Chapter 137: Chapter 136: A Hundred Percent Fully Overwhelming
Michael Eisner's health was not very good, and he had recently undergone surgery.
During his hospitalization, Michael Ovitz took advantage of Eisner's trust to completely take control of the hospital room. Apart from himself and Eisner's wife, even Robert Iger, a trusted ally, was not allowed to enter the room.
Seizing this opportunity, Michael Ovitz concentrated as much power as possible in his own hands.
But Michael Eisner was only ill, not dead. Once his health improved, he discovered Ovitz's little maneuvers and became furious.
Had this happened in the past, Ovitz would have already been kicked out. But after his illness, Eisner's health was weakened, and internal turmoil at Disney caused his control to be much weaker.
Moreover, while he had previously held the position of president, the position was now occupied by Michael Ovitz.
In the face of Ovitz's insubordination, it was no easy task for Eisner to regain the same level of control over Disney as he had before.
However, the strong-willed Michael Eisner was not willing to compromise. He pulled himself together and began engaging in various overt and covert battles with Ovitz.
Interestingly, both sides focused on little Gilbert.
Robert Iger, who had a good relationship with little Gilbert, became the focal point of the tug-of-war.
So now Robert Iger was very troubled. He actually did not want internal strife, as it would provide opportunities for other companies.
It was one thing if little Gilbert became upset and chose not to collaborate with Disney, that would be a significant blow to Disney.
Iger thought to himself, if only he were Disney's president, then Disney wouldn't be facing such problems.
Amid the internal turmoil, it wasn't just Disney that felt the heat; even little Gilbert, an outsider, could sense the tension.
However, this wouldn't affect little Gilbert's work. Regardless of who won, he was always going to be the focal point to be courted, so he had no intention of involving himself in Disney's internal struggles.
After all, it would be problematic if Ovitz were to take control and sever the partnership with Disney.
If that happened, both Warner and 20th Century Fox would be thrilled, as it would mean that Hollywood's genius director would be firmly tied to their battle.
Putting the internal strife aside, despite the parental protests affecting the movie's reception, the film's public relations were timely.
On Sunday, The Rock earned another $17.1 million, bringing the opening weekend total to $57.3 million.
It could have been higher. A weekend total of $60 million was well within reach.
But due to the protests and the film's rating, the movie's box office suffered a slight blow.
Nonetheless, the opening weekend result was good enough to satisfy everyone, and praises were given to Gilbert, the summer blockbuster's king.
In the absence of any strong competitors, The Rock seemed to dominate the box office, almost sweeping the entire season like a ruler.
As expected, little Gilbert claimed another North American box office title.
How many times had he won the weekly box office? Gilbert didn't even bother counting, as it seemed like every film he made got at least one or two weekly box office titles.
The only regret was that he had never won the annual box office title. Would The Rock help him achieve that goal this time?
As the new week arrived, the crew embarked on a nationwide publicity tour.
Typically, the focus would be on the lead actors, and Gilbert was happy to take a back seat.
But it turned out that his popularity had eclipsed the three main actors, as he was the one receiving the most attention, whether interacting with fans or appearing on talk shows.
"While filming the action scenes, such as the gunfight scenes, I wondered what sound a person should make when hit by a bullet. Should they shout 'ah' or scream in pain?" Gilbert explained.
The host asked, "What kind of advice did Roger Moore give you?"
Gilbert replied, "Well... you know, real-life experience." He lied without hesitation.
According to Roger Moore privately, although he had served in intelligence, he had never fired a gun, let alone know what it felt like to be hit by a bullet.
But the audience loved to hear these stories, and they believed it, so Gilbert played along to meet their expectations.
Talking about his character, General Hummer, Gilbert also added, "I don't think General Hummer is a traitor. The film's dialogue clearly shows that. Hummer is a tough military leader, a good commander who cares for and loves his soldiers. At the end, his loyalty to his naval oath proves his deep love for his country."
