Chapter 127: Movie Rating System

The company's listing was just a side note and didn't disrupt Gilbert's post-production progress.

Hans Zimmer quickly submitted the soundtrack he composed for Gilbert, including the classic track "Rock House Jail."

In his past life, this song had been used extensively in various Chinese variety shows, but because of its appeal and timelessness, it had been overused.

In the present day, this reputation was even more relevant. Aside from Gilbert, everyone who heard the song couldn't help but praise it.

After receiving the soundtrack, Gilbert and the editor, Mehdi, began adding the music to the film's main scenes.

Meanwhile, the annual Super Bowl promotional event was approaching. This platform had become the most significant promotional venue for Hollywood summer blockbusters, and most movies aiming for the summer release window would choose to debut their trailers here.

The importance of the Super Bowl was indisputable. It's a "super holiday," unofficial but widely celebrated across America, holding the highest viewership ratings in the country.

Of course, if something like the Simpson murder case happened, the Super Bowl might not hold the top spot.

But since the Simpson case was not a yearly event, while the Super Bowl is an annual affair, its popularity remains unmatched.

Interestingly, the Super Bowl's halftime show often has higher ratings than the game itself. In a way, the ads during this show have become more entertaining than the game.

Yes, a show.

Though technically a sports competition, the Super Bowl has essentially become a highly commercialized entertainment program.

This year, Gilbert didn't attend the Super Bowl in person but watched the broadcast at home.

When the first half of the game ended, the much-anticipated halftime show began, and so did the exciting ad showcase.

This year's Super Bowl made a slight adjustment, not making fans wait too long.

Perhaps realizing that the ad segment most captivating to audiences in recent years was the Hollywood movie trailers, the Super Bowl organizers moved the time slot for these trailers forward.

After graduating from UCLA, Lewis fulfilled his dream of working at National Geographic as a photographer and even earned the title of an explorer.

Saradie Morton stayed in Los Angeles, landing a job at a good company.

Though they were both busy with their jobs, they, as Gilbert's earliest fan group, still gathered in a bar to watch the Super Bowl together on this occasion.

"Saradie, guess what the first ad will be?" Lewis asked.

"I think it'll be Tiffany or Dior..." Saradie speculated.

Each year, the Super Bowl ad showcase traditionally started with luxury brands, followed by Hollywood movie trailers, and ended with another preview.

But this year was different. Just as they were guessing, the sound of tires screeching on pavement came from the TV, followed by the sight of a Hummer tearing through city streets.

Then, Gilbert's signature tire-view shot appeared, along with the sound of an earth-shattering explosion.

"Is that…?"

"Is that Gilbert's new movie?"

"That's right..."

"Whoo-hoo…"

Everyone cheered and raised their glasses; they'd waited so long just to see the movie's trailer.

"Finally, Gilbert is back to the action genre he excels at."

"Exactly, buddy. I've been waiting for his action movie the most."

Although Gilbert made his mark with horror and thriller films, Speed left a lasting impression on fans, so they eagerly anticipated his new action film.

A series of fast-paced and intense scenes followed, with fierce gunfights, culminating in an F-18 dropping a bomb that sparked an explosion on Alcatraz Island, ending with the release date.

"May 5th? Mark that date, guys. We're hitting the theaters together."

"I've already marked it on my calendar—I won't miss this movie."

This UCLA fan group had made watching Gilbert's new summer movie an annual event and tradition.

It had become a habit, one likely to continue for many years.

They were around Gilbert's age and were his most loyal fan base.

There were similar fan groups in major cities across America who felt the same way.

Over the past few years, the name Gilbert had become a symbol and brand with immense appeal.

As a result, on The Rock poster, Gilbert's name was the largest, signaling to fans that this was his film.

After the Super Bowl, the film continued along the typical promotional trajectory. At this point, Gilbert's movies didn't need unconventional marketing tactics.

Taking an unconventional path could be beneficial, but following a steady marketing approach was safer.

Of course, unconventional methods could yield good results at times.

In the Century City CAA office, Martin Bob was discussing their next moves with his associates.

"Did you see the Super Bowl trailer?"

