This fashion show was planned by Warner Bros. and Disney in collaboration with Victoria's Secret, featuring a runway performance on the Super Bowl stage.
More than 35 million viewers across the United States tuned in to watch the Super Bowl. After seeing the trailer and then the Victoria's Secret elves on the runway, their anticipation for The Lord of the Rings skyrocketed.
Some moviegoers with a particular taste even thought to themselves, I heard that the elves in The Lord of the Rings are all played by Victoria's Secret Angels. Won't this be a visual feast in the film?
It wasn't just moviegoers who were reacting—those protesting book fans were also paying close attention.
Even potential competitors in the summer blockbuster season had their eyes on The Lord of the Rings.
Ridley Scott had seen the film's trailer. When he witnessed the production quality, he felt a twinge of anxiety. But when he saw that The Lord of the Rings was slated for a July release, he breathed a sigh of relief.
Unlike those who underestimated the project, Ridley Scott never belittled anyone—especially not Gilbert.
People kept saying that adapting The Lord of the Rings was an incredibly difficult task. But as long as Gilbert was at the helm, Ridley Scott believed nothing was impossible.
Michael Ovitz was also keeping a close eye on The Lord of the Rings. As expected, the trailer was nothing short of outstanding.
He was convinced that, at the very least, Gilbert's adaptation wouldn't be a complete failure. And Gilbert was just too remarkable—Michael Ovitz had experienced this firsthand when Gilbert was president of Disney.
"A lot of newspapers and media outlets are predicting failure, and even many insiders are doubtful," Michael Ovitz said to Martin Bob. "But I think they'll all be proven wrong in the end."
Martin Bob, who had yet to be completely convinced by Gilbert, said, "It's a pity our Pearl Harbor isn't releasing this summer. Otherwise, we could go head-to-head."
Michael Ovitz chuckled. "Maybe next year. But who knows if The Lord of the Rings 2 will be out by then?"
"Hopefully. If Gilbert isn't part of the summer season, it's going to be so boring," Martin Bob remarked.
This year, International Creative Management (ICM) had bundled several B-movies together, making them non-competitive in the summer market. All their focus was on Michael Bay's Pearl Harbor.
However, Michael Ovitz believed that this summer's lineup was still very competitive—perhaps there was even a slight chance that something could threaten The Lord of the Rings.
Following the Super Bowl trailer, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring entered its standard promotional phase.
Offline, posters and advertisements were widely distributed. Online, TV stations aired the trailer, the official Lord of the Rings website released new stills and behind-the-scenes footage, and various strategies were employed to keep audience interest high and ensure the film maintained its buzz.
One noteworthy event occurred after The Lord of the Rings announced its release date—Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, which had originally been scheduled for that timeframe, immediately moved its release, pushing it all the way to September.
Sony-Columbia's decision to retreat without a fight was widely ridiculed.
But internally, Sony-Columbia believed this was a wise move. Gilbert was the king of the summer box office, and Sony executives didn't believe Ang Lee could defeat him.
Likewise, they didn't think Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon could outperform The Lord of the Rings, even though many people were skeptical about the latter.
The sudden withdrawal of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon left other films scheduled for the same timeframe scrambling. As a result, they, too, followed suit and rescheduled.
Soon, people realized that on July 6, The Lord of the Rings was the only film hitting theaters. Even in the following week, only a single comedy film was slated for release.
Before even premiering, The Lord of the Rings had already exerted an astonishing influence.
All the way in China, when Gilbert heard this news, even he was momentarily stunned.
I thought people weren't confident about this film? Then why are they all backing out?
But their retreat was actually beneficial—it meant The Lord of the Rings could secure an even greater share of theater screenings.
Meanwhile, discussions surrounding the Super Bowl trailer remained lively, with countless moviegoers sharing their thoughts after watching it.
One excited fan commented, "I swear to God, I didn't take my eyes off the screen for a single second. I was glued to the trailer."
Another replied immediately, "I didn't even dare to blink, afraid I'd miss even a fraction of a second."
"Not even a fraction! I wouldn't give up a single frame of this masterpiece."
"Oh my God, the scale of this movie is unbelievable. Compared to Gladiator's trailer, this looks like an entirely different league!"
"Different league? Dude, Gladiator now feels like a backyard brawl compared to The Lord of the Rings."
"A backyard brawl? Man, I'd say Gladiator looks like kids play-fighting."
A mere 30-second trailer had already won over the audience—but the campaign wasn't over yet.
As March arrived, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring released another trailer, this time one minute and thirty seconds long.
This new trailer focused more on landscapes and character introductions.
It also featured a dialogue scene in Elvish between Aragorn and Arwen, as well as an action sequence showcasing Arwen and Legolas.
Although this trailer wasn't as earth-shattering as the Super Bowl preview, it contained plenty of material worth analyzing.
