Michael Eisner wasn't in the best of health, having recently undergone surgery. While he was in the hospital, Michael Ovitz used Eisner's trust to completely control his sickroom. Besides himself and Eisner's wife, even trusted confidantes like Robert Iger weren't allowed in. Ovitz seized this opportunity to consolidate as much power as possible into his own hands.
However, Michael Eisner was merely ill, not gone. Once he recovered, he discovered Ovitz's little maneuvers and was absolutely furious. In the past, Ovitz would have been shown the door immediately. But after his major illness, Eisner's health wasn't great, and with unrest brewing within Disney, his control had weakened considerably. Moreover, he used to hold both chairman and president roles, but now Ovitz occupied the president's chair. When Ovitz proved disobedient, regaining his former grip on Disney wasn't an easy task.
Still, the strong-willed Michael Eisner had no intention of compromising. He rallied his spirits and began a series of open and covert struggles with Michael Ovitz. Both parties, by unspoken agreement, focused their attention on young Gilbert. Robert Iger, who had a good relationship with young Gilbert, became a key point in their struggle. This left Robert Iger with a massive headache. He truly didn't want internal strife, as it would open doors for other companies. Not to mention, if young Gilbert got upset and decided not to work with Disney, it would be a significant blow to the company. "If only I were Disney's president, Disney wouldn't face these problems," Robert Iger thought to himself.
The undercurrents within Disney were palpable, even to an outsider like young Gilbert. However, this wouldn't affect his work. No matter who won, he would be a key figure they'd want to win over, so he had no intention of getting involved in Disney's internal struggles. It's not like Michael Ovitz would cut Disney's ties with him if he gained full control, right? If that were the case, Warner Bros. and 20th Century Fox would be laughing in their sleep, as it would mean Hollywood's talented director was completely tied to their war machine.
Putting aside the internal disputes for now, despite the protests from parents that affected the film, the movie's public relations team acted swiftly. On Sunday, "The Rock" raked in another $17.104 million, bringing its opening weekend box office to $57.313 million. It could have been even higher, easily reaching $60 million for the opening weekend. However, the negative impact of parental protests and the film's rating caused a certain hit to its box office performance. Still, this opening weekend figure was enough to satisfy everyone and shower young Gilbert, the "Summer Blockbuster Prince," with praise.
There truly weren't many strong competitors during this period; all other films were suffocated by "The Rock." "The Rock" seemed to be sweeping the box office, like an undisputed overlord. Unsurprisingly, young Gilbert once again secured a North American weekly box office championship. He had lost count of how many weekly championships he'd won; it seemed every one of his films managed to snag one or two. The only regret was never having claimed an annual box office champion. He wondered if "The Rock" could help him achieve that dream this time.
With the new week, the film crew embarked on a nationwide promotional tour. This kind of promotion usually focused on the lead actors, leaving young Gilbert to enjoy some leisure. However, his popularity surprisingly surpassed that of the three main stars. Whether it was interacting with fans or appearing on talk shows, he was always the one receiving the most attention.
"When we were filming, like the gunfight scenes, I used to wonder what kind of sound a person would make when hit by a bullet—would they yell 'ah' or scream in pain? But Roger Moore told me it wasn't like that at all. He gave me a lot of advice on that front."
The host then asked, "What kind of advice?"
"Well... you know, real-life experiences," young Gilbert said, spinning a tale without skipping a beat. In reality, according to Roger Moore's private remarks, even though he had served in intelligence, he had never even fired a gun, let alone knew what it felt like to be hit by a bullet. But audiences loved hearing these stories and believed them, so young Gilbert was happy to satisfy their demand.
When discussing the character of General Hummel, young Gilbert also stated, "I don't believe General Hummel was a traitor. The film's dialogue itself proves it. General Hummel was a steadfast soldier, a good general who cared for and loved his subordinates. His loyalty to his naval oath in the final moments also shows his deep patriotism."
Then, young Gilbert smoothly transitioned, shifting the focus to government departments: "I think those in Washington should pay more attention to these soldiers who have made immense contributions to the country. Do we have to wait for another General Hummel to appear before we start valuing these heroes who have been overlooked for so long?"
This was, in essence, a public relations tactic. Young Gilbert didn't truly care about the treatment of veterans; as a melon-eater, it had nothing to do with him. But saying so could attract public attention, ultimately translating into box office success.
