Chapter 319: The Finishing Touch

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Bob Iger's visit to the theater wasn't just to watch the movie or contribute to the box office; it was to closely observe the atmosphere during the screening and gain a deeper understanding of the general audience's perception of the film.

Typically, this task would be handled by the marketing department, which is their professional responsibility. However, the situation was unique, and Disney's internal factions were numerous. If they wanted to seize the opportunity and gain an advantage, they had to take matters into their own hands.

"Three tickets for 'The Princess Diaries.'"

Bob had his reasons. He brought his two daughters to see the movie. Even if reporters noticed or there were internal rumors at the company, he could legitimately defend his actions without any guilt.

"The princess, the princess is just so beautiful!"

"I've never seen such a beautiful actress before, like a real-life Barbie doll."

"Ah, it really is like a dream come true."

As the previous screening ended, groups of excited girls chattered animatedly, expressing their joy and excitement with enthusiastic gestures. This scene provided the most authentic feedback.

Compared to cold, hard numbers or charts, this kind of genuine response was much more impactful.

Bob wasn't surprised by this reaction—

The success of "The Princess Diaries" largely hinged on Anne Hathaway. The right casting meant the movie was already halfway to success, and with Julie Andrews' star power, the film's strong box office performance was almost guaranteed.

But that wasn't enough.

If this were the whole story, Disney would have already anticipated it before the movie's release. In fact, from the production stage, they had already targeted the market and formulated their strategy accordingly. The initial promotion focused on Anne Hathaway, but this alone couldn't account for the unexpected surge in box office numbers during the opening weekend.

If Disney wanted to capitalize on this momentum for subsequent promotion and marketing to fully maximize the movie's box office potential, they needed to identify this unexpected factor.

"Oh my God, oh my God, he is the prince charming of my dreams."

"Prince charming? Are you sure?"

"Of course! He's not the traditional prince charming; he's more like a knight, yes, a knight of flowers. But don't you think he's absolutely perfect?"

A knight?

Bob was momentarily taken aback, his thoughts drifting back to the figure he had noticed at the premiere.

His name was... Anson Wood?

From the planning perspective, the romantic storyline in "The Princess Diaries" was almost nonexistent. Michael's role was even less significant than Josh's, merely serving as another piece in Disney's typical "happy ending" puzzle—nothing but a cliché.

However, after the premiere, Bob had heard Anson's name mentioned again.

Could it be... that Anson was the unknown factor?

Collecting his thoughts, Bob entered the screening room with his two daughters, but his focus wasn't on the movie. Instead, he closely observed the audience's reactions.

Unlike the premiere, these audience members were ordinary people who had bought tickets. They weren't concerned with media opinions or the feelings of the creative team. If they liked something, they showed it; if they were bored, they didn't hide it. There was no need for pretense.

Bob was looking for that authenticity.

To his surprise, the scene that elicited the most gasps and sighs from the audience was the one where Michael, wearing a mask, declined Mia's invitation to the ball. The sounds of heartbreak and soft sighs of emotion filled the theater, with these unfiltered reactions creating an unexpectedly lively atmosphere.

The movie ended.

Ninety minutes, quicker than expected, as time happily slipped away.

As they exited the theater and returned to the cinema lobby, Bob noticed a group of young people preparing to buy tickets, immediately picking up on the key point.

"...No, no, no, not *Rush Hour 2*. I heard the sequel isn't that good. Let's watch *The Princess Diaries* instead!"

"Wait, I don't want to. That movie is for sixteen-year-olds. I'm seventeen now; I'm too old for those childish Disney princess movies. For heaven's sake, we're past the age of believing in princesses, okay?"

"I heard *The Princess Diaries* isn't that great either. People say it's just so-so."

"Really? I heard something different. Apparently, the prince is super handsome this time."

"Prince? I didn't hear anything about a prince."

"Think Leonardo DiCaprio level. Remember when we watched him in *Romeo + Juliet*? That fish tank scene? There's a similar scene in *The Princess Diaries*, and it's just as dreamy."

"Are you serious? Fine, let's watch *The Princess Diaries* then."

Just moments ago, the kids were adamant about not wanting to see a princess movie because they were "too old" for it. But now, they were eager to head into the screening room.

Unexpectedly, a voice chimed in from the side.

"You'll love it. He's a knight."

Bob was a bit surprised and turned to look at his daughters.

Bob had divorced his first wife, and his two daughters lived with her. In 1995, he remarried a journalist, and they had a child two years ago. His wife was now pregnant with their second child. To some extent, Bob wasn't very close with his two daughters. He was pondering how to ask for their opinions without making them think today's outing was just work-related when the opportunity presented itself.

Bob held back and didn't rush to speak.

The kids looked over, "What did you say?"

Bob's daughters chimed in.

"I said he's a knight, not a prince."

"The scene where he wears a mask, it's like Leonardo in the fish tank scene. Oh...I won't spoil it, but you'll love it."

The group of teenagers gathered around, chatting excitedly.

Bob didn't need to ask further; the answer was clear.

Bob had already noticed the subtle atmosphere during the premiere but still harbored doubts. Now, it seemed that Anson was indeed the key to making the movie stand out.

It turned out that their decision to increase the promotion of Anson Wood, initially a last-ditch effort, had become a stroke of genius, driving the unexpected box office success of *The Princess Diaries* during its opening weekend.

Who would have thought that the finishing touch for *The Princess Diaries* would be Anson?

So now, in the head-to-head battle between *The Princess Diaries* and *Rush Hour 2*, how much more could Anson contribute to boosting the film?

No matter what, they had to give it a try.

"Dad."

His daughter's voice pulled Bob's attention back. He quickly smiled at her, trying to hide that he'd been thinking about work.

"Anson, I mean the lead actor in *The Princess Diaries*, what's he like in real life?"

Bob: …

Although he wanted to extinguish his daughter's fantasies about the actor—he couldn't imagine his daughter standing next to Anson, and from what he observed at the premiere, Anson wasn't exactly the conventional type—now wasn't the time. Seeing the bustling crowd in the cinema lobby, Bob regained his composure.

Taking a deep breath, he replied, "Charming, but a bit different from his on-screen character." He smiled warmly.

No one expected that after *The Princess Diaries* had its sparkling premiere, Disney would increase its promotional efforts and launch a second round of advertising. And this time, the focus was on a different actor—

Anson Wood.