"The Bodhi tree has no roots; the mirror has no stand; originally, there is nothing. What trouble do you raise, O mortal?"
Once you look at things with an open mind, you'll find that none of those matters. Even if people curse at her endlessly, what harm can they do to her? It doesn't hurt, and it doesn't itch. Is there a need for her to pay attention to those things?
Moreover, among those who criticize her, there is a large number of hired internet trolls. They are paid to speak ill of her, meaning that what is reflected on the internet doesn't represent the true situation. She doesn't need to care about those people. If she really wants to hear compliments, she could just give them more money, and they would certainly say incredibly sweet words. But what's the point of that?
"Okay, let's not talk about these troublesome things." Roy couldn't win over her, so he could only put aside this topic: "How's the filming on your end?"
"It's almost done. I hope we can finish it in time."
"Are you really going to change the release date?" Roy heard about the bet she made yesterday.
Laila smiled and nodded: "Yes since we've decided to make this bet, we must give it our all. That's a sign of respect for the opponent, isn't it?"
"The originally scheduled Christmas release date seemed like a good time. Will there be any trouble if you switch to the summer season?"
Although Roy didn't fully understand the intricacies, he had been in Hollywood for several years. He knew that films like "The Lord of the Rings" didn't seem to make big profits in the summer season. The original Christmas release might not be as hot, but it had less intense competition.
Usually, movies released during the Christmas season were family-friendly and heartwarming, and they didn't require huge investments. If a film like "The Lord of the Rings" with an estimated budget of 300 million dollars were to be released, it would undoubtedly overshadow smaller budget films, leaving them with meager earnings.
However, it would be different in the summer season. There would be plenty of big-budget productions competing for box office revenue, which might impact the final box office results.
In the past, Laila might not have cared about these slight differences. However, now that she had a bet with Michael Bay, even if she lost, he wouldn't demand anything outrageous. The damage would be to her reputation and the Moran family's honor. She couldn't treat this matter lightly.
How could Laila not understand his concerns?
"You're right. Putting the movie on the Christmas release date would indeed ensure less pressure. But if I use a movie originally scheduled for the Christmas season to win against a movie released in the summer season, do you think Michael would genuinely accept it? 'The Lord of the Rings' would face tough competition during the summer, just like 'Transformers' would in that period."
What she wanted was for Bay to wholeheartedly submit, not harbor any lingering regrets. No one knew better than her the classic nature of that movie; a classic film would remain a classic no matter when it was released.
Roy sighed lightly, "I can never argue with you."
"Just get used to it," Laila comforted him kindly, patting his head as if patting a little dog.
Roy grabbed her hand unceremoniously, then decisively pulled her into his arms.
"Will you be away for months again this time?" He had finished shooting his scenes a few months ago, and ever since, the only way he could see her was through a computer screen or a phone. He regretted not auditioning for a more crucial role; that way, he could spend more time with her.
"Yeah," Laila replied softly.
She might be more rational, stronger, and more resilient, but she was still a girl. She got tired and felt lonely, and at times, she longed for someone's companionship during those moments of fatigue and loneliness.
Roy provided not only reassurance and belonging but also a harbor. It allowed her to remember where she could anchor herself when tired.
For Roy, due to his childhood experiences of being abandoned by his parents and forcibly separated from his younger brother, he lacked a sense of security. Laila wasn't just a deeply loved woman to him; she was also a warm and important haven.
Two people wanting to protect each other, wanting to find a place where they could rely on when tired—saying they were a perfect match was not an exaggeration.
Michael Bay learned about Laila changing the release date of "The Lord of the Rings" from Christmas to the summer of 2005 through the newspapers. It was the same month and weekend as his movie.
The answer was clear as to why she did this. Even the newspapers analyzed it clearly; she wanted him to admit defeat without any complaints.
Admit defeat? The term "admit defeat" made Bay want to explode. Did that girl not worry at all about losing? Or did she think he posed no threat in her mind?
This perception made him sick. Even the news of the movie's blockbuster performance couldn't improve his mood.
No, he absolutely couldn't just wait for the final results. He had to let that girl know that while confidence was good, being overconfident would bring failure right in front of you!
So, Michael Bay actively participated in all promotional opportunities for the movie. When "Transformers" won the box office championship in its first week, he seized the opportunity to appear on the most popular talk shows. He believed that under the gaze of tens of millions of viewers, the movie's box office would experience a new surge!
At the same time, the cast members of the film began touring for promotional activities in various parts of the world. Since Laila paid considerable attention to Asia during the promotion of "Iron Man" last year, especially in the Eastern regions, where the box office potential was high, her efforts have proven to be effective. The movie achieved surprisingly high box office numbers in Asia.
So, from that time onwards, many films started to focus on the Asian box office during promotions, showing increased interest in potential areas in the East. It was at this time that these film business people discovered that, unnoticed by them, Laila had built a spectacular chain of theaters.
It was nearly 400 theaters, equipped with the latest technology. Not only would Eastern audiences love such cinematic experiences, but even Western moviegoers would also appreciate such viewing locations.
Moreover, with Laila personally leading the film crew in promotional tours, the movie's attention increased. The invisible potential box office in the East finally began to reveal its charm.
Who would complain about making more money? Learning that Laila had established the largest chain of theaters in the East, Hollywood film companies began to seek collaboration. Following this, some people noticed that many of those who spoke against Laila had quietly disappeared. Where they disappeared to, only a small number of people knew very well.