Within a week of its release, Juno had already reached a box office of $20 million.
Its revenue growth completely defied market expectations—each day of the first week outperformed the previous one.
This kind of counter-trend surge could only mean one thing: the film's reputation was spreading like wildfire. Potential audiences, upon learning about the movie, all decided to give it a try.
"The film is rich in content, with a smooth storyline and an engaging narrative. The romantic elements are deeply moving, while humor is seamlessly woven in. It makes the audience laugh while also prompting reflections on growth and maturity. Using what seems like an atypical approach, it has successfully become a classic example of a low-budget masterpiece." — Today's Film Review.
Critics from major media outlets praised the film, and even several feminist organizations called on people to watch Juno and learn from her actions.
At this time, feminist movements were far from being as radical as they would be a decade later. The overall atmosphere in America still emphasized perseverance and hard work. Because of this, after receiving endorsements from feminist groups, Ethan's film quickly gained immense popularity among women across the country.
"Have you seen Juno?"
"Of course! I've watched it twice. Too bad I don't have a boyfriend like Bleeker. FXXK, Juno's so lucky."
"Right? When my boyfriend found out I was pregnant, he booked a flight out of New York that very night, saying he had a business trip. WTF!"
"At least you know who the father is."
"?" The two women simultaneously turned to their Black friend.
The pregnant woman patted her belly. "I don't even know whose baby this is. SHXT!"
"We told you not to mess around like that."
"Doesn't matter. Even if I knew, none of those guys would take responsibility anyway."
"Yeah… fair point."
Everyone understood that fatherlessness was a major issue in the Black community, so they didn't push the conversation further.
While Juno was making waves in theaters, Ethan had already finished filming in Canada and returned to Los Angeles.
Here, they were preparing to shoot a crucial scene.
Only this time, the star of the scene wasn't a person—but a train. Yes, an old-fashioned train.
"Ethan, this is incredible. Wow."
On the closed-off street, producer Emma marveled at the massive train engine before her.
Chris stood beside her, smiling. It was astonishing—an old-fashioned locomotive suddenly appearing in the middle of a bustling city street. When Ethan first described the effect he wanted, Chris had been just as surprised.
But by now, it was clear that many of the most creative ideas in this film had come straight from Ethan. And judging by the footage they had captured so far, these ideas were proving to be incredibly effective.
"Paul, are we ready?" Ethan turned to his VFX supervisor.
"All set," Paul Franklin nodded.
A documentary crew filming the production couldn't help but ask, "Wait, is this train going to be CGI?"
Tom Struthers, the effects coordinator, nodded. "Of course. This train needs visual effects enhancements to look even more realistic."
Tom paused for a moment, then pointed at the train. "We built a custom train body over a giant semi-truck chassis and then drove it onto the street."
The documentary crew immediately shifted their cameras downward, capturing the extra wheels hidden beneath the train.
Sure enough, it wasn't a real locomotive—it was a semi-truck disguised as one.
"We bought a Sterling semi-truck, extended its frame and drivetrain, and added a full train exterior. This shell is actually made of lightweight plywood to keep it manageable."
"I see."
"All the train's visible parts—the wheels, the detailing—are real cast-molded train components, ensuring the texture and look are completely authentic."
Tom then gestured toward the front of the train. "As for the steel structure of the engine, we used actual metal—about a ton and a half of steel. This was a huge project."
Before filming began, the documentary crew took the chance to interview Ethan about his vision for the scene.
"A train running through a city street—that's a jarring, reality-defying contradiction. I wanted to capture Cobb's sense of danger, emphasizing the threat he brings."
"Introducing foreign elements at the worst possible moment within a dreamscape—I believe that's what can elevate an action film to the next level."
"What do you think is the biggest challenge in this scene?" the interviewer asked.
Ethan thought for a moment before answering. "The hardest part is emphasizing the visual discordance. We need to make sure it doesn't just look like a train moving through the city—we want it to feel completely out of place. That's why I brought in so many cars."
Across from the train, the street was packed with vehicles, all carefully modified to be as lightweight as possible.
Ethan wanted to create an overwhelming sense of unstoppable force.
The cars filled the road solely to be obliterated by the train.
Shortly after the interview wrapped up, filming officially began.
The train roared to life. Though it wasn't moving particularly fast, its towering engine made it look like a rampaging beast.
As it burst through the rain and barreled toward the cars, everyone instinctively widened their eyes.
"BOOM!"
The nearest car was instantly shoved backward. One by one, the following vehicles were pushed aside as the train plowed through like a worm tunneling through soil—smooth and unstoppable. The cars provided zero resistance.
"Cut!"
Ethan had captured exactly what he wanted.
"One take!"
Chris and Tom Struthers high-fived in celebration.
Producer Emma was also pleased because this meant their costs were further reduced.
But a week later, the expression on Emma's face was no longer so relaxed.
Ethan's demands were simply too excessive.
"A bank? A vault? A casino?" Emma crossed her arms, standing in the office, facing Ethan.
"Do you have any idea how much this will cost?" She waved her hand, emphasizing just how agitated she was.
"But without these elements, the movie would be incomplete."
"I estimated that building the sets would cost around thirty million dollars, which means we'd go over budget!"
"But without these elements, the movie would be incomplete."
"$180 million in investment—the investors won't agree."
"But without these elements, the movie would be incomplete."
Emma looked helpless. "Enough, I get it. I'll go talk to the investors."
Ethan smiled. "Thank you."
Increasing the budget midway would definitely trouble the investors, but Ethan didn't care about their concerns—he only cared about achieving the best cinematic effect.
That evening, Ethan and Nolan went out for drinks at a bar.
"Ethan, maybe we don't need to build everything from scratch. What if we modify an existing bank or casino?" Nolan suggested.
