Chapter 914: Words Like Magical and Great Cannot Describe Him

'Just what kind of person is Duke Rosenberg?'

With the Duke Studio staff helping her cameraman set up the equipment and lighting, Gao Fangfang was left with nothing to do in the reception room. Naturally, she found herself pondering that very question. She pulled a pen and a small notepad from her bag. It was filled with information she had gathered; though it was all public record, it still painted a realistic picture of who Duke Rosenberg actually was.

As a woman with a healthy appetite for gossip, the first thing that came to Gao Fangfang's mind was his love life.

Back in her home country, the internet was flooded with rumors about Duke Rosenberg. Gossip claimed that superstars like Naomi Watts, Charlize Theron, and Catherine Zeta-Jones were his ex-girlfriends. Some people even swore that every A-list actress active in Hollywood during the mid-to-late nineties and the turn of the century had some sort of tangled history with him.

Gao Fangfang had no idea if any of it was true, but judging by the numerous posters and photos hung around Duke Studio, he clearly valued his current girlfriend, Scarlett Johansson.

She knew that no one in Hollywood or North America gossiped about the relationship, but back home, many called it an illicit affair. Scarlett Johansson's diehard fans and admirers, in particular, cursed Duke for using disgraceful methods to seduce his own god-sister...

Was that the truth? Gao Fangfang had actually prepared questions about it, but Duke Rosenberg's PR manager had vetoed them outright during their preliminary discussions.

Although she had the backing of China National Television from across the ocean, Gao Fangfang knew she still had to play by the rules. This wasn't a world where you could just do whatever you wanted.

Shaking her head, Gao Fangfang set those unreliable questions aside for now.

After all, other aspects of Duke Rosenberg drew far more attention.

Gao Fangfang flipped through her notes again. The figure of 17.5 billion dollars was particularly eye-catching.

This was the total box office revenue for all of Duke Rosenberg's directed films, calculated by Gao Fangfang herself. Although the 17.5 billion dollar figure might not be entirely accurate due to incomplete data from the Chinese region, she was certain it wouldn't be far off.

17.5 billion dollars! What a staggering number! Not even the total box office revenue generated since the commercialization of the Chinese film market could come close to that figure.

And it had all been earned by Duke Rosenberg alone!

Thinking of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which Duke Rosenberg was currently producing, Gao Fangfang knew that number would see a massive jump next year. Surpassing the 20-billion-dollar mark was entirely possible.

The first 20-billion-dollar director in history? The thought alone made Gao Fangfang's head spin. How could other directors bear it? How were they supposed to catch up?

In this regard, Duke Rosenberg was definitely the most outstanding and greatest director since the birth of cinema.

Twenty billion dollars was astonishing, but when Gao Fangfang looked at his endeavors outside of directing, the number suddenly felt less surprising.

Although both were classified as representatives of technical directors, Duke Rosenberg was completely different from James Cameron. He was more like George Lucas and Steven Spielberg; beyond being a director, he was also a businessman.

"Picking up the camera, he's the greatest director..." Gao Fangfang muttered softly. "Putting it down, he's a successful businessman."

A shareholder in the Apple Company. The largest shareholder of Time Warner, a major shareholder in Google. The controlling shareholder of Marvel Comics, the owner of Lucasfilm...

Gao Fangfang didn't know exactly how many well-known companies Duke held shares in, but she did know one thing: for the past few years, he had securely ranked in the top five of the Forbes global billionaires list.

Moreover, many financial media outlets believed he had even more wealth hidden beneath the surface.

On top of that, Duke Rosenberg was a renowned philanthropist. He had several charitable foundations under his name, collaborated with the United Nations Relief Agency and the Children's Fund, and poured over a hundred million dollars into charity every year.

Gao Fangfang simply couldn't find the appropriate words to describe his achievements. Being able to interview such a legendary figure was a rare opportunity.

Someone knocked on the reception room door again. Tina Fey, the assistant who had received her earlier, walked back in. But this time was different; she was followed by a man who looked to be in his early thirties.

He possessed sharp facial features, exceptionally bright pitch-black eyes, and short dark brown hair that stood straight up. His tall frame was somewhat lean but held perfectly straight.

Just from his appearance, Gao Fangfang knew he was a man of firm resolve.

