After discussing for a long time without reaching any conclusion, the meeting was hastily dismissed.
Michael Ovitz returned to International Creative Management, where Michael Bay was already waiting for him.
"How did the meeting go?" Michael Bay asked.
Michael Ovitz shook his head. "Not very well. We lost this round, and instead, 'The Matrix' has gained even more momentum."
"What a pity," Michael Bay looked a little frustrated, his expression heavy. This was his first direct confrontation with Gilbert.
"I've been feeling uneasy these past few days. It's as if Gilbert knows our every promotional move in advance and has made targeted preparations," Michael Ovitz said grimly.
Even before the two films were released, they had already lost most of the media battle.
"Benjamin, do you think 'Armageddon' can surpass 'The Matrix' in terms of quality?" Michael Ovitz asked.
"I…" Michael Bay wanted to be confident, but he still admitted honestly, "I'm not sure."
"I think so too," Michael Ovitz nodded. He also didn't believe Michael Bay could make a film superior to Gilbert's.
"In that case, our only hope is that audiences will prefer our movie." Michael Ovitz wasn't optimistic about the outcome. At best, it would be a battle where both sides suffered losses.
Fortunately, they still had one advantage—the rating.
'The Matrix' was rated R, which limited its audience. But 'Armageddon' was PG-13, naturally giving it a much broader reach.
There had been many cases where PG-13 films outperformed R-rated films simply because of their rating advantage.
Even Gilbert himself had used this strategy before—his 'Real Steel' had successfully surpassed James Cameron's 'True Lies' due to its rating advantage.
Michael Ovitz also suspected that there was a mole inside their team leaking information to Gilbert. He instructed Michael Bay to investigate the crew and find the traitor.
However, he didn't ask Michael Bay to investigate the actors. Although actors were part of the production team, they were often considered collaborators rather than core insiders.
Because of this, Liv Tyler managed to avoid being scrutinized—lucky for her.
The girl actually found the situation thrilling. When she heard there was a mole hunt, she felt both excited and a little nervous. But then she thought about how Gilbert would protect her, and her confidence immediately grew.
However, Liv Tyler was overthinking it—Michael Bay never even considered suspecting her.
After all, she was his personally chosen lead actress. She should be grateful to him, so why would she help the enemy?
Unfortunately, Michael Bay didn't understand how a girl's mind worked.
Especially girls from rock-and-roll families—they had a rebellious spirit and did what they truly believed in.
With all possible strategies exhausted, it was now time for a direct showdown.
On Thursday, May 7, 1998, at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, a grand premiere was about to take place.
Around five thousand movie fans gathered on both sides of the red carpet, anxiously awaiting the event's start.
A light drizzle fell from the sky, and the sea breeze carried away some of the heat. Fans wore raincoats, but all they cared about was seeing their favorite stars.
Paul, a young man from rural Texas, was one of them. He had won a ticket to the premiere through a Coca-Cola sweepstakes.
He had refused to sell the ticket, even when someone offered him fifty thousand dollars for it. More than the money, he wanted to see his favorite film director—Gilbert.
But the cast hadn't arrived yet. Instead, a group of men in black leather jackets and sunglasses appeared first, shocking Paul.
These men were dressed exactly like Keanu Reeves' character in 'The Matrix.' They were male models hired specifically for the red carpet event, all with physiques similar to Keanu's.
The moment these stylish men appeared, they instantly electrified the premiere.
Forget about the screaming fangirls who nearly tore their throats shouting—the male fans couldn't help but yell too.
Paul was one of those shouting, exclaiming how cool it was. But as it turned out, he had spoken too soon.
Gilbert had long planned to invite Victoria's Secret Angels to play elves in his upcoming 'The Lord of the Rings.' Although the movie hadn't started filming yet, that didn't stop him from collaborating with the models.
ABC was broadcasting the red carpet event live, and while the male models played bodyguards standing on either side of the walkway, something even more thrilling was about to happen—something that would make male viewers' testosterone surge and female viewers envious.
A group of Victoria's Secret models arrived, each tall and long-legged, wearing the same tight-fitting outfit as Charlize Theron. They strutted down the red carpet with perfect catwalk precision.
This entrance instantly set the premiere on fire.
The crowd went wild, exclaiming that they had never seen anything like this before.
It was spectacular. It was stunning.
And they wanted more.
After the Victoria's Secret Angels' runway show, the final stars to appear were Keanu Reeves and Charlize Theron, both dressed in their film costumes, making a grand and stylish entrance.
The moment they stepped onto the red carpet, the atmosphere reached its peak.
Cheers, screams, and whistles filled the air, shaking the entire venue.
