Chapter 753： Marvel's Dilemma

Marvel, Ryman has been thinking about it for a long time.

It started when he thought about how to upgrade the business.

If you just want to achieve global distribution and even better profitability, then as long as the energy continues to produce excellent, blockbuster film and television dramas.

This is also why independent film companies are like a spring breeze. Every year, several rush into the box office charts, but everyone is not long-term and unstable.

How did DreamWorks break up? How was New Line acquired?

The reason is that the output cannot keep up with the profit. Once there is a problem with the capital chain, you have to bow your head.

Therefore, in the era of big IP, as long as the resources at Marvel’s disposal can be well developed and monetized, they can cover from movies to surrounding areas, and even increase the popularity of comics, thus feeding back the establishment of character images.

Marvel is a gold mine and the best acquisition target for sinking channels.

They started out with comics, and they once occupied the largest market share of American comics in the 1980s, which was higher than DC. Of course, DC was already busy developing film and television dramas at that time, and the focus of the two was different.

Now, after Avi Allard took over, Marvel has its own toy factory, stores, and Marvel film and television in addition to the comics business.

It can complement the shortcomings of fireflies very well.

Not to mention, 2007 was a good time for acquisitions. In the original time and space, banks made it more difficult to borrow for companies that were unfavorable to their operations. Marvel had already relied on continuous borrowing to maintain operations. After raising the threshold, it was almost overwhelmed by debt. Not angry.

In the end, the management of Marvel was forced to give it a go, took out most of its character IP, and loaned 400 million to Merrill Lynch to shoot its own movie-if "Iron Man" was unsuccessful, Marvel would definitely be finished.

Why dare to break the boat?

This is because once bankruptcy, the funds invested by all the shareholders of the board of directors will shrink by a large amount.

Since 2000, Marvel has always had the momentum to adapt works, but it has been assisting other studios in the development, such as "The Punisher", "Blade Warrior" and so on.

Marvel is a layman. The idea is to cooperate mainly and realize character assets. If they were not pressed, they would not dare to develop independently.

On the other hand, after Lehman planned to intervene in this industry, he naturally asked a person to investigate Marvel.

As Joseph said, at this time, no one paid attention to Marvel. The most valuable IPs, such as Spider-Man, X-Men, Hulk, and Fantastic Four, were all sold, and the rest were second-rate. Characters, several major studios did not take it to heart, plus there are too few real good assets within Marvel, even the toy factory is struggling to maintain it, and there is no room for comparison with companies such as Hasbro.

After all, DC has failed even Superman, and Marvel is left with some rubbish. If it wants to take over, it has to take on huge debts and divest bad assets. Who would do such a troublesome thing.

This is also why Marvel did not sell it several times, but was used by some Wall Street vampires for financial operations to sell assets at a low price.

At this time, Marvel, not counting debts, is almost valued at around 900 million, which is seriously inflated. In addition to debt, it is close to 1.6 billion or 700 million.

If you want to take over completely, Firefly will be a big burden and will have to borrow money.

After two years of hard work, excluding the funds for maintaining operations and some project funds, roughly 1.1 billion can be allocated. However, Blue Butterfly Pictures also needs to develop, and it is still within the scope of operation to spend 900 to 1000 million.

Needless to say, the value of Marvel is only due to historical legacy and business problems that lead to its own slow development. If you have a little money, you have to return it to the bank.

Although Avi Allard took over Marvel at a cost of only $50 million at the beginning, but now it takes Lehmann to spend more than one billion to have full control, but after the "Spider-Man" hit, Marvel's stock price rose After a wave, the situation improved a lot.

If there is no hidden danger of the last loan, and the bank tightens the lending business, Marvel might still be able to live a small life, anyway, it has survived for so many years.

......

CAA, Death Star Building.

Lyman met with Brian Lord, one of the five core managers.

The two are old friends who have worked together for a long time and have a natural and friendly attitude.

Of course, Lehman came this time not for friendship, but for Marvel.

CAA has always had a tradition of pimping. When Sony acquired Columbia, Michael Ovitz assisted and finally charged a favor.