Anyone who paid the slightest attention to the film industry or the financial media would recognize him. He was the famous Duke Rosenberg, a figure who, in the eyes and hearts of many, could not be adequately described by words like magical and great.

At her first glimpse of Duke, Gao Fangfang subconsciously stood up.

"Duke..." Tina Fey took the initiative to introduce them. "This is Miss Gao, a journalist from China National Television."

"Hello," Duke said, offering his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Hello, Director Rosenberg." Gao Fangfang quickly shook his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you too."

Tina Fey turned back and closed the reception room door. An interview meant to build momentum for the Chinese theatrical release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens had officially begun.

As always, Duke spared no effort when promoting his films. He never assumed that his movies deserved to succeed simply because he was a famous director. If fame alone was enough to guarantee a blockbuster, the world wouldn't be littered with so many high-budget, low-return flops.

Sitting across from each other in two armchairs in front of the camera lens, Gao Fangfang knew Duke was pressed for time.

Skipping the pleasantries, she asked her first question directly. "Director Rosenberg, when did you first think of opening a brand new chapter for Star Wars?"

"It was actually George Lucas. He was the one who invited me to join the franchise, and he was the first to propose shooting a new Star Wars movie."

A reminiscent look crossed Duke's face. "It was probably around the mid-1990s when George Lucas first invited me to direct the series. That was the first time we formally discussed the matter. I was extremely excited, but I had to pass due to scheduling conflicts. Today, this project is full of possibilities. It's a rare opportunity, and there was no way I was going to refuse."

While quickly jotting notes in her notebook, Gao Fangfang asked, "How did you handle the coexistence of old and new characters in the film?"

"The Star Wars Series left behind many classic characters. While we introduce brand-new characters, the figures we're familiar with will also carry on alongside this new generation. Audiences don't need to have seen the previous six movies to enjoy this one. They can use this film as their entry point. The Force Awakens is a new beginning for Star Wars in China and across the entire world."

Speaking of China, Duke purposely added a point. "Before I went to sleep last night, I was thinking that in many ways, this movie is a lot like Shanghai, the host city for the Chinese premiere of The Force Awakens. I've been there many times; it's an incredible city. Its grandeur and energy always leave you in awe. At the same time, it has a brilliant history, yet it's still extremely vibrant and trendy. So, to some extent, it mirrors the movie. This film is a brand new story, but it's set in a world that has existed for a long time."

Hearing these words, Gao Fangfang couldn't help but smile. The friendly attitude the director across from her held toward China was widely known across the Pacific Ocean. It was also one of the main reasons he and his films continuously achieved massive success in her country.

Because of this, Gao Fangfang, just like many movie fans in her home country, genuinely liked Duke Rosenberg.

However, as a professional journalist, she wouldn't let this unduly influence her work.

She continued with her drafted questions. "Daisy Ridley and Daniel Wu are important new figures in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. What was so special about them that you decided to give them such crucial roles?"

Compared to his usual vagueness when dealing with the Western media, Duke's answer now was much more detailed.

"There were many factors involved. When we began discussing the story for this movie, the biggest problem we faced was how to narrow down our scope. Because the world of Star Wars is just too vast, with too much potential to explore—it actually left us at a loss. Where were we supposed to begin?"

Duke spread his hands, his smile sunny and approachable. "We started by asking ourselves what would draw us in. We sat down together and each laid out what we wanted to see the most."

Waiting for the journalist across from him to finish taking notes, Duke finally spoke again. "My assistant director, Anna Printz, suddenly asked me, 'Who is Luke Skywalker?' That instantly struck a nerve. It made me realize that there might be a whole new generation of audiences who don't know Luke Skywalker at all. Even if they do, how do they know? How do they view Luke? Is he a hero, or a figure to be feared? How do people view the Dark Lord? When he saved his son and took off his mask, who was present? It was just the two of them. So how would anyone else know about it? Everyone's perception of Luke Skywalker might not be what you expect."

The camera flashes were a bit blinding, but Duke had long grown accustomed to such interviews. "I thought this idea was both shocking and exciting—for a new generation of audiences, Star Wars might represent something different entirely. So when casting, we had to choose actors who could hold and express this exact feeling. When they step into the right roles, they can deliver the right performances."

"Daisy Ridley and Daniel Wu are exactly the kind of actors we needed!"