The company going public was just a side note; it didn't disrupt little Gilbert's post-production progress one bit. Hans Zimmer quickly sent little Gilbert the score he'd composed, including that classic track, "Rock House Jail." In the past, this piece was totally overused in Chinese variety shows, but that's precisely *because* it's so catchy and iconic. And now? Forget about it. Everyone, except for little Gilbert himself, was raving about it.
After getting the score, little Gilbert and editor Mehdi began weaving the music into the film. Meanwhile, the annual Super Bowl promotions were just around the corner. This stage has become the most crucial advertising platform for Hollywood's summer blockbusters, with most aspiring summer films choosing to drop their trailers there. The importance of the Super Bowl is undeniable; it's a super holiday, unofficially, welcomed across the US, and the nation's highest-rated sporting event. Of course, if something like the O.J. Simpson murder trial pops up, then it's not number one. But the O.J. Simpson trial isn't an annual event, while the Super Bowl is a once-a-year super holiday.
Similarly, Super Bowl viewership is pretty weird; the halftime show often pulls in higher ratings than the game itself. It's truly a show where the commercials are often more entertaining than the actual game. Yeah, a show. Even though it's a competition, the Super Bowl is essentially a highly commercialized entertainment program.
Little Gilbert didn't attend this year's Super Bowl; he watched the live broadcast from home. After the first half of the game, it was time for the most exciting and anticipated part: the halftime show. And the commercials during the halftime show? Just as spectacular. This year's Super Bowl had a slight change, not making movie fans wait too long. It seemed like the Super Bowl broadcasters knew what the most appealing ad segment was these past two years, so they just moved the Hollywood movie trailers right up front.
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After graduating from UCLA, Lewis, as he had hoped, started working for National Geographic as a photographer and even got to tag along as an explorer. Sarah D. Merton, on the other hand, stayed in Los Angeles and landed a sweet gig at a good company. Even though they were both busy with their careers, this original group of little Gilbert fans still gathered at a bar on Super Bowl day to watch the game together.
"Sarah D., what do you think the first commercial will be?" Lewis asked.
"I'm guessing Tiffany, or maybe Dior..." Sarah D. mused.
Every year, the Super Bowl ad show always kicked off with luxury brands, with Hollywood movie trailers joining the mix in recent years, then ending with those trailers. But this year was different. Just as they were guessing, the TV blared with the sound of tires screeching, and then they saw a Hummer tearing through the streets. Next came little Gilbert's signature tire-level shot, followed by an earth-shattering explosion.
"What is that?"
"Is this little Gilbert's new movie?"
"Yeah!"
"Whoo!"
Everyone couldn't help but clink their glasses. They'd been waiting for ages just to see this movie trailer.
"Little Gilbert's finally back in his element, action movies!"
"Totally, man, his action flicks are what I look forward to most."
Even though little Gilbert got his start making horror thrillers, *Speed* left such a huge impression on moviegoers that everyone was super hyped for his new action movie. Then a series of shots flashed by: sharp, quick cuts, intense gunfights, and finally, as an F-18 dropped bombs, Alcatraz erupted in a blaze, and then the release date was revealed.
"May 5th? Mark your calendars, guys, we're all meeting at the movie theater!"
"I've already got it written down, I won't miss this movie."
This group of UCLA movie buffs has turned going to see little Gilbert's new movie every summer into a kind of team-building event and tradition. It's become a habit, and it's probably going to stick around for a lot of years. They're about the same age as little Gilbert, and they're some of his most devoted fans.
And it's not just this group of fans; movie lovers across major cities in the US feel the same way. Over the past few years, the name **Little Gilbert** has become a symbol, a brand, with incredibly strong appeal. That's why on *The Rock*'s movie poster, little Gilbert's name is the biggest. The goal is simple: to tell movie fans he directed this film.
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After the Super Bowl, the film was to follow a normal promotional schedule. By now, little Gilbert's movies no longer needed special advertising tactics. While unconventional methods could be good, sticking to standard promotion was the steady way to go. Of course, sometimes a wild card can still get great results.
At the CAA office in Century City, Martin Bob was discussing upcoming work with his close associate.
"Did you see the Super Bowl trailer?"
"I did," the confidant replied, "There aren't many films set for the summer. Warner's *Batman Forever*, handled by Enoch Martin, and Universal's *Apollo 13*. Also, *Waterworld* will be released in June and July, respectively."
"What about little Gilbert's new film?"
"His *The Rock* is set to release on May 5th. Should we make a move?"
"Make a move?" Martin Bob glanced at his confidant. "We already struggled against the combined forces of Warner and Disney, and now Twentieth Century Fox has joined in. Unless we team up with other companies, who would dare disrespect the Big Three?"
