"This is a report from Warner Television, live from the Mann Village Theater in Westwood, where the highly anticipated premiere of The Matrix Reloaded is taking place behind me..."
The camera shifted to the red carpet, with the reporter providing commentary off-screen.
"Today is truly star-studded, with the male lead Keanu Reeves making an appearance, waving to the crowd, exciting the fans gathered here. Female lead Charlize Theron made a glamorous entrance, causing the male audience to go nearly crazy..."
"Other cast members like Hugo Weaving, Monica Bellucci, and Jada Pinkett Smith are also attending the premiere. Jada Pinkett Smith even appeared with her husband Will Smith, truly a matching couple. Many other stars and directors have also graced the red carpet, such as Demi Moore, George Clooney, and Steven Soderbergh, showing the undeniable charm of the film."
"According to reports, the most iconic scene for Keanu Reeves in The Matrix Reloaded is when he fights off one hundred Agent Smiths. For this battle scene, Keanu Reeves trained intensively with twelve martial arts instructors for twelve weeks. In interviews, he confidently said, 'My action scenes are much better than the first movie.'"
"This battle features over 700 continuous fight moves. Director Zack Snyder required the moves to not only be thrilling but also incredibly intense. To blend violence and aesthetics, Keanu Reeves, fight choreographer Tiger Chen, and his stunt team worked tirelessly for months. After shooting the scene, Keanu Reeves spent every day in ice baths to soothe his muscle fatigue."
"During the first film, Keanu Reeves and the other main cast members underwent nearly half a year of fight training. When training for the sequel The Matrix Reloaded, everyone was mentally prepared. Director Zack Snyder said the training for Reloaded and Revolutions was several times more difficult than the first movie, with a lot more fighting and special effects."
"Zack Snyder, who has long served as Duke Rosenberg's assistant, carries over the filmmaking philosophy. The Matrix sequel, under his direction, received unanimous praise during test screenings, with cinema and audience scores given an A+. It seems this sequel will not disappoint the long-awaited fans of The Matrix."
Duke arrived early, and after reaching the interview area, he stood behind Ivanka. The Matrix franchise had already become a major brand, and as a producer, there was no need for him to compete for attention with the actors and directors.
Moreover, the production team had indeed gone all out to generate buzz and attract attention.
Monica Bellucci and Jada Pinkett Smith staged a dramatic black-and-white kiss. Their passionate kiss excited the media and audience to the point of frenzy. The twin actors, the Lemont brothers, performed close combat moves live, showing remarkable synchronization; Guardian Angel Chow Zhaolong demonstrated his 360-degree flying kicks, drawing exclamations of "So cool!"...
As for the leading actors Keanu Reeves and Charlize Theron, they didn't need to do much. Their mere presence, as current A-list stars, was enough to incite wild cheers from the fans.
"Let's go inside."
After the group photos, Duke led Ivanka into the theater and towards the VIP lounge.
Duke had already seen The Matrix Reloaded and wasn't worried about it. Not only had the first film sparked massive anticipation, but he had worked with Zack Snyder for years. While their philosophies weren't identical, they were very similar. The final product would have more commercial elements and less of the abstract discussions on philosophy that dominated the first movie.
In this world, 99% of the time, the simpler the plot of a movie, the more the critics will dismiss it, but the more likely it is to be commercially successful.
Both Duke and Zack Snyder knew this very well.
Especially Duke, who had final cut rights, ensuring that the film wouldn't follow in the footsteps of the Wachowski siblings.
Anyone could see that many directors care deeply about the critics' professional reviews, and the Wachowski siblings were one such pair. After their success, they were praised by critics to the point that it clouded their judgment. From certain perspectives, they were even led astray by the critics, an often narrow group.
The films they later wrote and directed, from V for Vendetta to Cloud Atlas, garnered significant professional acclaim but failed to resonate with mainstream audiences, trapping them in a cycle of high professional praise and low commercial returns. Eventually, they had to rely on the success of The Matrix franchise.
