This time, the Disney and Warner Bros. delegation was personally led by Doug Walter.
As the CEO of Warner Bros. Pictures, his personal leadership of the delegation underscored the importance he placed on the establishment of the peripheral manufacturing project.
China also placed a high priority on the establishment of these peripheral factories. Previously, Gilbert had already discussed with Tian Congming what kinds of products these peripherals would include.
It wasn't just about traditional figurines, plush toys, and model kits. It also covered clothing, hats, food products, keychains, and many other items.
Some high-end and cutting-edge products would indeed require additional effort to be manufactured in China, as local factories would need to upgrade their machinery.
The main focus of the delegation's inspection was on human resources, policy incentives, and the convenience of transportation.
According to the plan, Disney and Warner Bros. would initially invest $300 million. On a national level, this wasn't a particularly significant amount, but for local governments, it was a major investment.
The first stop was the Yangtze River Delta region.
The local authorities had done meticulous planning, including the construction of supporting infrastructure like roads and other facilities, ensuring everything was well-prepared.
However, since this was an inspection tour, multiple locations had to be assessed. Many executives were also visiting China for the first time, so naturally, they wanted to take in the sights.
Moreover, The Lord of the Rings had been filmed in China, and the executives were curious about how such a distinctly Western story had been brought to life on Eastern soil.
Yet, after visiting Minas Tirith in Gazi Mountain and then seeing the Hobbit village of the Shire at the foot of Yulong Snow Mountain, they found nothing surprising about it.
Doug Walter even asked Gilbert, "Did we really build such a massive filming site with just $350 million?"
"Yeah," Gilbert replied with a look of disbelief at his ignorance. "If we had done this in North America, it would have cost at least $600 million, and even then, we might not have achieved the same effect.
This place is truly blessed!"
Doug Walter agreed. Faced with a film that had already grossed over $1 billion worldwide, it was hard for anyone to disagree.
And this was just the first installment. Doug Walter could already foresee the massive box office earnings of the next two films.
To put it bluntly, he believed that the total box office revenue of the trilogy could exceed $4 billion. If merchandise and licensing revenue were included, the series could generate over $10 billion.
Of course, this was a long-term projection. In the short term, box office revenue remained the dominant factor.
After completing the inspection of the Yangtze River Delta, the delegation headed to Inner Mongolia for some horseback riding before continuing southward to inspect the Pearl River Delta region.
When it came to policy incentives, both regions offered their most favorable conditions, which were nearly identical.
However, the Pearl River Delta had a major advantage—it was close to Hong Kong. As an international financial center and a major trade port in the Asia-Pacific region, Hong Kong was something Shanghai couldn't yet compete with.
Additionally, there was another factor—one that wasn't explicitly stated. Ultimately, both Disney and Warner Bros. were highly satisfied with the Pearl River Delta and decided to establish their operations there.
Once the initial cooperation agreement was reached, professional business negotiators and legal teams were brought in to start formal discussions.
Of course, such a major deal wasn't something that could be finalized quickly. Gilbert couldn't interfere much either. Although the Chinese side was eager, negotiations proceeded methodically.
During the negotiations, the Chinese side proposed that the factories be set up as joint ventures.
In recent years, foreign investments entering China had almost all been required to follow this model. It was clear that this was a strategy of exchanging market access for technology.
While apparel, hats, and T-shirts had little technological complexity, peripheral products encompassed much more, including various electronic devices.
Many people assumed that The Lord of the Rings was a Western fantasy film with no room for product placement. That was a naive assumption.
Apple's Steve Jobs, out of respect for shareholder Gilbert, had sponsored the film during its production and had even launched a Lord of the Rings-themed MP3 player and headphones.
In this timeline, Apple had managed to revive itself through its MP3 business.
Although MP3 technology wasn't particularly advanced, Apple dominated the high-end market, accumulating substantial cash reserves.
Jobs wasn't complacent, though. He held multiple discussions with Gilbert and ultimately decided to focus Apple's business on computers and mobile phones.
Especially mobile phones—Jobs had, for the first time, proposed the concept of an Apple smartphone at an internal R&D meeting and even revealed a conceptual design.
The idea of a smartphone had actually existed since 1973 when Martin Cooper, an engineer at Motorola, introduced the concept and created the first commercially available mobile phone.
However, the concept of a smartphone from that era was vastly different from what it had evolved into now. The underlying philosophy had undergone a fundamental transformation.
Beyond MP3 players and headphones, there were also computers, sunglasses, and other co-branded merchandise.
