On Manhattan's Fifth Avenue in New York, a long line had already formed early in front of a video store near Washington Square Park.
The reason for this early gathering was the arrival of the DVD for "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" at this store, creating a unique spectacle.
Previously, the DVDs of "The Two Towers" had sold out, leaving many unable to purchase them.
At this moment, many fans vowed to buy a set for their collection.
"So many people!" Ruiz and Evans had also come to queue.
Originally, they thought they could be among the first hundred, but by the time they arrived, the line was already very long.
Some even brought tents, clearly having come to queue overnight.
Evans was a bit anxious: "We should have come to queue last night."
Ruiz remained calm: "It's okay, it'll be our turn soon; there are just over a hundred people ahead."
"I'm worried that by the time it's our turn, the DVDs will be sold out," Evans said with concern.
Ruiz hook his head: "No way..."
Despite his words,Ruiz couldn't help but feel a bit worried what if the DVDs were sold out by the time they reached the front?
People ahead were discussing: "Are you planning to buy the regular edition or the deluxe edition?"
Another person replied: "Of course the deluxe edition; I heard it includes the trailer for 'The Return of the King.' I'm eager to see it."
The first trailer for "The Return of the King" could only be seen in the deluxe edition DVD of "The Two Towers."
To watch the trailer, fans were willing to make the purchase.
To enhance the appeal of the deluxe edition DVD, the trailer content wouldn't be available on other platforms for a while.
Although internet platforms now allowed video uploads, the video quality was not comparable to the later widespread 1080P or even 2K and 4K resolutions.
Currently, online videos had a resolution of about 270P or 360P.
The reason was simple: the software and hardware weren't up to par.
Therefore, although online video sharing was convenient, few movies released trailers online; at most, a few stills were shared.
Trailers were still primarily shown on large screens or television.
Including trailers in DVDs was also an option, especially for sequels.
Ruiz and Evans were, of course, there to buy the deluxe edition; they couldn't wait to get a sneak peek.
After experiencing two such exciting movies, both were curious about how Director Gilbert would conclude the series.
After a long wait in line, it was finally Ruiz and Evans' turn.
They were very fortunate the DVDs hadn't sold out, so they each bought a deluxe edition set.
They rushed home, turned on the TV, connected the DVD player, and eagerly started watching.
The trailer's opening was incredibly impactful: a vast army of orcs marching across the plains; then, a shift to the majestic Minas Tirith dominating the screen.
Humans fighting valiantly, bonfires lit on snowy mountains, the terrifying Eye of Sauron, and Mount Doom—all appeared.
In just three minutes, the trailer revealed a wealth of information.
Although it didn't show more grand scenes, the footage in the trailer alone thrilled Ruiz and Evans.
Evans was so excited he jumped around, exclaiming: "Oh my God, why do we have to wait over five months? I wish I could see the film sooner."
Ruiz felt the same: "Yes, these five months will be so long; time is passing so slowly!"
"I want to watch it again..." Evans grabbed the remote and rewound to the beginning of the trailer; they watched it over ten times.
Ruiz ried to analyze the trailer's scenes: "Director Gilbert is very clever; he didn't include the key scenes in the trailer.
The trailer mainly shows humans being attacked by the orc army."
"That's true," Evans agreed. "I've read part of the original book; I remember Aragorn leading Gondor's southern army to rescue Minas Tirith."
After watching the trailer, both felt a sense of loss.
For devoted fans, the five-month wait was truly agonizing.
Meanwhile, on online forums, message boards, and chat rooms, discussions about "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" trailer were already widespread.
Knowledgeable fans who had read the original books began analyzing every detail of the trailer, attracting attention and sparking discussions among netizens.
"Director Gilbert is very clever; he didn't reveal the most shocking scenes from the film, keeping the suspense."
"I remember the Battle of Minas Tirith in the book was quite spectacular, but the trailer reveals very little. I wonder how Director Gilbert will portray this part."
"Isn't it obvious? It will be an epic scene. I have a feeling it will surpass the Battle of Helm's Deep."
"Chicago, I want to find someone to watch 'The Two Towers' again this afternoon. Anyone interested?"
"Me, me, me, I'm in..."
Of course, not everyone liked the film.
Some people, wanting to appear different, posted negative reviews.
However, these negative comments didn't gain traction and, without support from opposing groups, were quickly drowned out by angry fans.
These die-hard fans couldn't stand hearing a single bad word about the Lord of the Rings films. Anyone daring to criticize would be met with the full force of fan rage.
The trailer was impressive, but with more than five months left until the film's release, promotional efforts for The Return of the King couldn't afford to slow down.