On the same day, 'Armageddon' was also holding its premiere, but in order to avoid clashing with 'The Matrix,' they chose to host it in New York.
However, their standard premiere couldn't generate much excitement. In contrast, 'The Matrix' premiere, with its live TV broadcast, captivated a massive audience.
Just the Victoria's Secret Angels' opening runway show alone was something traditional-minded moviegoers had never expected.
When it came to promotional tactics, Gilbert was truly ahead of the game!
After Keanu Reeves and Charlize Theron made their entrance, the rest of the cast also walked the red carpet. Laurence Fishburne and Hugo Weaving recreated their characters' looks from the film.
Even though they weren't as handsome as Keanu Reeves, with their sunglasses, leather jackets, and suits, they looked undeniably cool.
Gilbert walked the red carpet hand-in-hand with Scarlett.
Scarlett signed autographs for fans along the way, but she was so nervous that she misspelled some letters. Still, the little girl enjoyed every moment of it, and the fans adored her lively and adorable personality.
Naomi Watts once again brought Cameron Diaz and Jennifer Connelly along, forming their signature trio as they walked the red carpet.
By now, everyone knew their identities—they were the ladies of Melon Manor.
Naomi Watts didn't even bother hiding it anymore, walking confidently in front of the cameras, openly acknowledging her status as the mistress of the house.
Despite being the most petite among the women, Naomi Watts carried the strongest presence, exuding a natural leader's aura.
If this were an ancient imperial harem, she would undoubtedly be the head consort of Gilbert's court.
Leonardo DiCaprio, who had become a Hollywood megastar thanks to 'Titanic,' also showed up to support the event, bringing Kate Winslet along.
Naturally, James Cameron was present as well. Although 'Titanic' had been a massive financial success, he himself was not particularly favored by movie studios at the moment.
To gain Gilbert's backing, James Cameron made sure to be there in support.
Of course, Steven Spielberg also attended. His upcoming July release, 'Deep Impact,' from DreamWorks, still needed Gilbert's promotional help.
George Lucas arrived once more with Natalie Portman, taking advantage of this event to promote 'Star Wars.'
During a red carpet interview, George Lucas remarked, "I invited Gilbert a long time ago to direct 'Star Wars,' but he turned me down.
So I came here to see exactly what kind of project made him refuse me."
The audience was shocked. That was the director's chair for 'Star Wars,' and Gilbert had actually declined it. That was no small feat.
Natalie Portman then shared a story about an ice cream bet, tagging Gilbert: "I lost a bet and had to buy him ice cream, but he never showed up."
Gilbert could only apologize, explaining that he had been too busy lately to spare the time.
Besides these guests, Tom Cruise also attended with his wife, Nicole Kidman, to maintain his public image as Gilbert's close friend.
In a past life, rumors of a rift between Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman had already surfaced by this time, with divorce speculation everywhere.
But now, as Gilbert observed the couple, there were no apparent signs of separation.
Just a few days ago, news reports even mentioned Tom Cruise taking Nicole Kidman to the hospital for a checkup, seemingly preparing for pregnancy.
Upon hearing the news, Gilbert had only one piece of advice for the couple: "Director Kubrick's health isn't good. Don't take his film offer—it's bad luck."
Whether Tom Cruise took his words seriously was unclear, but Nicole Kidman seemed quite happy since she was about to star in Gilbert's 'The Lord of the Rings.'
Tom Hanks and his wife also made an appearance. He had always maintained the image of a kind-hearted gentleman.
But anyone who truly believed that was easily deceived by his friendly face.
Tom Hanks was a smart man. After collaborating with Gilbert on 'Saving Private Ryan,' he recognized the importance of staying on good terms with him.
So whenever Gilbert had a public party or movie premiere that needed support, Tom Hanks would make sure to show up.
And it wasn't just him—Keanu Reeves' close friend Johnny Depp, Bruce Willis with his daughter Hailey, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Roger Moore, Matt Damon, and many other Hollywood stars who had good relationships with Gilbert all attended the premiere.
In terms of guest lineup, 'The Matrix' premiere was far superior to 'Armageddon.'
And with Gilbert's creative and engaging red carpet arrangements, 'Armageddon' was completely overshadowed.
Once the red carpet ceremonies concluded for both events, it was time to move on to the next phase.
....
Hi For access to additional chapters of
Director in Hollywood (30 chpater)
MV Director (30 chapter)....
Douluo Dalu:Breaking Clan(30 chapter)
Made In Hollywood (50 Chapters)
Pokemon:Bounty Hunter (30 Chapters)
Join pateron.com/Translaterappu