Most of these products had not yet been manufactured in China, but over time, relocating production to China was inevitable.
Only some core components would remain outside China.
All of this demonstrated how China's market and labor cost advantages had captured the attention of major multinational corporations.
Anyone in the upper ranks of a multinational corporation wasn't a fool—capital flows to where the profits are.
With the initial inspection phase completed, Gilbert didn't linger. After a relaxing vacation, he returned to North America and threw himself into post-production for The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.
As expected, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring was steadily advancing toward a $500 million North American box office total, while its global box office had reached $1.109 billion.
This was the highest-grossing film of Gilbert's directing career.
But everyone believed this wouldn't be his final record. Next year's The Two Towers was expected to surpass it.
The success of The Fellowship of the Ring wasn't just measured in box office numbers—it also marked a turning point in the careers of its actors. Elijah Wood became a top-tier client at CAA, receiving a flood of film offers.
Ian McKellen's performances as Gandalf and Magneto made it clear that this was his year to shine as a British national treasure.
Orlando Bloom and Anne Hathaway became global icons, amassing legions of fans and securing endorsement deals with major brands.
All the actors had their share of newfound success, but the biggest winner was Nicole Kidman.
Although her role as Galadriel wasn't extensive, it was still a major character. Her appearance alone left a deep impression.
More importantly, the film's massive box office success finally helped her shed her reputation as a "box office poison."
Now, Nicole Kidman was more confident than ever. Her relationship with Tom Cruise also seemed to be improving, and rumors suggested they were planning for a second child.
That was great news. In a way, Gilbert had indirectly contributed to the making of a Hollywood golden couple, and they seemed to be going strong.
Upon returning to North America, Gilbert received an invitation to a party hosted by Tom Cruise. It seemed the couple understood the importance of maintaining a good relationship with him.
"When can we collaborate again?" Tom Cruise asked during their conversation.
Gilbert clinked glasses with Tom Cruise and said, "Tom, I know you're an outstanding actor, and I've always looked forward to working with you again."
That was the truth. At this point, Tom Cruise was an enhanced version of himself—an Oscar-winning actor.
Hearing this, Tom Cruise was naturally pleased. However, he understood that directors at Gilbert's level typically extended invitations when they wanted to collaborate. Actors who actively sought roles rarely secured them.
Generally speaking, when a director personally invited an actor to join a project, the role was essentially predetermined, and auditions were often just a formality.
Having won an Oscar, Tom Cruise had set new goals for himself. He wasn't content with his current status and soon began preparations for his own project, Mission: Impossible 3.
At the same time, he planned to deepen his collaboration with Gilbert.
Everyone in Hollywood knew that starring in a Gilbert film was almost a guaranteed recipe for success. However, with so many actors eager to work with him, opportunities were rare and valuable.
Nicole Kidman, on the other hand, seemed content with her achievements. She now set her sights on winning an Oscar for Best Actress. Since her husband had won an Oscar for a musical, she also planned to take on one or two musical films to test the waters.
But without the sympathy factor from her past divorce with Tom Cruise, it remained uncertain whether Nicole Kidman could fulfill her Oscar dream.
Another major event was on the horizon. Starting in September, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, produced by Gilbert, officially began its promotional campaign.
From the moment it was greenlit, this film had garnered immense anticipation. As another adaptation of a beloved novel, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone enjoyed a level of attention within certain audiences that was comparable to The Lord of the Rings.
Starting in mid-September, two private screenings were held, receiving unanimous praise from executives.
After returning to North America, Gilbert also took time to watch the final cut of the film. There were slight differences compared to its predecessor, possibly due to the change in the actor playing Harry Potter.
Overall, the film met expectations, and Gilbert believed it would perform well.
Indeed, that turned out to be the case. Over the following weeks, three additional screenings were held, all of which generated enthusiastic reactions and overwhelmingly positive word-of-mouth.
While both Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and The Lord of the Rings were adaptations of novels, they differed in tone. The former was filled with whimsical elements and childlike wonder, making it a highly enjoyable experience.
In contrast to The Lord of the Rings, which presented a grand and epic perspective, Harry Potter, told through the eyes of three children, provided audiences with a completely different cinematic experience.
The British were undoubtedly thrilled this year, as both films—adapted from British literary works—were expected to achieve great success.
Of course, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone had yet to prove itself at the box office, but given Gilbert's reputation and influence, it was unlikely to perform poorly.
On November 17, 2000, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone held its grand premiere. Gilbert attended the event with Scarlett Johansson.
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