Chapter 916: Impending Collapse

It was more than just an exclusive interview. After her conversation with Duke, the journalist Gao Fangfang made a special trip to tour Lucasfilm. Across the Pacific, National Television broadcast a dedicated feature, and promotional coverage spanning articles, photos, and videos flooded the internet, drawing immense attention from Chinese audiences.

In addition to reviewing the reports submitted by the Warner Greater China Region, Duke would take occasional breaks from post-production on Star Wars: The Force Awakens to log onto the Greater China Regional Network and check the reactions of fans and netizens overseas.

In the living room of Duke Manor, dressed in formal attire, Duke sat at his computer scrolling through the overseas comments about the interview. He was waiting for Scarlett Johansson, who was still in the dressing room doing her makeup and putting on her gown.

Even though they were about to head to Skywalker Ranch in Los Angeles for George Lucas's wedding, Duke made full use of his downtime. After all, a woman's makeup and wardrobe routine could easily take hours.

By reading the replies from overseas fans, Duke could get a feel for the shifting dynamics of a frontline market.

"Living a lifetime without knowing Skywalker makes calling oneself a hero in vain."

This was clearly a die-hard Star Wars fan. Perhaps because of Duke's involvement, the overall reception here was quite positive.

"As a kid from the 80s whose mind was blown back in the day, I definitely have to see this. If you hold the belief that movies are a vital part of life, then watching Star Wars is a mandatory course. Will it actually be good? When has Duke Rosenberg ever disappointed us!"

Duke didn't suffer from false modesty. He knew perfectly well that he wielded massive box-office appeal across the Pacific.

"The domestic box office should be solid, because it has a massive base of loyal fans from the 70s and 80s, plus a ton of younger bandwagon fans from the 90s and 00s. If you haven't seen them all, I recommend catching up before watching this movie. Watch the three prequels first, then the original trilogy! That way, you won't be completely lost when you watch Star Wars 7!"

It wasn't just the hardcore Star Wars fans; casual moviegoers were paying attention too.

"I wouldn't call myself a Star Wars fan, but I watched the original trilogy a few years ago and thought it was pretty good. Sure, the character archetypes are a bit dated, the pacing is a little slow, and the plot is somewhat cliché, but you can't really find any glaring flaws. The story is rock solid, and the special effects are miles ahead of cheap CGI, aren't they? That was an era when few people had even seen a computer. R2-D2 was adorable. With Duke at the helm for this new Star Wars, watching it for entertainment shouldn't feel like a waste of time."

There were also those who didn't fixate on the older installments.

"Star Wars represents more than just a few movies. The term has become a cultural symbol. Everyone knows Star Wars, and wearing the T-shirts regardless of whether you've actually seen the original films doesn't affect your love for the universe. So why stress over understanding every little detail? Just sit back and happily watch a Star Wars film."

Similarly, there were those who knew absolutely nothing about the franchise.

"I have a dumb question. Is Star Trek connected to Star Wars?"

Right then, Duke heard the familiar click of high heels against the floorboards. He shut down the computer and turned around. Scarlett Johansson, dressed to the nines and carrying a clutch, was walking toward him.

Seeing him stand up from his desk, Scarlett asked curiously, "What were you doing?"

"Nothing." He took her hand and led her out of the mansion. "It's about that time. We need to get going."

This was George Lucas's wedding, and his mother, Mrs. Leah, had headed over early that morning to help. Given the close ties between their families, they couldn't afford to be late.

Once Duke and Scarlett were settled inside the vehicle, the Rolls-Royce waiting by the front doors accelerated, slowly pulling away from Duke Manor.

Over half an hour later, the car drove directly into Skywalker Ranch, the sprawling estate George Lucas had purchased specifically for the wedding. Duke and Scarlett stepped out and walked arm in arm onto the lawn, where they spotted George Lucas.

Duke first greeted his mother nearby.

Then he walked over and gave the older director a light hug. "Congratulations, Uncle Lucas."

"Thank you." George Lucas patted Duke's arm. After Scarlett offered her own greetings, he added, "Make yourselves at home, you two. I won't be able to host you personally today."

Duke nodded. Taking him at his word, he led Scarlett over to his mother's side.

The wedding ceremony soon began, though it was surprisingly brief. Sitting on a lawn bench, Duke noticed Scarlett staring intently at the bride, Mellody Hobson. Her hand unconsciously tightened on his arm.

Having a fairly good idea of what Scarlett was thinking, Duke figured it might finally be time to pick out a ring.

Regardless of everything else, their relationship was incredibly stable. Neither of them had any desire to change what they had, so taking the next step was only natural.

