In fact, within the film industry across the Pacific, "buying the box office" was no longer a secret.
Those involved in "booking out theaters" and "boosting box office numbers" were not limited to the production companies. Cinemas, advertising partners, and even the e-commerce platforms that directly sold movie tickets might all take part in it, each taking a slice of the profit.
Box office "inflation" had long become a common marketing tactic in film promotion. The falsification rate of opening day and opening weekend box office numbers often exceeded fifty percent, the purpose being to "lure" audiences into theaters. The process of inflating box office numbers to attract real audiences had been regarded by many film distributors across the Pacific as an unshakable "truth."
It had become fashionable for both big and small films to "launch satellites" with their exaggerated box office claims, making it nearly impossible to tell truth from falsehood. Distributors dared to boast recklessly because the taxes and revenue shares from box office earnings were not calculated based on these publicized numbers but on a separate set of official data.
Bragging did not incur taxes, nor did it bring any punishment, which encouraged distributors to boldly falsify box office reports.
By spending a certain amount of money to buy out numerous screenings, the production side could first secure a high box office base, present impressive numbers in public reports, and use the publicity to attract many casual viewers. Second, they could occupy more showtimes, which meant that competing films released in the same period would be squeezed out.
From a long-term perspective, distributors would also inflate box office numbers in order to elevate their company's reputation and reach first-tier status. Since most distributors were publicly listed companies, this could also help boost their stock prices. As for the theaters, they could save on operational costs—earning revenue without worrying about having empty seats.
It was worth noting that quite a few production companies and distributors were one and the same—for example, the company that created that so-called "monster-hunting box office miracle." These companies even owned theater chains, effectively achieving an integrated system of production, distribution, and exhibition—a form of self-sufficiency and industry monopoly in essence.
Back in his previous life, during his final year, an insider had once revealed to Duke that sometimes even a film's commercial partners would voluntarily book massive numbers of screenings. For instance, during the release of Switch, Audi had booked 300 screenings per day, spending between 300,000 to 500,000 yuan daily, forcibly pushing the film's box office beyond 300 million yuan.
Another case was a communications company represented by a certain "music superstar," which booked tens of millions worth of screenings for a film he starred in. Advertisers working with the film often booked showings to invite guests as part of their own marketing, essentially using the film to advertise their related products.
After the rise of e-commerce, the industry also saw the emergence of a new form—e-commerce bulk booking. For films with strong market prospects, e-commerce platforms sought exclusive partnerships and would often spend tens of millions of yuan upfront to secure showtimes, later reselling those tickets to audiences at discounted prices.
This "low-price strategy" helped cultivate user habits for the e-commerce platforms, and in the process, they could also expand their channels, influence, and market share.
Of course, Duke knew well that such practices were not unique to the film market across the Pacific. The North American market also had its share of similar phenomena. When it came to profit, capital would employ any commercial tactic imaginable. Like every other business circle, the film industry was far from a pure and virtuous world.
The difference, however, was that North America's regulations were comparatively stricter, whereas across the Pacific, both the film market and its supervision mechanisms were still in their infancy.
The current scale of box office manipulation across the Pacific was closely related to the lack of regulation. For companies that falsified numbers, the supervisory bodies had no effective countermeasures for the time being. The final reported box office figures largely depended on the production company's own "self-discipline," with no truly binding oversight.
Even by the time Duke had left that world, this situation had not improved in the slightest.
There was nothing Duke could do about it. All he could do was make sure that his own films acted cautiously in this regard, avoiding the minefield altogether.
After arriving in New York, Duke only rested at home for one night, had dinner with his mother, and then rejoined the crew—who had already arrived—to participate in the intense promotional campaign. Compared to earlier promotions, after the film's explosive opening, most of the media attention had shifted toward the two new rising stars, Daisy Ridley and Daniel Wu, because every journalist knew that these two had now skyrocketed to fame like rockets launched into space.
At the promotional event in the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, Duke remained almost entirely in the background, while the crew focused the spotlight on Daisy Ridley and Daniel Wu. They had even arranged for The New York Times to interview both of them on site.
Their sudden popularity was entirely expected. With the help of their professional agents and public relations managers, both young actors handled the interview with perfect balance—giving just enough to attract attention, yet revealing nothing unnecessary.
