Jeff Bezos's logic made sense. Compared to the giant Hollywood studios, Zane's company, Wald Pictures, was still very small.
But then Victor, Zane's smart and always-prepared CEO, smiled a little. "Mr. Bezos, you're right, of course. You can choose any partner you want. But as I remember, you've already talked to the big studios, and... it hasn't gone very well, has it?"
Bezos's polite smile faded. Victor was right.
Bezos had spent months trying to get the big studios to sell their movies and toys on his new website, Amazon. They had all said no. Or worse, they demanded huge "shelf fees"—a fee just for the chance to be on his site. For a smart man like Jeff Bezos, paying someone else to sell their stuff was just a bad deal.
"The big studios are just as greedy as the worst of Wall Street," Zane added, his voice friendly, as if he were trying to help. "If you partner with them, you'll end up paying those fees."
Bezos shook his head. "A fee is just a business cost. It might be worth it for Amazon to grow."
"Maybe," Victor said smoothly. "You might be willing to pay a fee. But are you willing to give them your company?"
"What are you talking about?" Bezos asked, his eyes narrowing.
"He's talking about them wanting a piece of your company," Zane said, laying out the final, honest warning. "The moment they see how special Amazon is, they won't just ask for a fee. They'll demand a part of your company just to be your partner. It's what they always do. They use their power to take over any smaller company that might one day be a threat."
Zane leaned forward, his voice serious but kind. "Look at what they just tried to do to me. They were so mad I got the Spider-Man rights that they tried to stop my new movie, Static, from even getting into theaters. That's how they play. It's a rough game, Jeff. Are you sure you want to play that game with your company?"
Old Billy, one of Zane's other partners, grumbled, "He's right. The big studios are cannibals. They eat smaller companies. I'd never do business with them. I trust Zane."
The room went quiet. Bezos was a genius, and he immediately saw that Zane was telling the truth. Partnering with a giant studio wasn't a team-up; it was an invitation to be taken over.
But partnering with Zane and his friends... that was different. They were a team of outsiders, all working together to challenge the big guys.
After a long, quiet moment, a slow, smart smile returned to Bezos's face.
"Gentlemen," he said. "Let's talk details."
The next day, after the contracts were all signed, Zane drove straight to the set of Wrong Turn. The movie was officially starting its first day of filming!
The director, M. Night Shyamalan, greeted him warmly. "Mr. Blackwood! It's so good to see you. We're just about to film the very first scene. Come on, let me introduce you to our lead actors."
He called over a young man and woman. They were both very good-looking and had that special "spark" of a real movie star.
"Mr. Blackwood, it's a pleasure to meet you," the young man said. "I'm Joaquin Phoenix."
"And I'm Adriana Lima," the young woman added with a captivating smile. "I'm an actress and a model."
Zane's mind reeled, but he just smiled back, his expression as calm and friendly as a frozen lake.
Joaquin Phoenix! he thought. The future Joker! He was just a kid now, but Zane could already see the fire in his eyes that would one day make him one of the greatest actors in the world.
And Adriana Lima... wow. She was, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen. He instantly recognized her as a future supermodel, one of the most famous in the world.
He couldn't help but glance at his new, young director, Shyamalan, feeling a huge rush of respect. Wow, Zane thought, this kid has an amazing eye for talent. He's finding future superstars! He was so happy he had trusted him.
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