Chapter 68: "Speed" Premiere (Part 2)

Amidst loud cheers, Gilbert got out of the car and then helped Naomi Watts out of the vehicle. The two walked together onto the red carpet.

They greeted the surrounding fans as they slowly made their way down the red carpet, allowing Naomi Watts to experience a taste of Hollywood stardom.

Gilbert whispered into Naomi Watts' ear, "Strike a pose, I'll go interact with the fans."

"Alright!" Naomi Watts stayed in the center of the red carpet to pose for the media, and with the light rain, she looked like a picture-perfect beauty in the rain.

Meanwhile, Gilbert moved to the sides of the carpet, interacting with fans, greeting them, and signing autographs.

After some time, he returned to Naomi Watts, and they continued down the red carpet together.

There was some inevitable small talk. First, Gilbert paid tribute to the victims of the Los Angeles riots and remembered River Phoenix, then shared some insights about making the film.

In reality, these victims had nothing to do with him, but since he was in this industry, he knew he had to say things people wanted to hear.

His goal was simple: to get the money out of fans' pockets.

Gilbert had once read a book that said: in Western society, whether it's charity, animal protection, or environmental preservation, it's all business at its core.

So, if doing something a bit unscrupulous could help his movie achieve higher box office success, Gilbert didn't mind.

Clearly, Gilbert's speech was very appropriate, aligning perfectly with mainstream societal thinking, which elicited rounds of applause.

Naomi Watts followed suit, saying a few casual words in line with Gilbert's remarks.

After the main cast entered, it was time for the guests. Matt Damon and Cameron Diaz arrived together.

Gilbert's father also invited some friends, producers, to support his son.

Steven Spielberg showed up with Gwyneth Paltrow, and there were rumors circulating that Gilbert was Spielberg's student, which Spielberg didn't deny.

On the red carpet, Spielberg praised, "I've always known Gilbert has extraordinary talent in filmmaking. I believe this movie won't disappoint us."

However, what surprised Gilbert the most was the appearance of Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman.

Though Tom Cruise was notoriously arrogant, he wasn't foolish, especially with reminders from his agent and Nicole Kidman.

Gilbert was clearly an emerging star director in Hollywood, and befriending someone like him was a smart move.

"Hello, Mr. Cruise, Miss Kidman," Gilbert greeted the couple.

Tom Cruise flashed his signature charming smile, "Director Gilbert, any interest in working on a film with me?"

"Of course! Who wouldn't want to work with Tom Cruise in Hollywood?" Gilbert replied.

Hearing this, Tom Cruise seemed pleased.

He didn't forget to seek an opportunity for Nicole Kidman, "Do you have any suitable roles? Maybe you could give Mary a chance."

Gilbert glanced at Nicole Kidman and nodded slightly, "Of course, if there's a suitable role, I'll have someone notify Miss Kidman."

With all the guests present, the premiere soon began.

Gilbert's family hadn't walked the red carpet and were already waiting inside the theater. Meanwhile, the dozens of invited audience members from various ethnic backgrounds were already seated.

Media from Disney and Warner set up their cameras, ready to take photos, report, and interview.

Among the audience, a few representatives were selected to give speeches, calling for the abandonment of discrimination and prejudice, and for unity and love—standard platitudes.

It was evident that being represented was not exclusive to any one country. As long as one lacked the power to speak for themselves, being represented was inevitable anywhere in the world.

The movie soon started, with Cameron Diaz and Matt Damon sitting in the third row. They glanced at Naomi Watts sitting in front and sneered.

That short woman finally made it to Gilbert's bed—what a b***h.

Meanwhile, Cameron Diaz pondered how to draw Gilbert's attention, how to snatch him back from Naomi Watts.

After thinking it over, Cameron Diaz thought of a friend she had recently met, and another idea crossed her mind, bringing a smile to her face.

Matt Damon looked curiously at Cameron Diaz, then back at Gilbert and Naomi Watts in front, feeling a bit impressed.

Gilbert managed to juggle two women without any fallout—he was the epitome of manhood.

Matt Damon didn't believe he had that kind of ability. These Hollywood actresses were all incredibly sharp; it was best for him to steer clear.

Gilbert, unaware of Cameron Diaz's plans for him, was filled with excitement as his hard work finally made its way to the audience.

The Disney and Warner Bros. logos flashed by, along with "Melon Studios" and "A Gilbert Landrini Production."

The film quickly began, starting with a bang.

Spielberg, seated in the front row, had already done his part by showing up to support Gilbert.

But in Spielberg's view, while Gilbert was talented, he was still young and needed more experience.

However, the first twenty minutes of the movie completely changed Spielberg's mind.

Fast-paced storytelling, sharp editing, quick camera cuts, and dazzling visuals and action sequences clearly showed that "Speed" was an exceptionally well-made action film.

Tom Cruise had been quietly chatting with familiar people around him, not paying much attention to the movie.

Even when Nicole Kidman reminded him of proper viewing etiquette, he didn't care.

But once the first explosion hit, the deafening sound rocked the theater, forcing Tom Cruise to pay attention.

From that moment, his eyes were glued to the screen.

A house blew up, a bus soared over a broken bridge, a plane collided with a bus, and finally, the male and female leads shared a passionate kiss under the sunset.

Sarah, a reporter from the "Los Angeles Business Journal," had secured a spot at the premiere thanks to her good relationship with Gilbert.

Quietly watching the film from the media section, she made a mental note: "Speed" was a top-tier commercial movie with massive blockbuster potential.

Compared to Gilbert's previous two films, this one felt trendy in terms of filming style but at its core was a mainstream Hollywood blockbuster.

Movies like this, as long as the quality held up, usually performed well.

In the back, among the diverse audience members, some had never even set foot in a cinema to watch a Hollywood film before.

Their first movie experience left them in awe of "Speed's" quality.

So this is a Hollywood movie? No wonder it's renowned worldwide—the films are just that good.

The film ended to thunderous applause, celebrating this fantastic action flick.

Gilbert led the cast on stage to take a bow and thank the guests for attending the premiere despite their busy schedules.

After the bows, it was time to talk about the movie.

The cast shared some fun stories from the set, along with some light-hearted jabs at director Gilbert.

Keanu Reeves gave Gilbert his second nickname: "The Explosion Maniac."

The reason? Gilbert often loved to blow things up on set.

The audience who had seen the movie wholeheartedly agreed with Keanu Reeves' nickname, given the insane explosion scenes in the film.

Producer Charles Roven joked, "I spent every day on set in fear because Gilbert loved practical effects when it came to explosions.

We actually blew up a house, and the bus jumping over the bridge? That was shot for real."

The final scene where the bus crashes into the plane was filmed using miniature models.

But most of the other scenes were shot practically, and there was no issue with that.

When Gilbert mentioned that the bus jump over the broken bridge was done with practical effects, Tom Cruise's eyes lit up. It felt like he had stumbled upon some secret technique, though he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

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