In Hollywood, every movie comes with a unique and comprehensive marketing strategy, one that has to be nailed down right from the planning stage.
The moment a film kicks into gear, its marketing campaign is already rolling. Depending on the production phase, the tactics to build hype shift and evolve.
Pearl Harbor got its start in March 1999. Back then, Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace hadn't hit theaters yet, Spider-Man wasn't even in production, and the only blockbuster raking in big bucks at the box office was Titanic. Disney aimed high, and producer Jerry Bruckheimer was brimming with ambition. They set their sights squarely on Titanic. Bruckheimer teamed up with Michael Bay, determined to recreate Titanic's magic for Disney.
So, from the get-go, Pearl Harbor mirrored Titanic in every way possible. Titanic starred American heartthrob Leonardo DiCaprio? Pearl Harbor went with the equally dashing Ben Affleck. Titanic had British actress Kate Winslet? Pearl Harbor followed suit with British star Kate Beckinsale. Titanic wove a heart-wrenching love story into a disaster flick? Pearl Harbor copied that formula, blending war and romance. Titanic boasted grand visuals, stunning effects, and the unforgettable sinking of the ship for a jaw-dropping spectacle? Pearl Harbor went big too, with a 40-minute Pearl Harbor attack sequence designed to blow audiences away with its audiovisual punch.
Titanic was a polished production, costing $150 million, complete with a massive water tank built just for the film. Pearl Harbor rented that same tank, clocking in at $140 million—not far off in terms of budget. Titanic ran 194 minutes, pushing the limits of a commercial blockbuster. Pearl Harbor stretched to 183 minutes, with Bruckheimer and Bay betting they could test audiences' patience just as well. Heck, during filming, the movie wasn't even called Pearl Harbor—it went by Tennessee, a nod to its Titanic counterpart.
In the promo phase, the studio didn't shy away from telling the world they were gunning to make a second Titanic. Right now, Pearl Harbor is Disney's golden child—especially after last year, when Disney's movie slate took a beating and became the industry's laughingstock. They're dead-set on making Pearl Harbor a hit.
Backed by a media titan like Disney, the film's marketing blitz is unprecedented, with a promo budget of $70 million. That figure feels a lot meatier than Spider-Man's $100 million campaign, especially since Disney's own assets—like ABC, Disneyland, and their consumer products—pitch in at rock-bottom rates or even for free.
All through April, Hollywood's marketing scene didn't play out like the pros predicted—no neck-and-neck race between Pearl Harbor and Never Sinking. It's been Pearl Harbor dominating the field. Never Sinking's promo budget? Just $50 million. And after Universal Pictures got split off from the Vivendi Group, they're a standalone movie company with no cross-channel support to lean on.
Meanwhile, Pearl Harbor? Newspapers, radio, TV, posters, reviews, online buzz, fan meetups, college seminars—you name it, they've tapped it. Through Disney's connections, they've hit every possible angle for movie promotion. This campaign's a full-on carpet bombing.
The onslaught has Universal, the distributor for Never Sinking, sweating bullets. Per their deal with Dunn Films, Universal's on the hook for all marketing costs—unless Dunn steps in with extra cash to boost the effort. Right now, Pearl Harbor's hype is drowning out Never Sinking. Universal's Ron Meyer even called Dunn personally, begging for financial help. If this keeps up, Pearl Harbor's buzz will crush Never Sinking flat.
Sure, Never Sinking doesn't have a James Cameron-level genius in the director's chair, but Pearl Harbor's got Bruckheimer and Bay—a powerhouse duo with serious clout. If Dunn doesn't act fast, moviegoers will flock to the better-hyped Pearl Harbor without a second thought.
Ron Meyer's plea? Dunn shot it down cold. He didn't even blink at the situation—instead, he's off working on post-production for A Beautiful Mind. "It's just kids playing house," he said dismissively. "If Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer want to make a fuss, let 'em!"
That cocky reply nearly choked Meyer. Disney's production chief Richard Cook, Bruckheimer, and Bay? Together, they're over 150 years old—and Dunn's calling it "kids playing house"? The guy's got some nerve!
Dunn brushed it off, cool as ever. "Marketing's got a tipping point. Push it too far, and it's poison."
What's marketing, anyway? Philip Kotler defines it as a social and managerial process where individuals and groups create, offer, and exchange products or value to get what they want. Modern marketing isn't just old-school sales—it's about production, selling, and meeting customer needs. The outcome hinges heavily on the product itself.
In other words, the movie's quality is what matters most.
Pearl Harbor's marketing screams comparisons to Titanic, the gold standard of blockbusters. Michael Bay's even bragged about smashing Titanic's box office records. But can the two films even be compared?
Titanic nailed its love story, with the shipwreck as a backdrop that amplified the visuals without stealing the show. It drove the plot forward, making the characters' fates gripping and unforgettable—a tragic romance that stuck with you. Pearl Harbor, though? It wobbles. One minute it's a love story, the next it's a war flick, and the two don't mesh. Then it shoehorns in a hefty dose of bromance that feels out of place. The shaky focus scatters the plot, leaving audiences unable to build up emotion for a big payoff.
In its past life, Pearl Harbor actually did okay overseas—some even compared it to Black Hawk Down, since they share a producer. But in North America? Total disaster. Critics tore it apart, audiences trashed it, and the backlash hit Disney so hard their stock took a dive. Why? The overblown hype treated viewers like idiots.
A movie like that wants to stand toe-to-toe with Titanic? Break its records? Laughable.
Furious critics hit Pearl Harbor with brutal sarcasm. At the next Razzies, it snagged nominations for Worst Picture, Michael Bay for Worst Director, and Ben Affleck for Worst Actor. So, with that foresight, Dunn's confidence is unshakable.
Pearl Harbor riding high right now? Let them keep strutting. Let them puff up even more. When things peak, they crash.
Once the film hits theaters and audiences see Pearl Harbor for what it really is, they'll realize the low-key, solid Never Sinking is the real summer opener worth watching.
…
Lately, Dunn's been tied up with A Beautiful Mind's post-production. On top of that, he's been working hard to connect with Roy Disney. Back in January, Disney's number-two guy hinted he'd be open to a meeting someday. Months later, though? Nothing. It's not that Dunn's slacking—Roy keeps dodging.
They're both sharp enough to know what's up. Dunn's got beef with Michael Eisner, Roy's Eisner's rival, so the agenda for this potential sit-down is crystal clear. Maybe Roy's getting old and paranoid, or maybe he's still holding out hope for Eisner. More likely, he's waiting to see how Dunn Films stacks up against Disney this summer.
Last year's clash in the movie market was intense, but this summer's showdown will be a whole new level. Besides Pearl Harbor and Never Sinking dropping on the same day, Disney's $120 million animated flick Atlantis: The Lost Empire is going head-to-head with Mr. & Mrs. Smith. It's an all-out brawl.
Stepping out of the editing room, Dunn caught Isla Fisher shaking her head at him. "That old guy still won't budge?" he asked with a chuckle.
Isla huffed, "This Disney guy's such a flake! Didn't he say he'd meet up when the chance came?"
"Looks like he's waiting for the results."
"Results?" Isla blinked. "What results?"
"This summer's results, obviously!" Dunn smirked, a hint of a sneer creeping in. "Fine, if he's not in a rush, we'll play it slow too. Tell West to get the materials ready. This summer, we're going big!"