This time, the visual effects for Avatar were created jointly by Digital Domain and Weta Digital, and Peter Jackson was also familiar with 3D technology.
So when he proposed using 3D technology to produce The Hobbit series, Gilbert didn't object.
Moreover, after Avatar was released, Gilbert planned to have Peter Jackson take charge of converting The Lord of the Rings trilogy into 3D.
Gilbert's own time and energy were limited; he couldn't handle so much personally.
Bidding farewell to James Cameron, Gilbert and Anne Hathaway flew to Wellington, New Zealand, to visit The Hobbit production team.
For this project, Gilbert gave Peter Jackson considerable autonomy, though he still needed to be consulted on many matters.
It was already approaching December, and in the Southern Hemisphere, New Zealand was in summer.
Peter Jackson's hefty frame looked even larger, and even with air conditioning in the studio, he kept wiping sweat continuously.
Gilbert tapped his fingers on the table randomly while looking over the cast list.
After a moment, he closed the cast list and said to Peter Jackson, "I'm very satisfied with the cast, especially Martin Freeman. He resembles Bilbo Baggins from The Lord of the Rings trilogy."
Peter Jackson finally smiled; he had been tense until then.
Jackson said, "Many actors from the previous films are returning. I think fans will feel the same sense of awe as during the Lord of the Rings trilogy."
"Times are different now. This trilogy has an even bigger investment," Gilbert patted Peter Jackson on the shoulder and said, "Don't feel pressured. Communicate with me anytime if there's a problem."
"Don't worry, Gilbert. I won't let you down," Jackson replied.
According to plan, The Hobbit trilogy would be filmed consecutively and the first film was set to release in the summer of 2010.
It's worth noting that, although many Warner executives opposed the project, Kelly Ross withdrew from The Hobbit, arguing that the series was not directed by Gilbert.
Thus, Gilbert found a replacement, having Fruit Fund take over Warner's stake in The Hobbit.
In fact, from Disney's perspective, Fruit Fund wasn't even necessary; Disney could have funded it entirely. But recent movements among Disney's top executives had displeased Gilbert.
So he used this approach to warn Disney's upper management: don't upset him, because he could leave at any time.
Compared with Warner's decisiveness, Disney could not afford the consequences of losing Gilbert.
Sure enough, Robert Iger later brought several executives to Gilbert's Melon Estate to explain things, but they were turned away.
By the time Robert Iger arrived, Gilbert was already in Sydney.
This unusual move caught the attention of other major Hollywood companies. After the financial crisis, every studio was strategizing.
If they could lure Gilbert away from Disney, it would essentially guarantee strong performance.
Among them, MGM United was the most aggressive. Backed by the UAE consortium, their wealthy owners were unaffected by the financial crisis and were actively spending money to poach talent.
Indeed, because of the industry downturn due to the financial crisis, MGM United successfully recruited quite a few people.
But none of these recruits were as valuable as bringing Gilbert over. Securing Gilbert meant decades of guaranteed performance.
So Disney panicked. Robert Iger made seven or eight phone calls and personally explained matters to Gilbert.
Gilbert simultaneously reassured Disney's executives while having Naomi Watts subtly spread a hint at social gatherings:
He expressed dissatisfaction with certain members of Disney's board who were targeting him and hinted that he was considering moving elsewhere.
Once the Disney board members heard this, they were alarmed.
The shareholders who had been scheming to push Gilbert out of the board, especially those from the Disney family, were jointly criticized by the other shareholders.
Though Disney's shareholders wouldn't know Gilbert's private thoughts, they had no choice but to apologize humbly and plead with him not to leave Disney.
Gilbert wasn't actually planning to leave Disney; he was merely warning these restless shareholders.
Seeing that the shareholders had behaved, he accepted the situation and didn't press further.
A saying circulated in Hollywood: the appointment of Disney's CEO depended entirely on Gilbert's decision. If he didn't approve, no one could take that position.
From this perspective, Warner seemed wise.
They had expelled Gilbert from the board before he could expand his influence, preventing a situation where he could no longer be controlled.
But while Warner was willing to do this, Disney could not afford to.
Riding a horse freely across the vast open land is still an incredibly refreshing experience.
Anne Hathaway's horseback skills were far superior to Gilbert's. Presumably, since The Lord of the Rings trilogy, she hadn't let her equestrian practice lapse.
Gilbert trotted his horse along slowly, while Anne Hathaway rode with far more freedom and abandon.
"Gilbert, let's have a race!" Anne Hathaway waved ahead of him.
Gilbert nudged his horse twice, but instead of moving, the horse stopped to lower its head and graze, showing no respect whatsoever to Gilbert, the renowned director.
Seeing this, Gilbert gave up. "Jacqueline, this horse doesn't like me."
"Hahaha," Anne Hathaway laughed heartily. "Alright then, I'll go ahead and run a bit."
"Be careful…"
"I know!"
Anne Hathaway galloped ahead, while Gilbert, with the help of the trainer, removed his gear and returned to the stable lounge to enjoy afternoon tea.
New Zealand's natural scenery is extraordinarily beautiful; the atmosphere one seeks seems readily found here.
No wonder Peter Jackson placed most of the filming locations in New Zealand, only going to China when specific scenes from The Lord of the Rings trilogy were needed.
Over the years, the Lord of the Rings series contributed greatly to China's tourism industry, and with various policies in place, many Westerners' impressions of China have notably improved.
Of course, this improvement remains limited.
Previously, traveling to China, people could only share experiences through social media or word of mouth. The internet didn't have such a strong influence, and traditional media remained dominant.
And these traditional media, naturally, would not cover the booming tourism in China; if they did, it was mostly negative news.
However, in recent years, with the rise of video platforms and the gradual emergence of internet media and independent creators, traditional media no longer has such strong authority.
Young people trust what they see online more, though online information can be true or false and is difficult to discern.
Still, it's better than relying entirely on traditional media reports.
Peter Jackson, being a New Zealander, naturally wanted to contribute to his homeland, hoping that after watching The Hobbit, audiences would be inspired to visit New Zealand.
As another English-speaking region, New Zealand is easier for these audiences to accept compared to China.
In early December, Gilbert and Anne Hathaway returned to Los Angeles.
Afterward, Gilbert officially announced the film's title on his social platform: Knives Out.
Tom Cruise immediately liked and shared the post, expressing that he would once again collaborate with Gilbert and star in Knives Out.
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