"The China Film Group wants to invite Director Rosenberg next summer to lead the entire crew to our side for the premiere," Mr. Wang said sincerely. "If possible, please consider holding the global premiere of Transformers on the other side of the Pacific."
Before deciding to invest in this project, China Film Group conducted targeted research domestically. The post-80s generation has grown up and gained some financial independence. They are very passionate about childhood memories, and Transformers is a hot topic among them. There are even various Transformers fan clubs in the country, all indicating huge market potential.
Also, regarding the director, China Film Group was initially worried about the style of The Dark Knight and hesitated about importing it. But Duke Rosenberg’s name carries enormous influence domestically. The Dark Knight broke Titanic’s nearly decade-old domestic box office record and became the highest-grossing film on record in the country.
China Film Group clearly understood that Duke Rosenberg’s films perfectly suit their audience’s tastes.
Duke did not reply immediately but looked at Jamie Johnson. Seeing a slight nod, he roughly understood.
Warner Brothers has close cooperation with China Film Group in many areas, including theaters. The huge success of The Dark Knight on that side proved the market’s unlimited potential. They clearly don’t want to miss the opportunity to promote the film with China Film Group.
After a moment of thought, Duke said to Jamie Johnson, "Warner Brothers is the distributor; handle it according to your opinion."
If you want a partner in a huge market, China Film Group is undoubtedly the best choice.
Since they are investing and issuing a premiere invitation, the script review and film approval won’t be a problem. Besides, none of Duke’s films contains content targeting or belittling the other side. Apart from some American exceptionalism, basically no sensitive content.
Of course, all mainstream Hollywood blockbusters have a strong American exceptionalism streak.
If even that can’t be accepted, that side wouldn’t import Hollywood films at all.
Specific matters will naturally be negotiated between Warner Brothers and China Film Group. After seeing off Mr. Wang and Jamie Johnson, Duke turned his focus back to the Transformers.
He placed a large Optimus Prime model and a Megatron model on his desk. These were limited edition 1980s versions that could be taken apart and transformed. Duke played with the Optimus Prime and Megatron, repeatedly taking them apart and transforming them all afternoon like a kid with his favorite toys.
There was only one purpose: Transformers is not just a popcorn movie but a youth popcorn movie. Duke’s mindset was too calm and old; he wanted to find the feeling he had when he first touched Transformers as a teenager.
Making this film, he as a director had to maintain a sufficiently youthful mindset.
At the same time, as he said before, he had to remember that Transformers are a group of alien intelligent mechanical lifeforms, not cold, clumsy robots.
He had to consider during pre-production how to blend these virtual characters into a relatively realistic world in the film and give Transformers genuine humanity. Whether Decepticons or Autobots, they are like humans with their own thoughts and personalities.
After assembling the Optimus Prime model, Duke’s eyes fell on the base, on which was the phrase that was undoubtedly the starting point of all Optimus Prime’s character and beliefs Freedom is the right of all sentient beings!
According to his script outline, Optimus Prime is a gentle and kind leader but also has a cold and ruthless side. To uphold his beliefs, he can betray his own race and side with humans as a "machine traitor," and will sacrifice members of the Autobots, even his own life, when necessary.
"Freedom is the right of all sentient beings" is also a universal value. Regardless of how various countries do it, this slogan is loudly proclaimed. Optimus Prime’s actions thus have a strong and powerful stance.
Film is Duke’s greatest passion, and Transformers has extraordinary meaning — it was his childhood dream.
How many children fantasized about transforming and setting off with Optimus Prime? How many teenagers imagined flying through the sky with Megatron? How many people never forgot their childhood memories?
Transformers even influenced many lives.
Although, in a way, directors who make films about a generation’s childhood dreams often become the culprits who destroy those childhood memories, Duke is willing to bear this blame for his dream and huge commercial gains.
On July 10, 2007, Warner Brothers and Hasbro officially announced the Transformers project. Duke’s new film press conference had just ended, instantly becoming a hot topic among media and fans.
