What audiences were most looking forward to was undoubtedly the new Batman series directed by Christopher Nolan. The first film, Batman Begins, presented a dark, brooding Batman that stayed true to the comics. With its operatically refined visuals and deep psychological exploration of its characters, this unique superhero film became a classic in the eyes of many Batman and superhero fans.
Just as people assumed Nolan would use his talent to turn the entire series into a superhero saga that would shine in cinematic history, the news that Laila would direct the second installment shocked countless viewers.
Not someone else—Laila!
Who was she? A powerhouse who single-handedly dominated half of the top ten spots in the all-time box office rankings! A magician who could somehow craft critically acclaimed blockbusters amid a sea of commercial films that were otherwise panned! With her at the helm, just how incredible would the second Batman film be?
It didn't take a genius to guess—it was bound to soar to unprecedented heights!
As the summer blockbuster season approached, Laila handed over some of the less critical scenes to her assistant director and returned to the U.S. with Roy. Roy played a major supporting role, and she was the director—if either of them missed the premiere, it would cause a significant stir, and the production company certainly wouldn't be happy about that.
Laila had a strong professional ethic; she always fulfilled her obligations. Besides, she had also acquired a portion of DC's shares, meaning she stood to profit from the film's success. Why wouldn't she give it her all?
The film's release was set for July 18th, but Laila and Roy wouldn't wait until the last minute to return. However, the producers knew she was busy shooting her new movie, so they arranged for her to attend only the most crucial promotional events a few days earlier.
Before a film's release, having key cast members appear on talk shows had become an essential marketing strategy. Audiences loved it—they wanted to hear behind-the-scenes stories and fun anecdotes from filming. Talk show hosts loved it too because it drew viewers.
And the film crew? They were more than happy to use such a "cheap" yet effective promotional method.
Since Laila was involved this time, the producers pulled some strings through her connections and secured an invitation to NBC's hottest talk show.
NBC has seen unexpectedly strong growth over the past two years, especially in its talk show lineup. Under Laila's restructuring, these shows were able to fully leverage their strengths—exposing scandals, inviting controversial figures, and consistently drawing massive audiences. Each episode attracted over 30 million viewers, with some even surpassing 40 million. This was an impressive feat, rivaled only by The Oprah Winfrey Show among other networks.
Popular shows naturally attracted A-list celebrities and were especially sought after by studios looking to promote their films. With so many movies competing for attention during the summer blockbuster season, securing the best time slots required some backdoor maneuvering.
Given The Dark Knight's high profile, getting on the show wasn't difficult. But scheduling wasn't entirely up to them—the ideal time was shortly before the film's release, not too early (lest audiences forget about the movie after watching the talk show) nor too late (when buzz wouldn't have time to build).
Thus, Laila became the necessary "backdoor" to secure the perfect slot.
She was happy to help. Influence was a two-way street—while The Dark Knight would gain attention from the talk show, the show itself would also benefit from the film's massive appeal. Given how much audiences wanted to know about The Dark Knight, this collaboration was bound to be a win-win.
On the way to the TV station for the talk show recording, Laila gazed out the car window at the passing cityscape, feeling a sense of relief at being back in modern civilization. After months in the remote rainforests of South Africa, roughing it in the wild, she had almost forgotten what truly delicious food tasted like.
Besides Roy, the car also carried an uninvited guest—Director Nolan himself. The moment he heard Laila was back in the U.S., he rushed to her, sent by the producers to see if she could offer any additional promotional strategies.
Laila's reputation as a marketing strategist was nearly as legendary as her directorial fame, though this aspect of her career wasn't widely known by the public. Instead, it circulated within niche professional circles. In the world of marketing, her campaigns were considered classics, analyzed in books and case studies for their brilliance.
Her biggest trademark? She always achieved maximum impact with minimal resources. She had an uncanny ability to tap into the public's pulse, instinctively knowing what people truly wanted, what intrigued them, and what would capture their attention.
This alone cemented her status as a master strategist.
So, the Batman producers had approached Nolan, hoping he could discreetly extract some promotional ideas from her. While she had already delivered a trailer that received an overwhelmingly positive response from fans, greed was human nature—once they had one success, they wanted more, and then they wanted to conquer the world.
They hoped for additional guidance to propel this destined classic to the top of the box office charts.
After all, Laila's box office records shouldn't be broken by a film outside her own company, right? They were just looking out for her—and her precious cinematic legacy. (Never mind that her next film might very well shatter that legacy. At least they'd profit in the meantime.)
Indeed, even film studios were skeptical about Blood Diamond, believing her winning streak would end after The Dark Knight.
But that was a concern for the future. For now, Laila remained the sorceress who had conjured one miracle after another.
Nolan, unable to refuse the producers' request, had promptly sold out his boss. After all, how hard could a marketing strategy be? Knowing even a little about Laila's track record, he was sure she could come up with brilliant ideas in her sleep.
"You're still worrying about marketing at this stage?" Laila chuckled, glancing at him. "Most of the work is already done, and you haven't forgotten the film's release is just days away, have you?"
Even if she came up with a grand strategy now, there wouldn't be enough time to execute it. Major campaigns needed time to spread and gain traction—something the pre-release window couldn't provide.
Nolan shrugged. "Who would complain about too much promotion? Especially when it's your strategy."