Chapter 324: The Best Date Movie

"Here is the Fox Television Network's Entertainment Channel reporting from Missouri."

On the television screen, a reporter stands atop a small dirt mound, with a vast expanse of green, overgrown wasteland behind her, where nearly a hundred people search for something important. The reporter, facing the camera, says, "In order to find the real-life prototype of Amazing Amy, Amy Dunn, an official search team has now been formed. They are conducting their search near a small river where Amy might have disappeared..."

Murphy watches the broadcast and nods in satisfaction. This event was all part of the planned activities, unlike the spontaneous gathering of some of "Amazing Amy's" readers in St. Louis. The search team consists entirely of cast and crew members bound by a strict confidentiality agreement.

These eye-catching activities aren't meant for public participation.

Murphy and 20th Century Fox have devised a meticulous plan, and so far, everything is proceeding accordingly, with the media, online responses, and public reactions surpassing their expectations.

Although it hasn't become a nationwide sensation, the attention garnered by "Amazing Amy" is more than sufficient for a movie release.

However, just like the refusal to allow outsiders into the so-called search team, Murphy and 20th Century Fox are careful to measure their involvement.

It's undeniable that this marketing approach has its inescapable pitfalls. The omnipresent news about "Amazing Amy" is bound to irritate some people, and when the truth is revealed, some will decry it as deceit. But compared to the attention and discussion it provokes, these are considered worthwhile sacrifices.

Every marketing strategy has its gains and losses, like Apple's scarcity marketing, which can alienate some impatient potential customers.

Choosing the right marketing approach is about weighing these gains against the losses.

Compared to what is lost, "Gone Girl" stands to gain much more. And, regardless of how it's artistically packaged, this era regards the film industry as a standard entertainment business, where the worst fear is not controversy but indifference.

This departure from typical viral marketing strategies is still relatively uncommon, but it won't be long before it becomes a standard tactic in Hollywood. For example, Murphy recalls seeing marketing for "Cloverfield" with rumors of a monster attack in New York, "District 9" producing missing person posters for aliens hidden among humans, and most egregiously, "2012," where Sony Entertainment used its media outlets to promote doomsday theories, even causing some societal panic.

Hyperbolically speaking, these promotional tactics are utterly devoid of morality and boundaries—but when has Hollywood ever had boundaries?

Hollywood movies seek high box office returns and profits, and any purported mainstream values in the films serve these ends. If profits dictate, Hollywood studios would even endorse a film suggesting that a tyrant could bring about world peace.

This type of marketing can't go on indefinitely. By mid-July, 20th Century Fox hosted an internal screening that garnered unanimously positive feedback, reinforcing their decision to increase marketing investment.

"Gone Girl" had a production budget of $45 million, but 20th Century Fox added another $10 million for marketing on top of the existing budget, bringing total promotional expenditures to $30 million.

As the premiere date approached, it was time to shift the marketing strategy.

Entering late July, someone online claimed to have obtained a photo of Amazing Amy from her time in New York and posted it on their blog, immediately drawing massive attention.

The next day, this photo appeared in numerous print media outlets, and after the preceding publicity, the disappearance of Amazing Amy had already captured significant public interest in North America.

However, on the blog where the photo was posted, a sharp-eyed commenter noted, "Doesn't this look a lot like a young Charlize Theron?"

Not just netizens but also the media began to question, "Amy is practically a clone of a young Charlize Theron."

Some well-informed media outlets outright accused, "Amazing Amy is a hoax!"

Regardless of whether it was a hoax, the leaked photo took public interest in Amazing Amy to new heights.

The photo was of Charlize Theron from her ballet school days, altered by technicians to make it look ambiguous.

Sometimes, gradually revealing the truth garners more attention than unveiling it all at once.

Then, the so-called friend of Amy Dunn, who had been interviewed, claimed to have found a photo of herself with Amy at home. The photo was overexposed, making Amy's face hard to see, but a small mole on her neck was clearly visible.

Tabloids treasured this, comparing photos of Charlize Theron and Amy, then angrily accusing all the incidents related to Amazing Amy of being part of a movie's promotional conspiracy.

