Two and a half hours passed quickly, and Inception's premiere came to an end as the screen brightened.
Directors and actors alike erupted into applause, cheering for the film's final scene.
"Ethan, you've made an incredible movie…" Spielberg praised. "It's very imaginative. I have to say, this is the best film I've seen in the past two years."
"That's right, Ethan. If you ever need an actor for a film like this in the future, count me in. I'll always keep my schedule open for you." Morgan Freeman was also deeply impressed and reaffirmed his willingness.
Other actors shared the same sentiment, all expressing their eagerness to participate in Ethan's future films.
After all, no one was blind to the truth—a great film was simply a great film. This one balanced artistry with entertainment value. There was no way it wouldn't be a hit.
Even Cameron expressed his admiration for the movie, though he soon pulled Ethan aside to discuss its visual effects.
The VFX industry was a small circle, and he knew that Ethan had purchased a company he had previously invested in.
Ethan didn't find the conversation dull at all. In fact, he was deeply engaged because he understood this was the future trend—VFX technology would become an inseparable part of Hollywood and even global cinema.
The next day, The Hollywood Reporter suddenly published a photo.
In the picture, Spielberg, Morgan Freeman, and Cameron were all reacting to the film on screen.
They were clapping, praising, and smiling.
"Ethan's New Film Wins Over Two Legendary Directors!"
As soon as this headline dropped, major film media outlets followed suit.
"Inception Earns Praise from Two Top Directors: A Highly Creative and Spectacular Film!"
"Morgan Freeman Declares He's Willing to Turn Down Other Projects for Ethan's Future Films!"
"The Dark Knight Director Nolan Says Inception Will Be the Best Sci-Fi Film in Recent Years!"
"Cameron and Ethan Deep in Conversation at Premiere—A Future Collaboration on the Horizon?"
These eye-catching headlines sent movie fans into a frenzy, sparking intense discussions on various forums about how high this film might soar.
"This might be the first commercial sci-fi blockbuster to win Best Picture at the Oscars!"
Someone put forth this bold prediction, and without a doubt, it instantly made Inception the hottest topic in Hollywood.
Everyone knew that sci-fi films had never won Best Picture at the Oscars. Even Around the World in 80 Days (1956), which some audiences considered sci-fi, was officially classified as an action-adventure film.
Sci-fi and the Oscars had always been worlds apart. At most, sci-fi films could take home awards for visual effects or sound editing—rarely even cinematography.
If Inception could win Best Picture, it would be a huge breakthrough for the genre.
Because of this, audiences became even more interested in the film.
On June 22nd, at midnight, long lines formed outside theaters.
"Good evening, viewers. This is reporter James. What you're seeing now is the first ticket sale event for Inception."
Standing in front of the camera, James stepped aside to reveal a brightly lit theater with men, women, and children lining up.
"According to our research, this film is being screened on a total of 7,182 screens! That's right, 7,000 screens, breaking the previous record of 6,980 screens set by Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest."
"Of course, the number of screens doesn't determine opening-day box office numbers, but without a doubt, compared to other films, Inception already holds a significant advantage. My personal prediction? Either this film will soar to great heights, or its earnings will drop sharply after the first day. But in the end, the film's quality will decide everything."
"Now, let's go interview a few audience members and hear their thoughts."
"Good evening!"
James approached a young couple—Judy and Milon.
"Hello," the two replied politely.
"What made you decide to watch this film?" James handed them the microphone.
Milon answered, "Because I'm a die-hard Ethan fan. I've seen all of his movies. I think this one will definitely exceed my expectations."
"Wow, a fan of the director himself." James was amused and turned to Judy. "What about you? Is your boyfriend's favorite director also yours?"
"Yes, absolutely! I love Fifty Shades of Grey," Judy said with a smile. "And I really love Heath Ledger!"
"Haha, then let's take a guess—what do you think the film's opening-day box office will be?"
