To build momentum for *Twilight*, Disney held a grand world premiere at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles. To encourage "Twilight" fans worldwide to participate in the event, Studio 13 reserved the large square in front of the theater two days earlier, allowing fans to camp out.
On the morning of the premiere, 2,000 fans poured into the area right at 6 AM, creating a lively atmosphere.
Nearby hotels had been fully booked months in advance, with hordes of fans flocking from across the United States just to catch a glimpse of the "Twilight family" cast walking the red carpet for the first time.
The fans of this book series, driven by relentless marketing efforts, were incredibly enthusiastic about the film.
Standing on the steps in front of the Nokia Theater, David Ellison watched as actor after actor walked the red carpet. He suddenly turned to Matthew and asked, "Do you really think this film can usher in an era of low-budget blockbusters?"
Matthew replied, "Don't get your hopes up too high."
Curious, David Ellison asked, "How high is too high?"
"Well..." Matthew thought for a moment before answering, "Compared to the big, mainstream commercial films, it's definitely going to fall short."
Hearing this, David Ellison's face showed a hint of disappointment. "I was hoping this would be a billion-dollar hit."
Matthew shrugged helplessly and asked, "David, what made you think *Twilight* could gross a billion dollars?"
"The presales!" David Ellison said confidently. "The presales are fantastic! Over $20 million for the opening weekend."
Matthew reminded him, "Aren't you overlooking another piece of data?" He answered his own question, "Ninety percent of those presale tickets were bought by women, most of whom are fans of the book."
This fact alone indicated that *Twilight* was heavily skewed toward a female and fan-based audience.
David Ellison shrugged. "I didn't see that. I just think we've done an excellent job with the promotion."
Matthew nodded. "The marketing and distribution have pushed the budget to its limit." He glanced at the thousands of fans gathered on the red carpet and in the square. "The rest is up to the audience."
In terms of promotion, besides Studio 13 and Disney, the publisher of the *Twilight* series also stepped up its efforts.
As the film's marketing reached its peak, Stephenie Meyer and the publisher seized the opportunity to release *Breaking Dawn*, the final book in the series. They launched an impressive promotional campaign that aligned with the movie's marketing.
The coordinated promotion of both the novel and the movie benefited both the film studio and the publisher.
This time, the publisher hired a professional Hollywood team, recommended by Matthew, to handle the campaign. This team had previously managed the marketing for the *Harry Potter* series at Warner Bros.
The entire promotional plan was divided into two phases.
In the first phase, they launched multiple rounds of publicity across various industry and mainstream media, focusing on key points such as *Twilight*'s sales surpassing *Harry Potter*, the upcoming movie adaptation, *Twilight* topping the Amazon teen book charts, and Stephenie Meyer being named one of *Time* magazine's 100 Most Influential People of 2008. These efforts generated significant buzz.
In the second phase, around the release of *Breaking Dawn*, they implemented a multi-faceted preview strategy. This included distributing sample chapters in bookstores, as well as showcasing them online and in print media. These previews served as a crucial buildup, sparking readers' interest in both the book and the film's main characters.
In its first week of release, *Breaking Dawn* sold over 300,000 copies.
Each new reader of the novel was potentially a future audience member for the film.
"By the way, Matthew," David Ellison suddenly asked, "the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show is coming up. Are you planning to attend?"
Matthew thought about his work schedule and slowly shook his head. "I'll have to see. I might not have time. I've got too much work lined up."
After Thanksgiving, he would return to the *G.I. Joe* set to resume filming, then head to the *Inception* set to report to Christopher Nolan. In between, he needed to check on the post-production of *Fast & Furious 4*, leaving little time to attend the Victoria's Secret show.
Besides, current and former Victoria's Secret Angels like Adriana Lima, Gisele Bündchen, Miranda Kerr, and Karolina Kurkova were all old acquaintances. The remaining models, like Alessandra Ambrosio, weren't particularly his type...
He could wait a year and see if the Angels would introduce any high-quality newcomers.
After the cast group photo, Sofia Coppola was the first to approach Matthew and invited him, "Shall we?"
Matthew nodded, offering his arm for Sofia Coppola to take. The two walked into the theater together.
"I've already seen the film," Matthew said as they walked. "It's really well done."
Sofia Coppola, her voice slightly nasal, asked, "Care to elaborate?"
