When it came to constructing a cyberpunk metropolis, the production team had their own vision. In addition to several aircraft hangars in Nevada that were converted into city blocks and high-rise buildings, the crew also chose a location in Canada.
As everyone knows, Hollywood today is not just a geographical name but a title representing the entire North American film industry.
More and more Hollywood productions are no longer filmed in Los Angeles—they travel across the globe in search of the perfect scenery. Simply put, the more ambitious crews go worldwide to find the right backdrop.
Meanwhile, local governments everywhere often offer generous incentives to attract Hollywood productions, helping them save on costs.
When Gilbert filmed The Lord of the Rings series, he went all the way to China.
Batman Begins was shot in Chicago, Pirates of the Caribbean was completed in Mexico and the Caribbean region, and The Last of Us was filmed in Australia and New Zealand.
Thanks to his reputation, wherever Gilbert's crew went, they were warmly welcomed—and this time was no exception.
To accommodate the production, the city of Toronto specially approved a plot of land, allowing the crew to build whatever scenery they needed for the project.
This massive 150,000-square-meter filming base received an initial investment of $300 million from Warner Bros. and Disney.
Obviously, such a large sum wasn't needed for a single series. The filming base was being constructed as part of a long-term plan for large-scale development of the cyberpunk universe.
The first phase would serve the filming of Edgerunners, with second and third phases to follow later.
The Toronto city government, meanwhile, planned to turn the area into a 5A-rated tourist attraction. Some even proposed holding future Cyberpunk Cultural Festivals there to attract fans from around the world.
The detailed project proposal outlined an extensive plan, including festivals and tourism-driven dining and accommodation revenue—all contributing to future profits.
As the primary investors, Warner Bros. and Disney naturally held the majority of shares in the Cyberpunk Culture City. In fact, most of the profit model had been proposed by these two companies to ensure commercial success.
After all, building an entire cyberpunk metropolis solely for filming would seem excessive and commercially impractical.
Gilbert, of course, had no objections—in fact, he was a strong supporter of the plan. Creating a top-tier IP with his own hands was something only a handful of people in Hollywood had ever achieved.
If successful, this Cyberpunk Project could become as monumental as George Lucas's creation of Star Wars.
Of course, creating an IP as legendary as Star Wars would take more than just infrastructure.
A new era demands new ideas, and what is most closely linked to cyberpunk culture? The internet, of course.
After the early-stage preparations for Edgerunners began, the official Cyberpunk 2077 website was launched simultaneously.
The website introduced the history of cyberpunk culture starting from its tabletop origins, giving newcomers a general understanding of the genre.
In addition, the writers at Melon Studio began expanding Gilbert's outline into a comprehensive Cyberpunk Chronicle, gradually filling in the lore.
The technology section showcased futuristic concepts of cyberpunk technology—cybernetic implants, hovercars, and even introductions to space casinos and lunar bases.
The factions section detailed the organizations that evolved throughout the timeline: Militech, Arasaka Corporation, Kang Tao, and street gangs like the Tyger Claws and the Maelstrom, along with special roles such as fixers.
The character section introduced the legendary figures of Night City, where the story mainly takes place. However, when users entered, they noticed several characters were still locked.
David Martinez, Johnny Silverhand, and a character named V—all of their portraits were grayed out. Under David Martinez's profile, it read: "Appears in Edgerunners."
Only then did netizens realize that Edgerunners would tell the story of David Martinez.
To unlock a character, viewers had to watch the show and share it online. This progress system would later apply to other legendary characters as well.
For tabletop game companies, this was also a major opportunity.
Under the project's direction, tabletop manufacturers partnered with Coca-Cola and McDonald's: choosing the "David Martinez Combo" offered a chance to win a Legendary Card, and drinking Coca-Cola could also randomly earn one.
Of course, not only Legendary Cards were available—character cards for Lucy and Rebecca were also created. Once the cast was finalized, their animated likenesses were made into collectible cards.
The card collection model was already well-established; Marvel and DC had both done similar campaigns, allowing fans to collect their superheroes. The tabletop company was simply following suit, confident that Gilbert could make this venture a massive success.
Beyond all these features, the website also hosted a discussion forum where fans could share and debate their interpretations of cyberpunk culture.
In the site's early days, Gilbert himself appeared on the forum to answer fans' questions.
When asked about the overall story, Gilbert said: "I've always wondered what the future of humanity will look like. Should we reach for the stars or take root where we stand?
This story I'm creating is both a bold vision of the future and a reflection on our present reality."
As for why he chose to produce a series, Gilbert explained.
"Because I want to tell the entire story in a coherent way, and a movie simply doesn't provide enough time.
To help more viewers understand the whole worldview and to make the narrative more complete, I chose to create it as a series."
After that, Gilbert shared several behind-the-scenes photos—actors training hard, the sets under construction, and engineers creating props.
The most eye-catching of all was a futuristic, ultra-stylish motorcycle built in collaboration with Harley-Davidson, a real, fully functional bike that could actually be ridden on the road.
Without a doubt, everyone was captivated by this incredibly cool and aggressively designed motorcycle. Some people even asked whether it would be available for purchase.
It could definitely be sold, though the price wouldn't be cheap. But even if one couldn't afford the real thing, there would still be scale models available.
After the website launched and the initial wave of traffic arrived, daily visits quickly surpassed one hundred thousand, making it an extremely popular official site.
Thanks to the high level of community activity, user engagement became very strong. Many people had already become loyal visitors and fans of the site, finding others who shared their passion for cyberpunk culture.
From offline to online, the massive investment of resources drew enormous attention to Edgerunners. Combined with the director and the star-studded cast, the project became a sensation even before completion.
At present, both HBO and Disney's premium channels have confirmed that Edgerunners will be broadcast. Not only that—Edgerunners will also debut on online video platforms, becoming the first ever paid streaming series.
During a joint high-level meeting between Warner Bros. and Disney, Gilbert emphasized the advantages of online video platforms and urged both companies to focus on the rising streaming era.
"Digital platforms will become the future trend—not only for film and television, but for the music industry as well," Gilbert told the executives. "You're already aware that Apple's music app has, to a certain extent, replaced traditional CD albums.
What happens when iPhones are able to play high-definition video? And if other phones gain the same ability?
This means no more bulky DVD players, no more carrying laptops around. With a simple software decoder, people will be able to watch high-quality video on their phones anytime, anywhere."
Gilbert's words left the executives at Warner Bros. and Disney deep in thought. After returning, they immediately began researching the future development of streaming platforms.
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