# Billionaire with no movie experience wants movie to be made, how likely? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 10, 2015, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billionaire-with-no-movie-experience-wants-movie-to-be-made-how-likely/737235 "2015-11-10T23:35:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2015, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billionaire-with-no-movie-experience-wants-movie-to-be-made-how-likely/737235/1 "2015-11-10T23:35:53Z")
Suppose that a billionaire with a love of cinema but no movie making experience walked into a big-name studio with a script and checkbook in hand. He says, _“I’ve always wanted my script to be made into a blockbuster movie. Here’s $300 million for the budget. I only want a fraction of the profits and box office revenue; the rest is yours. Also, I’ll try to avoid meddling as much as possible, but I retain final veto power over casting, story, editing decisions, etc.”_ How would the studio respond? ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2015, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billionaire-with-no-movie-experience-wants-movie-to-be-made-how-likely/737235/2 "2015-11-10T23:39:05Z")
Depends how quickly they can verify his wealth and then say yes. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2015, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billionaire-with-no-movie-experience-wants-movie-to-be-made-how-likely/737235/3 "2015-11-10T23:43:34Z")
I can’t see why a studio won’t take up the offer. Even if the script sucks, they can easily budget things to make a profit even if the film isn’t released. Any additional money is gravy. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2015, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billionaire-with-no-movie-experience-wants-movie-to-be-made-how-likely/737235/4 "2015-11-10T23:51:50Z")
Look up [Megan Ellison](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megan_Ellison) daughter of Larry (Oracle) Ellison. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2015, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billionaire-with-no-movie-experience-wants-movie-to-be-made-how-likely/737235/5 "2015-11-10T23:55:22Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > How would the studio respond? Short answer: Yes. Long answer: Hell yes. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2015, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billionaire-with-no-movie-experience-wants-movie-to-be-made-how-likely/737235/6 "2015-11-11T00:07:39Z")
George Harrison did something similar to what the OP describes. When funding fell through for Monty Python’s “Life Of Brian”, Harrison stepped in and footed the bill. From the [Wikipedia article](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monty_Python's_Life_of_Brian): > [@](#): > > The film would not have been made without former Beatle and Python fan George Harrison, who set up HandMade Films to help fund it at a cost of £3 million. Harrison put up the money for it as he “wanted to see the movie” (this was later described by Terry Jones as the “world’s most expensive cinema ticket”). ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2015, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billionaire-with-no-movie-experience-wants-movie-to-be-made-how-likely/737235/7 "2015-11-11T00:09:10Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > I can’t see why a studio won’t take up the offer. Even if the script sucks, they can easily budget things to make a profit even if the film isn’t released. Any additional money is gravy. I would imagine the billionaire would prevent this - i.e., the studio can’t spend just $60 million on the movie and pocket the remaining $240 million. He could demand rigorous accounting and auditing and also insist all $300 million be spent productively. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2015, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billionaire-with-no-movie-experience-wants-movie-to-be-made-how-likely/737235/8 "2015-11-11T00:21:37Z")
[Howard Hughes in the mid-20s.](http://www.cobbles.com/simpp_archive/howard_hughes.htm) ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2015, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billionaire-with-no-movie-experience-wants-movie-to-be-made-how-likely/737235/9 "2015-11-11T00:37:52Z")
There have been a number of Christian-themed movies over the years, that I got the impression were financed this way. Mel Gibson? Roma Downey? Kirk Cameron? ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2015, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billionaire-with-no-movie-experience-wants-movie-to-be-made-how-likely/737235/10 "2015-11-11T01:46:40Z")
There’s an old saying: “What is the quickest way to become a millionaire? Start as a billionaire and get into producing movies.” ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2015, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billionaire-with-no-movie-experience-wants-movie-to-be-made-how-likely/737235/11 "2015-11-11T02:01:02Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > There’s an old saying: “What is the quickest way to become a millionaire? Start as a billionaire and get into producing movies.” Love it. But yes, I imagine if a billionaire’s willing to foot the bill under those conditions, the movie would absolutely get made. ---