Matthew chuckled. "That wasn't just flattery." He thought for a moment and said, "You have a great sense of emotion. The way you handled the male lead was particularly spot-on. Edward, with his diamond-like skin, is cold and pale, like an 18th-century gentleman—handsome and wealthy. He stands in stark contrast to the men in modern American life, making him very appealing to those rebellious, immature teenage girls."
Hearing this, Sofia Coppola laughed. After her laughter subsided, still with a hint of nasality, she said, "I'll gladly accept your praise." She held up a finger, waving it as they walked toward the screening room. "But the real success of this series lies with the female lead."
"Oh?" Matthew asked curiously. "Is Nina Dobrev that outstanding?"
Sofia Coppola shook her head. "I'm not talking about the film's lead, but the novel's lead."
Seeing Matthew's curious expression, she explained, "Stephenie Meyer created a shell of a protagonist. Her appearance is never detailed, so any woman can easily insert herself into the role and start fantasizing."
As they walked, Matthew glanced at Sofia Coppola, recalling the novel. It did seem to be the case.
Sofia Coppola continued, "The first time I read the novel, I got over 400 pages in and still couldn't figure out what the protagonist looked like. The only image in my mind was a giant LEGO figure. Leaving aside her appearance, her personality is described as insecure, clumsy, and quirky—traits that any woman who's been through adolescence can relate to."
She made a gesture with her hand. "Using Isabella as this empty shell, the protagonist becomes a suit that any woman can slip into, rather than a fully formed character."
At this point, Sofia Coppola shook her head and smiled. "Now, look at the male lead. Stephenie Meyer spares no effort in describing his perfect face, his pectoral muscles, his clothes, his hairstyle, the color of his eyes, and even his breath is mentioned multiple times."
Matthew thought back and vaguely recalled some of these details. "It does seem that way," he admitted with a laugh. "It's just what a girl would fantasize about."
"Do girls really need this kind of man?" Sofia Coppola shook her head again and half-jokingly said, "Honestly, I think the protagonist would regret it in the end. After all, vampires have no body heat, and their bodies are as hard as stone—cold and stiff. That's less comfortable than rubber. But just because he's good-looking, it's like instant noodles: it reflects the superficiality of modern women who only care about appearance and not substance."
"That description..." Matthew was at a loss for words. When they reached the front row of the screening room, he finally said, "You've really grasped the true essence of this series."
One had to admit, Sofia Coppola's success as one of Hollywood's top female directors wasn't just due to her family background—she also had her own unique insights.
The movie soon began, and as an investor and producer, Matthew witnessed the power of a film aimed at a teenage fanbase.
The moment the title *Twilight* appeared on the screen, the audience erupted into uncontrollable screams. When the vampire protagonist, Edward Cullen—the character who kept countless young girls awake at night—made his entrance, another wave of excitement swept through the crowd. And this was just the beginning.
He hadn't even shown those iconic fangs yet or used them in any meaningful way.
Shortly after the film began, following a brief encounter, the female lead, Bella, found herself completely captivated by the mysterious and handsome Edward, unable to resist his charm.
Judging by the audience's continuous screams, Bella was not alone in her fascination.
Vampires, originally part of the same horror genre as demons and zombies, had gradually been reimagined through the rise of romantic fantasy. They had become characters who, in the hands of authors, satisfied the bloodlust of male readers and the emotional needs of female readers, influencing readers and viewers around the world.
Matthew vaguely remembered reading somewhere that the love of vampires encapsulated everything appealing about love: deadly passion, eternal desire, conquest and submission, sadism and masochism, and the sorrow that comes with pleasure—all leading to eternal life through pain and ecstasy.
With Edward perpetually frozen at seventeen, *Twilight* was destined to be a vampire version of a pure love story. Edward Cullen met Bella in school, with the eternally rainy town of Forks as their backdrop. This allowed *Twilight* to blend elements of traditional fantasy,
with its array of mythical creatures, and a touch of the school life atmosphere reminiscent of *Harry Potter*.
Additionally, Edward's innate mind-reading ability added unique personal charm and intriguing plot points.
Bella, a fragile-looking girl who seemed perpetually on the verge of a terminal illness, and Edward, a mysterious young man with a dark secret, were drawn together in a love at first sight that felt both dreamlike and inevitable. However, their love was fated to be fraught with challenges, and they would inevitably face many twists and turns in their tumultuous love story.
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