Chapter 435: Friction with Donald

"This is the hour we draw our swords together and fight side by side against the enemy. In the name of wrath and ruin, let us dye the dawn red with blood!"

"Forth Eorlingas!"

As the impassioned score swelled and that company of knights charged fearlessly into enemy lines, Tony Rogers trembled with excitement. This was war! This was an epic! This was a great film! This was the ultimate viewing experience!

Even after the film ended, Tony Rogers sat there quietly, not wanting to leave at all. He was still savoring the lingering adrenaline of the climax. Only when the theater was nearly empty did he finally stand up and walk out.

Aside from excitement, his face showed obvious fatigue—because this was his second time watching it!

"Hello, we're reporters from..."

As soon as he stepped out of the theater, someone holding a microphone stopped Tony. A shoulder-mounted camera turned toward him.

The man—clearly a reporter—asked, "Could you share your thoughts on The Two Towers?"

Hearing the question, Tony Rogers immediately perked up and poured his thoughts into the microphone.

"A grand epic masterpiece! The Battle of Helm's Deep was inspiring, and its magnificent scale will be hard to surpass... No, I think next year's Return of the King will be even better, but that doesn't diminish the status of The Two Towers in my heart!"

"If a perfect score is ten points, what would you give this movie?"

Tony Rogers did not hesitate. "Ten! Absolutely a ten!"

After finishing the interview, Tony walked away from the Santa Clara Cinema. He looked up at the bright streetlights and felt a wave of disappointment wash over him. The Two Towers was over; he would have to wait an entire year to see Return of the King.

What a long year that would be!

Right at the cinema entrance, he saw reporters from the NBC Television Network and Yahoo Entertainment conducting interviews as well. Almost everything that drifted to his ears was praise.

"The opening scene was incredibly shocking, and that momentum carried all the way to the end. Perfect! I'm actually a little worried for Duke. How can Return of the King possibly top this?"

"The Battle of Helm's Deep is enough. The shock of the massive scenes, the exquisite details, and that kind of... I can't even describe it. Faced with such magnificent, majestic, and grandiose romanticism, I'm at a loss for words..."

"The opening duel between Gandalf and the Balrog was stunning, and the Battle of Helm's Deep at the end got my blood boiling!"

"It left me exhausted but so excited! This is an experience I'll remember forever!"

Everything he heard and saw made Tony Rogers feel completely at ease. There were masses of like-minded people in this world, and they would welcome the premiere of Return of the King by watching The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers over and over again!

The promotional blitz on the internet continued, and Warner hadn't slacked off with other media either. Radio, television, and web portals were blanketed with overwhelming coverage.

Interviewing ordinary moviegoers on the spot was a low-tech promotional strategy, but it was highly effective. Paired with other methods—and the ever-shrinking volume of negative reviews online—The Two Towers finally saw its explosive moment on Saturday.

Early Sunday morning, the Los Angeles Times published the relevant data right in the headline of its entertainment section's front page.

"A brand-new single-day box office record—36.24 million dollars!"

"This is the box office gross that The Two Towers secured on Saturday, raising the previous record of 33.35 million dollars held by Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by a full three million dollars. As everyone knows, Duke's The Fellowship of the Ring once set the North American single-day box office record, only to have it broken last year by Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Now, he has reclaimed that record once again."

"Duke Rosenberg creates records, and Duke Rosenberg breaks records. This has become a frequent occurrence in the North American film market. We believe this will not be the end of The Two Towers' record-breaking run; in the future, a whole series of records will fall to this epic fantasy masterpiece."

Putting down the newspaper, Elijah Wood peered through the lounge window at the watertight crowd packing Nokia Square and swallowed hard. Although he had been enjoying the immense popularity of a top star ever since The Fellowship of the Ring, seeing so many fanatical fans of The Lord of the Rings still left him somewhat speechless.

"Could any of you have imagined we'd end up like this today?" he asked, turning to the others in the lounge.

"Tolkien created a great fantasy world, and Duke turned that fantasy world into an incredibly brilliant film..."

Sean Astin, who played Sam, was a relatively quiet person, but even he felt deeply moved at this moment.

"But don't you guys feel like we've been living in a fantasy ourselves these past two years?" he added. "Can anyone tell me if everything we've experienced is actually real? Or am I just fast asleep in a dream and still haven't woken up?"

"Could there be a dream this beautiful?"

The speaker was Orlando Bloom. He had become a massive star across the entire Western world through his role as Legolas. It was no exaggeration to say he had transformed from an ordinary small-time actor into a wealthy, handsome idol.

"Could a dream really be this good? Sean, I can responsibly tell you that you are right in the most wonderful phase of your life."