The Dark Knight hadn’t finished its run yet, but Duke had already started a new project. The media and Hollywood were not surprised since in recent years he produced a film almost every year.
But the choice of topic and genre shocked the media.
The entertainment section of The Washington Post said they could not understand Duke’s choice, thinking he had just made a very deep film and should continue in that direction.
Kenneth Turan in a Los Angeles Times column said Duke was going back to his old ways.
However, online, some Transformers fans were worried, fearing Duke might darken Optimus Prime to find himself again, which would be terrifying for Transformers.
Of course, Duke would not use a dark style to make a youth-oriented film like Transformers. Content orıginally comes from 𝕟𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕝✦𝘧𝙞𝙧𝙚✦𝕟𝕖𝕥
To be exact, that kind of extreme dark style was enough used once.
Moreover, to complete such a huge project as Transformers within one year, military support was indispensable.
Duke had already contacted the Pentagon.
"With so much filming experience, I’m fairly familiar with some military procedures."
After receiving a reply confirming Pentagon involvement, Duke joked to Tina Fey, "But I’m still a little worried because many troops are deployed dealing with terrorists and might not have time for us after all, ’combat’ is what soldiers truly care about."
Tina Fey quietly rolled her eyes, "I believe the soldiers would rather fight aliens."
After all, the audience watching the film are human, and since the North American market carries the most weight, American soldiers will still play an important role in all the Transformers movies.
However, the scenario where a squad of American soldiers easily handles a Decepticon will not appear.
According to the script, the robotic lifeforms, including Optimus Prime and Megatron, are indeed very powerful, but they are not invincible or immortal; they can be harmed by heavy human weaponry, and consecutive hits to vital spots can kill them.
With Transformers officially greenlit, apart from Tina Fey replacing Charles Roven, members of Duke’s team have gradually returned to start preparations for this super blockbuster with a production cost reaching two hundred million dollars.
This funding is huge; aside from presales and package deals covering most sources, commercial sponsorship is another key focus.
At the crew’s investment promotion meeting, after announcing a list of Autobots and Decepticons and roughly their screen time and scenes, most Autobots became prime targets for car manufacturers.
General Motors bundled Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, and Ironhide; Hummer selected Ratchet; Lamborghini got Jazz; Gulfstream snatched up Knock Out...
Besides cars and planes, many brands like Burger King, Coca-Cola, Blue Ribbon Beer, Nokia, and Lenovo from across the Pacific will also appear in the film.
If nothing unexpected happens, the product placement scale of this Transformers will set a new Hollywood record.
Since the protagonists live in a modern society, these brands naturally appear in daily life. Duke doesn’t oppose product placements but also avoids awkward forced insertions.
Counting the filming cars provided by General Motors and promotional support fees from brands, product placement alone will save the film nearly forty million dollars.
Support from the Pentagon also saves the crew a lot of costs, but the crew must consider the military’s interests; the film will showcase various advanced US military equipment, which is a major selling point.
Most Decepticon members have been assigned to the Pentagon, such as Starscream becoming an F-22 Raptor and Barricade being a modified M1A2 Abrams main battle tank...
The Pentagon’s support is indeed powerful, with proposals even exceeding Duke’s expectations.
The crew can film on location at Holloman, Kirtland, and Edwards Air Force Bases, the Pentagon, and White Sands Missile Range, cooperating with different military branches and "borrowing" rarely seen advanced weapons, from CV-22 Ospreys and F-117 "Nighthawk" stealth fighters to C-130 Hercules transports, C-17 Globemaster III transports, and the Air Force’s ace F-22 Raptors.
If Duke wants, the crew can even board active aircraft carriers for filming.
Beyond promoting its weapons and troops, the Pentagon’s biggest requirement is to shape the image of the US military. With recent anti-terrorism wars, enlistment rates have dropped to an all-time low, so like The Rock and Independence Day before, the military hopes to use Transformers as a recruitment promotion.
Just like Top Gun, movies have always been excellent recruitment propaganda.
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