The Silver Rolls-Royce drove onto Fifth Avenue, inevitably slowing down. Although it wasn't rush hour, the traffic in Manhattan was still a problem. Sitting comfortably in the backseat, Duke checked his watch. It was still early; even if he got stuck in traffic for an hour here, he wouldn't be late.
As the largest shareholder and a board member of Marvel Comics (the name "Marvel" was modified in 2009 to avoid confusion, so from now on, it would be called Marvel), Duke had specifically come to New York to discuss future plans with Marvel's top executives.
Perhaps Marvel had indeed been confused in recent years, unclear about its future direction, but the first X-Men movie had grossed over $150 million at the North American box office, enough to wake them up.
Top executives at a nationally recognized company, including those who made poor decisions that led to losses, were all sharp people.
At this moment, the typical daily task in Manhattan occurred—the car came to a complete stop. Duke leaned back in his seat, closed his eyes, and thought about the topics for today's meeting.
As a major shareholder in Marvel, Duke had done his homework before flying to New York.
There was no doubt that Marvel had reached a turning point in history.
Since 1995, the North American comic book industry had entered a freeze period. Not only Marvel but also DC and Dark Horse Comics were struggling, and comic book sales kept dropping. In the worst year, the total sales in the U.S. were less than $300 million!
Things had improved slightly since last year, but the cold winter for print comics was far from over. The comic industry couldn't recover from the slump relying solely on comics.
The way out for comic companies lay in the broader entertainment industry, where DC had far outpaced Marvel. Superman and Batman were successful examples of comics crossing over into other forms of entertainment.
However, even though Superman and Batman movies had once been major box office hits, and the first X-Men movie opened strongly, comic book films were still not the mainstream.
For comic book movies to truly become part of the mainstream film industry, they needed to go through a long process of research, analysis, integration, preparation, and scripting.
Now that X-Men was doing well, Duke could offer some advice to Marvel. He could push to accelerate this process, but Marvel wouldn't return to its former glory in just two or three years.
Although his experience was unique, he only had a very normal human brain. He couldn't be like a computer, instantly recalling everything and tolerating everything. Over time, even Marvel's issues had been neglected. It was Ian McKellen's portrayal of Magneto that had stirred up relevant memories.
Perhaps there were geniuses in this world who could do anything, but Duke was very clear that he wasn't one of them. He could propose some ideas based on the memories stirred up, but those ideas would need to be summarized and executed by Marvel's professionals. Moreover, after years of decline, Marvel's internal structure needed to be reorganized and adjusted, which wasn't something that could be solved by just one person speaking eloquently for a while.
This country worshiped individual heroism, but even people as powerful as Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, and Warren Buffett needed an equally capable team to execute their ideas.
Anyone who had some knowledge of the comic industry could see that Marvel's problems couldn't be solved by just one successful movie.
Half an hour later, the silver Rolls-Royce stopped in front of 417 Fifth Avenue. As soon as Duke got out of the car, Marvel staff greeted him and led him to the elevator, taking him up to Marvel's office floor.
Although he wasn't late, it wasn't early either. Duke walked directly into the meeting room, greeting Marvel's board members and other executives present.
Of course, among the people sitting in the meeting room, the only one Duke truly recognized was Stan Lee, the man wearing sunglasses and covered in age spots.
Although he greatly admired Stan Lee for creating so many iconic comic book heroes, Duke maintained the appropriate attitude, treating him the same as everyone else. This was a business event, and being too friendly would not only be inappropriate for his status but also somewhat disrespectful.
Just five minutes later, when everyone had arrived, the board meeting officially began, with the meeting being chaired by Marvel's CEO, Kevin Feige.
After a few brief agenda items, the meeting quickly moved to the topic of comic book heroes.
"I believe everyone has seen the charm of our heroes, who have succeeded not only on the big screen with DC's Superman and Batman but also with our superheroes!"
Sitting at the head of the long meeting table, Kevin Feige spoke with a firm tone. "Everyone, we can no longer casually sell the rights to our superheroes!"
This CEO, who had risen to power during a crisis, was far from the typical, well-dressed corporate executive. He was a large man, casually wearing a Marvel-themed hoodie, paired with worn-out jeans and gray sneakers—he didn't look like a company decision-maker at all.
