Chapter 701: A Story That Could Only Exist in a Sci-Fi Space

As a major shareholder of Warner Brothers and the pillar of its film division, Duke quickly secured the studio's approval for his $120 million investment request. After all, the revenue his films generated could only be described as terrifying.

By the end of August, the North American box office for Transformers had reached a staggering $432.25 million, with its global gross exceeding $1.1 billion.

After a two-month theatrical run, the film left Chinese theaters in early August. It ultimately raked in 1.41125 billion RMB, making it the one and only film in the Chinese market to ever cross the one-billion mark.

Duke's name, along with Optimus Prime and Megatron, spread even further across China.

Having made a killing on Transformers through both their investment and its Chinese distribution, the China Film Group naturally wanted to invest in his next project.

However, after reviewing a small portion of the Fury Road script, the China Film Group's Hollywood representatives couldn't help but hesitate. This genre of film had never been released in the domestic market. Whether there was an audience for it was one problem, but whether it could pass the big scissors was an even more critical issue.

A post-apocalyptic future? Did that mean China had perished as well?

It didn't take a genius for the China Film Group's Hollywood representatives to guess that certain bigwigs wielding the big scissors would have that exact thought.

Ultimately, the China Film Group chose not to invest in Duke's new film, Fury Road, setting their sights on the upcoming Transformers sequel instead.

That was right—persuaded by Nancy Josephson, Michael Bay had taken the helm of the franchise. Just as Duke had figured, Michael Bay had very few options left at this point.

He needed a massively successful blockbuster to catapult himself back into the ranks of A-list directors, and Transformers was undoubtedly the perfect opportunity.

Since late August, Duke had gradually eased back into work mode. Aside from preparing for the official greenlighting of Fury Road and notifying his team to end their vacations, he focused most of his energy on reviewing the edits for Transformers.

With the film's theatrical run nearing its end, it was time to put the DVD release on the agenda. The North American DVD market was visibly taking a hit from video-on-demand services, its sales declining every year—and even every month. Many in the industry considered Transformers to be the last hurrah for DVDs.

While box office success laid the foundation for strong DVD sales, adding exclusive content was a crucial tactic. Behind-the-scenes footage and different director's cuts were exactly what persuaded fans to open their wallets.

Duke had shot hundreds of hours of footage, so adding fresh content wouldn't be difficult.

By the time Duke finished reviewing the Transformers DVD cut in late August, his team members had hurried back to Los Angeles. Tom Cruise and Charlize Theron had also officially signed their acting contracts, bringing the project to the point where it could be officially greenlit.

On September 1, a press conference was held to announce the official launch of Fury Road.

As the three most famous figures involved in the film, Duke, Tom Cruise, and Charlize Theron all attended. Their collaboration was the focal point of Warner Brothers' promotional campaign.

A lineup featuring two megastars alongside a superstar director was more than enough to draw the media's attention.

Over five hundred reporters crammed into the press hall inside the Warner Building. Not only were all the seats taken, but people were even standing shoulder-to-shoulder in the aisles. To prevent accidents, Warner Brothers' head of security had to turn late-arriving journalists away at the door.

Outside the main entrance of the Warner Building, hundreds of fans who had caught wind of the event gathered, holding up posters of Tom Cruise and Charlize Theron to show their support.

This kind of capital came with being a megastar, something ordinary actors simply couldn't match. Once a Hollywood actor transformed into a megastar, they could no longer be judged by ordinary standards.

By utilizing two highly bankable stars, Duke could compensate for some of the inherent flaws in the film's subject matter.

Claiming that a film like Fury Road could become a massive global hit like Transformers was just as absurd as saying The Man from Earth would be a box office smash.

Even though Duke intended to make appropriate adjustments, Fury Road would remain a genre film at its core.

As Duke, Tom Cruise, and Charlize Theron took their seats on the stage, the flashing camera bulbs were utterly blinding. In the eyes of the press, this was without a doubt the most captivating entertainment news of September.

The trio's collaboration ignited the enthusiasm of countless reporters, many of whom couldn't wait to ask their questions.

However, the first question was reserved for the Los Angeles Times, a publication that enjoyed a strong working relationship with Duke. After being called upon, a young female reporter stood up.

"Director Rosenberg, could you tell us about the genre of your new film?" she asked.

"It's a sci-fi film set in the future," Duke said simply. "But it will be different from current sci-fi action movies. I hope to use this film to give the audience a subversive viewing experience."

A subversive viewing experience?

