In the limelight

It's not an exaggeration to say that in the past short six months, Renly's name repeatedly claimed the headlines in entertainment news, his upward trajectory almost unstoppable.

Previously, discussions about "Renly Hall" had stirred up several waves of excitement. However, this time was different. Departing from the small screen of television, leaving behind the obscure departments of the Emmy Awards and the niche attention of art films, Renly truly stepped into the public eye.

Replacing Dwayne, assertively joining the commercial franchise "Fast 5", a series known for its commercial foundation, easily ignited intense media discussions, releasing all the pent-up enthusiasm that had been brewing.

Before Renly even entered the set, people's expectations had already started to climb. Rather than waiting for Renly's performance, they were eager to learn who this young person, who had frequently appeared in newspapers recently, really was. After all, aside from "The Pacific", "Buried" had yet to be released, and "Fast 5" had yet to start filming. The participants from Toronto and Telluride were limited, leaving the audience with no way to truly know Renly. All of this had cast a veil of mystery around him.

Now, a commercial film like "Fast 5" had become the perfect medium, successfully arousing people's curiosity to explore this enigma.

The discussions on Yahoo Community threads once again surged with life. Meanwhile, the exclusive interview released by Us Weekly during the Telluride period became the best source for people to gather information.

This rising young actor, relying on his outstanding acting skills, had first conquered the small screen, winning his first Emmy Award at the age of twenty. Later, he garnered widespread acclaim in Telluride and Toronto, comparable to the long-established James Franco. The halo surrounding him became the driving force behind people's further exploration and discovery of Renly.

The Us Weekly interview was more detailed and vivid than other media outlets. It not only opened a window for strangers to understand Renly but also provided a path for a few fans to approach him.

Interestingly, following the Toronto interview, Gavin Hunter was the first to disclose the latest casting progress for "Fast 5". What did this really signify? Did Gavin have undisclosed firsthand information?

For a while, Gavin also became hot within the journalist circle.

The major media outlets were all reporting intensely, not only focusing on Renly but also on the "Fast 5" production team. There were doubts, approvals, oppositions, and praises. Everyone was discussing the decision to replace Dwayne with Renly and what impact it might have.

But there was no doubt that at this moment, the "Fast 5" production had undoubtedly achieved enormous success, shaking off the previous three-week decline and rejuvenating itself. It energetically recaptured the spotlight and boldly announced that filming had resumed in Los Angeles. This proactive stance filled people with renewed confidence in the film.

This wasn't the end yet!

At the same time, Focused Features also sensed an opportunity, launching the early promotion of "Buried" at precisely the right time. They announced the official release date of the film, holding premieres on October 22nd in both Los Angeles and New York. Following that, they would expand its release. This arrangement was evidently aimed at the Halloween season this year.

This action triggered numerous discussions within the industry.

Judging from the preliminary word of mouth about "Buried", it seemed more like an artistic film aiming to make a splash during award season. Keywords like monologue, confined space, sensory stimulation, all confirmed this point, even more so than "127 Hours", and it was even less "friendly". Yet, Focused Features' schedule arrangement demonstrated their unwavering confidence; they intended to make a mark, or at least strive to do so, in terms of box office performance.

It's worth noting that this year's Halloween season schedule was exceedingly crowded. "Paranormal Activity 2" and "Saw 3D" would engage in fierce competition, followed by the grand entrance of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1". In the limited market space, it wasn't an easy feat for any work to forge a path. Now, "Buried" actually aimed to join the competition?

Is this a good thing or a bad thing?

Following the deliberation and fermentation in Toronto and Telluride, coupled with the buzz surrounding "Fast 5", the initial promotional effect of "Buried" was genuinely impressive. Many viewers had developed a strong interest, sparking numerous discussions and controversies.

However, this was just the first step of the early promotion. Grabbing attention was the first victory. This was also the reason why Focused Features chose this time to announce the release date. Next, Focused Features would release the first teaser trailer. Whether the teaser trailer could meet the audience's psychological expectations would determine the trajectory of the film's subsequent promotion.

From "Fast 5" to "Buried", Renly's upward momentum was indeed unstoppable. Moreover, even his competitors were opportunistically lending a hand.

Dwayne Johnson reacted promptly, making a high-profile announcement of joining "The Expendables"!