When a New York Times reporter asked, "Rey is an amazing character, combining traits of Princess Leia and Han Solo. Where did your inspiration come from?" Daisy Ridley answered:
"I didn't act like that. I just played my own role. As for inspiration, I didn't think about other characters. I simply acted as I should. This is a new character—she may share qualities with others, but she isn't anyone else. Thinking too much about those things would only affect my performance, so I just played Rey."
Sitting not far from Daisy Ridley, Duke listened attentively and nodded slightly. She was undoubtedly a very smart actress, possessing a maturity and composure rare for her age. Clearly, the sudden fame hadn't gone to her head. Her words not only promoted the film and the role but also highlighted her individuality and distinct personality.
In her, Duke faintly saw a reflection of a young Natalie Portman.
Thinking of that, Duke couldn't help but smile wryly. His former idol had indeed influenced his casting decisions.
Then the voice of the New York Times reporter addressing Daniel Wu came through. "After you got the role through auditions, was it difficult to keep it a secret for a while?"
"Yes. When I got the part, I wanted to tell the whole world."
Like Daisy Ridley, Daniel Wu's agent had joined ICM once he passed the audition. The response was crafted by ICM's professionals: "I did tell a taxi driver, but I don't think he believed me. He just said, 'Okay, man.' So after keeping quiet for so long, being able to finally announce that I got the role felt really cool. I'd been holding it in for too long."
The reporter continued, "What's your impression of Duke? Has anything changed since your first meeting and working together?"
"The first time I met him was a few years ago, in Las Vegas. He told me he really wanted to work with me and was looking for a suitable role…"
Daniel Wu laughed. "From then until now, we've managed to keep that natural connection from the audition. Even though it was an audition and there were other actors there, I couldn't feel their presence. Because at that moment, it was just me and Duke creating a character together and presenting it to everyone. They thought it worked, and I was chosen. The result turned out great."
The reporter asked both of them, "Did you ever have a moment on set when you suddenly turned into a fan?"
Daniel Wu made a 'please' gesture, and Daisy Ridley answered first, "Yes! I was totally amazed. Oh my God, I actually joined Duke Rosenberg's crew, and I actually met Duke Rosenberg in person. He's the director I admire the most. I had so many questions I wanted to ask him, but I had a job to do, so I couldn't. You can't just indulge yourself, otherwise you'll end up looking…"
She laughed, and Daniel Wu continued, "That only applies to you, Daisy. I had a great time on set. I worked hard, but once filming wrapped, my inner geek totally exploded. The Millennium Falcon, the lightsaber—I even brought my own figurines for Duke to sign. I really squeezed every drop of benefit out of this opportunity."
Listening to the entire interview, Duke was quite satisfied with their performance.
Moreover, the reporter—who had been briefed in advance—followed the plan perfectly and asked, "Do you think there will be more background stories revealed about Rey and Finn?"
Daisy Ridley nodded first. "Yes."
Daniel Wu gave a more detailed response. "Absolutely. There's one thing that really surprised me—how interested the audience is in the stories of these two main characters. They want to know more, but honestly, we don't know any more than you do. I actually want to talk to Duke and Lucasfilm about it. Since we're playing these roles, it feels strange not to know their backstories."
He added jokingly, "We have to know where these characters came from. We definitely need to know Luke's stance—it would be really interesting. I'll let you in on a little secret…"
Daniel Wu deliberately lowered his voice. "I think Rey is Chewbacca's distant cousin. That's an exclusive scoop!"
Daisy Ridley immediately joined in, "I've heard some rumors about that too."
Then the two of them burst out laughing together.
The interview ended smoothly. The reporter stood up, packed up equipment with the cameraman, and prepared to leave. Daisy Ridley and Daniel Wu walked off toward their respective agents. The smiles on their faces were gone; there was no conversation, not even eye contact. It was as if they were complete strangers.
To be precise, they were simply people connected through work.
Neither Duke, nor anyone else from the crew, nor even the reporter, found this surprising. This was simply the norm in Hollywood. While there were cases where lead actors or directors became friends—or even couples—after working together, those were exceptions rather than the rule.
In this industry, most of the time, work relationships were just work relationships.
As long as it didn't interfere with production, Duke and the crew wouldn't intervene in the actors' private lives.
Of course, if Daisy Ridley and Daniel Wu ever did fall for each other, Duke would definitely step in, since that could create negative publicity.
After the first weekend passed, the promotional campaign for Star Wars: The Force Awakens remained in full swing. Neither Duke, Lucasfilm, nor distributor Warner Bros. wanted to see the film's weekday box office plummet.
....
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