So, about Li Guohao's accidental death – the Feds even got involved in that investigation. Whether they actually figured anything out, who knows, right?
Gilbert's only had three movies out, and already folks are calling him a box office phenomenon, scaring off other flicks. But that's kinda misleading. The real deal is that all the big-name directors and A-list stars usually drop their summer blockbusters in June and July. Anything showing in May, besides "Real Steel," just doesn't look like much competition.
Last year, a movie like "Speed," with a twenty million dollar budget, got a premiere. So of course, "Real Steel," costing eighty million bucks, had to have one too! And this time, they moved the premiere to the swankier Dome Theater, with an even more upscale guest list.
Before the premiere, the stars like Bruce Willis, Ryan Gosling, and Naomi Watts were doing the rounds on all the talk shows, hyping up the movie. Gilbert didn't tag along for that. About two weeks before the movie came out, Warner Bros. and Disney's media outlets started rehashing old news. This time, they reminded everyone about Gilbert's big showdown with the Hollywood animal rights groups last year, and how he totally crushed 'em.
You know, those animal rights groups really got the short end of the stick. Ever since their battle with Gilbert, they haven't been as powerful in Hollywood. In fact, they became a pariah, something everyone in Hollywood loved to hate. If they tried to protest a movie set for animal cruelty, the crews just ignored 'em. So, the donations they used to rake in from Hollywood sets dried up big time.
But let's be real, those animal rights groups have deep roots. Their losses were mostly just in Hollywood; their other operations weren't hit too hard. After Gilbert exposed the hypocrisy of the Hollywood animal rights groups and weakened their influence there, other animal rights groups stepped up. First, they leaked stuff to some media outlets – gnarly scenes of people dismembering animals, all bloody and gross, to stir up public disgust and sympathy for animals. Then they'd pop up and say, "Hey, we're the real deal, we actually care about animals. We're not like those other groups that were extorting Hollywood sets. We have nothing to do with them!" They'd clear their name first, then get down to business.
At this point, the extreme animal rights activists actually hoped Gilbert would come out and argue with them in the media, just like last year. That way, they could not only get revenge for last year but also ride the coattails of "genius director" Gilbert to boost their own profile. But no such luck. After that lightning-fast takedown last year, Gilbert just focused on his movies and completely ignored the animal rights scene.
There's this saying: you're only a "big shot" if you achieve something, not the other way around. But when the media talks about it, they always flip it. "He's a big shot, that's why he achieved all this." That's the myth the media's been selling for years, pulling the wool over everyone's eyes. This myth needs poster boys, and Gilbert became one of them. I mean, how else could he become a nationally famous director in his twenties? Was it a gift from God? Well, actually, he is a big shot, and big shots are God's favorites, so yeah, maybe it was a gift from God. So it's no surprise Gilbert pulled off these amazing achievements.
Normally, if someone messes with the big players, Gilbert would've gotten a smackdown. At the very least, the big money behind the animal rights groups would've given him a talking-to. But there were three things going on. First, Hollywood had been fed up with the animal rights groups' greedy behavior for ages, so they secretly cheered Gilbert on and quietly backed him. Second, after proving his talent, Gilbert was already part of the Hollywood big shot club. And trust me, when it comes to facing outsiders, the Hollywood big shots are pretty tight-knit. Someone quickly started working behind the scenes for Gilbert. The big money behind the animal rights groups were also big shots, and the big shots who controlled the media weren't going to help the animal rights groups. And the money guys wouldn't let the animal rights groups go after a well-known big shot director. All this stuff, the old man told Gilbert; otherwise, he would've been clueless.
Third, there was the protection from Disney and Time Warner, which owns Warner Bros. These two massive media groups formed a tight-knit interest group around Gilbert, protecting him. Normal business competition is unavoidable, but there's no way they'd let Gilbert's reputation get trashed like Michael Jackson's would in the future. In fact, this is a common tactic used by the rich folks who control media in North America – a soft kill. Mark Twain saw this coming years ago; in "Running for Governor," he described in detail how a good guy praised by everyone became a robber, a pervert, and a lunatic during an election. Did the person actually turn into that? Not necessarily. It's often the result of shifting public opinion orchestrated by media manipulation. If Gilbert were African American, after doing something like that, even if he won, he'd eventually lose. But he's white, and a big shot, so no problem.
