Sensational response

"The Premiere of "Fast 5" Creates a Sensation, Igniting the Summer Season!"

"The Grand Opening Battle, "Fast 5" Makes a Powerful Entrance, Fully Prepared for Combat!"

"The Premiere Welcomes an Incredible Turnout! Has the 2011 Summer Season Arrived a Week Early?"

"Stunning Debut, Renly Hall Shines on the Big Screen!"

"Renly Hall Responds with Actions: The Grand Opening Battle, a Surefire Victory!"

"Spectacular! Spectacular! Spectacular! "Fast 5" Emerges Out of Nowhere, Shifting the Franchise's Law of Deterioration, Infusing New Vitality, Officially Elevating the B-Grade Series to Blockbuster Status!"

"Justin Lin's Triumph, "Fast 5" Receives Praise Across the Board."

"Stealing the Spotlight, Renly Hall Dominates the Premiere Night, Becoming a Dazzling Star!"

"Unexpectedly, "Fast 5" Is Flooded with Praise, Showing Potential as a Dark Horse, Adding Intrigue to the Grand Opening!"

"A Powerful Entry! Premiere Ignites Praise, "Fast 5" Progresses Under the Radar."

...

"Shocking! Has Renly Hall been dating Jennifer Lawrence for three months?"

The last headline was evidently a fishing expedition for rumors, merely an attempt to ride the wave of popularity, but despite that, this piece of news sparked considerable discussion online. From this aspect, it was clear that the premiere of "Fast 5" had created a resounding echo, and every topic was a focal point.

The next day, entertainment sections of major news outlets were undeniably dominated by "Fast 5". Over three hundred print media sources reported on it promptly. To be more accurate, any news outlet with an entertainment section wouldn't miss this lively premiere or, more accurately, wouldn't miss this grand opening.

Before the premiere, Nathan had complained about why people generally had low expectations for "Fast 5". In his view, this series, reaching its fifth installment, shouldn't underestimate its fan base. Furthermore, every man had some fascination with luxury cars or racing, which should make these movies marketable. Add to that the allure of Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, and Renly Hall's showdown... this production indeed had the potential to achieve great results.

It wasn't just Nathan; many outsiders shared this opinion. However, the industry viewed "Fast 5" as a dark horse for a reason.

Ultimately, the genre was a critical factor. In the general opinion, men were the main audience for the summer season, and they all had some interest in luxury cars and racing, making these films theoretically accessible to a broad audience. But everyone overlooked a crucial point: racing films needed novelty, style, and quality, which were not easy to achieve.

The "Fast & Furious" series itself faced this dilemma. Purely racing and pure showdowns couldn't sustain a ninety-minute screenplay and couldn't create novelty, so they chose the popular Asian drifting trend for the third installment, which led to a catastrophic reception in the United States.

Not only "Fast & Furious", but also in the entire history of North American cinema, there were numerous films about racing or high-speed chases: "Speed", "Taxi", "Death Race", "Gone in 60 Seconds", "Cars", and many more. However, among them, only "Speed" managed to turn a profit.

Only one.

"Taxi" was a massive hit at the French box office but failed to impress in North America, with dismal results. "Gone in 60 Seconds" featured big names like Nicolas Cage and Angelina Jolie, yet it barely crossed the $100M mark in North American box office, causing a nearly $30M loss for Disney's Buena Vista Pictures. Even the all-conquering Pixar, with "Cars", faced its first widespread critical backlash in North America, with box office earnings barely breaking even.

People referred to the "Fast & Furious" series as B-movies, and the budget size was only part of the reason.

Beyond that, Universal Pictures' caution played a significant role. From the production cost to the cast lineup and promotional expenses, "Fast 5" couldn't be considered a blockbuster. Even though the fifth installment's budget reached $120M, its overall scale didn't meet the standards of a summer blockbuster. It continued the promotional approach of B-movies, albeit at a higher investment level.

In summary, the overall impact and significance of "Fast 5" were fundamentally different from "Thor". It was like a boxing match between two fighters of different weight classes. It wasn't about who was better; the weight class itself was different.

However, now, this dark horse was showing unbelievable explosive power, displaying outstanding combat abilities from the premiere.