"$40 million!" Judy and Milon thought for a moment and answered in unison.
"That's an astonishing number!" James gave them a thumbs-up and moved on to interview a family of four.
"Good evening! Are you all here to watch Inception?"
"Of course! My son has been begging to see it," the father replied first.
"I want to steal dreams! I'm taking everyone's dreams!" the little boy shouted excitedly, making everyone around him laugh.
"Have you seen Ethan's previous films?" James continued.
"Yes, Fifty Shades of Grey and Juno," the mother answered with a smile. "I love Ethan's casting choices. They're always fantastic."
"So, what's your guess for Inception's first-day box office earnings?"
"$30 million," the parents both answered.
Only the little boy disagreed. "A hundred million dollars!"
"Whoa, a hundred million dollars!" James widened his eyes in mock surprise.
Turning to the camera, he said, "Did you hear that, viewers? Everyone has high hopes for Inception's opening-day earnings—even calling for a hundred million! But personally, I think that's a bit too sci-fi. In fact, Hollywood has yet to see a film that earns over a hundred million dollars on opening day. Since the general audience might not be too familiar with industry standards, their estimates tend to be high. My own prediction? Inception's first-day earnings will fall between $25 million and $30 million. That's already a remarkable figure."
As James continued interviewing audience members, the theaters finally began checking tickets.
One by one, moviegoers entered with their popcorn and tickets in hand. The moment they stepped inside, another long line formed outside.
Meanwhile, in New York's largest theater, Jessica Alba and Ethan were seated in the VIP section, watching the movie along with the audience.
"Ethan, this feels amazing…" Jessica munched on popcorn as she spoke. "It's my first time watching a movie with you."
"I was too busy before, but things are better now," Ethan said, gently holding Jessica's soft hand. "I'll spend more time with you from now on."
"That would be wonderful." Jessica smiled and turned her eyes toward the screen as the film's opening logos appeared one after another.
"It's starting. Watch closely."
As the screen lit up, the rest of the audience also shifted their focus.
Before long, waves crashed on the shore.
A little boy and a little girl were building sandcastles.
And on the beach, Cobb lay unconscious.
Moments later, guards in black uniforms approached, lifting him up and escorting him to an antique-style room.
"He was carrying only this and this."
The guards placed a handgun and a spinning top in front of an elderly man. Milon immediately recognized the top—it was the same one shown in the trailer.
"It's that top! So what exactly does it do?"
But the plot didn't explain it yet. Instead, the scene shifted, and Cobb was now devouring food ravenously.
Across from him, the old man spoke, "Did you come here to kill me? I recognize this item. I once saw it on a man. We met in a dream… but I no longer remember that dream."
The old man slowly raised his head, his wrinkled face and clouded eyes showing his age, yet he was still struggling to recall the past.
"That man was full of radical ideas…"
As he finished speaking, Cobb looked up, and a voice echoed in his ear.
"What is the most resilient parasite?"
In an instant, the old man and the man both disappeared. The next moment, another man appeared—Saito, played by John Lone.
"A thought," replied Cobb, now dressed in a sleek suit. His tone was confident. "It is highly resilient and incredibly contagious. Once an idea takes root in your mind, it's nearly impossible to eradicate."
"As long as the idea is fully formed and understood, it takes hold deep within the mind," Saito remarked while eating. "So, people like you steal them?"
"Yes. In a dream, your mind lets down its defenses. That makes your thoughts easy to steal. This is what we call dream extraction," Arthur, played by Heath Ledger, explained to Saito.
"So, this is dream extraction? That's so cool!" Milon was amazed by the concept. The trailers had only given glimpses, but now it all made sense. He found the idea absolutely fascinating.
But in the movie, Cobb and Arthur's attempt to convince Saito to lower his guard failed. After finishing his meal, Saito rejected their proposal and walked into a crowded hall.
"He knows," Arthur said to Cobb.
