The moment Luke spoke, the room erupted.
"The most thrilling and intense? Is Luke throwing down the gauntlet to every other filmmaker out there?"
"He might as well have called his peers' work trash! That's some serious swagger!"
"Not just a challenge to others—he's raising the bar for himself! This is gonna outshine all his past films!"
"No way he's leaving himself any wiggle room with a claim like that. I'm dying to see what he delivers!"
Luke grinned at the reporters' reactions. Everything was going according to plan.
In the U.S., if you've got the chops, you don't play humble or low-key.
The more modest you act, the more people think you're hiding weakness.
You've gotta tell the world loud and clear: I'm the best. Nobody comes close.
That's what sparks fans' obsession and admiration.
Luke's bold words were pure gold for the journalists in the room—prime headline material.
He knew exactly what reporters ate up, so he handed them the ammo on a silver platter.
He could already picture tomorrow's headlines:
"King of Espionage? Nope! Luke Says It's the King of Action Flicks!"
"Every Action Movie You've Seen Is Trash, Says Luke!"
"Luke's Big Talk Again—Do You Buy It?"
He didn't mind if the media twisted his words for clicks. Sensationalism was fine by him.
King of Espionage was a brand-new project, built from the ground up, aiming to take on The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. To do that, it needed to start strong and keep the momentum.
Buzz was everything. He wanted the film to be a national talking point from day one.
Throughout production, he'd keep dropping teasers to whet the public's appetite.
That way, when the movie hit theaters, it'd explode.
As the reporters' chatter died down, Luke kept going: "I've made a lot of movies, but this one's the most dangerous. My stunt coordinators and I designed some heart-pounding action sequences.
The risks are downright chilling, but I'm confident I can pull it off.
As my audience, all you gotta do is sit back in the theater and wait for the magic. Trust me, you're gonna love it."
The second he finished, the reporters couldn't contain their curiosity, buzzing again:
"Luke calling it life-threatening danger? He's never hyped his stunts like this before. What's he cooking up?"
"I can't imagine anything topping Pirates of the Caribbean's intensity—that mast fight scene? I've watched it a million times!"
"He knows it's crazy dangerous and still dives in headfirst. That's the fearless Luke we know."
The reporters' reactions were right in line with his expectations.
He'd hooked them with a bold opener, then dropped the "life-threatening" bombshell. That was enough to let their imaginations run wild, spinning stories that'd pull in readers like crazy.
These journalists were leaving with a treasure trove of material.
"One last thing—I'm putting out an ad. This movie's got tons of high-octane car chases. Any car companies wanna sponsor us? We'll throw in some extra Easter eggs," Luke said.
With that, he sat down, keeping it short.
You can't spill too much at once, or the public loses interest.
Three sentences total, the last one a pitch for sponsors.
It was a no-brainer way to score funding and cut production costs—why not?
Historically, the Mission: Impossible series raked in BMW sponsorships.
The heroes rolled in BMWs, while the villains got stuck with Mercedes and Audis. Brutal.
That's what he meant by "extra Easter eggs." He was sure plenty of carmakers would bite.
"Thanks for Luke's remarks—short, sharp, and electrifying. Now we move to the Q&A.
But Mr. Lukehas asked that you don't direct questions to him today. He wants to give his team a chance to shine," the host announced.
The reporters groaned, disappointed but understanding.
If it was open season, every question would've been lobbed at Luke.
But he wanted his crew to get some media spotlight, so he'd made the call.
The journalists had enough juicy quotes from him already, so they were cool giving him the win.
So, who to grill first?
Johnny Depp, obviously. Besides Luke, he was the biggest name in the room.
With Pirates of the Caribbean still killing it at the box office, his star power was through the roof.
"Mr. Depp, why'd you sign on for a supporting role in King of Espionage?" asked a reporter from The Washington Post.
Rocking his smoky eyeliner and full-on eccentric vibe, Depp grinned. "Simple—it's just too damn cool!"
"Too cool?" the reporter echoed.
"I can't spill much—NDA and all—but the second I read the script, I was sold. Supporting role? Hell, I'd have played an extra to be in this thing!" Depp said, laughing.
"Like Luke said, it's gonna blow your minds. You'll see when it hits theaters."
Depp's quick answer only cranked up the reporters' curiosity.
What kind of movie could make Johnny Depp cool with playing a nobody?
"Mr. Tyson, what's it like working on Luke's film?" a Los Angeles Times reporter asked.
Tyson was the next most dramatic figure in the room.
Everyone remembered him duking it out with Luke at the Conrad Hotel in a boxing match.
After that, Tyson flipped from trash-talking to singing Luke's praises nonstop.
All that hype finally landed him a movie role?
Talk about a storyline. No way the reporters were passing that up.
Tyson cracked his neck, flashing a beastly grin that sent a shiver through the room.
But then his vibe softened, and he said, almost meekly:
"I'm honored. I'm damn lucky I took that kick back then. It's why I'm standing here today."