The Lord of the Rings concert tour continued, visiting major cities across North America before heading to Europe.
Gilbert also kept fans engaged by posting behind-the-scenes photos and concept sketches from the Lord of the Rings set through his personal social media account.
As usual, during February's Super Bowl, the second trailer for The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King would be released.
After the Oscars, the film's full-scale promotional campaign would kick off. That said, the intensity of the promotion was somewhat lighter than during the release of the first film.
This was because the Lord of the Rings series was now globally renowned, saving the studio quite a bit of effort in marketing.
Still, with five months to go, fans were already discussing whether The Return of the King could reclaim the global box office crown next year and complete a trilogy of wins.
Looking ahead to its competition, there was Star Wars: Episode 2 Attack of the Clones, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, and Spider-Man, among others.
Gilbert's ancestral roots were Italian, but he was born in Los Angeles.
Coincidentally, the L.A. Lakers had just secured back-to-back championships and were now pushing for a third.
Gilbert was invited to attend this year's Christmas Day game.
"How's the view from the box seats?" asked Lakers owner Jerry Buss.
"Not bad, but I prefer sitting courtside," Gilbert replied, clapping as Shaquille O'Neal dunked off a pass from Kobe Bryant.
"Hahaha, me too, but my heart can't take the excitement down there," Buss laughed heartily.
Gilbert had brought along Bingbing Li and Shuchang, who had just arrived in the U.S.
It was their first time watching basketball live, and it seemed a lot more exciting than games back home.
Shuchang was still young and had never traveled abroad before. The whole experience was a novelty to her.
She was diligently learning English not aiming for fluency, just enough for daily communication.
According to the character setup, Jade was a child whose English wasn't very good.
She'd improve little by little later on, but that would be for future storylines.
While watching the game, Gilbert said to Bingbing Li, "I heard that the Shanghai Sharks have a player nicknamed 'Yaoming' who's amazing."
Bingbing Li wasn't into basketball and admitted she didn't know much: "You think he has a shot at the NBA?"
"Absolutely! He's even projected as the number one draft pick!" Gilbert laughed, then turned back to Buss. "Say, what do you think about me buying an NBA team for fun?"
Buss encouraged him: "Sounds great! If you're interested, I can put you in touch with some owners who might be looking to sell."
Gilbert waved his hand: "No rush. I'll take my time."
Buying a team was more of a hobby idea for Gilbert. He wasn't into baseball, football, or hockey. He knew a bit more about soccer and had even considered getting a football club just for fun.
Basketball, thanks to Yaoming, was something he was relatively familiar with. Getting a team might actually be interesting.
For someone as wealthy as Gilbert, it was all about pursuing hobbies now money wasn't a concern anymore.
Maybe it was thanks to Gilbert attending in person, but the entire Lakers team performed brilliantly and won the Christmas Day game by a wide margin.
After Christmas, the New Year rang in, and just like that, 2002 had arrived.
Once Nolan wrapped up Insomnia, he officially dove into the project The Enigma of the Talisman.
Jackie Chan served as action director, with Stanley Tong as co-director.
Under normal circumstances, Nolan wouldn't co-direct with anyone.
His filmmaking philosophy was that every shot must be under his own direction.
However, Nolan wasn't inflexible or stubborn. He understood that his status wasn't yet high enough to insist on full control, so he compromised on the co-directing arrangement.
Gilbert visited the set of The Enigma of the Talisman and found everything in good order.
He even met Dwayne Johnson, the WWE wrestler, who had a small role as the director of Sector 13.
Also in the cast was Chris Tucker, who had starred alongside Jackie Chan in Rush Hour 2. The villain, Valon, was played by seasoned veteran Kevin Spacey.
Most of the other roles were filled by familiar faces from Hollywood or Hong Kong cinema.
As for newcomers, Bingbing Li and Shuchang were the only real fresh faces.
During filming, Nolan had been worried that Shuchang, with no experience in such large-scale productions, might get nervous and underperform.
To his surprise, in the early shoots, Shuchang turned out to be the best performer of all.
The action choreography, of course, was top-notch. Jackie Chan had truly brought his A-game, blending his signature comedic martial arts style into the film.
To play the role of the old man, Ng Man-tat lost fifteen pounds, transforming himself into a skinny, spooky figure that totally sold the mysterious vibe.
As the producer, Gilbert naturally kept a close eye on the film's progress.
The project had a hefty budget, and Gilbert was determined to see it completed exactly as he envisioned.
Fortunately, Nolan's talent ensured there were no major issues.
....
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