Duke glanced over at Mrs. Leah. His mother disliked Hollywood stars, but her own goddaughter was an absolute exception. She sincerely hoped that he and Scarlett would eventually end up together.

The wild, chaotic days of his youth were far behind him, and he had no intention of ever returning to that kind of lifestyle.

However, now wasn't the right time. He was swamped with Star Wars, and Scarlett was currently prepping for Avengers 2. They would have to wait until this busy period blew over.

With that thought, Duke followed Scarlett's gaze, his eyes landing on Mellody Hobson.

Frankly speaking, much like many of the guests present, he hadn't expected George Lucas and Mellody Hobson's interracial romance to actually lead to the altar.

Of course, no one thought Mellody Hobson was unworthy of George Lucas. After all, she was widely recognized as a corporate elite in her own right.

Aside from her role as the head of the DreamWorks Animation Division, Mellody Hobson was also the president of Ariel Investments, a prominent Chicago firm. She chaired the Ariel Mutual Fund and was a major sponsor of the American Broadcasting Company's Good Morning America.

She had even launched her own financial investment show at one point. Not only did her career span across major industries, but she was also exceptionally passionate about film and television. Prior to dating George Lucas, Mellody Hobson had never been married; this was her first time walking down the aisle.

The wedding went off without a hitch. There were no unimaginable melodramatic twists, and George Lucas and Mellody Hobson received heartfelt blessings from Lucas's children.

After the ceremony, the event naturally transitioned into a classic Western-style reception.

Since Mrs. Leah had whisked Scarlett away to introduce her to some friends and expand her network, Duke was left to mingle on his own. In addition to George Lucas's inner circle, many of Mellody Hobson's friends and relatives were also in attendance.

Among them was Jeffrey Katzenberg of DreamWorks Animation Studio.

After successfully brokering the collaboration on Kung Fu Panda between Warner Brothers, Twentieth Century Fox, and DreamWorks Animation Studio, Duke had considered acquiring a stake in DreamWorks Animation. Given that the studio's total market cap hovered around a billion or so dollars, it wouldn't have been a particularly massive transaction.

Even though he had always wanted his studio to become part of a larger corporate conglomerate, Jeffrey Katzenberg had no desire to sell his shares to Duke. He knew exactly what kind of man Duke was, understanding that if Duke ever got involved in DreamWorks Animation's affairs, his own authority would undoubtedly be compromised. There was even a real possibility that DreamWorks Animation Studio might one day bear the Rosenberg name.

Marvel Comics was a prime cautionary tale.

Duke didn't care much about Jeffrey Katzenberg's refusal. He knew that not every good opportunity would simply fall into his lap, and he certainly couldn't expect people to sell him whatever he wanted.

After exchanging polite greetings with Katzenberg, Duke wandered over to join George Lucas's circle of friends and family. The absolute center of this group was, without a doubt, Steven Spielberg and Francis Coppola.

The veteran filmmakers were clearly deep in discussion. Duke singled out Sofia Coppola from the crowd and asked in a low voice, "Darling, what are they talking about?"

Sofia Coppola turned to look at him, keeping her voice hushed. "Steven is discussing the future of Hollywood blockbusters."

Piqued by this, Duke stepped forward, standing right beside Sofia as he pricked up his ears.

"Every year, Hollywood wagers everything on high-budget blockbusters designed for mass appeal, yet we're actively losing the audiences who watch films via television and the internet."

The speaker was Steven Spielberg. As a studio owner, he had thoroughly studied the entire industry. "Sooner or later, this gamble is going to blow up in Hollywood's face, dealing a devastating blow to the entire industry."

"The entire town is throwing money at massive blockbusters," Francis Coppola said, clearly agreeing with Spielberg. "But this model won't work forever. Eventually, their focus is going to grow narrower and narrower. Audiences will abandon them, and the studios will be left completely lost, with no idea what to do next."

A wave of hushed murmurs rippled through the surrounding crowd, which included renowned directors like Duncan Jones and Ron Howard.

The crowd quieted down as Spielberg spoke again. His voice wasn't loud, but it carried clearly. "The reason we're seeing this now is that there are simply too many other forms of entertainment competing for the audience's attention. Yet, the studios would rather blow 250 million dollars on a single movie than greenlight a few smaller, more personal projects."

He let out a sigh. "In the end, the film industry is going to face a massive collapse. There's going to be an 'implosion' within the system. When that happens, three, four, or maybe even five or six mega-budget films will come crashing down."

"I have to agree with Steven."

The groom, George Lucas, had wandered over at some point and had clearly overheard Spielberg's point. "I think the theatrical industry is going to undergo an evolution. Before long, it's going to look a lot like Broadway."

As Lucas finished speaking, Sofia Coppola couldn't help but turn to Duke and ask, "What do you think?"