Looking over the entire history of Hollywood and even global cinema, there has never been a director with as massive a fanbase as Duke, nor one dubbed a "Duke Stan." From this title alone, it's clear just how fervent this group's admiration and support for Duke truly is.
Previously, five superhero films had paved the way for The Avengers, coupled with the almost fanatical promotional marketing of Warner Bros. and Marvel Studios. Added to Duke's own influence, this directly led to the film surpassing the $600 million mark in North America during its eighth week of release, making it the fourth film in North American box office history to cross $600 million, following Titanic, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, and Avatar.
Moreover, The Avengers surpassed The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King's $604.45 million, becoming the third-highest-grossing film in North American history.
Throughout North America, standing atop both the box office and commercial cinema, there were only Duke and James Cameron.
The only difference was that James Cameron secured the first two spots with Titanic and Avatar, while Duke's The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King and The Avengers ranked third and fourth.
By the end of June, this situation was reversed. The Avengers reached a cumulative North American gross of $665.24 million, surpassing Titanic's $658.72 million, becoming the second-highest-grossing film in North American history.
At the same time, The Avengers' global box office totaled $1.9 billion, steadily approaching Titanic's worldwide gross. Securing the second spot in global box office rankings was only a matter of time.
This achievement was enough to elate anyone, but Duke remained calm and did not slow his pace. From late June onward, he frequently entered and exited Warner Bros., preparing for his next project.
On another front, Duke traveled to San Francisco for several meetings with Kathleen Kennedy, discussing the feasibility of unifying the Jedi and Avengers universes, as well as future promotion plans for Star Wars.
Particularly in the Chinese market, while the Western world, Japan, and South Korea all followed Star Wars storylines, Chinese audiences were not among them.
At Duke's request, Kathleen Kennedy, along with representatives from Warner Bros. and 20th Century Fox, flew to China. Over the next two years, they planned to open up the Chinese Star Wars market through various activities.
Although a new film was about to be greenlit and The Avengers had achieved strong results, Marvel Studios and Warner Bros. never stopped their promotional efforts, much like capital's relentless pursuit of profit.
The Avengers' North American daily box office had indeed fallen to just over one million dollars, yet merchandise sales were booming. At this point, promotion was not just for box office returns, but for the entire industry chain.
Consequently, Duke and the Avengers simultaneously graced the cover of Time magazine, which also featured an exclusive interview with him.
In the interview, as director, Duke Rosenberg shared more interesting behind-the-scenes anecdotes, whether true or embellished was irrelevant.
The interview, presented in a documentary style, appeared on the front pages of Time magazine.
Time Magazine: "Previously, Scarlett Johansson said in an interview that they acted like children on set, always playing around and causing you headaches. Is that true?"
Duke Rosenberg: "Yes, the Avengers are just a bunch of brats. And they are all great friends, so the set was extremely fun. Full of energy. I had to give orders to get them to quiet down and focus on filming."
Time Magazine: "Does this relaxed and harmonious atmosphere actually help in making a good movie?"
Duke Rosenberg: "It definitely helps. Because they are friends and familiar with each other, this easygoing camaraderie makes the filming process smoother. However, in the film, they dislike each other, which actually highlights their acting skills."
Time Magazine: "With so many important and distinct characters in the film, how do you emphasize each one without them stealing the spotlight from each other?"
Duke Rosenberg: "In my view, the characters are exciting precisely because they compete for attention. Of course, Tony Stark as Iron Man is the most prominent. The most interesting part is watching each character gradually vie for narration or screen time. Because of the presence of others, the playful debates, support, and opposition, each character becomes richer, more interesting, and cooler."
Time Magazine: "During the initial script and story creation, was there any character you wanted to focus on or highlight more?"
Duke Rosenberg: "I genuinely hope every character can shine, but characters like Thor, Hulk, and Hawkeye are more challenging. Especially Hawkeye—he appeared less in the first film, so I feel I owe something to him. Of course, showcasing these characters is also interesting. Because we know so little about them, I have the opportunity to be the one to explore their potential."
Time Magazine: "I think the hardest thing is challenging yourself. Your previous films have achieved great success. How do you surpass yourself under everyone's expectations?"
Duke Rosenberg: "For me, each film is a new beginning. I deliberately avoid thinking about surpassing myself. My focus is just to make a good film. Whether I succeed or not, that's my goal. This goal isn't about bigger budgets or earning more money. Of course, I want to earn more, but I cannot control that. What I can control is whether I tell fresh stories, whether the content is exciting, memorable, or justified creatively. That's the real source of my pressure, not scale or quality. Of course, this film is indeed larger in scale."
Time Magazine: "We are currently in the golden age of superhero films. Are you concerned that audiences may gradually grow tired of this genre? What should filmmakers do to avoid this?"
Duke Rosenberg: "I think Marvel aims to make each film its own. Kevin Feige once said Marvel doesn't make superhero movies—they make genre films with superhero characters. Marvel likes variety, and it's indeed beneficial. Ultimately, I don't worry about superhero films' longevity. I've already seized the chance to make my own superhero movie. If eventually another genre takes over, as long as the story is compelling, it's a good film."
Time Magazine: "Many viewers feel The Avengers can be interpreted from multiple angles. But what aspect do you value most or feel most proud of?"
Duke Rosenberg: "For me, it's a story about power and how it affects us—power over others, over our children. So I explore humanity, interpersonal relationships, and society in a blockbuster. Exploring these themes and telling moving stories excites me. Obviously, I also enjoy action sequences and staging—that's my favorite. Marvel inviting me to participate in this film was a strange yet personal thrill that excited me the most."
Time Magazine: "What do you think is the biggest similarity and difference between Marvel and DC?"
Duke Rosenberg: "Besides both being about superheroes, they are worlds apart. People tend to view them as competitors, but in fact, they are completely different. DC's roster of superheroes has a long history, mostly consisting of towering, iconic figures, while Marvel's characters are mostly a bunch of goofballs. DC films are more mysterious and continuous, whereas Marvel films are everywhere and feel somewhat juvenile. Actually, I like both of them. They each have a place in the market, and there's no need for one to step on the other to advance."
Time Magazine: "In your view, what is the core appeal of superhero films? Why do they attract so many fans?"
Duke Rosenberg: "Actually, they come from us. Superheroes represent humans at their best—broad vision, physiques larger than ordinary people, especially Chris Hemsworth; they are indeed taller than humans. So, superheroes are humanity at its most perfect. At the same time, they also possess the most foolish and terrible human traits. They combine both, face all kinds of dangers, and people don't just watch, they immerse themselves and imagine being there. That's the joy superheroes bring me."
Time Magazine: "Many people believe Star Wars is, in a sense, also a superhero film. Do you agree?"
Duke Rosenberg: "In some respects, that's not wrong."
Time Magazine: "As is well known, you've acquired Lucasfilm. Will Star Wars be rebooted?"
Duke Rosenberg: "Actually, a new Star Wars series is already in planning. We will reboot the series and continue telling the story of the Jedi."
As Duke mentioned in the interview, the new Star Wars entered the schedule once Lucasfilm was optimized. Although the entire series hasn't even established the basic script framework yet, promotional plans—like Kathleen Kennedy's trip to China—have already begun.
After this interview was published, many fans refocused their attention on The Avengers, and the film's box office saw a small rebound. Merchandise, as always, remained extremely popular with no sign of cooling.
On July 1, Duke and Warner Bros. officially announced through instant shares and the official website that his new film had been greenlit.
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