Made In Hollywood

The sun had just moved to the west, and the Hollywood Chinese Theater was already crowded with people. Recently troubled Keanu Reeves, instead of his usual dejected demeanor, appeared energetic as he walked the red carpet. His presence drew loud cheers, especially from those holding The Matrix posters, who shouted "Neo" repeatedly.

The excitement surrounding Keanu Reeves hadn't yet passed when Charlize Theron, in a floor-length mermaid gown, stepped out of the car, taking the atmosphere to a climax.

Although Charlize had some physical flaws like small breasts and large feet, she was one of Hollywood's top "clothes hangers," and after years of careful study and practice, she was gradually growing into the future queen of the red carpet.

Compared to the lead actors, Duke's appearance on the red carpet was much more low-key, and he always walked very quickly. Just as Charlize Theron entered the interview area, he followed her in.

While the main cast members were being interviewed, another group, dressed in black trench coats and sunglasses like Neo, suddenly appeared from both sides and walked in the coolest manner towards the Chinese Theater, stirring the audience and media into a frenzy.

"It's cool!"

Similar shouts could be heard from Hollywood all the way to the beaches of Santa Monica.

The usual round of interviews, revealing a few behind-the-scenes secrets, followed by group photos in front of the sponsor's advertising board—Hollywood premieres had long become a formula.

After completing the usual work, Duke and Robin Grand led the way down a side corridor and into the screening hall. By this time, except for the front row reserved for the crew, the hall was already packed.

After shaking hands with a few people who greeted him, Duke reached his seat. Tina Fey was sitting next to Irene Lauder.

"Where's Anna?" Irene asked curiously after Duke sat down. "I haven't seen her."

"She's in New Zealand with Zack Snyder," Duke replied. "There's some intense work going on with The Lord of the Rings, so they didn't come back."

Then, with a smile, he added, "Thanks for coming to my premiere."

Irene Lauder winked at him and said playfully, "Although I'm not as crazy as I used to be, I'm still a standard Duke-style movie fan. The reactions online have been so strong for this film. I missed the preview, so I couldn't miss the premiere."

She gave Duke's hand a light pat. "With so much going on recently, I, as a friend, had to come by to see if you're still as tough as a rock, or if you've been overwhelmed."

"Feeling better now?" Duke raised his eyes in rare annoyance.

Irene Lauder laughed. "Now I'm at ease. You're still the old Duke."

As they chatted, Tina Fey gave Duke a signal and quietly reminded him, "Director Lucas and Spielberg are behind you."

Hearing this, Duke stood up and greeted the people behind him.

"Hi, George. Hi, Steven."

After shaking hands with both, George Lucas asked, "How come I didn't see your mother?"

"Mom went to Europe," Duke said helplessly. "She's been really busy lately, and couldn't make it to my premiere."

After chatting with George Lucas, Duke turned to Spielberg, surprised to see him attending the premiere of The Matrix.

However, being of the same Jewish descent, Deep Impact was just normal commercial competition, and targeted Morgan Freeman, not Spielberg. There was no animosity between them, and Duke didn't feel awkward at all.

"I might be getting old, Duke," Spielberg, the seasoned veteran, said with a good attitude, "but I still occasionally browse the internet. The buzz around The Matrix has been so intense, I wanted to see for myself what kind of film you've brought."

Duke smiled but didn't say anything.

Spielberg continued, "Many people think James Cameron is the representative director of Hollywood's technical genre. In my view, you're one of them too. The action shots and editing style you used in Speed and The Rock have already sparked a revolution in Hollywood action films."

"Steven, you're exaggerating," Duke said, rarely being humble.

Spielberg shook his head. "No need for modesty. Today's action and sci-fi films are practically filled with your sharp editing style."

He changed the subject to the movie. "I saw from the trailer that you've used a lot of new techniques and action scenes. Actually, there are things I should learn from you."

Spielberg realized his issue, understanding that this rapidly changing era required him to absorb new elements, or risk ending up like Francis Coppola, in a downward spiral.

