Chapter 721 - Competitors

The release timing of "Batman Begins" was quite delicate, just a week and a half away. If they postponed it, they would only be ridiculed for being afraid to release a film after such a long wait. Could they expect it to be a good movie then?

However, if they didn't delay, the intimidating box office champion record of Laila made them uneasy. Everyone knew that the first week of release was the most lucrative time. Without a good start, it would be challenging to climb back up later. After all, not every director was named "Laila."

Fortunately, the controversy surrounding the Eastern actors in "The Lord of the Rings" and the calls for a boycott eased the tension for Nolan and his film company. Movies that have been boycotted won't gain much attention even if they become successful later. It was better to make preparations, enhance publicity, and get more people into the theaters to watch their movie.

If they could break Laila's box office record with their movie, then they would be successful. Their box office would undoubtedly skyrocket to an astonishing level.

The key was to strengthen the promotion. Investment had to be increased, and in Asia, especially in emerging markets like the East, they couldn't afford to miss out. Looking at the box office earnings of Laila's last film, it was evident that it had become an essential region. Achieving high box office numbers without support from that region would be quite difficult, relying solely on North America.

In this way, the East and several neighboring countries contributing to the box office became crucial areas to include in the promotional campaign.

However, this inevitably created a competitive situation with Laila's promotion. For instance, if Laila's film occupied the best spot on a billboard, then the other film could only settle for a less favorable location, perhaps even on the back, and the difference in effectiveness would be obvious.

Fortunately, Laila had already set up various investment plans in the East, familiar with the situation there. Promotional activities were familiar territory for her, and with official support, it was like a cheat code for smooth progress.

On the other hand, "Batman Begins" would face some challenges. While the East welcomed them, the relations were not as favorable as Laila's side. Good resources would undoubtedly lean towards Laila, the "friendly international friend."

Louise's capability was unquestionable. Aware of the fierce competition and many films vying for box office in the East, she had already secured some good promotional spots.

So, not only did "Batman Begins" gain few advantages in promotion, but other Hollywood films faced similar challenges. Don't forget, the largest cinema chain owner in the East was Laila herself, so naturally, her films were placed prominently in the theaters.

" 'Batman Begins' and Nolan," Laila thoughtfully uttered their names. "Director Nolan is an exceptionally talented director, and I believe his film will be very competitive. No matter what, let's do our best with what we can control."

"I understand," Louise could only respond in that way.

Laila put down the pen after she finished speaking and took out a blank sheet of paper from the drawer. She wrote Nolan and "Batman Begins" on it, marking some circles to emphasize key points.

Speaking of notable Hollywood directors worth attention, there were only a few. In the years before her rebirth, one of the most prominent directors, Christopher Nolan from England, certainly occupied a crucial position. Many people might not be familiar with his name, but mentioning the films he directed would undoubtedly ring a bell.

Apart from "Batman Begins," the trilogy of "The Dark Knight" and "The Dark Knight Rises" within the same series made this new Batman series the most classic trilogy in the audience's minds.

Especially the portrayal of the Joker in "The Dark Knight," the performance that brought fear to the bone marrow, earned the actor an Oscar, although unfortunately, he did not personally receive the award.

Following that, his film "Inception" won him a Golden Globe Award for Best Director, and later, "Interstellar" received much acclaim.

His life could be considered "cheating" from the beginning of his first film. If Laila had not appeared, his life path would undoubtedly have garnered even more admiration. Nevertheless, one should not underestimate him because he wasn't as famous as Laila. His talent would soon make him one of the hottest directors in Hollywood.

The Laila from the previous life also loved his work, especially his unconventional interpretation of Batman, giving a true soul to such a superhero.

Thinking about facing such a future renowned director head-on, it was impossible for Laila not to be excited.

What was even more interesting was that the appearance of this version of Batman was surprisingly related to the film "Iron Man" she had shot before. She remembered clearly that it was when "Iron Man" achieved extremely high box office numbers that the film company announced the reboot of the Batman project, selecting Nolan as the director for the new Batman series.

She didn't know if her emphasis on special effects movie concepts would influence Nolan or if the new version of Batman would differ from the original. Still, she was delighted to have the opportunity to compete with a director she could only admire from afar in her previous life.

At this moment, due to the exposure of Leslie Cheung's "singer identity," the online world was also in chaos.

"Using a singer to play an important role, if there's no deal behind this, I don't believe it!"

"Who knows the background of this singer? Why can he appear in Laila's movie?"

"I haven't even heard of this person's name. Does anyone know what songs he has sung?"

"I used to like Laila so much, but now I'm thoroughly disappointed in her."

Roy looked at the large-scale negative reports online, and he could ignore those about Leslie Cheung, but when it came to Laila, he found it extremely irritating. Unable to resist, he created a new account to personally engage in arguments. Over the years beside Laila, he hadn't learned anything. At least, he had fully mastered her venomous tongue, making those people scream and shout.

What was the depth and breadth of a profound culture? It could be seen from the insults people threw. Western insults were repetitive, while the precision of Eastern languages was different. You could scold someone to death without using dirty words.