Zack Synder was deeply frustrated. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice had been completely overshadowed by the "Email Scandal."
Its already declining box office took yet another hit.
Warner Bros. scrambled into crisis mode—pumping more money into global marketing and pushing for early international releases, hoping to grab quick profits before the film collapsed further.
At first, it seemed to work.
Worldwide, the title "Batman v Superman" was still strong enough to stir curiosity. Warner's blanket marketing blitz tricked plenty of audiences into theaters.
By June, the global box office had climbed to 390 million dollars, close to the 400 million mark.
But neither Zack Schneider nor his team could rest easy.
The film's combined production and marketing costs had already exceeded 400 million dollars. By industry logic, the box office needed to reach at least 1 billion to break even.
What worried them more was that overseas markets soon followed the U.S. trend—box office numbers started free-falling. Clearly, it wasn't just Americans who disliked the film. Moviegoers around the world weren't buying it either.
…
By early May, both the Republican and Democratic primaries were over.
Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton emerged as their parties' nominees, preparing to battle for the presidency.
Then in mid-May, Hillary's "Email Scandal" exploded.
By mid-June, still mired in controversy, Hillary pressed forward, presenting herself as the Democratic Party's presumptive nominee. She visited Capitol Hill, meeting with Democratic lawmakers and vowing not only to defeat Trump but also to lead Democrats to reclaim both chambers of Congress.
In her speeches, she laid out a nationwide campaign strategy covering all 50 states—different from past elections that focused mainly on swing states like Ohio and Virginia.
Of course, she didn't miss a chance to attack Trump.
"Trump is unfit to be President of the United States. He has no serious plans for jobs, income, or national security," Hillary declared. She painted him as a profiteer, a swindler, warning that if Trump won, the U.S. economy would "sink like a stone," throwing millions out of work.
On the other side, Trump launched his own counterattack on June 22 at a campaign rally.
The Financial Times described it as "a sharp, calculated strike."
Uncharacteristically sticking to a scripted speech, Trump thundered that Hillary was nothing more than a "world-class con artist."
He pointed to the leaked emails:
"She's the most corrupt candidate ever to run for president. As Secretary of State, she turned the office into a personal money machine—treating the State Department like her own family business. She funneled foreign donations through the Clinton Foundation, risked national security by using a private email server, and pocketed millions in Wall Street speaking fees. She's sending a message to voters that's old, tired, and repulsive."
Then came the dagger:
"She's getting rich while you're getting poorer."
Trump also accused Hillary of destabilizing the Middle East, spreading terrorism, and destroying lives.
Many analysts noted that this was one of Trump's most disciplined and effective attacks yet—possibly shifting the election in his favor.
The New York Times quipped: "The 2016 U.S. presidential election has become a duel between 'Crooked Hillary' and 'Loudmouth Trump.'"
The Washington Post was harsher: "Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump may be the two most disliked presidential candidates of the 21st century—maybe even the 20th."
In truth, as soon as both secured their nominations, the two had been sniping at each other non-stop. Twitter became their battlefield.
(Even Martin was enjoying the show.)
In early June, after Hillary clinched the Democratic nomination, she tweeted a thank-you message.
Trump immediately mocked: "Obama just endorsed Crooked Hillary. He wants four more years of Obama—but the people don't!"
Hillary snapped back: "Delete your account."
Trump pounced: "How long did it take your 823 staffers to think that one up? And where are the 33,000 deleted emails?"
…
At every rally, Hillary hammered home the same warning: electing Trump would be a "historic mistake" that would plunge America into economic and military crisis. She called him unprepared, unstable, and temperamentally unfit for office.
Trump, as always, hit back with even sharper words:
"She's greedy, incompetent, and corrupt. She's the accomplice of a sexual predator husband, a criminal who belongs in jail, and she's not even a true Christian."
He repeatedly warned that if Hillary became president, America would head straight for destruction.
Before the scandal, a Reuters/Ipsos poll showed Hillary leading with 46.6% to Trump's 32.3%.
By mid-June, Hillary had slipped to 44.5%, while Trump rose to 35.5%.
In less than a month, Trump had closed the gap to just 9 points.
Hillary saw the danger. Her numbers were sliding, and she couldn't just sit back.
So—
"Barack, it's time to keep your promise."
On June 22, at 9 a.m. Washington time, President Barack Wife appeared in a video message, officially endorsing Hillary Clinton for president.
"I don't think there's ever been anyone more qualified to hold this office," Obama Wife said, emphasizing her support. She also promised to join Hillary that weekend in Wisconsin to kick off a major campaign rally.
By then, Hillary's support had already dropped to 42%—with Trump climbing to 39%.