The summer season is always the most intense and competitive time of the year for movies, and this year is no exception. From toys to tech-savvy rich kids, to Martians, and even that unconventional green-skinned monster from a fairy tale, all were bombarding people's minds with intense marketing campaigns.
The battle had reached its climax, with Matthew and Christopher Nolan bringing fans the highly anticipated Inception. Due to the mysterious title and Warner Bros.' tight secrecy surrounding the script, the entire film was shrouded in a veil of Hollywood mystery.
Matthew walked the red carpet to the cheers of countless fans.
In the media zone, he was dressed in a suit, chatting and laughing casually with Emma Roberts, who wore a short evening dress. Both of them cooperated patiently with the media and fans, posing for pictures.
Michael Fassbender and James McAvoy followed, both wearing similar black suits, seemingly sending a message that they were best buddies...
This was the last prime slot of the summer, and Inception had its grand North American premiere at the Chieftain Stone Theater, with the entire main cast led by Matthew and Christopher Nolan gracing the red carpet.
Everyone was there except one person—Anne Hathaway.
"Where's Anne Hathaway?" Emma Roberts asked as the photographers snapped away.
Matthew waved to the fans and answered, "Christopher Nolan didn't want her to attend."
That incident in London had seriously impacted Nolan's opinion of her. If Emma Roberts didn't have a well-connected aunt, she wouldn't have been invited either.
As for Anne Hathaway, while it didn't affect other aspects of her career, Nolan had made it clear he wouldn't work with her again.
Seeing Michael Fassbender and James McAvoy approaching the media zone, Matthew and Emma Roberts smoothly moved toward the interview area.
Unlike the typical all-American big girl Julia Roberts, the petite Emma Roberts aligned more with Eastern aesthetics.
Matthew couldn't help but think back to everything that happened in Canada. He leaned a little closer to Emma Roberts and asked in a low voice, "Emma, are you cold lately?"
Emma Roberts was momentarily confused. It was July in Los Angeles, with the sun blazing. How could she be cold?
"Just because it's warm outside doesn't mean it's warm inside," Matthew said with a meaningful smile.
Hearing this, Emma Roberts immediately understood. The pleasant warmth from their frictional encounter came flooding back to her memory, and she said, "It does feel a bit cold inside."
Matthew, naturally aware of the meaning, smiled and said, "I'd love to help you warm up."
Emma Roberts had already made up her mind. "Sure."
Seeing some reporters approaching, Matthew quickly whispered, "I'll be waiting for you at the back door after the premiere."
Emma Roberts just nodded without saying more.
A female reporter, along with a cameraman, approached. According to the schedule, Matthew, as the leading actor, was bound to be interviewed.
"Mr. Horner, what do you think is the core of this film?" the female reporter asked.
Matthew thought for a moment and replied, "The essence of Inception lies in the idea that dreams can be shared... The dreams are designed to be so real, both visually and sensorially, that the dreamer doesn't even realize it's just a dream. In such a subconscious state, a person's deepest and most precious secrets are laid bare."
He paused briefly, organizing his thoughts, then continued, "The film's central idea is that the birth of a concept is like an incredibly resilient and life-like parasite. The traces it leaves behind always remain in some corner of your brain. If someone could invade your dream space and manipulate it with a hyper-realistic method, even stealing an incredibly private concept, that storytelling angle becomes incredibly captivating."
The reporter then asked, "How was it working with director Nolan?"
"Absolutely amazing! It was a brilliant journey," Matthew didn't hold back in praising both the film and Christopher Nolan. "The film is extremely entertaining, presenting a multi-layered thriller where anything can happen. But at its core, the protagonist is chasing a deeply buried truth, trying to find his way home. The originality of the story is also remarkable; no one has ever experienced anything remotely like this, and it's hard to imagine what it feels like."
He smiled and added, "All of this made me incredibly excited to be part of the film, and to work with Nolan. He's a master at telling multi-layered stories that feel palpable to the audience."
