The approaching New Year of 2006 marked nearly two months since the release of "Wanted." Relying on the cumulative effects of time, the North American box office had finally crossed the $200 million threshold.
After yet another weekend, the North American box office had reached a total of $204 million, while the global box office had exceeded $450 million. It had also set a new personal record for Martin in terms of box office success.
However, as the film's showtimes in North American theaters had been reduced to fewer than 200 theaters, and attendance was minimal, Warner Bros. was preparing for a full DVD release after the New Year.
Recently, Martin's primary responsibility was to promote the DVD release of the film. He had invested $5 million in the project and stood to gain a share of the box office and subsequent profits.
Before the New Year, the official website of the Coca-Cola Cult was launched, with the homepage featuring a large poster of Martin as the leader, donning a red robe, a red crown, and holding a Coca-Cola scepter. He appeared more influential than the Pope of the Vatican.
The main online forum of the Coca-Cola Cult had also shifted from Martin's personal blog to the official website of the cult. In just one week, over 3 million users had registered as members of the Coca-Cola Cult through the official website, with hundreds of thousands more joining each day.
This demonstrated that Martin had cultivated a significant following among both movie fans and Coca-Cola enthusiasts.
As the number of registered members in the Coca-Cola Cult skyrocketed, Coca-Cola's stock experienced a wave of continuous gains around the New Year.
Even Warren Buffett, Coca-Cola's largest shareholder, mentioned Martin in a New Year's interview with the Wall Street Journal, praising his influence. Once the interview was published, Martin's reputation soared.
Although not all members of the Coca-Cola Cult would necessarily watch movies featuring Martin, if even a third of them decided to buy tickets, it could potentially add tens of millions of dollars to the film's first-week box office earnings.
After the New Year holiday and bidding farewell to Blake, who had returned from vacation, Martin transformed into an enthusiastic autograph signing machine, visiting major cities across the United States to sign "Wanted" DVDs.
On the first day of the signing at Beverly Commercial Center, hundreds of eager movie fans formed long lines, hoping to have their DVD sets autographed by Martin. Coca-Cola, a sponsor, held a joint event with Warner Bros., offering a Coca-Cola commemorative Coke to anyone who purchased the $39.9 commemorative DVD set.
Martin understood that these early morning DVD buyers and fans formed the foundation of his status and income at this stage. Consequently, even though his status had significantly improved, he treated his supporters with the utmost enthusiasm.
Each time he signed, Martin would say, "Thank you for your support," regardless of whether the fans bought the regular or commemorative versions of the DVD. By the end of the morning signing session, his face was tired from smiling, and his hands ached from signing.
Martin left the store without entertaining interviews from reporters, hopped into a commercial vehicle, and headed to the nearby Four Seasons Hotel for a brief rest before rushing to the afternoon book signing event.
Bruce and Thomas accompanied him throughout the day. When they arrived at the hotel, the three of them went to the restaurant to dine together. Bruce had ice cubes on hand to help Martin alleviate the fatigue.
Concerned, Thomas inquired, "Will this be too stressful? Should we shorten the afternoon session?"
Martin shook his head, wearing a smile. "This level of pressure is nothing. Compared to my previous modest life in Atlanta, the stress of being a celebrity is negligible."
Bruce chimed in, "With rampant gang activity, meager income, and no permanent residence, even affording tomorrow's expenses can be a challenge. What does celebrity pressure even mean?"
Thomas, who had never experienced such hardships, contemplated, "Perhaps your time in Atlanta gave you an extraordinary capacity to withstand pressure."
Martin, more casually in the absence of others, responded, "Compared to my past life, it's like living in paradise now. Luxury cars, mansions, beautiful women, money... If this is what we call 'pressure,' then I'd gladly take more 'pressure' even taller than the Himalayas."
As they discussed this, the conversation transitioned into more relaxed topics. After their meal, they returned to the hotel, where Bruce received a message on his phone from Martin's security guard in the shadows, informing them that Aniston was in Martin's suite.
Martin released a heavy sigh. Bruce patted him on the shoulder, subtly shifting the conversation, "Are you feeling overwhelmed?"
Martin, with a smile, replied, "I wouldn't say it's overwhelming. It's mainly the challenging academic topics I've been delving into, like why butterflies by the shore smell like seafood, the best methods for detecting tunnels, and under what conditions water can be..."
Bruce considered these purely academic questions, intrigued. Martin returned to his suite and began engaging in profound discussions with Aniston about these matters with a rigorous academic approach.
The pursuit of knowledge leads to personal growth.
In the afternoon, despite feeling a bit fatigued, Martin displayed remarkable professionalism and enthusiasm by attending a DVD signing event at a chain store near the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.
By the day's end, he had personally signed nearly 2,000 "Wanted" DVDs. Meanwhile, Jolie, who was on the East Coast, also attracted substantial attention, and her autograph signing event was a great success.
After dining at a restaurant, Martin returned to the Cotis community. As they reached their home's entrance, Gillian Flynn from across the street waved to the Escalade.
Martin lowered his window and asked if anything was the matter. Gillian expressed her desire for a brief chat and to obtain some exclusive news.
The "Limitless" project was introduced to Alan through Gillian's connection, and they stepped out of the car to converse.
Gillian, a journalist at Entertainment Weekly, inquired about a rumor she had heard that Martin, Leonardo, and Nicholson formed an exclusive organization while filming "The Departed." Martin admitted to forming a trio with Nicholson in charge, followed by Leo, and himself, but he emphasized that it was more of an informal camaraderie, centered on enjoyment.
Martin was confident that their dynamic performances during the film had added considerable highlights. He emphasized that they'd broken free from their past roles and ventured into new territory.
Jillian noted his responses carefully, jotting down his words. She was aware of the importance of not overwhelming Martin with questions.
She also promised to write a column specifically mentioning the recent release of the "Wanted" DVD.
Before parting, Martin casually asked if Gillian had been working on any new projects or had any novel recommendations. She mentioned planning a novel, but it would take two years to complete. Martin encouraged her, predicting it would be a masterpiece.
Gillian shared that she aimed to create a suspenseful and dark story inspired by Agatha Christie. Martin expressed his eagerness to read her work as soon as possible.
After shaking hands, they returned to their respective homes. Gillian reviewed her interview records and worked on a novel inspired by the 1920s Agatha Christie disappearance, set in modern times. Like Martin, she had a skeptical view of mainstream American society's promotion of marriage, believing it to be a source of mutual torment between men and women.
As Martin had a night off, he relaxed and played computer games with Bruce before receiving an invitation from Leonardo to join the Face Gang's event.
The following morning, Martin, feeling rejuvenated, caught a flight from Los Angeles to San Francisco for more DVD signing sessions. "Wanted" had achieved over $200 million at the North American box office and garnered significant attention.
Due to its short screening window, remarkable male and female leads, and extensive fan support, the film continued to make waves in the market. DVD sales had surged after the release of various versions.
The one-week sales of DVD sets amounted to $37.6 million, and Warner Bros. anticipated that one-year sales of "Wanted" DVDs in the North American market alone would surpass $80 million, illustrating the substantial role DVDs played in supporting Hollywood's massive investments during that era.