped out of it.

"Hey! Jim Carrey is here, why is he here?!"

Tabloid reporters were stunned.

Although he has a lower status in Hollywood because he is a comedian.

Jim Carrey's status among Hollywood's top actors has never been high.

But no matter how low he is, Jim Carrey is still a solid first-line actor in Hollywood at this time, with income and fame right there.

Such a superstar has nothing to do with "Princess Diaries".

Jim Carrey actually appears on the red carpet for The Princess Diaries.

The tabloid reporters who didn't know the truth were naturally surprised.

What surprised them even more was what came next.

With Jim Carrey walking half the red carpet.

Behind him, at the beginning of the red carpet, a RV came.

Then a woman came down, she was Julia Roberts.

The appearance of Julia Roberts immediately aroused excitement among tabloid reporters and some onlookers.

Julia Roberts has always had a surprisingly good audience popularity in the eyes of American audiences.

And she had just won the 73rd Best Actress crown not long ago, and she was at the end of her hottest streak.

The appearance of the newly minted actress made the tabloid reporters excited.

Many people immediately turned into informants and started making frantic phone calls to sell the information to more newspapers, or notify the newspapers to send more people.

Even superstars like Jim Carrey and Julia Roberts walked so high up the red carpet after arriving.

The one who can appear behind the two will only have a higher status.

A Julia Roberts and Jim Carrey are enough to get most of the Hollywood media out.

What’s more, there are surprises later!

Not long after, the entire Hollywood media was frantically rushing here.

There are more and more reporters, and more and more cameras and TV stations are coming.

On the red carpet, more and more big-name stars are walking.

Tom Hanks, Tom Cruise, Will Smith, Denzel Washington, Morgan Freeman

Photography captures the back, photography captures the back.

Reporters, big and small, are already feeling a little numb.

They thought this was too outrageous.

I don’t know what Disney has paid, or why Disney is so crazy.

How dare you invite so many big names for a movie with a small investment like "The Princess Diaries" just to hold a premiere show?

With the investment in "Princess Diaries", it consumes so many connections, resources, and invites so many people.

If its box office does not exceed 300 million, it will be sorry for this promotional resource.

But it is obvious that a small-scale heroine-themed comedy film with an investment of 30 million US dollars cannot exceed 100 million US dollars at the box office no matter what.

In this way, so many people are invited.

Disney does not lose money on its film investment.

In terms of human resources, they are really losing money.

Many people think that Michael Eisner is out of his mind.

Spending so many resources to support a small investment campus fairy tale comedy movie.

Many people are speculating as to why Disney has so many of them today.

It’s not like there weren’t smart people out there who guessed the same thing as producers Debra Martin Chase and Garry Marshall.

After all, this movie is invested by AB Smith Entertainment, and the heroine Anne Hathaway is someone's rumored girlfriend.

It is no longer news in the United States.

Finally around six o'clock, when the sun was setting.

A scene that shocked all reporters appeared.

A very luxurious Rolls-Royce Phantom stopped at the beginning of the red carpet.

When the eyes of everyone present gathered together.

They saw Disney's CEO and Chairman stepping out of the car.

Michael Eisner is a Hollywood mogul.

Something that will make reporters even more excited is yet to come.

Because on the other side of the Rolls-Royce Phantom, another Hollywood giant walked down.

It was Robert Iger, the current CEO of MGM.

The two giants, both of whom are ranked high in Hollywood, walked together with smiles on their faces.

They stepped onto the red carpet together, waving to reporters on the left and right as they walked forward.

For those superstars in front of us, everyone could barely hold back.

After all, at the end of the red carpet, there are their colleagues waiting for interviews.

You can collect some news.

However, the scene where the two Hollywood giants appeared together made reporters on both sides of the carpet unable to remain calm.

Many people screamed and wanted to interview Michael and Robert for big news.

"Hi! Robert and Michael! How did you get together? Are Disney and MGM about to merge? Is the Hollywood super giant about to appear?!"

"Hey! Over here, Mr. Egger and Mr. Eisner! I am Jeb, a reporter from the Los Angeles Times. I want to interview you. Can you stop for a moment!!"

"Robert Iger! Michael Eisner! Please, accept an interview with me, I am "Hollywood""

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The simultaneous appearance of the two giants caused a commotion on the red carpet.

Fortunately, Disney was well prepared, and the security guards they hired were not the only ones maintaining order on both sides.

There was even a Los Angeles police presence.

And in terms of security, Disney also received help from Rock Security this time.

with strong security.

Even though the reporters made a commotion and the ordinary people watching were also very excited, they were still suppressed.

Robert Iger and Michael Eisner, two Hollywood giants, ignored the excitement of the reporters around them.

The undisputed Big Two in Hollywood.

They walked the red carpet, waving to both sides and smiling for reporters to take photos.

At the same time, the two of them were also discussing quietly.

"You are so excited to see us. Robert, do you think the scene will be chaotic if Mr. Smith shows up later?"

"Maybe. My boss is a born star. Even if he is not in the movie, he can make any media crazy."

"Robert. In fact, if you don't leave Disney, you will hopefully take over my position after I retire."

"Hahaha~ Michael, what's the point of talking about this now? And you know it yourself, will you be willing to let it go?"

Hearing what Robert Iger said, Michael Eisner was silent for a moment.

Of course Disney’s leaders knew they would not let go.

How could it be possible to let go?

This position is at the top of the pyramid in Hollywood and even in the entire American media industry.

Sitting in this position, you can even see where the real ceiling is.

But if you leave this position, even if Michael Eisner has a glorious past.

Michael Eisner also knew that without Disney's throne, he would soon be lost among the many has-been working emperors.

Michael Eisner no longer discusses these issues with Robert Iger.

At this time, the two of them also reached the middle of the red carpet.

They soon heard behind them.

There was an exaggerated sound even louder than when the two got out of the car.

The leader of MGM and the leader of Disney.

Both of them knew it.

The real finale comes tonight.