Made In Hollywood-Chapter 926: Rey’s Identity

"Darling, you’re awake?"

Just as Duke opened his eyes, he heard Scarlett Johansson’s voice. She was sitting at the dressing table, tidying her wavy golden hair. Turning her head to glance at him, she set down the horn comb and picked up a document lying beside her.

Scarlett motioned toward Duke and said, "Tina brought over the latest report early this morning."

"Oh?" Duke immediately became alert. "Just read it to me."

"It’s an astonishing number, darling, so be prepared."

After teasing him slightly, Scarlett’s eyes turned back to the report. She looked at the number once more before saying, "According to preliminary statistics, the midnight box office for Star Wars: The Force Awakens has reached seventy-two million dollars!"

That figure was indeed remarkable. Duke couldn’t help but nod slightly. Such a high midnight box office not only broke the record held for years by Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 but also meant that Star Wars: The Force Awakens had achieved the most perfect of openings.

Yet Scarlett Johansson didn’t stop there. She continued, "Currently, the film’s CinemaScore audience approval rating is as high as ninety-six percent, with an average grade of ’A+.’ On IMDb, 28,775 users have rated it 9.8 points. The audience’s Popcorn Index of likability is ninety-seven percent, and on MetaCritic, seventy-seven media outlets have given it a combined score of ninety-two."

After finishing, she set the report aside, glanced at the clock on the wall, and reminded Duke, "Hurry and get ready. You still have an Instant Share live interview after breakfast."

"I know."

Duke jumped out of bed and went into the washroom. Ten minutes later, he and Scarlett Johansson appeared in the dining room together. Just as they sat down, the butler Emma had the maids serve breakfast and, according to Duke’s habit, brought him the latest newspapers.

Whether entertainment or not, Star Wars: The Force Awakens occupied a very prominent place. The Los Angeles Times even placed its report about the film on the front-page headline.

"Even if you’re not a Star Wars fan, you’ll fall in love with this movie!"

That was the bold and eye-catching headline of The Los Angeles Times review.

"Star Wars: The Force Awakens carries expectations unlike any other. It is the long-awaited return after ten years since 2004’s Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, and the first film Duke Rosenberg has released after acquiring George Lucas’s company for more than four billion dollars. More importantly, the film reunites the original stars—Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, and Harrison Ford."

"With all those expectations, fans demanded even more. But The Force Awakens didn’t disappoint. Director Duke Rosenberg perfectly interpreted the core philosophy of the Star Wars series, presenting its familiar elements in their purest and most authentic form."

"Combining advanced visual effects, Joseph Campbell-style mythological storytelling, and the 1940s notion of heroism, the Star Wars saga—especially the original trilogy—has influenced generations of fans across every profession. When we think of ’the Force,’ the connection between light and darkness naturally arises in our minds. The film doesn’t preach any religious ideology, yet it allows us to feel its greatness."

"For The Force Awakens, Duke Rosenberg and his team absorbed all of these strengths and fused them into a new narrative background. The result is a film filled with emotion, humor, and reflection, capable of astonishing both diehard Star Wars fans and newcomers alike."

"Duke Rosenberg and The Force Awakens prompt audiences to revisit an age-old question: nature versus nurture. This biological and sociological concept is vividly portrayed in the film. No matter what your background—whether stormtrooper or orphan—you have the right to choose your own path."

"As a film itself, The Force Awakens is highly entertaining, with plenty of moments that make one’s hair stand on end. The performances are dynamic and genuine. Oscar Isaac and Daniel Wu both bring versatility and a touch of roguish charm to their roles at just the right moments, while Daisy Ridley has created yet another classic strong female protagonist for the big screen."

"The scenes with Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher together evoke memories of their past romance. Although the film runs for two hours and fifteen minutes, its fast pace and tight storytelling hold the audience’s excitement throughout, never once feeling drawn out."

"It must be said that Duke Rosenberg, through an artistic approach, has seamlessly blended the series’ old themes and character traits into a brand-new setting. Even viewers unfamiliar with the Star Wars series will enjoy this film, but if you are a fan, you’ll appreciate its depth and understand even more how successful it truly is."

