The hottest place in summer isn't the Sahara Desert, but the North American film market.
In 2011, nearly forty major Hollywood productions, each with a substantial budget, would launch in North American theaters, creating what seemed like the most powerful summer movie lineup ever.
This was a time for blockbuster films and soaring box office numbers.
On May 6, taking advantage of the "Superhero Alliance Film Festival" organized by the Los Angeles Times, Green Lantern was set to kick off the summer race for audiences.
Within four months, Pirates of the Caribbean 4, Fast & Furious 5, Transformers 3, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 would all premiere, with the latter two marking the end of their respective franchises. DreamWorks' Kung Fu Panda 2 and Pixar's Cars 2 would continue their annual animated film face-off. And with nearly twenty movies featuring 3D effects, the technology was no longer a luxury.
Though Green Lantern was first in line, Marvel wasn't about to let DC have the spotlight alone. Marvel also had two major superhero releases scheduled: a reboot of the X-Men series, X-Men: First Class, and the introduction of the Avengers' leader, Captain America. The latter's title even held a surprise: The First Avenger.
Marvel had been paving the way for The Avengers for years.
Compared to Marvel's superhero franchise, DC was certainly lagging, which is why Warner Bros. and DC Comics had invested heavily in Green Lantern, hoping it could lay a stronger foundation for the Justice League universe than Iron Man had done for Marvel.
Matthew, having a long-standing partnership with Warner Bros., had access to some of the studio's operational strategies. Warner Bros. had decided that after the Harry Potter series concluded, it would release one or two superhero movies based on DC Comics properties each year.
Recently, DC Comics had undergone internal restructuring, with the strong-willed Geoff Johns appointed as the Chief Creative Officer of DC's superhero films. This move was aimed at making the most of DC's wealth of content, allowing them to compete with Marvel in the "post-Harry Potter era."
"Green Lantern changes the dynamic where DC was only relying on Superman and Batman to counter Marvel," Charles Roven, a renowned producer from Warner Bros., told Matthew in the VIP lounge of the Kodak Theater during the Green Lantern premiere.
Roven added, "Besides next year's The Dark Knight Rises and Man of Steel, DC is reviving the Justice League project to compete with Marvel's The Avengers, aiming for a 2013 release."
Matthew nodded lightly. "If all goes well, DC could catch up soon."
At this point, he couldn't exactly say that some of DC's plans seemed unfeasible.
Charles Roven continued, "Green Lantern 2, The Flash, and Wonder Woman are also being planned. DC's superhero films will see a surge in the coming years."
From Warner Bros. executives to DC Comics and Charles Roven, the producer of Green Lantern, confidence in the film's success was sky-high.
Matthew hadn't seen Green Lantern yet. Reportedly, Warner Bros. had only done internal screenings, and no reviews had surfaced in the media. This suggested either a lack of quality or supreme confidence.
Based on Charles Roven's demeanor, it seemed more likely the latter. Matthew had just met with Kevin Tsujihara, Warner Bros.' CEO, who had displayed the same level of confidence.
Could it be that this Green Lantern would defy expectations, unlike the version he remembered that often topped "box office bomb" lists?
Seeing Warner Bros.' high expectations, Matthew began to suspect that a successful Green Lantern could potentially alter the course of the DC Comics superhero universe and the Justice League project.
Frankly, compared to the Marvel Universe, the DC Universe was broader and more idealistic. DC's heroes generally had more fantastical powers.
If Green Lantern proved successful, DC's Justice League would start to come together. Major superheroes like Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Flash, Wonder Woman, Catwoman, and Aquaman would debut or reappear on the big screen.
This could very well mean the start of a vast DC cinematic universe.
After chatting with Charles Roven for a while, Matthew moved on to find Kevin Feige, the head of Marvel's superhero film universe, who had also come to attend the Green Lantern premiere.
"You've always had a good relationship with Warner Bros.," Feige remarked. "Have you seen Green Lantern yet? Do you think it will succeed?"
From Feige's perspective, if Matthew had doubts, Green Lantern was likely in trouble.
Matthew shook his head slowly. "I haven't seen it yet."
Feige glanced toward Charles Roven and said, "I hope this movie does well."
Matthew raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
Feige explained, "Marvel and DC have never been enemies, and the competition isn't that intense. The era of superhero movies is here. The more superhero films that succeed, the larger the potential superhero audience, and the more people who haven't been fans yet might start paying attention."
Matthew nodded. "Maybe one day, Marvel and DC superheroes will cross over in a movie."
Feige laughed. In comics, Marvel and DC characters had collaborated many times. Online, it often seemed like Marvel and DC were bitter rivals, but that was mostly die-hard fans clashing.
In truth, there was no major animosity between the two companies.
Given the American comics industry's flexible approach, it wasn't uncommon for writers and artists to work for both companies, drawing Captain America one day and Superman the next.
Soon after, Matthew ran into Zack Snyder, with whom he exchanged a few words. Snyder had decided to bring his dark, signature style to Man of Steel.
Every director has their own vision and philosophy, so Matthew didn't comment much on it.
If DC films continued with Snyder's tone, even if Green Lantern succeeded, they might be going in a direction that didn't match the current era's tastes.
While DC Comics might have an edge in content, the fast-paced culture of today meant that the screen and internet were the quickest ways to build a fanbase.
Just then, Matthew spotted a familiar couple approaching him.
"Hi, Matthew."
Seeing Leonardo DiCaprio with Blake Lively beside him, Matthew smiled. "Good evening, Leo."
He glanced at Lively, who wore a blue floral-print dress with a sweetly charming, flared skirt and a sexy V-shaped back, highlighting her fit figure. With her blonde hair, slim waist, and long legs, she was exactly DiCaprio's type.
Matthew couldn't help but sigh; his taste was quite similar to Leonardo's.
Blake Lively greeted Matthew, who responded politely. She looked more youthful and attractive in person than in photos and on film.
Some actors just don't come across well on camera, and Blake Lively seemed to be one of them.
After Lively moved on, Matthew, who had known DiCaprio for years and shared common interests, asked, "So, Leo, are you settling down now?"
"What?" DiCaprio looked genuinely puzzled by the question.
Matthew replied bluntly, "Marriage, Leo. Marry a fan who loves and admires you, and you'll definitely be happy."
DiCaprio looked at him wide-eyed. "Marriage? Are you kidding?" He stared at Matthew. "Come on, spill it. Why are you pushing me to marry? Trying to get rid of a competitor?"
Matthew knew he wasn't talking about movies. He shook his finger. "Leo, do I need to do that? You're no match for me; in both quantity and quality, you're completely outpaced."
DiCaprio wasn't one to admit defeat easily. "Winning now doesn't mean anything. Let's see who's ahead in twenty years."
"Deal." Confident, Matthew held out his fist. "It's settled, then!"
DiCaprio fist-bumped him. "Anyone who marries along the way loses automatically."
While Matthew had considered settling down in the future, marriage seemed far off. He nodded, "Deal!"
To anyone watching, they looked so serious it might seem as if these two were planning to take over the world with their movies and characters.
As more people from the production entered the lounge, Matthew spotted Will Smith and his wife, Jada, among the newcomers.
The couple laughed and greeted everyone warmly, exuding confidence and ease.
Could the entire cast and crew really be this confident?
Matthew shook his head. The film was about to be released, and the audience's reaction would soon be clear.
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