Chapter 436: Must Change the Release Schedule

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

"Forth Eorlingas!"

As the soaring soundtrack played, Tony Rogers trembled with excitement watching those knights charge fearlessly into the enemy ranks. This was war! This was an epic! This was great cinema! This was the ultimate viewing experience!

Even after the movie ended, Tony Rogers sat quietly in his seat. He didn't want to leave at all, still savoring the lingering thrill of the climax. Only when the theater was nearly empty did he finally stand up and walk out.

Beneath his excitement lay obvious exhaustion, for this was his second viewing!

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

Just as he walked out of the theater, someone holding a microphone stopped Tony. A shoulder-mounted camera was aimed his way.

"Could you share your thoughts on The Two Towers?" the reporter asked.

Hearing the question, Tony Rogers immediately perked up.

"It's a grand epic masterpiece!" he gushed into the microphone. "The battle of Helm's Deep is the most inspiring, so magnificent it's hard to surpass... No, I think next year's The Return of the King will be even better, but that doesn't affect The Two Towers' place in my heart!"

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

"Ten!" Tony Rogers said without hesitation. "Absolutely a ten!"

After the interview, Tony walked away from the Santa Clara Cinema. He looked up at the bright streetlights, feeling a sudden sense of emptiness. The Two Towers was over; he would have to wait a full year to see The Return of the King.

What a long year that would be!

Right by the theater entrance, he saw reporters from the NBC Television Network and Yahoo Entertainment conducting interviews as well. Almost everything that reached his ears was praise.

"The opening scene was absolutely stunning, and that momentum carried all the way to the end. Perfect! I'm actually a bit worried for Duke. How is he going to top this with The Return of the King?"

"The battle of Helm's Deep is enough on its own. The sheer impact of the massive scenes, the exquisite details, and that kind of—I can't even describe it. Faced with the magnificent, majestic, and grandiose romanticism of this film, 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!"

"I'm exhausted from watching it, but so hyped! This will definitely be a memory I'll cherish forever!"

Everything he saw and heard made Tony Rogers feel at ease. There was a massive crowd of like-minded people in this world. Together, they would welcome the release of The 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. Warner hadn't slacked off with other media either; the coverage on radio stations, television networks, and web portals was overwhelming.

Interviewing ordinary moviegoers on the spot was a low-tech promotional strategy, but an effective one. Combined with other methods and the fading negative reviews online, The Two Towers finally saw an explosive box office surge on Saturday.

Early Sunday morning, the Los Angeles Times published the relevant data on the front page of its entertainment section.

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

"This is the box office haul 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 over three million dollars. As everyone knows, Duke's The Fellowship of the Ring once set the single-day box office record in North America, only to be broken by Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone last year. Now, he has reclaimed that record."

"Duke Rosenberg creates records, and Duke Rosenberg breaks records. This has become a common occurrence in the North American film market. We believe this won't be the end of the record-breaking for The Two Towers; in the future, a whole series of records will be shattered by this epic fantasy masterpiece."

Setting down the newspaper, Elijah Wood peered through the lounge window at the impenetrable crowd packing Nokia Square. He swallowed hard. Although he had enjoyed the popularity of a hit movie star since The Fellowship of the Ring, seeing so many fanatical Lord of the Rings fans still left him somewhat stunned.

He turned to ask the others in the lounge, "Could any of you have imagined we'd end up like this?"

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

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 inside a fantasy for the past two years?" he asked. "Can anyone tell me if everything we've experienced is actually real? Or am I just fast asleep in a dream, still waiting to wake up?"

"Can a dream be this wonderful?"

The speaker was Orlando Bloom. He had become massively popular across the entire Western world through his role as Legolas. It was no exaggeration to say he had transformed from an ordinary minor actor into a bona fide leading man.

"Could a dream really be as wonderful as this?" Orlando continued. "Sean, I can tell you with absolute certainty that you are in the most beautiful phase of your life."

Ian McKellen, sitting in a high-backed chair, set down the water he had just been drinking. "When Duke first approached me to play Gandalf, I was a bit hesitant. I doubted whether he could handle this fantasy epic... You all know Duke's previous filmmaking style was always full of explosions. 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."

With that, he stood up and said in a booming voice, "I am incredibly honored to be part of this series."

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

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

The lounge door was pushed open from the outside, and Duke and Charles Roven walked in. They looked at the hyped-up guys standing in the room, having no idea what had just happened.

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

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

Passing through a dedicated corridor, the cast and crew stepped onto the stage in front of the Nokia Square AMG Theater. Duke naturally fell to the back. This was the moment for the actors to shine; as the director, he wouldn't proactively step to the front unless it was necessary.

"Legolas! Legolas..."

"Aragorn! Aragorn..."

"Frodo..."

"Gandalf..."

Waves of thunderous cheering erupted, and the entirety of Nokia Square seemed to tremble. To catch a glimpse of their idols, some fans standing in the back rows even whipped out large military binoculars.

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

At times like this, the promotional draw of the actors was far greater than that of a director.

"Hi, Duke."

"Hi, Sarah."

The person who came 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 bumped into Duke, Sarah naturally wasn't going to let the opportunity slip.

"Can I ask you a few questions?" she asked.

"Keep it simple," Duke said, holding up a finger. "And nothing about my private life."

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

Sarah habitually took out her pen and notepad.

Duke smiled, but didn't give a direct answer. "Darling, you'll find out tomorrow."

Thinking it over for a moment, Sarah didn't press the issue. Instead, she pivoted to another topic.

"Duke, did you know the New Zealand Minister of Tourism just released some data?" she asked.

"What data?" Duke asked. He had been busy nonstop for the past few days.

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

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

Duke still gave no direct answer. "The data is far more convincing than my words."

Sarah nodded and asked another question. "A lot of people are currently saying that when The Lord of the Rings Trilogy concludes, the Academy will give you the ultimate recognition. What do you think?"

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

Closing her notepad and tucking away her pen, Sarah smiled.

"One last question, on a personal note," she said. "Is The Return of the King finished? Has the release date been finalized? I really can't wait any longer."

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

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

Work was incredibly important, but Duke also understood that a relationship required careful nurturing.

In his relationship with Ivanka, she was undoubtedly the one who gave more. There was no such thing in this world as love that gave without expecting anything in return. Duke needed to show how much he valued his girlfriend. He had pushed aside the crew's promotional activities specifically to go to Los Angeles International Airport and see Ivanka off on her flight 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.

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

On the airport's private tarmac, Ivanka stood at the base of the boarding stairs, lecturing Duke.

"Your diet and rest need to be regular," she insisted. "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 promised, tapping his head. "I've memorized it all right here."

The two exchanged a light kiss on the cheek, and Ivanka boarded the plane. Suddenly remembering something, she turned back around.

"Remember to tell me when the first weekend box office numbers come out!" she called out.