**Author:** ![installLSC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/54ee81/32.png) [@installLSC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/installLSC)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2015, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billionaire-with-no-movie-experience-wants-movie-to-be-made-how-likely/737235/12 "2015-11-11T03:05:13Z")
[Amazingly enough, this has already happened.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Kid_%26_I) Apparently a billionare made Alec Gores funded a movie just so his cerebal palsy afflicted son could star in a movie. ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2015, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billionaire-with-no-movie-experience-wants-movie-to-be-made-how-likely/737235/13 "2015-11-11T03:55:39Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > There’s an old saying: “What is the quickest way to become a millionaire? Start as a billionaire and get into producing movies.” A similar saying: “How do you make a small fortune in auto racing? Start with a large fortune” ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2015, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billionaire-with-no-movie-experience-wants-movie-to-be-made-how-likely/737235/14 "2015-11-11T04:06:56Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > I would imagine the billionaire would prevent this - i.e., the studio can’t spend just $60 million on the movie and pocket the remaining $240 million. He could demand rigorous accounting and auditing and also insist all $300 million be spent productively. Sure, but so what? The billionaire is footing the entire budget - everything the studio makes on top of his investment is gravy. Even if the billionaire demands rigorous accounting and even if the movie tanks at the box office, they’re still going to make millions in profit. For example, _47 Ronin_ (cited by Wikipedia as the biggest box office bomb of all time based on absolute loss on worldwide gross) grossed $151 million dollars on a $225 million dollar budget. If that budget had been entirely covered by a crazy billionaire, the $151 million would have been pure profit and the studio execs would have been pleased as punch. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2015, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billionaire-with-no-movie-experience-wants-movie-to-be-made-how-likely/737235/15 "2015-11-11T05:10:41Z")
> [@snfaulkner](#): > > A similar saying: “How do you make a small fortune in auto racing? Start with a large fortune” Ditto horse racing. If the OP would like some help shrinking a fortune I would be happy to oblige. ---
**Author:** ![tours\_of\_Gregory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/85f322/32.png) [@tours\_of\_Gregory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tours_of_Gregory)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2015, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billionaire-with-no-movie-experience-wants-movie-to-be-made-how-likely/737235/16 "2015-11-11T12:45:37Z")
Likely, The Outlaw and Incheon were two examples. I doubt it would be good but if the money is guaranteed upfront and it gets say a limited or just foreign market, or direct to video release the studio would have no reason not to. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2015, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billionaire-with-no-movie-experience-wants-movie-to-be-made-how-likely/737235/17 "2015-11-11T13:03:09Z")
Pia Zadora’s notoriously awful film [Butterfly](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butterfly_(1982_film)) was financed by her millionaire husband. He even “bought” her a Golden Globe, supposedly. ---
**Author:** ![tours\_of\_Gregory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/85f322/32.png) [@tours\_of\_Gregory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tours_of_Gregory)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2015, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billionaire-with-no-movie-experience-wants-movie-to-be-made-how-likely/737235/18 "2015-11-11T13:14:05Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > Pia Zadora’s notoriously awful film [Butterfly](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butterfly_(1982_film)) was financed by her millionaire husband. He even “bought” her a Golden Globe, supposedly. Orson Welles in it, funny considering the guy pulled at stunt like Kane and that opera mistress of his. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2015, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billionaire-with-no-movie-experience-wants-movie-to-be-made-how-likely/737235/19 "2015-11-11T15:58:44Z")
> [@ddsun](#): > > Ditto horse racing. > > If the OP would like some help shrinking a fortune I would be happy to oblige. Similarly, I can pick out stocks that will plummet. But only if I put money in. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2015, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billionaire-with-no-movie-experience-wants-movie-to-be-made-how-likely/737235/20 "2015-11-11T16:08:41Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > He says, \*"I’ve always wanted my script to be made into a blockbuster movie. Here’s $300 million for the budget. I only want a fraction of the profits and box office revenue; the rest is yours. That fraction of the profits could be a problem if you intend to use real accounting to determine it. If you’re satisfied with Hollywood accounting that won’t be a problem. Box office revenue? No way. Your script is a dog, they’re not giving up their guaranteed revenue. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billionaire-with-no-movie-experience-wants-movie-to-be-made-how-likely/737235.md?page=2)