Many reporters were left scratching their heads. The current mainstream sci-fi action films had been deeply influenced by the very director sitting on the stage. If he was going to subvert the existing sci-fi action genre, didn't that mean subverting his own formula for success?

Countless hands shot up again, but Charles Roven, who was hosting the press conference, called on a reporter in the front row.

"Director Rosenberg, you rarely work with established megastars."

The reporter was stating an industry consensus: Duke rarely worked with A-list actors.

"Yet this time, you are collaborating with Mr. Tom Cruise and Ms. Charlize Theron. May I ask why?"

Duke glanced at Tom Cruise and Charlize Theron in turn.

"Because I know just how phenomenal the two of them are," he replied.

Occasions like this were meant for mutual flattery, after all.

"Could you tell us what their roles are like?" another reporter stood up and asked. "What is the relationship between Tom and Sally's characters in the film?"

"Two very interesting characters..." It wasn't the time to reveal all that just yet, so Duke gave a vague response.

"They will evolve from adversaries into comrades fighting side by side—comrades until death!" he added.

Afterward, the reporters directed their questions to Tom Cruise and Charlize Theron. As megastars at the height of their popularity, they drew just as much attention.

The questions posed to both of them were similar: Why did they choose to work with Duke?

"Any actor would be thrilled to receive an invitation from Duke," Tom Cruise answered. "Everyone knows he is a great director. I previously worked with him on Chicago, and we co-invested in the Mission: Impossible series. Our professional relationship and friendship have withstood over a decade of testing. So when he reached out, even though there was no script at the time, I agreed without hesitation."

As long as the right person was there to remind him, Tom Cruise was definitely a smart man.

Compared to Tom Cruise, Charlize Theron had a much deeper connection with Duke, and her words came across as even more sincere.

"My admiration for Duke is my biggest motivation for joining," she said, making no secret of her attitude. "From the very beginning, when Duke told me about this film and its female lead, I felt it had immense potential. This is a Duke Rosenberg production, after all! Once I read the character's script..."

She subtly flattered Tom Cruise.

"Knowing that the female lead gets to fight side by side with Tom—a role like that is an opportunity every actress dreams of."

Charlize Theron then steered the conversation back to Duke.

"Director Rosenberg never disappoints his actors," she said. "He described the direction and vision of this film to me, and I believe he can truly bring it all to life. He has never strayed from the worlds he envisions."

Taking a moment to gather her thoughts, Charlize added another comment.

"For me personally, to be able to use this film to show everything a woman can do, while earning the respect of the other women in this world... to convey a genuine message through my performance in the story—an opportunity like this is incredibly rare."

Hearing her remarks, many reporters exchanged glances, unable to stop a certain thought from forming: 'Is Duke's new film, Fury Road, a feminist piece?'

The film did indeed have feminist undertones, but they weren't overly overt, nor would they provoke resentment. Duke knew very well that it was not the right time to push feminism too heavily in a movie.

The development of feminist cinema would always require a process—and quite a lengthy one at that.

Furthermore, the deeper meanings, philosophical reflections, or specific "-isms" a film might carry had always been things Duke cared little about, and this movie would be no exception.

To put it bluntly, it embodied the most unadulterated, old-school car chases. There was no electronic navigation and no aerial fire support. It was a pure battle of numbers, armor, ammunition, and horsepower—and a test of how high the protagonist could jump, how fast they could run, how accurately they could shoot, and how viciously they could throw a punch.

In the past, Duke's car chase sequences would have been embarrassing to show if they didn't involve vehicles soaring through the air for over ten seconds or performing a few flashy feats of metal gymnastics.

This time would be a complete subversion.

He would strip the film of all impurities outside of "decking out in wild style to drag race." The protagonists were either on the road or getting ready to hit the road. Character motivations were highly streamlined: some wanted to survive with dignity, whether for themselves or for others; others thirsted for illusory glory, chasing it to their deaths or waking up to disillusionment.

Possession and escape, carrying on the bloodline and being born free—these were the most ancient of motivations.

According to Duke's vision, the characters wouldn't have many lines. Even if the film were turned into a silent movie without any translation, anyone in the world would still be able to understand it.

It was a sci-fi film, true, but it wouldn't feature a single trace of high tech. The sci-fi elements rested entirely within the characters' minds. They were surreal—savages nurtured by a futuristic, anarchic continent. It wouldn't take much provocation for them to fight to the death. This, too, was a story that could only exist in a sci-fi space.