Los Angeles, a nightclub.
10 PM.
Kyle accepted the invitation from Johnny Depp, Keanu Reeves, and Charlize Theron and came here.
"Why the sudden urge to invite me for a drink today?" Kyle asked after taking a sip of his drink.
"Of course, it's to celebrate Keanu's new movie, which is about to be released," Johnny Depp chimed in.
"Huh? Is it 'The Matrix'?" Kyle asked with interest.
"Exactly!"
Keanu smiled, "It's 'The Matrix.' To film it, I trained for a full six months just during the initial preparation period. Look at my muscles, haven't you noticed I'm much stronger than before?"
"Indeed."
Kyle responded, but his heart was filled with regret.
The movie 'The Matrix,' what a classic film!
In fact, as early as the beginning of 1997, Kyle had intended to intercept Warner Bros. and snatch the script and filming rights for 'The Matrix.'
After all, no one understood its potential better than Kyle, a transmigrator.
The 'Matrix' trilogy grossed $1.64 billion worldwide. The offline market for merchandise also sold like hotcakes; just the protagonist's sunglasses and trench coat sold 7 million units within a year, generating hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue.
It's easy to imagine how lucrative the 'Matrix' film series was!
How could Kyle give it up?
However... the Wachowski brothers (who later both underwent gender reassignment and became the Wachowski sisters), the owners of the script for the series, looked down on Kyle and scorned Kyle's Page Pictures in early 1997!
They flatly refused!
"Your Page Pictures is too small; it doesn't match the reputation of us Wachowski brothers. Therefore, for our partners, we will only choose major Hollywood companies, such as Time Warner."
These were the exact words the Wachowski brothers used to refuse Kyle back then.
At the time, it almost made Kyle furious!
Who do you think you're looking down on?!
But in fact, in early 1997, Kyle's strength was indeed not that great...
"Kyle, are you still thinking about the Wachowski brothers refusing you?" Charlize Theron suddenly chuckled.
At her words, Depp and Keanu were instantly stunned.
"Keanu, you don't know, Kyle once had his eye on 'The Matrix.' If the Wachowski brothers hadn't refused him, then 'The Matrix' would have been Kyle's."
Theron mentioned the past with a laugh.
"Hey, hey, hey, that's enough. Can you please put a lid on that mouth of yours? We agreed not to bring it up!" Kyle looked at Theron reproachfully.
Hearing this, Theron quickly waved her hand, "Alright, alright, I was wrong."
Keanu and Depp, who were beside them, also laughed ungenerously.
'The Matrix' was a sore spot in Kyle's heart!
Missed out on billions!
For a man like Kyle, who was notoriously stingy and had a vampire-like nature, missing out on billions was even more painful than being killed, especially since he had been so close.
"Keanu, don't laugh either. Even if I missed 'The Matrix,' I still have '300.'" Kyle said huffily.
Keanu paused, then chuckled, "Kyle, do you think '300's' box office can surpass 'The Matrix'?"
"That's for sure!"
Before Kyle could speak, Theron jumped in first.
Theron was the female lead in the movie '300'!
The actress playing the Spartan Queen!
Compared to Depp and Keanu, who only made cameo appearances, Theron, who was involved throughout the entire production, was full of confidence in '300.'
"Then I'll look forward to it," Keanu said with a smile.
'The Matrix' was scheduled for release on March 31, 1999;
'300' was scheduled for release on April 7, 1999;
The release dates were less than 7 days apart, putting them in direct competition.
After a "passionate" challenge, it was naturally time to drink.
That night, Kyle was the first to get drunk again.
Kyle's drinking capacity was truly shameful...
The next day.
January 12, 1999.
On the afternoon of this day, many representatives from internet companies gathered in New York, and Kyle was no exception.
Today was the day for the 32nd Super Bowl advertising solicitation!
The Super Bowl is the NFL's (National Football League) annual championship game, which has been the highest-rated TV program in the United States for many years and has gradually become an unofficial national holiday in America, known as the "American Spring Festival Gala."
Hundreds of millions of Americans watch this annual championship game on Super Bowl day.
How could American companies, and foreign companies aspiring to expand into the North American market, miss such an opportunity to promote their businesses and products?
Super Bowl advertising time has always been a coveted opportunity for many companies!
Kyle was no exception!
The movie '300' was set for release on April 7, 1999; however, another World Pictures movie, 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding,' was set to premiere on Valentine's Day, February 14!
Kyle certainly didn't want to miss the excellent promotional opportunity of the Super Bowl.
Of course, countless companies and businesses from both within and outside America also had no reason to give up this opportunity, even though a 30-second Super Bowl ad was very expensive.
"Oh?"
"Isn't that you, Jeff, you scoundrel? You're also here to compete for Super Bowl ads?"
As soon as he entered the venue, Kyle saw his old acquaintance, Jeff Bezos.
Bezos shot Kyle an annoyed glance, "Who are you calling a scoundrel? You're allowed to come, but my Amazon Mall isn't allowed to advertise?"
"Yes, definitely!" Kyle rolled his eyes at him.
"Hi, Kyle, it really is you!"
Just then, another person greeted Kyle.
Wesger, the chairman and CEO of ICQ, wasn't he an old acquaintance?
"Old friend, long time no see. Have you missed us, have you missed ICQ? After all, you played a part in ICQ's success."
As soon as they met, Kyle could tell Wesger was in a good mood.
After all, due to Kyle's intervention, ICQ was not acquired by America Online (AOL) and is now developing quite well, with nearly 100 million users worldwide.
Of course, the premise was that Microsoft's MSN chat software had not yet entered the market.
Wesger continued, "Kyle, old pal. Do you regret selling all your shares in ICQ now?"
"Hehe!"
Kyle sneered incessantly.
Are you here to say hello?
Bullshit!
This is to mock me, isn't it?
Kyle's lips curled into a slight smile, "Wesger, stop your damn blabbering. If I regret selling my ICQ shares, I'm your grandson."
"Huh? We'll see about that!" Wesger sneered, glanced at Kyle, and entered the venue.
"Tsk tsk tsk ~!"
Bezos, who was beside him, laughed, "Kyle, this isn't like you. He just mocked you to your face."
Kyle retorted annoyed, "Bullshit! What is Wesger anyway? A small man getting his way, that's all. Once Microsoft's chat software comes out, we'll see how long he can be arrogant."
Kyle had no regrets about selling/clearing his ICQ shares;
Bezos felt the same way.
Wesger was good at research and computer information technology, he was talented, but Kyle truly looked down on him when it came to company management.
"Hmm!"
Bezos nodded and chuckled, "Wesger is too headstrong and his abilities are mediocre. And, Kyle, didn't you calculate him by exchanging ICQ shares with Warner and Sony? As far as I know, his position as chairman is about to be hollowed out by the big corporations, tsk tsk tsk."
Kyle chuckled.
Although young, Kyle was also a bit of a schemer.