HWI 77

Hollywood What If Chapter 77

November 21, 1996. 

Kazir visited the investment firm. He wanted to increase his investment in the three companies. 

This year, the stock increase of Nokia was 50.27%. He decided to invest $1.6 million earlier this year and his current investment transformed into $2.4 million.

Cisco's stock price increased to 70.8%. He invested $1.6 million in Cisco too. Now, the money he invested became $2.7 million.

Out of his three investments, Microsoft had the largest stock increase this year. It was 88.31%. Kazir divided his $5 million into three. Obviously, he invested $1.6 million in Microsoft. His $1.6 million became $3 million. 

Combining the three, Kazir's initial $5 million became $8.1 million. 

Of course, the stock prices fluctuate every second and these amounts might increase or decrease tomorrow. That was how the stock market worked. 

Kazir already received his $5 million salary after the completion of the movie. Last week, he received the 10% box office share as well. So yes, he got another 20 million dollars from Warner Bros. 

This time, Kazir decided to invest another $10 million in the stock market. To be precise, he invested in the three companies (Microsoft, Cisco, and Nokia) again. He divided the $10 million into three and let the investment firm handle it. 

"It's nice to work with you, director Grey."

"I know you will not disappoint me, Vance Goodhood."

Kazir Grey's investment advisor was Vance Goodhood. Vance was working in a well-respected investment firm. He had good credit and his reputation was renounced.

Kazir knew this person in his past life. Well, they were not friends or acquaintances. But he knew that Vance never had a bad reputation in his job. He was a famous investment advisor even in the next three decades. So Kazir trusted him. 

After increasing his investment, Kazir decided to leave the firm. 

It has been two months since he met with Terry Semel. Since then, Salvatore Barlowe started doing his job. He tried to contact the film companies that were interested in Kazir's next project. 

'I heard Salvatore is having some trouble with CAA.'

CAA had a policy about having famous clients. Usually, a client like Kazir Grey would have two or more agents working for him. 

This was part of the CAA's policy to make sure that the agent could not monopoly the client. 

'If I'm not wrong, Kevin Huvane is going to add more agents to work with me. Obviously, Salvatore will not like it. His salary will decrease.'

As a person, Kazir was already happy with a 3% commission. He didn't want to change it. So if Kazir had another agent or two, Salvatore Barlowe would receive a lower amount of money. 

"Anyway, let fate do its job. I wonder how Salvatore will fight for more benefits."

CAA's policy was hard to break. The rules were already set up at the start of the founding of the company. 

"I guess I have to help with his actors and actresses instead, to make sure that his salary will be steady."

That was the only way to make Salvatore Barlowe happy, to make sure that his other clients had successful careers. Except for Kazir, all of Salvatore's clients signed a 10% commission with him. 

"Regarding, Taken, 20th Century Fox set a meeting about it."

The approval of a project needed at least two months. Film companies have to study of profitability of the movie to make sure that they would not lose money. 

So Kazir already expected that the approval for Taken would take time. The film companies were taking the project seriously, especially when it was not a Comedy genre that Kazir Grey was good at. They were hesitant. 

Furthermore, Kazir's conditions were too much. He was asking for a $10 million salary plus a 15% North American box office share. Then, he wanted to invest at least 30% of the budget. And he wanted approval rights for the sequels too.

The salary and box office share could be negotiated but the latter was troublesome to accept. If Kazir Grey invested 30% of the budget, then he would naturally receive at least 30% of the profit. That was something every film company didn't want to agree. 

Regarding the approval rights for the sequels, it could be negotiated as long as the movie was successful. Besides, Kazir Grey was the scriptwriter of the movie and his participation in the creation of the sequels was a must. 

"So it's all about the investment. I can't help it, I have to make sure that I have strong authority over the project. I don't want to experience what happened to Zach Snyder in the middle of the filming of Justice League."

... The reason why Zach Snyder departed with Justice League was because of family problems. However, Warner Bros and the insurance company wanted to make sure that the movie would be completed within the schedule so they hired Joss Whedon to direct the movie. 

The outcome of the movie was obvious. Fans loved Justice League Snyder's Cut more than Joss Whedon's Cut. 

The investment was a reassurance that Kazir had control over Taken and many movies connected to it. After all, he was going to make a Cinematic Universe that could generate billions. It was too late to regret it he was kicked out of his own creation. 

"If it fails, I guess I have to make another Cinematic Universe. Once Marvel Comics reached the point of destruction, I will buy their superheroes and make movies with them. It's much easier because there is a blueprint to follow."

In fact, Kazir already bought the copyrights of Iron Man and Hulk from New Line Cinema and Universal respectively. It only costs him a few hundred thousand. 

'The copyrights of Spiderman are quite troublesome because many companies are saying that they have the copyrights of Spiderman. Cannon Films and Sony-Columbia to be precise. In fact, James Cameron wanted to direct the movie.'

Sony-Columbia officially bought the movie copyrights of Spiderman in 1999 after Marvel acquired it back.