Chapter 292 - Synonymous with Miracles

To fully concentrate on her work, Laila brought her editing work back home and declined all visitors. She secluded herself in a makeshift studio room she had set up at home.

This round of editing took considerably more time than before. Laila was testing her own limits while working, wanting to see just how far she could push herself. In her previous editing projects, she had been refining the experiences she gained from her past life. Combining her past experiences with her current knowledge, she developed a unique style characterized by personality, distinctiveness, fierceness, and tenderness.

By mid-October, the editing was complete. After organizing some post-production tasks that needed to be delegated to others, Halloween had quietly arrived.

For many people, Halloween was a day for fun, but for Laila and her company, it held special significance. The company's official inception had been timed to coincide with this holiday, which was ideal for horror movie releases.

Thanks to Laila's films, Halloween had been officially recognized as a lucrative time for film releases. Without Laila and her movies, who would have noticed the immense potential of this previously overlooked time slot?

That's why, last year, several films had tried to compete with Laila's "SAW" for the Halloween slot. However, the outcome was clear to everyone: they had all lost miserably.

The competition had been fierce for "SAW," especially the big-budget productions, which had suffered major losses. But some low-budget films had managed to ride the coattails of the trend. This year, even more horror movies were trying to hitch a ride on the Halloween bandwagon.

Apart from the newly established Halloween time slot, there was another reason for this influx. Laila had not personally taken on the new sequel to "SAW." Instead, a rookie director had taken up the mantle.

If it had been Laila herself, people might have thought twice about challenging her for the Halloween slot. But who was Wen Ziren? What had he accomplished? He was an absolute newcomer with no prior work. What was there to worry about?

Many people in the film industry couldn't understand why Laila had entrusted a highly lucrative franchise like "SAW" to a newcomer who had never directed a film before. Even if she was too busy with other projects to direct it herself, there were plenty of experienced directors who would have gladly taken on the opportunity.

However, Laila's company didn't provide any official response to the skepticism from the media and industry insiders. It wasn't that they couldn't answer, but rather that Laila believed it wasn't necessary. The final verdict would be delivered by the box office results, whether it turned out well or not.

Laila had already seen a rough cut of the film after it was completed. At that point, the music hadn't been added yet, and it had only been lightly edited. However, the results were already promising. Considering it was the director's first film, the sequel was well-executed. Laila had pointed out a few minor issues to address, but overall, it was on track. While there were some deviations from the original, the quality was sufficient. As long as nothing unexpected happened, it was bound to be a Halloween blockbuster.

The premiere of "SAW 2" officially began at midnight on Halloween. Riding the wave of the previous installment's success, Louise and the distribution team secured more screens for this release. What pleased everyone was the excellent performance of pre-sale tickets. With a budget of $4 million, they had already recouped their costs on the first day.

Laila attended the premiere as a special guest, and as soon as she stepped onto the red carpet, she was greeted with thunderous cheers from her numerous fans. In Hollywood, in the United States, this 20-year-old had already become synonymous with miracles.

When a living, young miracle appeared before your eyes, who wouldn't be excited? Adults were one thing, but young people who idolized her absolutely adored her.

Stop harping on about age all the time. Just look at Laila. She's young, yet she's achieved things that many adults can't!

Countless young people and children would use her as an example whenever they encountered age-related skepticism. Each time, she left the other person speechless because she was that extraordinary, that remarkable—a miracle that left people at a loss for words!

"Congratulations, Wen," Laila said when she met Wen Ziren, offering her congratulations.

"Thank you. This opportunity you've given me means a lot. I'm truly grateful," Wen Ziren replied. As an Asian filmmaker in Hollywood, his path had not been easy. If it weren't for Laila, he might have had to wait many more years for a chance to direct a film.