Suddenly, the ceiling trembled violently.
"Boom!" An explosion erupted on the street. In the next scene, Cobb was no longer in the traditional room but instead asleep on a simple wooden chair.
A mixed-race man entered the room, glancing outside at the burning vehicles with a grave expression.
Meanwhile, inside Saito's dream, Cobb and Arthur also looked tense—they realized the entire building was beginning to collapse.
But just as Cobb attempted to take action and retrieve the secret he sought from a safe, a woman appeared.
It was his late wife, Mal. She had shoulder-length hair and wore a black dress, looking both elegant and beautiful.
However, in the dream, Mal was Cobb's enemy. Just as he retrieved an envelope from the safe, she appeared with Saito and a captured Arthur.
"Tell me, who sent you?" Saito was fully aware he was dreaming, so he began interrogating Cobb.
Mal pointed a gun at Arthur.
"You know that killing him will only wake him up," Cobb said with a shrug.
"I know. But pain won't. Pain will only make his brain experience real suffering." Mal fired a shot into Arthur's leg.
Cobb seized the opportunity and immediately shot Arthur dead.
The next second, Arthur woke up.
"Wow! So that's how it works!" Milon stared wide-eyed at the screen, amazed by the concept. Only death could wake them up from the dream—this reminded him of dreams he had experienced himself.
On-screen, chaos erupted.
Cobb desperately tried to escape the collapsing building. Outside the dream, Arthur monitored Saito's condition using a special set of equipment. Seeing that the dream had become unstable, he shouted, "Wake him up!"
The mixed-race man frantically shook Cobb and even slapped him, but Cobb remained unconscious.
Cobb was still inside the dream, retrieving the most crucial secret from Saito's safe—a classified document.
Arthur had no choice but to say, "Knock him over!"
Following the command, the mixed-race man pushed Cobb backward.
It was only then that the audience realized Cobb's chair was positioned at a height, and behind him was a massive water-filled bathtub.
"Whoosh!" In slow motion, Cobb fell into the water.
Inside the dream, water gushed through the building, flooding everything in sight.
In an instant, Cobb woke up.
But just as he regained consciousness, he saw Saito grabbing a gun, resisting fiercely. It took several men to subdue him before they could continue their interrogation.
Since they hadn't extracted the core secret yet, Saito still tried to deceive them.
Cobb decided to use force.
But just as he pinned Saito down onto the carpet, Saito suddenly smiled.
"I've always hated this carpet. The fading and wear make it look so different. But at least it's wool. Yet now… I find myself lying on a polyester rug."
Saito smirked. "Which means I am not in my own apartment. You truly live up to your reputation, Mr. Cobb. I am still dreaming."
"What?!" Milon was shocked—it was a dream within a dream!
Sure enough, Arthur woke up on a bullet train.
It turned out the four of them had been sitting in train seats the entire time, each with a small injection device attached to their wrists, all linked to a dream-sharing machine.
As Arthur woke, the mixed-race man also regained consciousness.
"You idiot! How could you mess up the carpet?" Arthur scolded him harshly.
"That's not my fault!" the mixed-race man defended himself.
"You're the architect!"
"How was I supposed to know he'd be thrown onto the carpet?"
"Enough," Cobb interrupted the argument. He removed the device from Saito's wrist and handed each of them a stack of U.S. dollars. "We're getting off in Kyoto. Take care."
With that, they turned and left.
A moment later, Saito awoke. Looking at the faint mark on his wrist, he smirked—everything was still within his control.
Meanwhile, in the theater, the audience was completely drawn into the movie.
"This film is really unique. I can't wait to see how it ends."
"Yeah, if being pushed into water can wake you up, then maybe next time I have a dream, I should imagine myself sinking into water to wake up!"
After a few brief exchanges, everyone refocused on the screen.
Jessica, watching the audience's reactions, whispered in admiration, "Ethan, you made an incredible movie."
.....
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