Chapter 674: Transformers Are Back

A grand fleet of stretch limousines and black luxury vans rolled toward the screening venue in Shanghai. Thousands of fans crammed against the barricades, screaming in excitement and clutching their cameras, desperate to snap a photo of the highest-paid stars in the world today.

But they weren't waiting for the usual Hollywood stars. Not superstar Tom Cruise, not Oscar Best Actor winner Nicolas Cage, not Charlize Theron, hailed by countless people as a goddess, and not Leonardo DiCaprio, whose fame spanned the length and breadth of this land. They weren't waiting for the film's lead actors, Andrew Garfield and Amber Heard, or even for Duke, the director they loved so much.

No matter how brilliant their talent, superb their acting, or approachable their demeanor, they were not today's main attraction. They were not the reason these frenzied fans crushed against the barricades and refused to disperse!

If, at this moment, a few stretch limousines or Rolls-Royces were to glide elegantly onto the red carpet and seamlessly transform into 30-foot-tall robots at its end—if they stood majestically in the air, laser cannons primed, and delivered a speech about eradicating evil and saving humanity—then you would see exactly who these fans were truly infatuated with, who they would walk through fire for!

The vibrant A-list superstars were as radiant as ever, but tonight—tonight belonged to the Transformers!

After fading from the spotlight for a long time, the Transformers had finally made their triumphant return!

For every boy of that era—and an astonishing number of girls, too—the Transformers had been such a beloved toy.

The brave Autobots battling the evil Decepticons; transforming robots from outer space that could shift into cars, heavy trucks, planes, and all sorts of other vehicles.

These stories had swept across the country from the late 1980s to the mid-1990s. How much passion was poured back then into these characters, who had appeared countless times in comic books, cartoons, stickers, and elementary school stationery!

Now, the Transformers had finally followed Duke, followed Optimus Prime, and followed the entire film crew to storm majestically back!

The live-action stars gradually began to walk the red carpet, but they seemed perfectly aware that they were merely the supporting cast today. Even an Oscar winner like Nicolas Cage willingly stood off to the side of the stage.

Everyone knew there was only one true star at this premiere: the Transformers!

At the end of the red carpet leading into Shanghai International Cinema City, two lines of Transformers, led respectively by Optimus Prime and Megatron, stood facing each other. Their colossal bodies and beautifully streamlined designs easily captured every eye at the venue. In the photo area not far away, countless reporters aimed their lenses at these massive figures, frantically clicking their camera shutters.

The flashing lights lit the darkening sky as bright as day. Even the frenzied screams of the fans could not drown out the continuous clicking of shutters.

Standing relatively far back in the red carpet viewing area, Wang Ziming raised his camera and stood on his tiptoes, snapping photo after photo. He wished he could fit all of those towering Transformers into his camera so he could take them home and admire them at his leisure.

"Even touching one would be amazing!"

Because they would be heading inside the theater soon, Luo Qinghua hadn't squeezed his way to the sides of the red carpet. He only watched from a distance. Looking at the two rows of massive, lifelike models, he turned to his companion.

"Bi Jun, I think these are going to take the whole country by storm," he said. "It won't be long before we see Transformers standing in front of factories and along the streets everywhere."

The man named Bi Jun worked in the machining industry, and he was well aware that ever since the press conference at the Oriental Pearl Tower over the May Day holiday, many processing plants had already set their sights on these massive figures.

"Good afternoon, viewers. This is a live broadcast from Phoenix Television."

In front of the international cinema, a female reporter stood near the two rows of Transformers and spoke to the live broadcast camera.

"An unprecedented cinematic event is taking place at Shanghai International Cinema City," she said. "Famous Hollywood director Duke Rosenberg has touched down in Shanghai with his new film, Transformers, to host a massive global premiere..."

The camera lens turned toward the red carpet, capturing the densely packed crowds on both sides, and the female reporter continued.

"The scale of this premiere is astonishing, something never before seen in this country. According to on-site estimates, over 10,000 fans have flocked to the area around the international cinema. This isn't just a lavish feast for moviegoers; it has also drawn together many major stars from both sides of the Pacific Ocean."

The camera panned slowly. In addition to the Hollywood stars, it captured the figures of many famous mainland stars and directors, including Baldy Ge and Jiang Xiaojun.

The camera refocused on the Transformers, eventually settling on Optimus Prime.

Standing at the feet of Optimus Prime, the female reporter said, "Transformers was originally invented by a company in Japan and brought to the American market by the Hasbro Company in 1984. It took the world by storm. Rapidly expanding into the realms of animation and comics, the Transformers firmly captivated children. Very quickly, what was originally just a high-end line of toys evolved into a culture, complete with its own story."