So the animal rights groups were stuck. They couldn't hit him, couldn't curse him, so they just pretended he didn't exist and completely ignored Gilbert! The only two losers in this whole thing were Michael Ovitz and the animal rights groups in charge of Hollywood. Gilbert basically exposed the tangled interests behind animal rights groups decades early, even causing CAA's Michael Ovitz to step down.
Of course, bringing up the big battle with the animal rights groups last year wasn't just to reminisce about Gilbert's glorious past; it was to promote the movie. No matter how it looks on the surface, when it comes to public relations, even if "love and peace" are mentioned a million times, it always boils down to money in the end. Once you get that, you get Hollywood.
With the cast and crew making the rounds on all the shows, and everyone still remembering last year's drama, the name "Real Steel" quickly spread among movie fans. And yeah, the movie's trailer was pretty sweet too, super captivating. At this year's Oscars, Spielberg's "Jurassic Park" snagged the Best Visual Effects Oscar. And from what the trailer for "Real Steel" showed, the special effects were just as good, maybe even better than "Jurassic Park."
A solid trailer and a ton of buzz made "Real Steel" the hottest flick to kick off the summer movie season. The media's reaction and the audience surveys were all looking good. With numbers like that, Disney and Warner Bros. were feeling pretty confident.
On May 5th, 1994, a totally normal Thursday, "Real Steel" had its premiere at the Dome Theater in Los Angeles. Since Naomi Watts, Bruce Willis, and Ryan Gosling were all walking the red carpet together, Gilbert's red carpet date this time was Charlize Theron. It was her first big role and her first premiere, so Charlize was super nervous, muttering to herself as she got ready.
"Don't be nervous, Ally, you can do this, you got this." Charlize Theron kept patting her chest, psyching herself up.
Her agent, Diana, walked in, and Charlize Theron was still praying to God to help her do a good job.
"Ally, what's up?"
"I'm nervous!" Charlize Theron replied.
Diana rolled her eyes. She was nervous too, but this was no time to be a bundle of nerves. So Diana said in an excited voice, "Wake up, Ally! You're about to attend a premiere for an A-list blockbuster that cost eighty million dollars to make. You're one of the stars, playing a major role, remember?"
Her agent Diana's reminder made Charlize Theron's eyes sparkle with determination. "Yeah, I know, this is a big deal." Charlize Theron's eyes firmed up, no more hesitation, no more nerves.
Watching a dazzling Charlize Theron, holding Gilbert's hand, get into the waiting car to head to the premiere, Diana silently prayed, "Ally, you just have to make it big!"
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At the Los Angeles Dome Theater, thousands of movie fans had already gathered by the red carpet. A lot of these fans came all the way from New York, Chicago, Boston, and other cities. They were eagerly waiting for the film's cast and crew to arrive.
As soon as they got to the premiere, the fans were totally blown away by the robots set up along the red carpet and at the theater entrance. They were tall and mighty, with diverse and unique designs, looking like they'd be awesome collector's items. In fact, these models weren't destroyed after the movie was made; they were kept and even had special caretakers. Having these robots on display at the premiere was a pretty neat trick. Looking at the reporters snapping endless photos and the fans' amazed and excited faces, you could tell it was all worth it.
After soaking in the awe-inspiring sight of the robots, it was time for the cast and crew to make their entrance. Bruce Willis, even though he's not quite at the level of Stallone or Schwarzenegger, is still a hotshot action star. Naomi Watts is a familiar face too. And Ryan Gosling, that little cutie pie, totally charmed all the ladies. Ryan Gosling's entrance was even choreographed. To the tune of AC/DC's "Highway to Hell," Ryan Gosling did a robot dance on the red carpet. Too bad the robot Adam couldn't join him. I mean, the robots can only be controlled by hydraulics; they're not advanced enough to dance. But even so, Ryan Gosling still got a ton of cheers and applause from the fans.
