Hollywood, the Dome Theatre on Sunset Boulevard.
Charles finally signed the purchase contract with Pacific Theater Chain Company for $26.5 million, acquiring 16 cinemas with equity and another 30 franchised cinemas managed by the chain.
There were a total of 325 screens, with the Dome Theatre and ArcLight Cinemas in Los Angeles serving as flagship locations, both suitable for movie premieres.
Especially the Dome Theatre, built in the 1960s and recently renovated, with a capacity of up to 600 people, it has always been a popular choice for many movie premieres.
Of course, it couldn't compare to the Chinese Theatre, Kodak Theatre, or Egyptian Theatre on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Stepping out of the theatre, the California sun shone down, feeling incredibly comfortable; a good mood coupled with good weather made it a day worth celebrating with a drink.
"Boss, Google, which you asked me to keep an eye on, has now initiated its IPO plan and entered a quiet period. After three or four months, once it passes the SEC audit, it can be circulated in the market," Donna reported to Charles. Netflix, which was acquired earlier, saw its stock price continuously rise last year, reaching a peak of $74 in February this year, after which Netflix underwent a 2-for-1 stock split.
Although there was a slight dip, Netflix's stock price has now stabilized at around $30 per share.
The initial investment had multiplied more than tenfold, and Charles now felt that there was truly nothing faster than making money in the stock market.
"Keep watching it, I want to buy!" Charles didn't say much more. If Donna was smart, she would also buy some.
"By the way, how is Michael Jackson's case progressing recently?" Charles inquired. Since last year, Michael Jackson had been embroiled in another child molestation scandal.
He had gone through one in '93, which cost him a lot of money to settle, and this was the second time.
Donna Williams shook her head and said, "The lawsuit is still ongoing. Michael's spokesperson said they won't compromise this time. His Neverland Ranch was searched by the police last year, and his career has completely stalled! It's really a shame."
"Boss, do you believe Michael?"
Charles smiled and shook his head, sarcastically saying, "Just as Michael said, a group of shameless people are using false accusations to try and extort benefits from him."
"Didn't that father and son succeed ten years ago?"
Charles, of course, knew the truth. Michael Jackson's music publishing company, ATV, not only held the copyrights to his own songs but also over 250 Beatles songs and music copyrights from many other singers.
ATV merged with Sony Music Publishing, with both parties holding half the shares. As a capital force in the record industry, how many shareholders did Sony have behind it?
Michael Jackson, a singer, wanted to carve up the pie at the source of the record industry, and he was also a pioneer in advocating that creators should own their own music copyrights.
This touched the pie of the entire record industry's capital. He was also a Black man. When did America ever allow Black people to become behind-the-scenes capital?
Sony Music, not only concerned with its own vital interests, but also representing the capital of the record industry, became the leading force in suppressing Michael.
In fact, basically, other major record companies also wanted Michael Jackson to fail, because he wanted to change the landscape of the record market. This is why when Sony suppressed Michael Jackson, no capital extended a helping hand.
In the face of capital, everything else is fleeting. To change class means not just touching one company's pie, but the entire industry's. If there's a first Michael Jackson, there will be a second Madonna Ciccone.
The fate of the trailblazer is, of course, the most tragic; this is a warning to others.
Donna Williams' vision was, of course, not that far-reaching yet. Charles shook his head, sighing,
"How can an individual fight against capital? Only other capital can fight against capital!"
To defeat the traditional record industry, only new streaming music can; just as online streaming is disrupting the traditional film and television industry.
Distribution is king, and it's not just talk; the channels are all in the hands of capital!
When network streaming begins to show its strength, that's when content will be king.
Even if Charles started a record company now, if any singer dared to claim their music copyright was their own, Charles would mercilessly crush them.
After returning to his office at Capet Pictures, Charles reviewed the project for mr. & mrs. smith. Filming had just begun, and signed advertising contracts had already exceeded $8 million.
The marketing department predicted that mr. & mrs. smith's advertising revenue could exceed $20 million. There would also be collaborations with brands during distribution, and so on.
However, mr. & mrs. smith's marketing expenses were also high, with a budget between $50 million and $60 million.
Charles couldn't say anything, but he cursed Universal fiercely in his heart. General Electric had already acquired Universal Pictures from Vivendi, though this did not include Universal Music Group.
The major shareholder of Universal Music Group was now the Seagram boss, with no relation to Vivendi.
Now, General Electric had merged its NBC broadcast television group with Universal Pictures to form NBCUniversal Entertainment. How much of that publicity money was going back into its own pocket?
Soon after, Donna Williams came in to inform Charles that her mother was coming to Los Angeles, and she would accompany her mother to live in a house near the Burbank office.
"Boss, this place isn't far from Capet Manor, you can call me anytime," Donna explained, putting her arm around Charles.
Charles smiled, "I thought you were renting a place outside. Capet Manor has many rooms, it would be convenient for you to stay with me. And when did you buy a house in Burbank?"
"At the beginning of the year, a 1200 sq ft, $300,000 two-bedroom," Donna Williams said with a smile.
"Oh, that's not bad either. I often don't go back to Capet Manor; my mother usually finds someone to help me manage it," Charles was also very good to his cheap mother, helping her career soar, mainly because his mother was also very good to him.
After all, too many single mothers in America were hopeless deadbeats.
After Donna Williams left Capet Pictures, she went to the airport to pick up her mother.
Charles, meanwhile, continued to review the company's various financial statements and project progress, as, being the boss, he needed to understand many things.
However, Charles also wondered, his mother Evelyn didn't seem to have a boyfriend. He hadn't noticed before, but now that he thought about it, it was a bit surprising.
She was only in her 40s, there was no reason. He hadn't paid attention to the old Charles, but after 2001, since he came here, he hadn't seen Evelyn dating any men.
This was strange. Was she too career-focused? That was also a bit unrealistic. Could it be that she didn't like men? That made him think even more.
Charles shook his head, no longer bothering with it, and focused on his own life first.