This caused displeasure among some, but many more remained interested in the unfolding events.

Then, Nick Dunn appeared, updating his blog profile picture and defending himself against accusations of murdering Amy Dunn...

"Fu@k! Isn't that James Franco

?"

"Is this really just a publicity stunt?"

Simultaneously, a website named "Secret Lake" was officially changed to "Gone Girl," and all questions floating on the site turned into 'What is Nick Dunn hiding from Amy Dunn?'

The truth was fully unveiled, and the official website for Amazing Amy suddenly displayed Charlize Theron's headshot in the blank avatar section for Amy Dunn!

20th Century Fox's pre-release promotional blitz thus began in earnest.

The trailer first appeared during the prime time slot on Fox News Channel.

"Famed director Murphy Stanton's new mystery thriller 'Gone Girl' officially launches its first poster and trailer today. In the film, James Franco is embroiled in a mystery involving the alleged murder of his wife. The trailer, paired with the classic theme song 'She' from 'Notting Hill,' weaves a melancholy and eerie atmosphere between memories and reality. The film is set to premiere on August 5, 2005."

"From the trailer, Murphy Stanton continues his signature dark and enigmatic visual style. The film's music is sad and oppressive, perfectly setting the tone."

"The trailer begins with Nick Dunn, played by James Franco, holding a press conference announcing his wife's disappearance three days prior. Through multiple flashbacks, Nick recalls sweet moments with his wife, and the audience sees Charlize Theron, who plays Amy Dunn, with a mysteriously eerie smile, suggesting she may be hiding something. The alternating storyline follows the police and media's search for Amy."

"Nick's situation also changes as the investigation deepens, with his personal life's tragedies—and possibly crimes—becoming distorted under media scrutiny. More troubling is that Nick is suspected of murdering his wife, Amy!"

With the trailer's release, the truth behind the series of events was confirmed—all part of a promotional strategy.

Online, in the media, and among the public following the Amazing Amy event, as with all movies using this marketing strategy, there was a flood of criticism, with many swearing they would never watch a movie by deceivers.

But "Gone Girl" firmly occupied the headlines of most entertainment media, and according to feedback gathered by 20th Century Fox, only a minority truly minded the incident, while most were intrigued enough to consider seeing the film that caused such a stir if given the chance.

If the film turned out to be poor, no doubt Murphy and 20th Century Fox would be overwhelmed by a barrage of criticism.

This marketing approach isn't suitable for every film; the basic requirement is that the film itself must be of high quality, as proven by the successes of "Cloverfield" and "District 9."

20th Century Fox's agreement to Murphy's proposal wasn't made lightly but was based on his consistent past successes.

Now that the film has been internally previewed, although no external screenings will occur due to confidentiality reasons, 20th Century Fox is filled with confidence.

"Gone Girl" has completely overshadowed "Superman Returns," which was moved to the end of July to avoid clashing with "Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith."

Subsequently, 20th Century Fox released a series of posters due to the preceding hype, undoubtedly making the film a focal point for the media.

"Murphy Stanton's new film 'Gone Girl' releases four new posters. In these posters, one can see a collection of tools suspected to be used in the crime, the female protagonist Amy Dunn's underwear, burned notes, and a family photo of the Dunns in the film. These clues seemingly hint at the cause of the female protagonist's death, but the scattered details still don't provide a complete answer."

Whether out of resentment from the misleading promotions or sparked interest, more and more people are paying attention to this film.

Murphy also steps up to be interviewed by the Fox Television Network.

"This is a story involving love, marriage, and a mysterious murder," Murphy speaks confidently to the camera. "This is a movie that husbands and wives can discuss after watching. I believe men and women will have different interpretations after seeing it. I think it will be the best date movie."

With "Gone Girl" premiering two weeks after "Superman Returns," a reporter specifically asked, "After directing a superhero movie, why did you choose such a film?"

This question highlights the contrast between Murphy's artistic ventures and the commercial expectations surrounding them, encapsulating the complex dynamics of Hollywood filmmaking.

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