Then Gilbert shifted the topic to the government: "I think the people in Washington should pay more attention to the soldiers who've made tremendous contributions to the country. Why wait until someone like General Hummer appears before they acknowledge these long-overlooked heroes?"
This was actually just a PR tactic. Gilbert wasn't particularly concerned about veterans' treatment; for someone like him, it wasn't an issue.
But this kind of talk drew public attention, which eventually reflected in the box office.
The PR team soon came up with several plans and quickly contacted theaters to hold special screenings for WWII veterans and active military personnel. The Pentagon also supported the film's promotion, providing military equipment for the shoot.
A Pentagon spokesperson said, "We provided a lot of equipment, including several active-duty weapons, as well as six F-18 fighter jets, with elite Navy pilots participating in the filming."
"So, you're saying that the scenes where the jets fly under the Golden Gate Bridge were actually filmed?" a reporter asked.
"Yes," the spokesperson confirmed. "When Gilbert proposed this idea, we were all very excited and agreed to let him shoot these scenes. It turns out our fighter jets are the most advanced in the world, with unparalleled low-altitude performance..."
They continued discussing at length, but the fans were mainly focused on the earlier points.
Hearing that the jet scenes were filmed in real life, and knowing that there was even a first-person perspective from the jet, fans were thrilled.
The Los Angeles Times even ranked the first-person view from the F-18 flying under the Golden Gate Bridge as the best shot of the year, calling it "a shot that pushes the boundaries of filmmaking techniques."
The bomb drop scene that followed was rated second.
The Los Angeles Times commented that if it weren't for the first shot, the bomb drop scene would have taken first place.
After its large-scale nationwide release, The Rock began screening overseas the following week, under Warner's arrangements.
Unlike before, when Gilbert's fame was huge in North America but not internationally, with Hollywood's global influence expanding and Gilbert's films consistently performing well overseas, he began to establish his reputation in the international film scene.
On May 12, The Rock entered its second weekend in North America, while it had already opened in the UK, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain.
In London, outside a cinema near Kensington Park, a giant poster of The Rock caught the attention of passersby.
Roger Moore took center stage, with Nicolas Cage and Ed Harris on either side.
Although the 007 series movies were produced by American film companies, British fans were quite familiar with this British spy, and there were even 007 series TV shows in the UK.
As news of the film's success in North America reached the UK, many fans were eager to see The Rock.
A reporter from The Times caught an excited viewer and asked, "How was the movie?"
The excited UK fan, gesturing enthusiastically, shouted, "This movie is amazing! Roger Moore was fantastic, creating a completely different British spy character."
"If you had to rate it, what score would you give?"
"Out of 100?"
"Yes."
"Then I'd give it a 98. This is the kind of movie to watch in the summer! I'm going to grab my friends and watch it again!"
This kind of reaction was common among British viewers, and the movie received extremely high praise.
The same situation occurred in France, Germany, Italy, and Spain, where audiences were similarly enthusiastic.
One viewer even said it was the best action film they had ever seen.
With such high praise, the overseas box office of The Rock continued to rise.
After its tenth day in theaters in North America, the film's box office crossed $100 million, reaching $108 million.
With many more weeks of screenings ahead, The Rock had the potential to break Gilbert's own North American box office record, possibly even claiming the North American box office crown for the year.
Thanks to its PG-13 rating, The Rock faced fewer restrictions at North American theaters.
Had it been rated R, the film might not have crossed $100 million in its first ten days.
However, the film's biggest surprise came from its overseas box office.
In the UK, the fans hadn't forgotten Roger Moore, who had played 007. However, after this film, 007 was no longer his label. Instead, John Mason became his new iconic role.
This was a good thing for Roger Moore, as 007 had made it easier for him to gain fame but also risked being typecast.
Sean Connery had been fortunate, avoiding being defined solely by 007, but not all actors were as lucky.
After The Rock, Roger Moore would no longer be confined by the Bond label because he had created an even more remarkable role.
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