As a media outlet friendly to Duke, and with Lucasfilm’s strong PR efforts, The Los Angeles Times was undoubtedly the most enthusiastic of all print publications in promoting Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

After briefly skimming through the newspaper, Duke finished his breakfast and sat in front of his computer right on schedule, preparing for the live online interview via Instant Share.

This interview would be broadcast through online sharing, appearing as a featured entry on every Instant Share user’s interface.

When the interview began, Duke glanced at the display showing the number of viewers tuned in—3.78 million!

The interview itself was one aspect; the greater purpose was to attract fans and casual audiences alike through its post-broadcast influence.

After a brief greeting, the first question appeared on Duke’s screen.

"You left the film with an open ending—or rather, a major mystery. What was your thought process during production?"

Seeing the question, Duke thought for a moment, then quickly typed his response: "I think what makes Star Wars so fascinating is its endless possibilities. In the first Star Wars, many mysteries were introduced right from the beginning, and many questions remained unresolved by the end. That’s what allowed it to evolve into a trilogy that captivated people. We’re using the same method for this new trilogy. I believe as the story progresses, audiences will gain a deeper understanding of the overarching narrative."

The interviewer continued, "Many fans are curious about the relationship between Rey and Finn. In this episode, they seem more like friends, with no romantic subplot. Is there a chance they might become a couple?"

Duke directly denied it. "I think one of the film’s main themes is friendship. In many movies, when there’s a man and a woman, people assume romance must be involved. The fun of Star Wars, however, is that it’s not confined to love stories—it’s about loyalty, about finding and building family. In this film, romance isn’t particularly important; what matters more is mutual respect and care for one another, rather than a simple love relationship."

"There’s a very funny scene where BB-8 goes down the stairs. How did you shoot that?"

"How did we shoot it?"

Duke knew the interviewer was asking about BB-8’s brief but memorable appearance. He quickly typed out his response, "If you’ve seen the behind-the-scenes footage, that scene was actually operated by our puppeteer, Brian, who wore a green motion-capture suit and controlled BB-8 from behind. This puppeteer is incredibly skilled and extremely dedicated. Sometimes, watching him, you could see how he infused his own personality into the character. Removing him from the footage always made me feel a bit guilty because he worked so hard in every single scene, but every time, we still had to erase him from the shot."

The two continued their Q&A, discussing many behind-the-scenes details about the film, before moving on to the main topic that had been agreed upon in advance. This was also the question that countless fans had been asking online since yesterday — and it was the most eye-catching part of the interview.

"From the film, it’s clear that Rey has an extraordinary background. Can you talk a bit about her origins?"

Before answering, Duke glanced at the number of viewers — it had already risen to nearly five million. "I actually do know quite a lot," he said, "but it’s not appropriate for me to say anything right now. This is one of Lucasfilm’s top secrets, and I’ve signed a confidentiality agreement. I don’t want to get sued."

Still, Duke revealed a small hint: "Rey is not an ordinary girl — her background is rather complicated."

What he said was far from enough to satisfy the fans’ curiosity. Using this interview as the lead, Warner Bros. and Lucasfilm officially launched their post-release marketing campaign, the core of which was to create buzz, spark discussion across the United States and the world, and complete Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ evolution from media marketing to social marketing.

The heroine Rey’s true identity was undoubtedly one of the campaign’s main focal points.

As Duke’s interview appeared online, it immediately became the hottest topic on the internet. Countless fans joined in, speculating about Rey’s background.

Duke’s online PR teams also went into action again, continuously posting all kinds of comments online to increase the intensity and visibility of the discussion.

On Twitter, Instant Share, and many other popular sites, in just half a day, the discussion about Rey had already turned into a major wave.

Someone speculated, "Rey is the daughter of Han Solo and Princess Leia!"

Not only did they believe Rey was Han Solo and Princess Leia’s daughter — Kylo Ren’s biological sister but they even provided a detailed explanation: "From the content of the film, Rey is definitely from a noble lineage, and her background is by no means ordinary."

Then someone immediately refuted that, saying, "Rey absolutely can’t be the daughter of Han Solo and Princess Leia. It’s understandable if her father, Han Solo, didn’t recognize her, but her mother, Princess Leia, didn’t show the slightest reaction either. And when Rey saw her visions through the Force, there were no clues whatsoever about Han Solo or Princess Leia!"

That person also shared their own theory: "Rey is a descendant of Obi-Wan!"

....

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