"Pearl Harbor" is not the type of movie I like, and I've never considered it capable of being my competition," Laila remarked with great confidence, which made Roy chuckle. He knew she wasn't joking, and he also knew that if there was real competition for her, she would handle it more seriously, rather than ignoring it as she did now.
Laila had spoken the truth. She was aware that this film had received many criticisms in the history of cinema, especially for its lengthy three-hour runtime and the inclusion of a tedious love story in the middle of a war. In the end, its box office performance in North America was dismal, and it only managed to break even globally due to its label as a "Hollywood blockbuster."
In this life, the arrival of Faiza increased the film's budget, along with more appealing A-list stars, which contributed to better box office results compared to the previous world. However, this improvement was only marginal and was countered by the intensified focus on the love story, which had worsened the film's reception.
Laila believed that if she were the director, she would remove all the romantic subplots and make a documentary-style film about the war, which would likely be more well-received. She felt that the impressive action sequences related to war were where the film truly excelled. Unfortunately, the excessive focus on romance had turned a $200 million budget into a mess.
Without further ado, the movie's title appeared on the big screen – "Fast & Furious."
Laila was genuinely interested in this film and the entire franchise. However, it wasn't just the thrilling car chases that intrigued her; it was also the immense profitability the franchise brought.
When she was planning her production, she had considered this franchise. However, she had never been exposed to this genre and didn't know how to capture the essence of high-speed car chases on film. As a result, she reluctantly gave up on the idea.
Just as writers analyze the choice of words and storytelling techniques when reading others' works, Laila's thoughts while watching the cars race across the screen were focused on how to capture the essence of those scenes.
She had directed a few chase sequences in the past, but they were mere chases in comparison to the adrenaline-pumping car races she was currently witnessing.
In her previous life before her rebirth, the "Fast & Furious" franchise had already reached its seventh installment. The film had grossed $1.5 billion globally, propelling it into the top four of the highest-grossing films of all time. However, Laila believed that this exceptional box office performance had an irreplaceable factor: the death of Paul Walker. The audience's longing and remembrance of him led to an outpouring of passion in the films, resulting in unprecedented box office success.
Hence, she considered this achievement irreplicable, as one couldn't simply silence a lead actor just to hype a film.
Roy, on the other hand, was quite interested in the movie and still hadn't gotten over it: "Have you ever thought about making a movie like this? I think it would be awesome if you directed one."
Laila shook her head honestly and replied, "Not at the moment."
Roy persisted, "What about in the future?"
Laila shrugged, "Who knows? Maybe I'll make a movie about racing in space."
Roy found her response amusing, and his hearty laughter filled the air.
Perhaps his laughter was too exuberant. A group of location reporters who were conducting interviews nearby approached him.
"Hello, can we interview you two?" As the reporter spoke, they glanced at Laila and Roy and then back at their notes.
"Who are you?" Laila glanced at the logo in their hands. "NBC?"
"Yes, we're from NBC." The reporter quickly displayed the logo in front of her. He had heard that this person was usually friendlier with their television station and hoped this would be the case today.
Sure enough, Laila nodded, "Alright."
The young male reporter had short red hair and appeared quite energetic. However, after hearing Laila's response, he became even more enthusiastic. He was relieved he had consulted with his colleagues about interview techniques before approaching Laila and Roy. If they hadn't, they might not have dared to get so close to them now. After all, they were interviewing their future boss!
"Great!" He spoke excitedly, and his voice quivered slightly. Laila was no ordinary person. She was the media's recognized queen of headlines. Whenever there was coverage of her, even if she was just staring blankly, the ratings would skyrocket. The impromptu interview with her was a big deal.
"May I ask if you two are on a date today?" the reporter asked, looking at Laila and Roy's intertwined hands.
Laila and Roy exchanged glances and nodded with smiles on their faces. "Yes."
The reporter's eyes sparkled with a gossip enthusiast's gleam. He watched the couple's hands intently and inquired, "What movie are you two watching today?"
"Fast & Furious," Roy answered.
The reporter expressed shock, "Why this movie? I thought you'd be more interested in your own or your competitors' films. Doesn't Director Moran want to know if anyone's watching her film? Don't you want to know if people like your Captain Jack?"
Laila chuckled, "I know my movie well. I've done everything I could to make it the best it can be. Whether people watch it or not is up to God."
"Exactly," Roy chimed in, winking at the camera. "I think I've done a great job too, right?"
The reporter nodded and said, "Yes, your films are amazing. I've watched them twice already, and if I have time later, I want to watch them again. I love Captain Jack!" He then turned to Laila and added, "Thank you, Director Moran, for giving us such an incredible pirate movie."
Laila modestly responded with a few words, and the reporter continued with his questions.
"Have you watched 'Pearl Harbor'?" he inquired.
"No, I'm not very interested in that," Roy replied, casting a brief look at Laila. He was reminded of how the film's investors had been aggressively marketing it since the previous film. The annoyance he felt was evident on his face. "If you want to see stories about the sea and ships, you can watch our movies. If you want to see a disaster romance, you can watch 'Titanic' again. As for 'Pearl Harbor,' I don't see what's worth paying attention to."
The reporter was taken aback by Roy's strongly worded response. Such remarks, if spread, would surely cause a stir.
Unbeknownst to him, Roy had been holding back this frustration for a long time. Faiza's team had been trying to overshadow their film's publicity since "The 13th Warrior." They were attempting to drag them down into the mud while elevating their reputation to the sky. Roy had not found the right moment to vent his frustration, but this opportunity was too good to pass up.