The two of them, with their vastly different positions, would never be deeply involved, so after a few more pleasantries, Duke returned to his seat.

"People always say women are animals who would love to strangle each other in their hearts but can still laugh on the surface."

Irene Lauder leaned in to Duke and whispered, "I think men are the same."

"Me and Spielberg?" Duke shook his head and whispered back, "Dear, there's no personal conflict between us."

Irene didn't pick up on Duke's response and instead asked, "How's the box office of Deep Impact?"

"Up to yesterday, $34.89 million," Duke gestured with his eyes toward the other side of Irene Lauder. "I'm not sure about today's Thursday numbers. You'd better ask Tina."

Deep Impact's box office wouldn't see any significant rebound. Starting tomorrow, its North American screening scale would be significantly reduced, with just 2,000 theaters remaining.

With The Matrix expanding its screening scale, despite some negative press about Keanu Reeves and the film's rating, the actual buzz was extremely high. Warner Bros. and the North American theater alliance initially planned a release in 2,800 theaters. However, since Deep Impact was underperforming, The Matrix was the obvious beneficiary.

The Matrix would officially hit 3,122 theaters tomorrow.

Still, many fans couldn't wait, and today's premiere saw a large number of regular moviegoers, especially those who had attended the preview and were eager to rewatch it.

Norman was attending the premiere for the third time after being blocked from the previous two. This time, he had successfully gotten in, and once he sat down, he became the center of attention!

Norman had dyed his hair black, wore black Ray-Ban sunglasses, and a long black trench coat like Neo's, sitting expressionlessly. His look was so cool it was hard not to draw attention.

"Too bad I couldn't get the Nokia flip phone," Norman said to his companion, Harkins, as he ignored the curious gazes around him. "The movie's merchandise won't be released until tomorrow, and I had to work hard to get the sunglasses and trench coat, but the Nokia phone is a no-go."

He looked at his companion. "How do I look?"

"Very cool!" Harkins gave him a thumbs-up but then added, "But I think the coolest look is still Trinity, those long legs in tight leather pants…"

His mouth nearly watered just thinking about it.

Nearby, two girls, around eighteen, were discussing the same topic.

"Amanda, I don't care who the director of this movie is!"

The black-haired girl said to the blonde girl, "I came for this movie because the trailer was so cool. I've never seen a movie like this before."

"Miley, once you see Duke's films," Amanda said dismissively, "you'll realize just how amazing his movies are and you'll end up fangirling over him as a director."

"I won't!" Miley raised her chin. "Why would I worship him as a director?"

"Because he can turn the impossible into reality in his films."

Clearly, Amanda was a fan of Duke. "He takes human imagination to the next level!"

Hearing the girls' conversation, Kenneth Turan, one of the most famous professional critics, couldn't help but glance at them. He knew how much of an impact Duke's films had on teenagers. The girl wasn't exaggerating at all.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have squeezed into the premiere without any invitation.

"The trailer was brilliant, and it even brought some surprises," Kenneth Turan muttered to himself. "Hopefully, the film won't disappoint. If the scenes from the trailer hold up in the full movie, this will undoubtedly be a revolution in Hollywood cinema!"

As he was thinking this, the two girls whispered again, "Is it starting?"

The lights in the theater dimmed in a series, and the screen gradually lit up with the distinctive Warner Bros. and Duke Studios logos. Unlike the past, the dark green, cold-toned opening looked blurry and shaky, creating a false sense of unreality, as if what they were seeing wasn't a real opening…

After the opening, countless green codes fell from the top of the screen, eventually forming the title — The Matrix!

The off-screen voice and flashing computer code began, seemingly discussing the search to protect a certain person, who seemed to be the Savior!

A dozen policemen moved through a dim and dilapidated hallway, clearly searching for someone, eventually arriving at a room. The largest of them kicked open the door, revealing a beautiful woman in tight leather!

.....

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