He would be part of a stellar lineup including Sylvester Stallone, Jet Li, Jason Statham, Dolph Lundgren, attempting to create a genuine action blockbuster.

In his words, he revealed plenty of information: "A true men's work," "A return to classic action," "Reducing fancy gimmicks," and so on. It seemed deliberate or not, he was undermining the "Fast 5" production team. Though he didn't explicitly say it, the media couldn't help but get excited.

Moreover, Lionsgate, the production company of "The Expendables". stepped up. In the official press release, they placed Dwayne at the same level as Sylvester Stallone, highlighting Dwayne's status as the second protagonist. They expressed that the film would be fashioned as a classic action version of "Ocean's Eleven", rekindling people's fervent love for action films of the seventies and eighties.

The next day, Lionsgate copied Universal Studios' move and released a new poster, featuring only Sylvester Stallone and Dwayne side by side. Both overtly and subtly implied: even if it wasn't a dual protagonist movie, Dwayne's significance was self-evident.

Though he was only the second protagonist, Lionsgate's attention was clearly distinct. This marked Dwayne's participation in another heavyweight commercial film following "The Mummy Returns", "The Scorpion King", and "Race to Witch Mountain". The $80M investment in "The Expendables" was no less impressive than that of "Fast 5".

The key difference lies in the fact that, in the past, several commercial films didn't perform as well at the box office, and Dwayne Johnson wasn't able to soar to the skies. However, this time, with just the strong appeal of classic action actors Sylvester Stallone, Dolph Lundgren, and Jet Li within the industry, "The Expendables" already had a clear path ahead. Now, with the addition of Dwayne Johnson, it's truly creating a sensation. No wonder Lionsgate is giving it such attention.

From Dwayne to Lionsgate, all signs indicate that it's not the "Fast 5" production team giving up on Dwayne, but Dwayne relinquishing "Fast 5" and choosing "The Expendables". In this casting storm, Dwayne was the one maintaining the upper hand. Coupled with the attention from "The Expendables" and Lionsgate, Dwayne ultimately achieved the elevation of his industry status as he had wished.

If "The Expendables" achieves remarkable box office results, he can still anticipate a multi-million-dollar deal for his next film, as initially expected. Of course, the precondition is the box office performance. Dwayne previously chose "Fast 5" due to the series' powerful resurgence. Now, he's chosen "The Expendables", also drawn by the allure of numerous veteran action superstars.

Ultimately, box office figures remain the sole measure of success for commercial films.

It's conceivable that there will be a positive competition between Lionsgate and Universal Studios in the future. However, Dwayne's choice of "The Expendables" and Universal Studios' choice of Renly reveal bold and adventurous decisions. Whether these choices are right or wrong can only be revealed after the release of the two films.

Amidst this increasingly heated gossip whirlpool, what went unnoticed was that Jason Statham's role in "The Expendables" was marginalized. After all, Jason's weight wasn't substantial enough.

Starting with Universal Studios' official promotion, followed by Focused Features' timely collaboration, and then Lionsgate's magical assistance… Originally, it was just a simple actor replacement. Whether it's "Fast 5" or "The Expendables", in the backdrop of a general downturn in action movies, the attention attracted was quite limited. However, now it successfully generated a significant wave of topicality, with audience interest in both films skyrocketing.

From this perspective, everyone is a winner.

However, among the many winners, Renly is undoubtedly the greatest victor. In this dramatically intense heavyweight news showdown, the name "Renly Hall" truly entered the public's field of vision for the first time. The many previous halos have now been successfully realized, breaking free from the confines of the online space and niche groups, spreading widely and rapidly increasing in recognition and popularity.

From his debut on the small screen in early March to the arrival of golden autumn in October, Renly, in the guise of a newcomer, successfully accomplished a triple jump, establishing a firm foothold among third-line actors. Whether he can smoothly advance to the second line depends on the results of "Buried" and "Fast 5". Of course, there's also a film everyone overlooked, "Like Crazy".

But for Renly, these are all abstract concepts. Just having finished filming "Like Crazy", he's still immersed in the bewildered and disheartened emotions. He must quickly regain his composure and immerse himself in the filming of "Fast 5".

This is a movie filled with passion, overflowing charm, and hormones charging ahead. It also signifies that Renly is about to portray an FBI agent with a completely different temperament and identity. Acting is indeed an immensely fascinating endeavor, isn't it?