On one hand, based on incomplete statistics, there were over fourteen hundred attendees at the premiere, setting a new historical record for non-summer season premiere attendance. Two hundred and ninety-one of those attendees were there to support Renly Hall, reminiscent of the "Twilight" premiere.

Such a scene was truly impressive and made the concerns about the weak fan base in the market seem like a joke.

On the other hand, compared to "Thor", "Fast 5" had undoubtedly dimmer star power, but the premiere last night was shining brightly. Seth Rogen, Jennifer Lawrence, Ryan Gosling, and other topics of focus all arrived at the scene, making Renly Hall stand out. Later, Scarlett Johansson recorded a video expressing her regrets for not being able to attend due to her "contractual obligations." She had appeared in "Iron Man 2" last year, officially becoming part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This playful remark drew laughter from the reporters.

If it weren't for the subsequent surprise video, Renly Hall would have stolen the limelight that night, even though they had invited Paul, who had brought along his friend Jessica Alba. This also made people realize that the accusations against Chris Hemsworth were baseless, adding credibility to the "scriptgate". However, the subsequent surprise video was also thanks to Renly:

Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg recorded a video congratulating Renly and Vin on their collaborative work premiering. This was undoubtedly the biggest topic of the night. People suddenly remembered that Vin had appeared in "Saving Private Ryan" when he was just starting out, and Renly's credentials were even more impressive.

Originally, people were worried about the lack of star power and how it might affect the subsequent promotion of the premiere. However, the dazzling display of star power that night was beyond their expectations. Today, major media outlets have shifted their focus to these key figures, making it quite a lively affair. The lackluster promotion from Universal Pictures may not have the negative impact on the film's premiere box office as initially feared; these concerns seem to be gradually dissipating.

Of course, these are all potential influencing factors. While it appears to be a colorful spectacle, the actual contribution to the film's box office remains an unknown. The most crucial aspect is still the audience and critics' reactions.

After the premiere, including the Seattle Post, a total of four media outlets conducted on-site surveys and interviews to gain a quick and straightforward understanding of the audience's thoughts.

The Seattle Post interviewed 103 attendees that night. Out of these, 75 viewers found the movie to be incredibly exciting, exceeding their expectations. Another 21 viewers thought the movie was good and met their expectations. Seven viewers, however, found the movie dull and felt that they could have done without seeing it.

When asked if they would recommend the movie to their friends, 99 viewers replied positively, while only four viewers said they wouldn't. Regarding the showdown between "Fast 5" and "Thor" in the summer box office, 57 viewers stated they wouldn't watch "Thor" and would support "Fast 5". Thirty-two viewers indicated they would definitely watch "Thor", and 14 viewers mentioned they would decide after considering the media reviews and audience reception of "Thor".

What's particularly interesting is when they were asked about the "most exciting parts." Eighty-eight viewers mentioned "Renly Hall" or "the newly introduced character", while 74 viewers brought up "the final high-speed chase" or "the grand showdown". Another 27 viewers mentioned "Vin Diesel". As for the various other keywords, there were many, but they were mentioned with less frequency.

It's well-known that the audience attending premieres is generally enthusiastic and eager for the film, making their evaluations relatively more positive.

However, even so, over 93% of the audience expressed that the movie met or exceeded their expectations, and over 96% of the audience said they would recommend it to their friends. Such a high proportion is indeed astonishing. In simple terms, the audience has shown tremendous love for the film.

Not only the Seattle Post, but the other three media outlets that conducted on-site surveys also reached similar conclusions. Considering the limited size and loyal nature of the premiere audience, their feedback might not hold much weight. In the end, it will depend on the cinema ratings and Rotten Tomatoes' audience score after the premiere weekend. Nevertheless, the overwhelming positive response on the premiere night has amazed countless people!

In the summer box office battle, the critics' reviews will still be an important measure. However, it cannot be denied that their influence is relatively limited. Films like "Transformers", which received continuous criticism, always manage to create box office miracles with their outstanding visual effects. On the other hand, scores that reflect the audience's attitude, such as the popcorn index and cinema ratings, are the key factors influencing box office performance.

Now, after the premiere of "Fast 5", they have achieved an incredible head start in terms of audience feedback. Furthermore, the unexpected emergence of Renly Hall has added a touch of magic to this film. It has sparked more curiosity: What kind of new character is this that can inject such vitality into the series?