Although Warner Bros. planned to separate from Gilbert, there was one major film series they were forced to let Gilbert finish—Batman.
Kelly Ross originally intended to hand Batman to another director, but the executives unanimously opposed it. The objections were even louder than those against the separation plan.
The reason was simple: projects related to Melon Studios required profit-sharing with Disney, but Batman belonged entirely to Warner.
Batman had barely been revived from the dead under Gilbert's hands—at this point, finding another director to take over was something no one felt comfortable with.
Under overwhelming opposition, Kelly Ross had no choice but to compromise and continue letting Gilbert handle Batman.
So while Gilbert was busy with post-production on EdgeRunner, Warner Bros. Vice President Gard Wilson came knocking.
"Gard, what brings you here?"
After the assistant served tea, Gilbert's face carried the same bright smile as always.
Gard Wilson gave a bitter smile. "Gilbert, everything Warner has been doing lately wasn't my intention. But I can't go against the will of the board. I hope you understand."
"Of course, Gard. Otherwise, I wouldn't have let you in." Gilbert nodded, then asked, "So you must have something to discuss. What is it?"
"It's like this. After internal discussions, we still believe you're the most suitable director for the Batman film series, so we hope you can continue directing it."
As he spoke, Gard Wilson felt his face burn with embarrassment.
If Gilbert was really as important as he said, Warner should be trying to keep him, not kicking him out the door.
Gilbert smiled with a hint of mockery. "Really? I thought you were going to replace me. Honestly, I was curious who you'd find to direct it."
Gard Wilson gave an awkward smile. "You're joking. I don't think anyone else can take over the series—no one else has that capability."
Gilbert didn't make things difficult for him. "Alright, I know none of this is your fault. But go back and tell Kelly Ross that if I direct this, she is not allowed to interfere.
If she does, she can find whoever she wants—I won't direct again."
Gard Wilson quickly promised, "Of course not. When it comes to filmmaking, you're the expert."
"That's good…"
After Gard Wilson left, Cameron Diaz asked Gilbert curiously, "They're throwing you out, so why bother directing it?"
"To earn some directing fees!"
Seeing the disbelief on Cameron Diaz's face, Gilbert said earnestly, "Michelle, I'm the one who revived Bruce Wayne. I want to see it through."
Cameron Diaz nodded softly. "Aside from the Lord of the Rings trilogy you shot in one go, I've never seen you direct the second or third films of a series.
It seems Batman might become a true classic."
She was right. After The Matrix became a huge success, Gilbert handed the sequels to James Gunn.
After Pirates of the Caribbean became a global hit, he passed the sequels to Stephen Sommers.
Clearly, Gilbert had little interest in sequels. He preferred exploring and pioneering new genres—making original films.
Although his original films often performed well, most people still believed sequels and adaptations were easier to succeed with.
But Gilbert was different—he could make original films sell just as well.
Gilbert laughed. "I just hope Miss Boone shows mercy. Negotiating my directing fee this time won't be pleasant!"
"Hmph!" Cameron Diaz snorted. "Don't make it pleasant. Go ask for thirty million! Ask for it fiercely."
"Hahaha, you're right—thirty million it is…"
Of course, that was just a joke. No matter how powerful Gilbert was, Warner wouldn't pay him thirty million. But if he didn't get a 20+20 contract, Gilbert would rather let Batman fall apart.
By the end of January, EdgeRunner had completed its entire production process.
Just like movies have summer, Christmas, and spring release seasons, the television drama market also had its own schedule. And the hottest season for TV dramas was likewise the summer season, with the fall season also performing well.
After discussions, EdgeRunners was set to air during the summer season. According to HBO and Disney's premium channel schedules, it would begin airing on the first weekend of June, with two episodes every weekend.
On Watermelon Video, episodes would update the Monday following the TV broadcast, allowing viewers to watch through the website.
The benefit of watching online was that viewers could pause at any time, as well as rewind or fast-forward. If they missed an exciting scene, they could instantly go back and rewatch it.
Television channels were different—if you wanted to rewatch, you had to wait for a rerun, unless you paid for on-demand viewing.
After production was completed, Gilbert didn't idle. The marketing and promotion of EdgeRunners proceeded according to the normal plan, and at the beginning of February, character posters were released.
Stars including Andrew Garfield, Scarlett, Emma Roberts, Jason Statham, and Dwayne Johnson began generating buzz for the series.
For example, they appeared on talk shows and mentioned the series during interviews.
Of course, the final round of promotion was led by Gilbert himself, appearing alongside the creators on a program to give the series its final push.
At the same time, the official website was updated with extensive material, filling out the cyberpunk world.
Cyberpunk had its original works and established settings, and even the tabletop game had a fairly complete framework. But when adapted into a TV series, many additional world-building details were provided through EdgeRunners.
That was the purpose of the series: aside from telling the story of David Martinez and Lucy, it also introduced viewers to key cyberpunk concepts.
No need to fully understand them—just a general idea was enough.
That way, when later episodes referenced cybernetic implants, netrunners, EMPs, cyberpsychosis, or black walls, viewers wouldn't be completely lost.
Of course, this wasn't a preachy show—the story remained the main focus. Gilbert believed the story of David Martinez and Lucy would move many viewers.
Rebecca's transformation into a cyborg would likely make audiences squirm with tension, and Adam Samsher would become one of the most successful villains.
The promotional rhythm for a series was very different from that of a film, with a longer cycle, maintaining interest through a continuous release of materials.
Gilbert chose not to release the series trailer during the Super Bowl. Imagine a series suddenly appearing amidst a bunch of movie trailers—it would feel strange.
The main reason was the cost—it simply wasn't worth it.
After the Super Bowl, EdgeRunners posters began appearing across major U.S. cities. The trailer was also released on television, giving audiences a preview.
Watermelon Video had also released the trailer early, attracting many clicks and views.
Additionally, numerous film bloggers received sponsorships and began making speculative commentary about the trailer content.
The main point was to talk nonsense in order to attract viewers, sparking interest in the series.
It wasn't just North American audiences who were excited—many overseas viewers left comments, expressing high anticipation for the series.
Everyone was curious to see what Gilbert could achieve with this production.