Finally, Matthew shifted the topic specifically to Christopher Nolan. "Nolan is an incredibly smart filmmaker! It's unbelievable that I had the chance to work closely with such a talented team. We had long discussions about the characters, their backstories, and their relationships with one another. Nolan encouraged everyone to express their ideas, no matter how big or small their role was. He wanted every actor to truly merge with their character, to the point where the actor and the role became one."
For a top-tier actor, getting close to an up-and-coming blockbuster director brought many benefits.
Matthew vaguely recalled that Christopher Nolan continued to make sci-fi and war films later on, which aligned perfectly with his own positioning.
The world ahead would be dominated by superhero films and remakes. He wasn't interested in superhero roles, and the leads in remakes were already fixed, leaving few major commercial productions for him to choose from.
Christopher Nolan, without a doubt, was one of the best paths forward.
As they approached the backdrop to take group photos, Matthew spotted Nolan and went over to greet him with a smile.
"I actually wanted you in The Dark Knight Rises," Nolan said, inevitably steering the conversation toward movies. "It's hard to find a villain strong enough to defeat Batman. You would've been the most convincing choice."
Matthew spread his hands and said, "You know I'm not into superhero roles." He laughed and added, "Chris, my fee for playing Bane would disrupt the balance of the entire cast."
Nolan nodded lightly. "You're right."
As both the director and a producer, Nolan knew Matthew had a valid point.
After a brief thought, Nolan said, "I have some sci-fi projects lined up. I hope we can work together again."
Top-notch directors need top-notch actors, and the combination is powerful.
Matthew responded earnestly, "I hope we get another chance to collaborate."
Some things don't need to be said outright; both understood each other's stance on future collaboration.
For the film industry, a saying from Matthew's previous country applied well: "A good wine still needs to be advertised," and the film's star-studded cast would ensure it was discovered by more fans.
Michael Fassbender and James McAvoy arrived at that moment, and Matthew greeted them with hugs.
"Man, you caused such a stir in Rio," Michael Fassbender teased, referring to some rumors circulating in their circle. "And you didn't even invite James and me to join the fun!"
James McAvoy sighed dramatically, "You really let us down, Matthew!"
"What are you talking about?" Matthew feigned innocence.
"You..." Fassbender pointed at him.
Matthew stepped back and glanced them over from head to toe, deliberately changing the subject. "Are you guys wearing matching outfits today?"
Fassbender and McAvoy's black suits were indeed quite similar.
"You're playing Professor X and Magneto," Matthew joked. "Are you going to love and fight each other like those two?"
He shot them a teasing look. "You two aren't... together, are you?"
Fassbender draped an arm around Matthew's shoulder. "You're overthinking it, man. Hollywood has plenty of territory for us to conquer!"
"Exactly!" McAvoy chimed in. "We're too busy with women to worry about men."
Matthew couldn't help but laugh. Perhaps influenced by him, both Fassbender and McAvoy's love lives had been quite rocky, with a revolving door of girlfriends. Even McAvoy, who had once planned to get engaged, had mysteriously called it off.
These two were definitely notorious playboys in Hollywood's second-tier star ranks.
After posing for pictures with the cast and sponsors for about twenty minutes, Matthew finally entered the Chieftain Stone Theater with the crew.
This weekend, aside from Inception, there were no other major releases. None of the films already in theaters posed any threat either.
John Carter, which had been released two weeks earlier, was a prime example of a flop. After two weeks, its North American box office earnings barely exceeded $30 million. With its dramatic drop in numbers, reaching $50 million domestically seemed like a distant dream.
The Karate Kid, which had opened the previous weekend, had performed decently in its first week, but no one believed it would pose any real threat to Inception in its second week.
As a mainstream Hollywood blockbuster, Inception was a true juggernaut, from production to marketing to distribution.
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