His proposal was undoubtedly supported by all the attendees, including Duke.
After receiving Duke's investment, Marvel's financial pressures had eased significantly, and now they certainly didn't want to recklessly sell the rights to any more superheroes.
Clearly, Kevin Feige had gained the support of the majority of the board members. As long as his decisions aligned with Marvel's interests, Duke would support him.
With enough backing, Kevin Feige presented a series of reform plans to optimize Marvel's internal structure, gradually resolving the long-standing conflicts and issues.
What impressed Duke the most was his proposal for Marvel's broader entertainment concept, aiming to reorganize Marvel, particularly by establishing Marvel Studios to produce superhero movies exclusively for Marvel.
The plan was certainly inspiring, but Duke knew it would be a long-term strategy. As he had thought in the car on the way here, Marvel's current problems couldn't be solved purely by movies. Given Marvel's current situation and capabilities, making a successful film was still a distant dream.
However, some people were always blinded by immediate benefits, and two executive directors immediately suggested that Marvel quickly enter the film industry to rake in money.
But Kevin Feige and his deputy, Avi Arad, were both clear-headed.
"The entire Marvel team is a newcomer to the movie industry," Kevin Feige's gaze fell on Duke. "We have one of Hollywood's most successful directors here; why don't we listen to Duke's advice?"
Everyone's eyes turned to Duke. Anyone who was present at this meeting was not a fool, and they knew that Duke had more authority in this area than all of them combined. Moreover, he was Marvel's largest shareholder, so he was unlikely to say anything unreliable.
"Kevin, have someone distribute the materials I brought."
This was also a long-term investment, just like understanding the anime industry. Before coming here, Duke had prepared a detailed plan based on vague memories and the future development of the movie industry.
Two assistants opened the two large file bags that Duke's driver had brought in, walking around the long meeting table and placing copies of the documents in front of the executives.
Many people eagerly flipped open the files. The two impatient executive directors only skimmed through them, then unconsciously frowned.
One of them said, "A five-year preparation period is a bit too long, isn't it?"
Everyone else looked at Duke. He slowly placed his arms on the table. "Quite the opposite. In order for all conditions to progress as we expect, five years is the minimum. Otherwise, it might take even longer."
Since the meeting had begun, Duke had mostly been silent, almost like a mascot, but when it came to his area of expertise, his voice was as firm as Kevin Feige's.
"Everyone, keep flipping through the materials in your hands." His voice wasn't loud, but it was remarkably clear. "This is not just a movie plan; this is to connect our superheroes in a shared universe through movies!"
"Marvel's internal reorganization takes time, the establishment of Marvel Studios takes time, and finding partners and distributors takes time!"
He directly addressed the issue of time. "Marvel is a newcomer in the movie industry, and even with me around, we still need time to become familiar with this industry. Everyone, the intricacies of Hollywood are never few, and this industry is no less competitive than any other."
"And, most importantly!" Duke's gaze turned to Stan Lee. "The Marvel Universe is extremely chaotic, and the relationships between the characters are incredibly complex. Many of the heroes' rights are not fully under our control. If we want to maximize profits in the future, we must negotiate to regain all the superhero rights I've listed in the plan. This will also take time!"
Stan Lee, who had been flipping through the plan, trembled slightly as he reached the last few pages. His voice carried a suppressed excitement. "Duke, your plan, your ultimate plan…"
"Yes, that's right!" Duke said seriously. "We place Marvel's popular characters in the same universe, connect them through a series of films, and then use new comics, animated shows, and TV series as supplementary pieces to build this universe. Finally, our superheroes will come together to face the greatest challenges and form—the Avengers!"
"And that's not the end!" Duke continued. "If everything goes smoothly, we can even venture beyond Earth and set our sights on the Marvel Ultimate Universe!"
His words and the proposal were not too complex. This was just a suggestion. The best candidates to implement the plan were, without a doubt, the creators of the Avengers, those who understood the Marvel Universe the best.
"And the most important part of this movie plan is the first film. If the first film fails, the entire plan will suffer a major setback, so we must be cautious. Ample preparation time is the key to success."
The plan Duke presented immediately grabbed the Marvel management's attention. The board meeting, which was initially scheduled for one day, was extended to three days, with the following two days spent discussing the feasibility of his plan.
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