In the middle of the spacious restaurant is a long oak dining table, and opposite the dining table is a transparent floor-to-ceiling window. Through the floor-to-ceiling windows made of tempered glass, you can enjoy the charming scenery of Malibu Beach in your eyes. If you open the small windows, the slightly salty and cool sea breeze will gently brush every inch of space in the restaurant like a lover's hand.

Several people sat on both sides of the dining table, constantly talking and laughing. Sandy's occasional childish words and words also caused bursts of laughter.

Without watching too much, I also know that the atmosphere of the banquet is very harmonious, and it is obviously not held for a simple social event.

Sitting across from Ryan and Nicole was George Lucas and his girlfriend McLedi Hobson. Needless to say, the former is an executive at Disney, who is the chairman of the animation department of DreamWorks Animation Studios.

George Lucas and McLedi Hobson have been dating since 2006, which surprised many people at that time. The reason is very simple. McLedi Hobson is a pure black man. Although the slogans against racial discrimination were shouted loudly, Hollywood can be regarded as one of the most serious racial discrimination circles.

Fortunately, McLeody Hobson is not a black man from a black community in the traditional sense. She has a good background, has received higher education, and her family is also the mainstream middle class. Perhaps it would be more appropriate to describe it as a black-skinned and white-hearted coconut person, otherwise George Lucas and his children would not accept her.

Of course, just like Will Smith or O'Hei Charcoal, black people who can really enter the mainstream are basically coconut people.

"French food is good," George Lucas looked at McLeody Hobson who was talking to Nicole and said to Ryan, "very authentic."

"This is a chef Nicole hired specifically from Paris."

Putting down the knife and fork, Ryan raised his cup to George Lucas, "I don't have any special hobbies about food."

"Yes." George Lucas agreed, "It's rumored that Ryan Jenkins only likes movies."

"Commercial movie."

Ryan deliberately added, and both of them laughed.

After laughing, George Lucas said, "It is business operations that make movies the most important cultural and entertainment method in the world, and it is business that makes Hollywood movies conquer the world."

"I agree very much with this." Ryan put down his knife and fork.

"So..." George Lucas gestured, "You invested in James Cameron again, want to create a movie miracle again?"

"550 million US dollars," George Lucas seemed to be a little emotional. "Looking at the world, you are the only one who dares to make such a big investment, Ryan."

"Because I believe James won't let me down." Ryan didn't say much. The achievements he and James Cameron made in "Titanic" are the biggest proof.

"For every dollar increase in investment in movies," George Lucas seemed to think of himself, "the pressure on investors and producers will increase by ten, and $550 million is enough to crush many people."

“Don’t we survive under pressure all the time?”

Ryan seemed very relaxed, as if the huge investment of "Avatar" did not put him under too much pressure. "Before the film was released, we had to worry about whether the film could be completed on time; when the film was released, we had to worry about whether the box office could be sold well; after the film was released, we had to worry about whether the peripheral products would be left unattended."

In this circle, investors are no less pressure than those of first-line actors, directors and producers.

"I have been under such pressure for forty years." George Lucas seemed to think of the situation when he started his business with Francis Coppola. "In 1969, I co-founded Diorama Film Company with Fran. Under his guidance, "Five Hundred Years Later", and since then, I have been surrounded by pressure..."

He shook his head, "From the director's era against big studios, to the later working with Twentieth Century Fox, I always felt something was pressing on my shoulders."

"Maybe I'm older," George Lucas seemed a little self-deprecating, "I can't bear the pressure."

"So you want to retire again?" Ryan used a joke tone. When he saw George Lucas, he nodded slightly and frowned, "George, I remember you told me a few years ago that you were about to retire."

"I'm really going to retire this time." George Lucas doesn't seem to be joking. "I will no longer be directly involved in commercial films in the future, and I will turn most of my energy to experimental films."

This was not beyond Ryan's expectations. He invited Lucas's family to visit because he heard from Catherine Kennedy that George Lucas wanted to retire again.

Rain did not continue to extend the topic, but turned to other aspects. Several people discussed the current situation in Hollywood and discussed topics such as DreamWorks Animation Studio's upcoming "Despicable Me" and "How to Tame Your Dragon".

Then, Nicole picked up Sandy and took McLeody Hobson to visit other parts of the villa, while Ryan and George Lucas went to the study.