After being captivated by the first trailer, audiences were now completely enchanted by the second one.
"This breathtaking scenery—is this the Shire?"
"Oh my God, did Gilbert really build an actual Shire village?"
"I've been to China, and I can tell you—the Shire is just a small part. There's even more than that."
For fans who have studied The Lord of the Rings in depth, the Elvish language in the movie was particularly impactful. They hadn't expected the production to actually use Elvish in filming.
"My God, the actors can actually speak Elvish?" This was something unimaginable to the book's devoted fans.
Just this detail alone began to sway some of them. They started to believe that this film might achieve something beyond their expectations.
In other words, not only would Gilbert avoid ruining this classic, but he might actually bring The Lord of the Rings to life in a way they had always imagined.
The thought itself was almost terrifying, yet it was happening—because the quality displayed in the two trailers was simply too good.
Meanwhile, Arwen and Legolas became major attractions for young audiences and LSP fans alike.
With their graceful figures, elegant postures, and agile movements, they looked incredibly beautiful. No one would doubt that they were elves.
The Lord of the Rings trilogy had a production budget of $350 million, plus an additional $50 million in marketing funds from Warner Bros. and Disney.
The total investment had already surpassed Titanic. Although spread across three films, it was still the largest budget in film history.
A project of this scale would have been impossible for Gilbert in the mid-90s.
But now, Gilbert was filled with confidence.
From pre-production two years ago to filming this year, nearly ten thousand people had contributed immense effort to the project. Every aspect had been polished to perfection, ensuring the best possible outcome.
Even if not for himself, Gilbert couldn't let two years of hard work from so many people go to waste. He had every reason to ensure success.
Because of this, Gilbert made time to attend the Academy Awards as a presenter for the Best Director category, as part of his promotional strategy.
He even brought Anne Hathaway to walk the Oscars red carpet with him, further drawing attention.
Anne Hathaway was incredibly nervous. This was her first time walking the Oscars red carpet, and the pressure was intense.
"Don't be nervous, Jacqueline," Gilbert said. "Just imagine yourself as a Hollywood star, walking the red carpet and soaking in the cheers."
Anne Hathaway looked into Gilbert's eyes and asked, "Can I hold your hand?"
Gilbert was slightly taken aback. Holding hands? Wasn't that something couples did? Normally, co-stars didn't hold hands on the red carpet.
But seeing how nervous Anne Hathaway was, Gilbert agreed.
As they stepped onto the red carpet, Anne Hathaway tightly held Gilbert's hand, unwilling to let go. She felt a sense of security, and her nervousness eased.
This gave the media photographers plenty of material to work with. They snapped photos while calling out for Anne Hathaway and Gilbert to pose more intimately.
One journalist said to a colleague, "As expected, Gilbert's charm is irresistible. I bet this actress, Anne Hathaway, has already fallen for him."
The colleague was skeptical. "Really? That fast?"
"Are you new here?" The journalist explained, "In Hollywood, no woman would turn down the chance to be with Gilbert. This isn't just about romance—it's a ticket to fame."
Just that simple act of holding hands was enough for tabloids to spin an epic love story by the next morning.
For The Lord of the Rings, the idea of Gilbert dating his leading actress was actually good publicity.
Gilbert neither confirmed nor denied anything. Keeping it ambiguous was the best approach.
Let the public speculate—after all, it would keep the film in the spotlight.
Since winning Best Director at the Oscars, Gilbert had no particular ambitions for future Academy Awards. Whether they recognized him again or not, it wouldn't affect him much.
However, when The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King came out, there was still a chance Gilbert might be holding an Oscar again.
But for tonight's ceremony, he was just a presenter. The big winner of the night was American Beauty, a DreamWorks production distributed by Universal Pictures.
Gilbert presented the Best Director award to Sam Mendes, whose film also won Best Picture and Best Actor, making it the dominant force of the evening.
Meanwhile, Gilbert's friend Sofia had her film Eternal Sunshine nominated for Best Picture and Best Director.
Michael Caine won Best Supporting Actor for Eternal Sunshine, and the film also took home Best Adapted Screenplay—overall, a decent outcome.
This film starred Charlize Theron, who collaborated with Sofia, but unfortunately, Theron didn't receive any nominations. A bit of a pity.
Compared to Theron, Jennifer Connelly had better luck. She was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for Girl, Interrupted in which she starred alongside Winona Ryder.
Back when the project was in development, Connelly had taken the role from Angelina Jolie. Had Jolie been present at the ceremony, her expression probably wouldn't have been pleasant.
After the Oscars ended, there was a celebratory after-party.
At this event, something unexpected happened—something that ultimately led to Anne Hathaway successfully moving into Melon Manor, becoming its fifth resident.
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