The marketing department discussed several plans and quickly arranged for special screenings for WWII veterans and active military personnel at cinemas. The Pentagon also cooperated with the film crew on promotions, including providing military equipment support.
A Pentagon spokesperson stated, "We supported a lot of equipment, many of which are active-duty weapons. We also provided six F-18 fighter jets and elite Navy pilots for the filming."
"So, the shot of the F-18 flying under the Golden Gate Bridge was real?" a reporter asked.
"Yes," the Pentagon spokesperson replied, "When Director Young Gilbert proposed this idea, we were all very excited and ultimately agreed to let him film such a shot. It proves that our fighter jets are the most advanced in the world, with unparalleled low-altitude performance..."
They continued to ramble on for a while, but for the film fans, the earlier statements were enough. Learning that the fighter jet scenes were all real, including a first-person perspective shot from a fighter jet, thrilled the fans. The Los Angeles Times even named the F-18's first-person perspective shot flying under the Golden Gate Bridge as the best shot of the year, with the following commentary:
"Although many more films are yet to be released, it's hard for any movie to surpass this shot. The filming technique is unparalleled, once again exploring the boundaries of filmmaking."
The bomb-freezing shot later in the film was also named the second best. The Los Angeles Times claimed that had it not been for the previous shot, this one would have been the best shot of the year.
After its large-scale North American release, "The Rock" began to gradually open in international markets in its second week, thanks to Warner Bros.' arrangements. Unlike before, young Gilbert was only widely known in North America. Globally, he couldn't compare to established Hollywood directors like Steven Spielberg or George Lucas. However, as Hollywood's influence expanded and young Gilbert's films continued to achieve success overseas, he began to establish his reputation in the international film scene.
On May 12th, "The Rock" entered its second weekend in North America, while overseas, it premiered in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain. In London, UK, a giant poster for "The Rock" outside a cinema on Kensington High Street, near Kensington Gardens, caught the eyes of passersby. Roger Moore held the central position, with Nicolas Cage and Ed Harris on either side. Although the James Bond films were made by American companies, the British were very familiar with this British secret agent, and the UK also had its own James Bond TV series. Therefore, many British fans were no strangers to Roger Moore, who played 007.
The world wasn't isolated; the UK was well aware of the box office success "The Rock" was achieving across the Atlantic. At that moment, many moviegoers were entering and exiting the cinema, their faces beaming with excitement. Many were there to see "The Rock." The Times caught an excited audience member for an interview: "How was the movie?"
The British audience member, who had just finished watching the film, was visibly excited, gesturing wildly with his hands and feet as he exclaimed, "This movie was absolutely amazing! Roger Moore was brilliant, portraying a completely different kind of British secret agent!"
"If you had to rate this movie, what score would you give it?"
"What's the full score?"
"100 points."
"If it's 100 points, I'd give it 98! This is exactly the kind of movie you should watch in the summer! Anyway, I'm going to call my friends and watch it again!"
This British moviegoer wasn't an exception; most British audiences gave the film very high praise. The same situation unfolded in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and other countries and regions, where local moviegoers raved about this Hollywood film. Some fans even declared it the best action movie they had ever seen.
The extremely high audience recognition and word-of-mouth propelled the film's overseas box office to new heights. After its second weekend of screenings in North America, the film officially surpassed $100 million in ten days, reaching $108 million. With a long theatrical run ahead, "The Rock" was set to accumulate even more impressive box office figures. Optimistic estimates suggested it wouldn't be a problem to break young Gilbert's own North American box office record, and it might even claim this year's North American box office championship.
Thanks to the PG-13 rating, "The Rock" faced fewer restrictions in North American cinemas. If it had been rated R, it probably wouldn't have crossed the $100 million mark in just ten days. However, the film's biggest surprise truly came from its overseas box office. In its opening week in the UK, British fans hadn't forgotten the aging Roger Moore as 007. But after this film, 007 would no longer be Roger Moore's primary label; instead, it would be the character of John Mason. This was a good thing for Roger Moore. While 007 certainly made actors famous, it also had the potential to shackle them to the role. Sean Connery was lucky and wasn't confined by the character, so 007 wasn't his exclusive label, but other actors weren't as fortunate. After "The Rock," Roger Moore would also be free from the James Bond label, because he now had an even better role.
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