"George, we have been friends for many years."

Sitting on the two sofas in the study, Ryan didn't turn around and said directly, "I wonder if you are interested in becoming a Disney shareholder?"

No one would say "no" in this way. Who doesn't know Disney's development and strength, especially its terrifying profitability, and it is difficult for the whole world to find a second media group with higher profitability than Disney.

George Lucas did not answer. He knew that Ryan had something else to say, so he made a gesture of 'please continue'.

"George," Ryan threw away the joking tone of the past and asked very seriously, "what to do if you retire, what to do with Lucasfilm."

"Disney..." George Lucas still didn't answer, but asked, "Ryan, are you very interested in Lucasfilm?"

"I think there are not many people in the world who are not interested in Lucasfilm," Ryan said with his hands spread out. "If you want to sell Lucasfilm, please give priority to Disney?"

After thinking about it for about half a minute, George Lucas said slowly, "Ryan, I can only say that I am very interested in becoming a shareholder of Disney, but you understand that this is not something I can promise by myself, and I cannot give you any promises."

From these words, Ryan clearly heard that George Lucas did have the intention to sell Lucasfilm, nodded and said slowly, "I think Disney's board of directors can add another member."

This kind of multi-billion dollar transaction, cautious and long-term argument negotiations are a necessary process. No one will finalize the intention to cooperate in just a few words, and Ryan and George Lucas are no exception. Lucas's attitude is clear afterwards. If he sells Lucasfilm and the conditions are similar, Disney will be given priority.

If someone bids far higher than Disney, then I can only say sorry.

Of course, George Lucas was also interested in some of the words Ryan mentioned, such as using Disney stocks to exchange for the Lucasfilm stocks in his hands at a premium, and introducing him to the Disney board of directors.

In short, the two did not reach a clear intention, but were very interested in each other.

In fact, Ryan knew very well that under the premise that George Lucas and other shareholders were interested in selling Lucasfilm, the biggest obstacle did not come from Lucasfilm itself, but from possible external competitors, and several hurdles that Disney could not avoid.

Lucasfilm has three key profit-making projects, one is Industrial Light and Magic, the second is the "Star Wars" series, and the third is the "Raptors of the Lost Ark" series.

There is no need to say carefully about Industrial Light and Magic. This is the most powerful film special effects company in the world, no one! Moreover, although Industrial Light and Magic does not make too much profit, it is relatively stable and has relatively relatively business, and does not have too many external factors like movies.

Paramount has a more proactive voice for the "Raiders of the Lost Ark" series - Paramount and Lucasfilm jointly produced the series and have the right to release it - given the characteristics of this series, Ryan doesn't mind Disney sharing the profits with the other party.

The biggest trouble is that Lucas Pictures' most profitable "Star Wars" series. Even though it was hit by the financial crisis in 2008, the toys of the "Star Wars" series and peripheral products that do not include copyrights such as DVDs and TV network on demand still brought Lucas Pictures a net profit of more than $231 million!

If Disney wins Lucasfilm, it will definitely restart the Star Wars series, and Twentieth Century Fox will become the biggest obstacle.

Twentieth Century Fox has the permanent distribution rights for "Star Wars: New Hope", as well as the theater, theater and DVD copyrights for five other Star Wars movies as of May 2030, as well as the on-demand rights for TV networks. Even if the release of the "Star Wars" full-length DVD set in the future, Twentieth Century Fox is an obstacle that Disney cannot avoid.

It’s not impossible to share the benefits of Star Wars with 20th Century Fox. The question is, will the 20th Century Fox, which he just rejected, and the News Corporation watch Lucasfilm fall into Disney’s pocket so obediently?

"Lucas Films demonstrates its extraordinary imagination and its consistent storytelling ability from its founder, George Lucas. If Lucas Films, a world-class film library, is united with Disney's unique and inexhaustible creativity in platform, business and market operations, it will surely bring long-term, visible, significant driving force and benefits to Disney."

This is what Robert Iger said to Ryan in the previous Disney top trio meeting, and the Disney CEO, like Ryan, did not hide his desire for Lucasfilm.

In addition to obtaining Industrial Light and Magic, a special effects department that Disney urgently needs, Lucasfilm's series of classic movie images are all an effective supplement to the Disney character library.r1152

...
Chapter completed!