"Modify?" Ethan raised an eyebrow. "That's actually a good idea, but we'd need to find a cooperative casino."
"Yeah, but what casino would agree to be blown up?" Nolan admitted it was difficult.
In Ethan's vision for the scene, this would be the second-to-last dream level, corresponding to the snow fortress sequence.
The protagonists would create chaos in the casino and then dive into the bank vault.
At the climax, the casino would explode in a massive fireball.
It would be the most intense action sequence in the movie, featuring the only large-scale explosion.
But now, they faced a dilemma—building a casino and bank set was too costly.
As for finding a real casino to cooperate…
What casino would willingly allow itself to be blown up? Unless… it already planned to be demolished.
As this thought struck Ethan, he suddenly had a flash of inspiration and called Emma.
"Emma, have the team search nationwide for large casinos that are temporarily closed—ones undergoing renovations or struggling financially and looking for tenants."
"I know it's a long shot, but don't you want to save the budget?"
"Alright, I'll wait for your news."
After hanging up, Ethan raised his glass and clinked it with Nolan's. "As long as it saves money, Emma will do anything."
"She's a great producer," Nolan chuckled.
While waiting for news on the casino, Ethan and his team continued filming dialogue scenes.
Soon, something else interrupted Ethan.
Avril Lavigne was holding a concert in Los Angeles and had invited him.
In fact, Ethan had never attended one of Avril's concerts from start to finish. He always found excuses to leave early or avoid them altogether—mainly to prevent Avril from suddenly confessing to him on stage.
He felt that was exactly the kind of thing she would do.
But this time was different. It was the final show of her tour, and it happened to be on her birthday.
If Ethan didn't go, she'd be disappointed.
So this time, he had no way out.
With no other choice, he took his family to the concert.
"Brother!" Reggias and Louis, whom he hadn't seen in a while, greeted Ethan politely.
Kids grow fast. In just six months, they had already reached around 1.5 meters tall.
And they were still elementary school students.
Ethan patted their heads, sighing. "At this rate, you'll be as tall as me in a few years."
"Exactly," Camilla boasted as she hugged the two kids. "I've been taking good care of them."
"You're looking younger yourself," Ethan commented, noticing how much smoother his mother's face looked compared to two years ago.
"Haha, all thanks to modern technology. And Mrs. Smith's recommendations." Camilla remained a shining figure in her new community. Her status as a writer, combined with Ethan's fame, made her quite popular among her peers.
Of course, most of that attention stemmed from the fact that Ethan was still unmarried.
To deal with all the gossiping women, Camilla had to come up with all sorts of excuses for him.
She had privately complained to Ethan many times—after all, his reluctance to settle down meant she had to constantly cover for him.
"So, what's your plan this time?" Camilla asked as the two boys excitedly rushed into the concert venue.
"No plan," Ethan shrugged.
Camilla pinched him.
"Dammit, you're nothing like your father! Always messing around with women! And I'm the one cleaning up your mess!"
Ethan hissed in pain, then put his arm around his mother's shoulders. "Can't help it. Maybe this is my fate—to not want to lose anyone."
For once, Ethan showed a mischievous expression in front of his mother.
"Hmph. I think you're playing with fire. I'll give you one year. If you haven't sorted things out with those girls by then, I'll do it for you!"
"Alright, alright." Ethan nodded, but deep down, he was puzzled—why hadn't anything happened yet with any of the women?
He had gone to the hospital for a checkup, and everything was perfectly fine. Was it just bad luck?
Frowning, Ethan led Camilla to their VIP seats at the concert.
But something unexpected happened. As they waited for the concert to begin, Ethan suddenly saw a familiar figure walk past.
It was Taylor Swift.
"What is she doing here?" Ethan hadn't expected to see her.
But avoiding her was impossible—Taylor was already walking straight toward him, and their eyes met instantly.
"Ethan!" She jogged over, about to greet him warmly, but Ethan quickly signaled with his eyes.
"Mm?" Taylor finally noticed Camilla and the two boys sitting beside him.
"Taylor, this is my mother, Camilla," Ethan introduced with a smile. "And this is Taylor Swift, a singer signed to my company."
"Oh, I've heard your songs." Camilla stood up and smiled at Taylor.
"Hello!" Taylor suddenly felt flustered—she hadn't expected to meet Ethan's mother, and she immediately became more reserved.
"Come on, Taylor, sit next to Camilla." Seeing this, Ethan switched seats with his mother. Just then, Reggias called out, "Brother, sit here!"
What a great assist! Ethan ruffled the boy's hair. "Kid, what do you want to eat after the concert?"
Meanwhile, Camilla, having observed Taylor's gaze toward Ethan, pursed her lips and took the girl's hand. "Sit down, dear."
"Okay." Taylor wasn't alone—she had come with her brother and some friends.
As the group chatted excitedly, Taylor completely ignored them, focusing all her attention on Camilla.
"Why did Ethan seat me next to his mother?" Taylor's heart raced with excitement. "Is he trying to introduce me to his family?"
She was convinced that must be his intention. Did that mean their relationship was making a breakthrough? Taylor was so happy that she swung her feet slightly, her smile growing even sweeter. Every now and then, she exchanged glances with Ethan.
"What's up with Taylor?" one of her friends asked Taylor's brother, Austin.
"Uh, she ran into someone she knows. See that guy over there? That's our boss, Ethan."
"Wow, that handsome guy is Ethan? Damn, he looks way better than on TV!"
"Yeah."
"So the woman next to him… that's his mother? And his mother is chatting with Taylor? Oh my God, are they—?"
Austin, realizing she had guessed the truth, quickly put a finger to his lips. "Shh, don't go spreading rumors."