From Hollywood to Media Empire

Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Hollywood Planet-themed Restaurant.

Charles was happy today, so he and his mother, Evelyn, decided to visit this movie-themed restaurant in the evening. The restaurant was famous because its shareholders included Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis, and Demi Moore.

Well, Bruce Willis and Demi Moore just got divorced last year.

"Ever since that car accident, you've changed, but I'm happy about it," Evelyn said, raising a glass of champagne and clinking it with Charles's.

Charles smiled and asked, "How about the two young actresses I mentioned to you? Have you signed Scarlett Johansson and Keira Knightley yet?"

"Uh," Evelyn looked a bit embarrassed. She had only researched it and hadn't taken any action. Keira Knightley wasn't a problem, but Scarlett Johansson would require some effort.

"Alright, let's move quickly. They're not famous yet, so signing them now is easy. You'll regret it when they become stars," Charles said, knowing his mother treated his words with little concern.

"I'll handle it soon," Evelyn replied, realizing she needed to take it more seriously, probably because her son had been chatting confidently with big stars like Tom Hanks.

"Naomi got the lead role in DreamWorks' remake of the Japanese horror film The Ring. Mulholland Drive must have helped, and they have a budget of over $50 million!" Evelyn informed Charles.

Mulholland Drive was about to release officially. During preview screenings, it was well-received by critics and professionals. The film was very profound.

It was a typical art film, unlikely to achieve much commercial success but held significant artistic value.

"The Ring! A Japanese horror remake with a $50 million budget? Looks like DreamWorks' strategy of high-concept films with large productions and promotions is their foundation," Charles observed. Spielberg had pursued high-concept films for years and been quite successful.

Now, they were even daring enough to invest so much in a horror film. No wonder DreamWorks' debt kept climbing until they had to sell. After all, DreamWorks had more flops than hits, and their losses were substantial.

DreamWorks only had domestic distribution channels, so for high-concept films, they relied on overseas markets and partnerships with other major studios for funding, sharing risks but also losing a significant part of the overseas profits.

In the end, Steven Spielberg, one of the founders responsible for live-action films and a shareholder of DreamWorks, still took a substantial salary for shooting films for the studio.

Ultimately, the three founders made significant profits, while the debts remained with DreamWorks. They couldn't expand and grow, so selling to Paramount in 2006 due to high debt became inevitable, with even the hit Transformers unable to save them.

"And Megan Fox...," Charles added.

Evelyn nodded, "Don't worry. I know what to do. Pretty models have their uses too."

With preparations for My Big Fat Greek Wedding starting, funding and distribution channels were secured with the involvement of Tom Hanks.

After finishing her scenes for Bad Boys II in LA, Megan Fox said goodbye to Charles and prepared to return to Florida.

In the evening, in a park near Charles's rented room in North Hollywood, Charles was discussing things with Megan Fox.

"I told my mom what you mentioned last time. She believes it's not a big issue. She'll help you with a career plan!"

Megan Fox nodded and smiled, "Great, just call me if there's an audition."

She bit her lip and hugged Charles's waist, wondering if Mrs. Carpe might help her get better roles.

Charles paused and suggested, "You're still young. Finish high school first; otherwise, many roles won't suit you. You also need to systematically study acting!"

Without acting skills, she'd be just a pretty face, but even for that, Megan Fox was too young - surely she'd have to wait until adulthood. Unlike Scarlett Johansson and Keira Knightley, who started as child stars, Megan was just a model with no experience.

Charles saw Megan off from Los Angeles later that night.

Soon after, Mulholland Drive began screening in North America, though in limited theaters since such films rarely had wide releases.

Starting with limited screenings, it expanded to 66 theaters. With no big stars and being a mind-bending mystery, the distribution company didn't invest much in promotion.

The box office wasn't high, but the film received positive reviews. Some people loved it, bringing Naomi Watts into the spotlight.

DreamWorks' The Ring started filming, further boosting Naomi Watts' visibility.

Charles wasn't too concerned, as he was heading to Chicago. Preparations for My Big Fat Greek Wedding were complete.

Filming was set to start at the end of the month. With few actors and locations, it was a low-budget romantic comedy focusing on cultural clashes among ethnic minorities.

Chicago, a major city in the North, a hub for transportation, culture, and finance in the North American Great Lakes region, was also known as the crime capital of America.

The main creative team for My Big Fat Greek Wedding included director Joel Zwick, lead actor John Corbett, and lead actress Nia Vardalos.

Neither the director nor the actors were well-known in the industry.

Tom Hanks' production company had assigned a dedicated producer, and Charles joined them.

Tom Hanks' wife, Rita Wilson, loved the film and would be on set. Meanwhile, Tom Hanks was working on Road to Perdition, a thriller-adventure project produced by DreamWorks and 20th Century Fox.

In late October, My Big Fat Greek Wedding finally started filming in Chicago.

*****

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