"When Duke first approached me to play Gandalf, I was still a bit hesitant. I doubted whether he could handle this fantasy epic..." Ian McKellen sat in a high-backed chair and set down the water he had just been drinking. "As you all know, Duke's previous filmmaking style was always about explosions and blasts. But the facts have proven me wrong. He has already produced two great masterpieces, and I believe the third one will be even more spectacular."

He stood up and added in a loud, clear voice, "I am deeply honored to be involved in the filming of this series."

"I'm honored too! Duke and The Lord of the Rings Trilogy have given me everything!" Elijah Wood said, standing up as well.

Billy Boyd chimed in at an unhurried pace, "I'm going to be remembered by film history! Guys, I get to sing the theme song for the final chapter!"

The lounge door was pushed open from the outside, and Duke walked in with Charles Roven. They looked at the hyped-up guys standing around the room, completely oblivious to what had just happened.

"It's almost time." Duke beckoned to his Fellowship of the Ring. "We should head out."

"Let's go, guys!" Billy Boyd, always the energetic one, shouted. "Our magical journey is about to begin again."

Through a dedicated corridor, the cast and crew walked onto the stage in front of the Nokia Square AMG Theater. Duke naturally hung back. This was the actors' moment to shine in the spotlight; as the director, he wouldn't actively step to the front of the stage unless absolutely necessary.

"Legolas! Legolas!"

"Aragorn! Aragorn!"

"Frodo!"

"Gandalf!"

Waves of screaming roared like thunder, making the entirety of Nokia Square seem to tremble. To catch a glimpse of their idols with their own eyes, some fans standing in the back rows even whipped out large military binoculars.

A series of interactive segments had been arranged for the event, but aside from showing his face and waving once, Duke hid backstage with Charles Roven the rest of the time.

At moments like this, the promotional impact of the actors was far superior to that of the director.

"Hi, Duke."

"Hi, Sarah."

The person who walked over to greet him was the deputy editor of the Los Angeles Times entertainment section. The two of them had always enjoyed a pleasant working relationship, and she was one of the few reporters allowed backstage.

Since she had run into Duke, Sarah naturally wasn't going to let him slip away. "Can I ask you a few questions?"

"I hope they're simple." Duke held up a finger. "And nothing related to my private life."

"What do you think the first-week box office will be?"

Sarah habitually pulled out her pen and notepad. Duke just smiled, giving no direct answer. "My dear, you'll find out tomorrow."

After thinking for a moment, Sarah didn't press the issue and shifted to another topic. "Duke, did you know that the Minister of Tourism for New Zealand just published some data?"

"What data?" Duke asked. He had been tied up with work for the past few days.

"Regarding New Zealand tourism." Sarah had no intention of keeping him in suspense and said directly, "According to the data released by the New Zealand Government, from the premiere of The Fellowship of the Ring until now, the number of foreign tourists visiting New Zealand has grown by one hundred and eighty percent year-on-year!"

"Do you think this has anything to do with The Lord of the Rings movies?" she asked.

Duke still didn't give a direct answer. "The data is far more persuasive than my words."

Sarah nodded and asked another question. "Many people are now saying that when The Lord of the Rings Trilogy concludes, the School will give you their highest recognition. What do you think?"

"Rumors are just rumors." Duke shook his head. "Until the very end, who knows what will happen?"

Closing her notebook and putting her pen away, Sarah laughed. "One last question, and it's a personal one. Is Return of the King finished? Is the release date confirmed? I really can't wait."

"You'll be able to see it next summer."

The event lasted until dusk. There was also a media reception banquet that evening, but Duke handed the hosting duties over to Charles Roven and broke away from the crew.

Work was extremely important, but Duke also understood that a relationship needed careful nurturing.

In his relationship with Ivanka, she was undoubtedly the one giving more. There was no such thing in this world as a love that only gave without asking for anything in return. Duke also needed to show how much he valued his girlfriend. He had turned down the crew's promotional activities specifically to go to Los Angeles International Airport and see Ivanka off as she headed back to New York.

Of course, Ivanka didn't have to take a commercial flight. Duke's private jet was already on standby at the airport.

"Honey, you can't just think about work."

On the airport's private apron, Ivanka stood in front of the boarding stairs, lecturing Duke. "You need to keep a regular diet and sleep schedule. I will call you every day to remind you. If you don't want me to worry, please do as I say."

"Don't worry," Duke pointed at his own head, promising her sincerely. "It's all memorized right here."

The two of them stood together and whispered sweet nothings for a while before Ivanka finally boarded the plane. As if suddenly remembering something, she turned back and called out, "When the first-week box office comes out, remember to tell me!"