"Yes," the associate replied. "There aren't many films scheduled for the summer—Warner's Batman: The Enigma Unbeaten, packaged by Eno Martin; Universal's Apollo 13; and Waterworld—all set to release in June or July."

"And Gilbert's new film?"

"His The Rock is slated for May 5th. Should we make any moves?"

"What could we do?" Martin Bob shot his associate a glance. "We're already struggling to deal with the Warner-Disney alliance, and now 20th Century Fox has joined in. Unless we join forces with other companies, who would dare offend the Big Three?"

The associate suggested, "We don't have to interfere elsewhere. Regular commercial competition shouldn't bother them."

"Plus, I heard that The Rock is aiming for a PG-13 rating. We could connect with other companies to push for an R rating."

"That's right," Martin Bob's eyes brightened. "Good idea. I'll call them now."

North American film ratings are overseen by the MPAA, which operates under a voluntary rating system, though every film released in theaters typically submits for a rating.

The reason is simple: The MPAA is backed by the seven major Hollywood studios, which set these guidelines.

Any new film company that doesn't follow these rules risks facing collective opposition.

In Hollywood, crossing the Big Seven often leads to a tough outcome, typically forced exit from the scene.

So, while the rating system is voluntary, it's become an unspoken rule. Any movie aiming for a North American theatrical release needs to submit for a rating.

Ratings are decided by a committee, mainly composed of parents unaffiliated with the film industry, who assess the film's themes, language, violence, nudity, sexual content, and drug scenes.

This helps viewers, particularly parents, select appropriate movies, though the rating doesn't reflect a film's quality.

Because the Big Seven support and fund the MPAA, they have considerable influence over it.

Through some lobbying, it's possible to influence a film's rating.

For example, Jurassic Park, which featured bloody scenes and frightening visuals, received a PG-13 rating.

This rating was instrumental in helping Jurassic Park achieve the year's highest box office in North America.

The advantage of the PG-13 rating is clear. Last year, Gilbert's Real Steel leveraged a favorable rating to outperform James Cameron's True Lies, ultimately securing $184 million as the season's third-highest North American box office hit.

The PG-13 advantage helped Real Steel, though True Lies had slightly better fan and media ratings but was an R-rated film.

This rating disadvantage meant True Lies didn't perform well at the box office, although it still profited through licensing and merchandising.

It's precisely due to the impact of ratings that Gilbert insisted on securing a PG-13 for The Rock.

The film's three major investors, all film giants, fully understood this, so after The Rock was submitted for a rating, they launched an extensive lobbying campaign.

However, Martin Bob's side had mixed intentions. Paramount and MGM were involved in blocking The Rock's PG-13 rating but weren't fully committed.

Meanwhile, The Rock's investors were unified and focused, and their lobbying was effective.

Before the Oscars, The Rock managed to secure a PG-13 rating, leaving Martin Bob furious enough to throw his coffee cup.

When the rating was confirmed, Gilbert couldn't help but applaud.

If he remembered correctly, in his previous life, this movie received an R rating.

While The Rock is an iconic action film, the unfavorable rating limited it to only $134 million in North America.

It wasn't bad, but it could have been higher.

During production, Gilbert made several adjustments to the film. Although he increased the "f**k" count, there weren't many bloody scenes.

He also cut the scene between Goosby and his fiancée, considering Naomi Watts was in it, and manually revised the script.

After all, no one would know the original film included that scene.

When the rating came through, Martin Bob realized he couldn't change the outcome. He worried that Sean Connery might react rashly and ruin relations with Gilbert and The Rock.

So he went to Connery's home to calm him down.

As he expected, after watching the Super Bowl trailer, Connery felt outraged seeing Roger Moore's character, John Mason, looking suave and stylish.

He couldn't control his anger and considered going to the media to criticize Gilbert and The Rock.

Anyone with a sound mind wouldn't dare take on a major summer blockbuster jointly funded by three giants, unless they had equal status.

But this assumes rationality, and Connery's health and mental state were no longer stable.

Already impulsive, quick-tempered, and prone to anger, Connery's drinking and drug use made him a ticking time bomb.

Without CAA covering for him, and as long as Connery didn't offend any significant figures, he would've been driven out of Hollywood long ago.

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