His confidant suggested, "We don't necessarily have to mess with things in other areas. I imagine they wouldn't have much to say about normal business competition. Plus, I hear *The Rock* is trying for a PG-13 rating. We could reach out to other companies and push for *The Rock* to be rated R."
"That's it!" Martin Bob's eyes lit up. "You've got a point! I'll call them right now."
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North American film ratings are handled by the MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America). This rating system isn't strictly mandatory, but all films intended for theatrical release tacitly submit for a rating. It's a simple truth: the MPAA is backed by the seven major Hollywood studios, and they're the ones who set the rules of the game. If a newly established film company doesn't play by these unwritten rules, they'll surely face a united boycott. In Hollywood, offending the big studios usually doesn't end well; you're forced to make a quiet exit. So, while the rating system isn't mandatory, it's become an unspoken rule. If you want to release in North American theaters, you have to submit for a film rating.
Film ratings are reviewed by the **Classification and Rating Administration (CARA)**, a committee primarily made up of parents who are not involved in the film industry. They evaluate and rate films based on themes, language, violence, nudity, sexual content, and drug use, representing the likely views of most parents. Of course, this helps moviegoers, especially parents, choose appropriate films, and has nothing to do with whether the film itself is good.
Since its establishment is supported by the seven major Hollywood studios, and its primary funding also comes from these seven, they have significant influence over the MPAA. Through a certain amount of lobbying, the MPAA can make changes to a film's rating. For example, *Jurassic Park*, despite having bloody scenes of dinosaurs eating a lawyer and many terrifying shots, received a PG-13 rating. It was this rating that allowed *Jurassic Park* to become the highest-grossing film in North America that year.
The advantage of the rating goes without saying. Last year, little Gilbert's *Real Steel* leveraged its favorable rating to successfully beat James Cameron's *True Lies*, ultimately becoming the third highest-grossing film in North America with $184 million. James Cameron felt a bit hard done by; *True Lies* was slightly better received by critics and audiences than *Real Steel*, but it was an R-rated film. The disadvantage of the rating meant the film's box office wasn't as optimistic, but thankfully, it still made money through copyright and merchandising.
It was precisely because of the difference ratings could make that little Gilbert vehemently pushed the distributor to aim for a PG-13 rating. The three major investors in *The Rock*, who were also three major film studios, understood this perfectly. So, after *The Rock* was submitted for a film rating, they went all out with their public relations efforts.
Meanwhile, Martin Bob contacted Universal Pictures and Sony Pictures Columbia, with Paramount Pictures and MGM also quietly getting involved, likewise engaging in public relations. But the unfortunate thing was, Martin Bob's side wasn't united. Paramount Pictures and MGM tried to stop *The Rock* from getting a PG-13 rating, but they weren't really brave enough to go all out. However, *The Rock*'s three major investors had a clear goal and worked together, and their public relations efforts were remarkably successful.
Before the Oscars, *The Rock* actually secured a PG-13 rating, making Martin Bob so furious he smashed his coffee cup.
When the rating came through, little Gilbert couldn't help but clap. If he remembered correctly, in his past life, this movie was rated R. Although *The Rock* is a classic action film, an unfavorable rating led to it only grossing $134 million in North America. That's actually pretty good, but it could have been higher.
Little Gilbert made a lot of changes to the film during production. While he increased the "f-bomb" count, there weren't many bloody scenes. And he even changed Goodspeed's bed scene with his fiancée; since Naomi Watts was playing her, little Gilbert manually revised the script. No one would ever know there was originally such a scene in the film anyway.
After the rating came out, Martin Bob knew he couldn't change it. He was afraid that Sean Connery, after drinking and doing drugs, might do something irrational and completely offend little Gilbert. So he personally went to Sean Connery's home to calm him down. As he expected, after seeing Roger Moore's cool and elegant portrayal of John Mason in the Super Bowl trailer, Sean Connery was absolutely fuming. He felt his rage bubbling over and wanted to contact the media, to use himself to attack little Gilbert and *The Rock*.
A rational, normal person wouldn't choose to take on a summer commercial blockbuster jointly invested and produced by three major studios, unless they were of equal stature. But all of this relies on rationality and the ability to think calmly. Sean Connery, both physically and mentally, was no longer a normal person. He was already impulsive, irritable, and prone to outbursts, and with his heavy drinking and drug use, he became a powder keg at the slightest provocation. If it weren't for CAA's cover-ups, and the fact that Sean Connery hadn't really messed with any major figures, the old man would have been out of Hollywood long ago.
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