Even James Cameron himself had never declared before release that he would hit $3 billion at the box office. Other directors, when promoting their films, would only speak in vague, cautious tones. Everyone wanted to surpass the current #1, of course—but who would have the guts to stand onstage and openly declare it?
Fans didn't care about any of that. All they saw was that their idol just got even cooler—like she'd grown a few extra inches of charm right before their eyes. That kind of domineering statement? Only Laila could deliver it with such conviction! Who else? Who else would dare summon so many reporters just to drop a bomb like that?
If it weren't for the risk of being thrown out, the reporters would've already swarmed her with questions.
For her to say something like that in front of so many people meant she was dead serious about making the movie she spoke of. But… how could she dare?
Everyone knew the reasons behind her decision—but did she realize that if the film flopped… no, even if it succeeded and brought in $2.9 billion, it would still be mocked by every media outlet as a failure?
If she were aiming to surpass Titanic's $1.8 billion, maybe people wouldn't be this shocked. After all, she'd already directed multiple films that broke the billion-dollar mark. With a strong push, passing $1.8 billion wasn't impossible.
But after Avatar, the record was pushed up to $3 billion—a full $1.2 billion more!
That extra $1.2 billion alone was more than most directors would ever earn in a lifetime, and it was just the gap she had to close.
Louise glanced at the sea of excited journalists, then at Laila, who nodded subtly. With a sigh, she announced:
"We'll now begin the open Q&A. To keep things orderly, I'll be selecting reporters to ask questions. Don't worry—Laila is ready to answer as many as possible. We'll try to give every outlet a chance."
That fired the reporters up. Most of them had thought Laila called this massive press conference because she had a lot to say. But after just one statement, it was over?
Granted, that one line was enough to stir up headlines for the next two weeks. But still, their heads were bursting with questions.
"Director Moran, do you truly believe you can surpass Avatar's $3 billion box office record?" one reporter asked first.
A sharp question to start.
If Laila answered no, her bold announcement would instantly become a joke. But if she said yes, she'd be painted as arrogant and delusional.
Right now, Avatar's glow hadn't faded—its record-setting box office was still being praised as a miracle. Claiming that an unmade movie would top it? That was sure to draw fire from fans.
But faced with this trap-laden question, Laila simply smiled.
"If I didn't have that confidence, I wouldn't have said what I did."
The reporter wanted to ask more, but his turn was over. Louise quickly moved to another.
"Can you tell us what the new movie is about?"
The viewers watching the livestream cheered silently. Finally! That's what they wanted to know. Whether the film would break records was one thing—for now, they just wanted to know what kind of film could give Laila that much confidence.
What they didn't know was: this particular reporter had been planted in advance by Laila's team, specifically to steer the conversation toward the movie itself. The goal was to leave a deep impression on every viewer and every media outlet, so that when the movie was released, these people would become the first wave of ticket-buyers.
Laila glanced at the reporter and exchanged a knowing look.
"It's going to be a superhero film. I don't know if you remember, but there were post-credit scenes at the end of Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, and so on."
In the nearby side hall, where the fans were watching the livestream, someone suddenly slapped their thigh and exclaimed:
"I remember now! Every single DragonSoul and Marvel superhero movie had a post-credits scene! Back then, I kept wondering—who was the mysterious figure they were hinting at? Wait, could it be that Laila's making that movie now?!"
"Oh my god! That's the one where a bunch of superheroes got scouted for something! So she's making a movie where all of them appear? That's insane—I'm going to watch it!"
Movie fans watching from home remembered the same thing. Even those who didn't recall it quickly after checking forums. Suddenly, excitement soared. Each superhero movie had been amazing—if all their favorite heroes showed up in one film? That would be epic on a whole new level!
"Director Moran, you said this was already in planning before. Does that mean this project wasn't just a sudden idea sparked by recent events?"
A sharp-eyed young reporter got the next turn. His question caught a subtle but important detail, and Laila gave him an intrigued glance before responding:
"If none of this had happened, I still would've made this film—but probably much later. Everyone knows I already had another movie in pre-production."
"Director Moran, by declaring your intent to break the record at this press conference, are you challenging Director Cameron directly?"
This question had a lot more bite. Laila paused for a moment, then answered:
"I believe every great director strives to keep pushing boundaries. If we stop moving forward just because there's a seemingly unmovable boulder ahead, then cinema will never progress."
"I know many people think I'm making a foolish and impossible decision. But let me just say this: I will keep moving toward that goal. If there's a boulder in the way, I'll roll it aside. If there's a chasm, I'll build a bridge.
With hard work and determination, the impossible becomes possible."
What Laila didn't know was that, at that very moment, James Cameron himself was sitting in front of a television, watching the broadcast with a complicated expression.
He hadn't planned to watch. But as the press conference drew near, he found himself unable to resist.
And as soon as he turned on the screen, there she was—Laila, standing tall under the spotlight, her voice calm and steady as she dropped a bombshell that shook the entire industry.
"She wants to break my record?!"
At first, Cameron was furious.
Then he burst out laughing.
Fine. Let's see, then. Let's see what she'll bring to the table—will she rely on money and marketing? Or will it be that fabled, one-of-a-kind creative genius of hers?
But suddenly, a thought struck him like lightning, and his laughter stopped cold.
Eyes wide, he stared at the screen, watching Laila answer yet another question—
—And in that instant, something in his heart shifted.