Since this reporter was appearing on the live broadcast of the premiere, she had clearly done her homework.

"The 1986 Transformers animated movie once caused a massive uproar, leaving countless fans furious and highly critical over the death of Optimus Prime. However, Hollywood lacked enthusiasm at the time. With Schwarzenegger and Stallone around, who wanted to shoot a movie about robots? Year after year, new Transformers toys and comics kept the brand vibrant and alive, but the hope of shooting a live-action film remained incredibly slim."

"Ultimately, one director understood, and as it happens, he is an absolute powerhouse in this industry. He is Duke Rosenberg!"

The female reporter's pacing was impeccable. Right as she said this, a black Rolls-Royce pulled to a stop at the very front of the red carpet. As the car door was pulled open, Duke, dressed in a black suit, stepped onto the carpet.

The eyes of many fans and reporters immediately shifted away from the Transformers. Someone in the crowd shouted, and a unified voice gradually began to echo down both sides of the red carpet.

"God Duke! God Duke! God Duke!"

The initially scattered shouts quickly merged in unison. It was so loud it seemed it could pierce the sky and echo all the way to Chongming Island.

"God Duke! God Duke..."

The live broadcast camera captured all of this without missing a single detail.

Watching this astonishing scene, the reporter said, "I have never seen any director welcomed by fans quite like Duke Rosenberg!"

However, despite the loud shouts from the fans, Duke did not change his inherent rhythm and habits, passing quickly down the red carpet at his normal walking pace.

The camera lens pivoted back, and the female reporter continued. "That is Duke Rosenberg, the greatest director in the world. When he decided to shoot Transformers, he simply went for it. His involvement, along with that of Warner Brothers, immediately transformed what could have easily been a simple nostalgic film into a lavish blockbuster."

The camera once again focused on Duke, who had already reached the interview area.

The reporter's voiceover didn't fade for a second. "From day one, Duke has been the primary architect of this film. He played with Transformers alongside the crew, and he played with them when he was alone. He was completely captivated, ultimately using a highly humanized perspective to create this story of a boy and his beloved car!"

With his tall, slender build, his firm and powerful strides, his short hair standing on end, and a slight tilt to his chin and shoulders, Duke stepped into the interview area presenting his usual image.

He was the last member of the crew to make an appearance. Inside the interview zone, many of the members were already fielding questions from reporters.

The black actor Tyrese Gibson pointed at the massive models of Optimus Prime and Megatron and said, "I don't mind playing a supporting role. I get to be in the most awesome movie of the summer—what do I have to lose? In Titanic, the most eye-catching thing was the sinking ship, but that doesn't mean Leonardo and Winslet didn't act well. Now, me, Optimus Prime, Megatron? The three of us are bros! We really bonded during the shoot!"

It seemed black actors were naturally born with a gift for comedy.

The media and reporters certainly weren't going to let Duke slip by.

Faced with the mountain of microphones piled in front of him, he offered a few words. "This film took nearly a year of prep and production from start to finish. Hundreds of crew members have poured their blood, sweat, and tears into it, and we've finally reached the day of its release. I'm just as excited as everyone here..."

Being able to realize a long-held dream, Duke was also feeling genuinely emotional.

"My ambition is to reignite the excitement and passion people felt when they watched Star Wars or Titanic for the very first time! This whirlwind will blow people straight to the back wall of the theater... My expectations for Transformers have far surpassed those of any film I've shot in the past. Some people are saying that Transformers will bring a visual revolution to the audience, but what I want to achieve goes beyond even that. I hope that through Transformers, everyone can experience a kind of shock and awe that no movie in the past has ever brought you before!"

It was getting late, and there were still multiple events left to hold. After giving a brief interview, Duke moved to the photo area, standing in front of the backdrop to take group photos with the rest of the crew and the sponsors' members. This was a routine part of every premiere.

The sky continued to darken. As the time gradually approached 7:30 PM, Duke and Tina Fey led the rest of the crew into the specially retrofitted IMAX 3D theater. The massive hall, capable of holding over a thousand people, was packed with not an empty seat in sight. The moment they stepped inside, all the guests and audience members rose to their feet, showering the crew with rapturous applause.

"He's over here raking in the cash again."

Watching Duke lead the crew to the very front row, Jiang Xiaojun clapped his hands.

"He really knows how to grasp the pulse of our market," he said to Baldy Ge.

Baldy Ge nodded in agreement. "He's practically a China expert."

Unlike these concerned filmmakers, the audience had walked into the theater simply to watch a suitably spectacular film. After Wang Ziming and Luo Qinghua settled into their seats, they couldn't wait for the movie to begin.