Taking the pen, accompanied by countless screams, Duke signed his name on a few posters and then turned back to the red carpet. After two consecutive box office hits, he was no longer an unknown director. Fans now recognized him, especially among action movie enthusiasts, who regarded him as an excellent director.
Moreover, looking at Hollywood as a whole, there were only a few directors capable of helming productions with budgets exceeding a hundred million dollars.
However, Duke didn't interact too much. Under the guidance of Warner's public relations staff, he routinely signed a few autographs. Directors weren't celebrities, especially during this era. If their works weren't impressive enough, people wouldn't support their films the way fans support idols.
As he stepped into the interview area, Nancy Josephson discreetly moved behind Duke, ready to give him any necessary prompts during the upcoming interviews.
Behind every public figure, there's always an entire team providing support. In an age where information flows more freely, an ill-considered remark could easily be magnified into a significant problem by those with ulterior motives.
Catching a glimpse of Nancy from the corner of his eye, Duke didn't say anything. Though he wasn't particularly experienced in dealing with the media, he knew what to say and what not to say. He wouldn't utter anything foolish. If faced with a difficult question, he could simply stay silent.
A reporter from Fox TV, which was live broadcasting the premiere, quickly approached. The same media that had slandered him mercilessly last year now displayed a friendly attitude.
The interview felt more like a formality. In response to the reporter's questions, Duke praised Warner Bros., 20th Century Fox, and the production team, from the producers to the actors. He also spoke highly of his own film.
"Director Rosenberg, this is a story about resisting a brutal alien invasion," the Fox TV reporter asked as the interview neared its end. "As the screenwriter and director, what was your original intent when creating it?"
"Humanity has created a brilliant civilization. When our civilization is on the verge of collapse, what should we do?"
Spouting nonsense is what occasions like this are meant for. Duke's expression turned serious. "I believe humanity should set aside its differences, unite, and save our common destiny and interests."
Even if the words felt disgusting and he didn't personally agree with them, as long as they attracted American audiences, Duke would say them without hesitation.
"As shown in the trailer, the United States is the world's leading power, and it should shoulder the responsibility of leading this battle against the aliens."
Suppressing the urge to gag, Duke waved to the surrounding cameras, fully displaying the image of a "true American patriot" to the public. Then he turned and walked toward the photo area for the production team.
"Well said, Duke," Nancy caught up quickly and whispered in praise. "That last line could potentially add millions to the box office. If you're aiming for awards season, it could also increase your chances of winning."
Even if it felt awkward, Duke understood that in his current position, he had to carefully consider what to say for his own benefit.
To some extent, he was now the spokesperson for certain capital interests and had to consider their benefits.
After greeting the actors and several producers, Duke stood among the group for the obligatory photo session. Once that was done, he headed toward the theater, catching a glimpse of Naomi Watts enjoying the full star treatment nearby.
Naomi Watts' smile was brighter than the summer sun in Australia. Duke had a rough understanding of the mindset of these actresses. After struggling for so many years, they finally had their moment of fame, and the spotlight was where they truly cared to be.
Walking into the Shrine Auditorium, Duke left the outside commotion behind. Due to the interviews and photo sessions with the crew, most people had already entered the main theater by the time he arrived, waiting for the screening to begin.
Two production managers followed him inside.
"Warner Bros. and 20th Century Fox have secured the maximum number of theaters possible for the opening weekend," Charles Roven said quietly as he stood opposite Duke. "2,885 theaters—this is the best opening count of the year."
"We don't have any strong competitors this weekend," Robin Grand added. "Duke, your first two films have built a strong enough brand for you. The films opening this weekend are all low-budget productions under $10 million. They won't pose any threat to *Independence Day*."
"And June's big hit, *The Lion King*, has been out for more than two weeks," Charles Roven said, clearly in a good mood. "Its peak box office period has passed. *Forrest Gump* is doing well, but it hasn't had an explosive weekend. Its highest weekend gross was under $25 million. Neither of June's big hits will pose a real threat."
