Chapter 736: Saying and Doing Are Two Different Matters

"Renowned director Duke Rosenberg's new sci-fi action film has finally confirmed its male lead. It's Leonardo DiCaprio, marking their second collaboration."

"Written and directed by Duke himself, the plot remains strictly under wraps, much like his previous work, Fury Road. Warner has only stated that the project is a 'contemporary sci-fi film' exploring 'the architecture of the mind' and 'dreams'."

From the moment Inception was officially greenlit in July, Warner Brothers pulled the strings to ensure the media constantly hyped Duke's new film. Even though the lucrative Summer Season wasn't over yet, the movie seized the front pages of numerous entertainment outlets and easily captured the public's attention.

All sorts of related news kept breaking.

"Duke Rosenberg's latest work officially has a title: Inception—which literally means the establishment of a foundation—revealing a theme tied to dreams! Rumor has it that this will be a stream-of-consciousness masterpiece!"

Dreams are one of humanity's greatest mysteries, but past films tackling the subject had always been obscure. Just as the public began to doubt Duke's choice of material, Warner Brothers opportunely pushed Leonardo DiCaprio into the spotlight for an exclusive interview to address their concerns.

"To be honest, I didn't entirely understand Duke's script myself. It takes a very clever person to grasp it," Leonardo told the Entertainment Weekly reporter.

"I think once Inception is finished, it's going to leave a lot of people scratching their heads. Trust me—because I'm one of them. I don't even know where to begin or what exactly I should say. Duke's dream-deciphering movie will definitely be fantastic because it's thrilling, with tons of action. It's surreal, yet entirely within his control. He wrote the film, so if you ask him, he could definitely explain it to you perfectly."

Thrilling! Tons of action!

This became the focal point of the media's subsequent sensationalism, completely reassuring many fans who read the coverage.

While Duke prepared the film, the media successively revealed all sorts of related information.

"Inception has an estimated production budget of 180 million dollars. It's set to premiere next Summer Season!"

"Joseph Gordon-Levitt becomes the second lead actor confirmed by Duke, following Leonardo DiCaprio!"

"During an interview, Charlize Theron announced she will once again star in Duke Rosenberg's new film..."

"Scarlett Johansson and James Franco have passed their auditions and will serve as Leonardo DiCaprio's assistants in Duke Rosenberg's upcoming movie!"

From the moment the project was greenlit, Warner Brothers spared no effort in building hype. They knew exactly how this genre worked—it would be either a spectacular flop or a massive hit. But they had absolute faith in Duke, firmly believing that with the right marketing, it was destined to be a billion-dollar blockbuster.

Furthermore, right from the start of the campaign, Warner Brothers mapped out a clear promotional strategy. Leonardo hinted at it during his press run, and those who followed suit did the same.

After the production team announced that Michael Caine and Cillian Murphy had passed their auditions, the two actors sat down for an exclusive interview with the Hollywood Reporter.

Michael Caine, known for playing the butler Alfred in the Batman Series, admitted his role in the film was minimal, only slightly more involved than a mere cameo. The crew was so fiercely guarded that they didn't even let him see the full script.

"They wouldn't let me read the script. I was only allowed to see the pages for my own scenes. Duke is being far too secretive." When discussing his role, Caine offered only a brief summary: "Leonardo DiCaprio is planning a scientific experiment, and everyone is assisting him. That's all I know."

Cillian Murphy, who had previously played the Scarecrow, had a heftier role, but he kept his lips sealed regarding his specific character.

"This is my third film with Duke," he said broadly. "He let me read the entire script. The story is incredibly complex and magical, and you need to be really sharp to grasp it. I can't wait—I just hope it hits theaters soon next year."

When pressed for more details about the film, Murphy firmly refused, stating simply that "this film is entirely unique."

"It's a total innovation. It doesn't belong to any single genre. The film blends all sorts of different elements, all springing straight from Duke's imagination. I've never seen anything like it in my life."

By late July, the production team held their first press conference since the project was greenlit and announced the official cast. The star-studded lineup was so staggering it left both the media and fans completely astounded.

Leonardo DiCaprio would play the protagonist Cobb, the soul of the team; rising star Joseph Gordon-Levitt would play his assistant; James Franco would play one of his partners; the Hulk, Mark Ruffalo, would serve as another assistant; Oscar-winning actress Charlize Theron was cast as his beloved wife; "Black Widow" Scarlett Johansson would play a female college student named Ariadne, acting as Leonardo's partner; and Japanese star Ken Watanabe would play the villain, Saito...