They weren't the first directors led astray by critics, and they wouldn't be the last.
Ultimately, professional acclaim means little if the director's films don't bring in profits, as no production company will keep investing in a film that doesn't bring in revenue.
In Hollywood, it could be said that directors like Duke, who finance their own films, are a rare breed. Whether it's top-tier directors like James Cameron and Steven Spielberg or those working on smaller B-movies, most directors follow an unwritten rule: directors do not invest in their own films.
Most directors in Hollywood would rather invest in the stock market or real estate than put a single dollar into their own films.
Simply put, making movies is somewhat akin to gambling.
After entering the VIP lounge, Duke greeted a few people briefly before Steven Soderbergh approached.
"I never had the chance to properly thank you."
The bald director was quite friendly, though his usual expression remained serious. However, his tone carried a note of familiarity. "If you need anything, feel free to ask."
"You're too kind, Steven." Duke politely responded, placing himself on the same level as the other. "We're all victims here."
"Yes, Duke is right."
George Clooney then approached. "We're all victims."
Afterward, he extended his hand to Ivanka. "Hello, Miss Trump, it's great to meet you."
Ivanka gently shook his hand. "Hello, George, it's a pleasure to meet you too."
Unlike George Clooney, Steven Soderbergh was more reserved and left after only a few words. George Clooney, on the other hand, was very talkative and seemed to subtly flatter Duke in his conversation.
This rising star, now seemingly on the verge of becoming an A-list celebrity, had experienced a tumultuous career. His rapid rise in the 90s nearly collapsed due to Batman & Robin, but after last year's Ocean's Eleven, his career finally regained momentum.
Honestly, Duke wasn't particularly fond of him. George Clooney seemed more like a politician than an actor, and his rise to A-list status wasn't solely due to his films or marketability.
Just like how actors can maintain their A-list status using various methods, such as fashion like Nicole Kidman or Charlize Theron, George Clooney chose an easier route for male actors—political engagement.
Perhaps, he was considering following in Ronald Reagan's footsteps.
Similar to Harrison Ford, George Clooney had strong connections in the political world. Duke had no conflicts of interest with him, and despite his past views, there was no reason to harbor animosity.
From his current perspective, Duke knew how to handle things for his best interest.
"Oh, by the way, I haven't congratulated you yet, Duke."
George Clooney, quite perceptive, shifted the topic to movies. "The box office and merchandise sales for The Two Towers are through the roof. It will definitely surpass The Fellowship of the Ring."
"Thank you." Duke nodded with a smile.
After exchanging a few more words, George Clooney smartly took his leave.
Next, Demi Moore, Mickey Rourke, and others came over to say hello. Their conversations all inevitably turned to the box office and merchandise of The Two Towers, as it was undoubtedly the biggest winner of the summer.
After the release of Spider-Man, The Two Towers' box office began to decline but remained steady, earning nearly $60 million in the past three weeks alone. The North American box office totaled $436.79 million, and the global box office reached $995.22 million.
The trajectory of this fantasy epic remained healthy, and even the odds in Las Vegas had stopped accepting bets on the film's North American and global box office surpassing The Fellowship of the Ring's totals a month ago.
It was clear to everyone—both in the industry and out—that The Two Towers would surpass The Fellowship of the Ring in both North American and global earnings, and professional media like The Hollywood Reporter had already declared it the box office champion for the year.
As for merchandise, despite a reduced licensing income due to most of the deals being made during The Fellowship of the Ring's release, sales of various products remained impressive, reaching nearly $400 million in just two months.
Hollywood had long recognized that merchandise profits far exceeded box office earnings.
Speaking of merchandise, it was impossible not to mention the pillar of Hollywood films today—DVDs.
By the time of the Oscars, The Fellowship of the Ring had sold over 24.2 million copies globally, generating a staggering $497.3 million!
After that, the crew members entered the lounge. Not long after, people in the lounge began making their way into the theater. The Matrix was coming again!