This was undoubtedly the best release window. No strong films the previous week, no competition this weekend, and next weekend's big-budget release was already destined to flop. Plus, Warner Bros. and 20th Century Fox were joining forces. Duke couldn't see any reason the film would fail, especially after enhancing the visual effects.
If the movie still bombed, his first two films would have been for nothing.
"As long as we have a strong opening weekend," Robin Grand said, "we could even expand our release next week. The number of theaters in North America is limited, and as long as we maintain enough screens, we can squeeze the new films and reduce their chances of success."
The remaining actors gradually entered the theater. Duke tilted his head toward the entrance to the main hall. "Now, let's start this battle."
With that, he headed toward the main hall, and the others followed.
Before the screening, there were some routine small events. Duke mostly stayed in the background, giving the spotlight to the actors who needed the exposure. He spent most of the time observing.
The audience for this premiere consisted mainly of media, guests, and fans. Since critics weren't invited to the test screening, Warner Bros. and 20th Century Fox weren't foolish enough to invite them now. In fact, no free tickets were offered to critics for the premiere. Any professional critics who wanted to attend had to buy tickets like regular fans.
However, Duke suspected that most critics, who were used to being treated as elites and constantly offering judgment without substantial suggestions, wouldn't lower themselves to fight for tickets with regular fans—at least not yet.
Indeed, very few critics attended the premiere. Without free tickets or travel expenses, they weren't willing to compete with regular fans for the limited premiere tickets.
The public relations funds Warner Bros. and 20th Century Fox saved were instead invested in advertising, which had produced impressive results based on the feedback received.
Even though they didn't attend the test screening or were invited to the premiere, critics wouldn't miss the chance to critique or praise such a major production. Commercial blockbusters meant a potential large audience for their reviews, which increased their influence and brought in more profits.
Though critics often claimed to have tastes different from the public and prided themselves on their refined sensibilities, they weren't fools. They knew the film industry and regular moviegoers were the foundation of their existence. Without influence among the audience, they would inevitably be abandoned by both the film companies and the media they worked for.
The Los Angeles premiere dragged on longer than expected. Meanwhile, as it continued, renowned critic Roger Ebert walked into a theater in Chicago, ready to watch the midnight screening of *Independence Day* so he could write about it the next day.
As he entered the theater lobby, Ebert noticed the crowd was particularly large. After casually asking his assistant to check, he found out that over ninety percent of the people were waiting to see *Independence Day*.
As a celebrity in Chicago, many fans recognized him, and quite a few came over to greet him.
After handling the greetings, Ebert didn't bother lining up for tickets. As a well-known professional critic, he had the privilege of free admission as long as he wasn't blacklisted by the distributor, and the *Independence Day* team hadn't revoked that privilege.
Sitting on a bench while waiting, Roger Ebert's eyes, hidden behind his glasses, glinted with thought. Since rising to prominence decades ago and gradually becoming a leading figure in the industry, he couldn't remember the last time he personally went to a theater to watch a film. Even if the distributors hadn't invited him to the test screening or premiere, they usually sent over a private copy long in advance...
While Roger Ebert waited, *The New Yorker* critic David Denby walked into a theater on the Upper East Side of New York. He followed two female moviegoers inside, occasionally overhearing their conversation.
"I've been waiting months for *Independence Day* to come out!" said a tall, long-legged brunette.
"Anna, if the movie's good enough, can we see it again tomorrow?" her friend asked.
"Irene, don't you have to work tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow's the weekend," Irene replied, linking arms with her friend. She felt a strange discomfort from behind, and when she turned around, she saw a bald, creepy-looking middle-aged man. She glared at him fiercely before turning back to her friend. "I took the day off in advance!"
"Hurry, Lauder!" Anna urged, pulling her friend toward the auditorium. As they entered, they noticed the creepy bald man following them and sitting right next to Irene. He was also there to watch *Independence Day*.
A little later that evening, Tom Cruise and his wife, fully disguised with hoodies and sunglasses, drove away from their Beverly Hills mansion toward the nearest theater, where they had already booked a private box.
...
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