Mainly, Marvel’s large and small shareholders, one by one, can easily reveal their intentions, and it will raise their expectations, resulting in a lot of unnecessary money.

No one wants Marvel, the value is low, and there are people who take advantage of it. You can see whether they will increase the price or not. Lehman doesn't want to be cut off, and taking on the debt is the limit he can promise.

Therefore, while he let people buy from the stock market, he started from inside Marvel.

The latter requires the help of a well-connected person, and CAA is naturally suitable for this job.

After explaining his intentions, with the channel information and network of contacts that Brian Lord has mastered, he is naturally willing to accept it. Anyway, if it succeeds, he will definitely not lose a big red envelope.

However, he felt that Lehmann was a little unprofessional.

You, a studio, don't make a good movie and buy a messed up comics entertainment company.

Brian Lord thought about it a little and knew that Lyman was eyeing Marvel's IP image, but the problem was that Warners couldn't handle DC, and the development was not smooth. What is Marvel's worth without Spider-Man and X-Men place of importance?

To develop Marvel, Warner Bros. could have acquired it 20 years earlier.

However, this is someone else's business, he is only responsible for helping to make connections and earning benefits, it seems that he doesn't need to worry about anything.

Two days later, the two met for the second time.

This time, Brian Lord pulled out a thick stack of documents.

It contains the internal financial details of Marvel in recent years, as well as the information of major shareholders, including the unhealthy assets of Marvel, the bank's identification, and the debt situation.

More importantly, even the management details, power factions and other things have been investigated by the CAA.

It is no wonder that Sony liked to find CAA to match up. With these channel information, the acquisition is greatly convenient.

At the beginning, Michael Ovitz was elected No. 1 in the Hollywood Power List for three consecutive years. The contacts and information that CAA can accumulate is really amazing...

Brian Lord smiled and said, "Sony bought Columbia for $3.4 billion, and Panasonic bought Universal for $6.6 billion. That's what we run. Small companies like Marvel are actually simpler, as long as they get the support of most of their shareholders. , after the completion of the transaction, reorganization and delisting will suffice.”

- Privatization.

Lehman glanced at Brian and said, "I personally look forward to cooperating with CAA. If it happens, 4% of the total transaction amount, the lower the negotiated price, the higher the share, how about it?"

Brian Lord's expression finally changed subtly. His smile was stronger and more sincere. Who doesn't like it if it's in place? "Mr. Rust, we will complete the acquisition negotiation of Marvel Entertainment, please. Be patient for a while."

"Thank you so much." - It involves tens of millions of dollars in trading profits, and it is still their high-level profit sharing, this motivation is still enough.

The time came to April 20th. The box office of "Juno", which has been showing for more than a month, has accumulated 113 million at the North American box office, 140 million overseas, and 253 million globally. It also makes the industry very envious of Firefly's development of a low-cost dark horse. Make big money.

In addition, it is the casting work of "Twilight".

After receiving the invitation, Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson were inexplicably excited and quickly signed a long-term contract.

Of course, the main actors, including the supporting roles, are all a series of long-term contracts.

Two actors who have not yet become famous, their worth is very low, and they do not have the confidence to negotiate the price. They are afraid that the opportunity will slip away, so Robert's first film salary is 3 million US dollars, Christine is even less, 2.2 million, because she is an actress? , Hollywood rules.

Warner StudiosTwilight" set.

The selected actors are fitting and rehearsing. Because some preparations have not been completed, the shooting time is estimated to be in early June, but it does not prevent them from working hard for this, hoping to seize this opportunity to gain fame.

After all, the actors all know Firefly's show-stopper.

In the afternoon, Lyman came over.

Kristen Stewart watched curiously, and saw Lyman glance at her casually, ignoring her, and was a little disappointed.

This person is a big man in the industry. It would be much easier if he could hug his thighs, have no shortage of resources like Eva, and be able to transform into a producer with higher status and power.

It's a pity that people don't pay much attention to her. I heard from the agent that he chose the role himself. Is it just because it's suitable? Thinking of nothing else?

Alas, why are you even more disappointed?

It comes and goes like the wind, and people leave again.