Then, Gilbert and Charlize Theron showed up. The car slowly pulled up to the premiere. Charlize Theron, no longer nervous, looked graceful and composed. Gilbert watched Charlize Theron with interest. This was her first time at an event like this, and he was surprised how quickly she adjusted. Naomi Watts, he remembered, was super nervous her first time on the red carpet; she almost squeezed his hand off!
"We're here, Ally," Gilbert said as the car came to a stop. "Get ready for the cheers and applause. You'll get used to events like this."
Charlize Theron slowly nodded. She waited for Gilbert to get out of the car first, then he reached in and helped her out. The moment they appeared, flashbulbs went crazy. Reporters on both sides of the red carpet snapped away, burning through film. The flashing lights were almost too much for Charlize Theron's eyes, but she stubbornly faced the cameras, showing her best side to the fans and the media. Walking the red carpet with a super popular director like Gilbert meant getting a lot more attention. Of course, there's a downside; Gilbert was definitely the main attraction here. Charlize Theron linked arms with Gilbert, flashing her most beautiful smile, and they walked onto the red carpet.
"Ahhhhhhh, Gilbert! I love you!"
"Gilbert, look over here!"
"Can you strike a pose?"
The chaotic sounds from both sides of the red carpet filled Charlize Theron's ears. Her mind went blank; she couldn't think, just mechanically followed Gilbert forward.
"Ally, Ally..." Gilbert's voice brought Charlize Theron back from her daze. She looked at him.
"Just show off how beautiful you are, Ally," Gilbert said, letting go of Charlize Theron and walking to the edge of the red carpet to interact with fans. He left Charlize Theron alone in the center of the red carpet, bathed in the spotlights.
After a couple of seconds, Charlize Theron caught on and started posing on the red carpet, showcasing her charm. You gotta admit, as Gilbert's red carpet date, Charlize Theron had it all: tall, long legs, and a perfect face. Even with a big frame, she was a flawless clothes hanger; the gown looked stunning on her, and she had this unique vibe.
When it seemed like enough, Gilbert rejoined Charlize Theron, and they walked to the end of the red carpet. The red carpet host was already waiting there to take photos with Gilbert and Charlize Theron and chat with them once they arrived.
"I'm super stoked to have the premiere here," Gilbert said into the mic. "During production, Bruce kept calling me, asking when the premiere was gonna be. We were all really looking forward to this part because it means the movie's finally gonna hit theaters and be seen by all of you. That's what really gets me excited."
What Gilbert said really got the fans who'd been waiting so long pumped up. The cheers and screams were non-stop. Walking with Gilbert, Charlize Theron also got a chance to speak.
"When I found out I'd get to work with Gilbert, the nationally famous genius director, I was so excited I couldn't sleep all night. I kept asking myself, 'Is this real? Is this really happening?' It wasn't until I got to the set and shot my first scene that I knew it wasn't a dream."
When the host asked if Charlize Theron was interested in a director as great as Gilbert, Charlize Theron's answer was pretty direct. "Who wouldn't love a director who's young, handsome, and so talented?"
Naturally, a lot of female fans agreed with her. A lot of them weren't just into Gilbert's movies; they were into Gilbert himself. When it comes to popularity, Gilbert is pretty well-known in Hollywood. If you compare Spielberg and Gilbert, Gilbert definitely gets more love from the female fans. Shows you, America's just as much about looks as anywhere else. But Gilbert has the filmmaking talent to back up his good looks, which is why female fans feel totally okay with liking him.
After the red carpet fun, Gilbert still had to go to the media area for interviews. The whole red carpet routine is: walk the red carpet, hang out with fans, talk about your feelings on the main red carpet stage, and finally, go to the media area for interviews. Of course, there are exceptions. For example, after Bruce Willis finished his interviews in the media area, he'd go back to the red carpet to interact with fans. He's the star, so it makes sense for him to do that kind of stuff.
The media interviews weren't complicated. They were mostly pre-screened by Disney and Warner Bros., so the questions were all pretty standard and easy. After easily handling the interviews, Gilbert still wasn't done. He had to greet the guests who came to show their support.