Even in star-studded Hollywood, a lineup of this caliber was enough to dazzle anyone. The sheer magnitude of the sensation it caused was entirely predictable.

This was exactly why Duke had mapped out a 180-million-dollar budget. Compared to the director from his past life, the extra funds were almost entirely funneled into the cast's paychecks.

The reporters at the press conference went absolutely frantic. Even in a celebrity hotspot like Los Angeles, it was rare to see so many A-listers gathered in one place outside of an awards ceremony—especially to co-star in a single film.

It was no exaggeration to say that Inception had assembled an absolute dream team.

Of course, beyond the star power, the media's primary concern remained the film itself. As the press conference drew to a close, almost all questions were lobbed at the director, Duke.

For the sake of promotion, Duke selectively divulged a few details about the movie. Though, just like always, many of his statements were carefully crafted lies prepared by his PR team.

"Shooting Inception will be the greatest challenge of my career. We're aiming to tell a massive story and create a genuine mind-bending blockbuster. I'll be injecting a lot of fresh elements into this film that I haven't explored before."

When a reporter asked what inspired the film's concept, Duke didn't miss a beat, flawlessly reciting the nonsense Warner's marketing plan had laid out for him.

"I'm hoping to have enough time to perfect this film," he said, "because the concepts I want to express here are questions I've been mulling over since I was twenty. I finished the first draft of the script seven or eight years ago, but the story's evolution eventually went much further than I ever imagined. It delves into the relationship between genuine dreams and that liminal state between sleep and wakefulness."

Speaking of dreams, Duke elaborated further.

"The dreams generated by the human mind can encompass every aspect of reality, and in my research, I have yet to find a limit to this capacity," he explained. "It's just like walking on a beach—you can gaze at your surroundings, and at the same time, bend down and scoop up a handful of sand. I'm trying to explore this concept through the manipulation of 'lucid dreams,' and my script is founded on these relatively simple, universal principles. The only truly bizarre aspect of the film is the technology that allows people to invade someone else's mind and share the exact same dream simultaneously."

Another reporter then asked for Duke's thoughts on working with Leonardo DiCaprio.

"Leo and I are friends—very close friends. I knew he was perfect for this extraordinary role in this incredible story. When I created the character, I actually drew heavily from Leo's own image and traits. His involvement goes beyond just bringing in a massive movie star; he has the ability to bridge the gap in sci-fi cinema and draw a much wider audience into the narrative."

Spouting PR-friendly rhetoric was second nature to Duke.

"Leo is always brimming with ideas," he continued. "He considers everything from his character's perspective while simultaneously keeping an eye on the character's function within the narrative and the progression of the overall plot. Chatting with him is always fascinating, and it significantly propels the film's development forward. I actually think the character's emotional world drives the story far more now than it did when we first started."

He said a lot, but Duke was careful never to leak his true intentions to the press. For instance, in his master plan, Inception was always meant to be an action sci-fi flick.

That was the truth: the film was an action sci-fi movie first, and everything else second.

As for the reason? A staggering 180-million-dollar production budget dictated that the final product had to cater to a mainstream audience rather than remaining a niche art piece.

Furthermore, with only a year between pre-production and the premiere, Duke simply didn't have the time or energy to construct massive practical sets. The production would rely heavily on CG technology. Aside from a handful of on-location shoots across the globe, the vast majority of the scenes would be filmed against green screens on the soundstages at Warner Studios.

Duke, after all, was fundamentally different from the director in his past life.

That original director notoriously despised CGI, claiming computer graphics were utterly worthless. Yet, much like Duke's own PR spin, the man was a hypocrite. Every single one of his films relied heavily on CGI to generate visuals or utilized computer technology to touch up his supposedly "practical" shots.

Just like Duke, in this industry, whether it was for the sake of marketing or cultivating a personal brand, for many people, saying and doing are two different matters.

Whether it was practical effects or CGI, a smart director never boxed himself into just one method. Duke wasn't a genius, but he was no fool, either. Inception would adopt a production style similar to Transformers—a blend of practical filming enhanced by an extensive amount of CG compositing.