After such a wave of promotion, *City of Chaos* also gained considerable recognition overseas. Aside from *Man of Steel*, Murphy's other films had relatively weaker box office performances abroad. This difference was due to the varying film genres. With a production cost of $150 million and an additional $150 million for marketing, *City of Chaos* was destined to be a global blockbuster, not just a North American film.
In fact, Murphy also adjusted the title from *Dark New York* to *City of Chaos*, reflecting this shift. The original title had too much regional specificity.
Following the media buzz generated by Margot Robbie's rumored affair, Murphy released the first official trailer. The two-minute trailer was simultaneously launched on Fox Network and his official social media platforms.
At Marvel Comics headquarters on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, Kevin Feige, Stan Lee, and Avi Arad were sitting in an office, watching the newly released trailer via a projector.
On the screen, a muscular man fully clad in what looked like bulletproof clothing was taking down one enemy after another. The dialogue featured lines such as "Only those who fail in the struggle turn into vigilantes," "To instill fear, you must conquer your own fears," "Do you think you understand the ugliness of humanity just because you've suffered?" and "Justice is not about revenge." These philosophical and poignant lines, combined with the dark, heavy atmosphere, gave the entire trailer a highly sophisticated feel.
However, it wasn't the sophistication that caught the attention of the Marvel Trinity. It was the release date at the end of the trailer: May 5, 2011, the same weekend as Marvel's *Thor*.
"What is 20th Century Fox trying to do?"
Stan Lee was the first to voice his frustration. "And that woman, Carla Faith, is she crazy? Doesn't she know our *Thor* is also premiering that weekend?"
Kevin Feige and Avi Arad, though less vocal, clearly shared Stan Lee's concerns.
Marvel Studios had long announced *Thor*'s release date. Since *Iron Man*, the first weekend of the summer blockbuster season had been reserved for Marvel films. Thanks to Disney's powerful distribution capabilities and Marvel Studios' rapidly established brand, other studios had typically steered clear of this weekend.
The previous year, Warner Bros. had initially scheduled *Batman v Superman* for the first weekend of the summer to compete directly with Marvel's *Iron Man 2* but eventually backed down.
Marvel's superhero movies were becoming mainstream. Marvel's superhero films were powerful and synonymous with quality. These notions had become entrenched among Marvel's executives.
Thus, even with a lesser-known hero like Thor, they were confident in adapting him into a successful superhero movie.
Marvel Studios and Walt Disney had announced *Thor*'s release date early on. Other major releases had tactically avoided this weekend. Marvel held high expectations for *Thor*, particularly as there were no major competitors lined up for its release weekend.
But now, *City of Chaos* had suddenly entered the fray.
"How big an impact could this have?" Avi Arad frowned. "Could it be a significant threat?"
Kevin Feige shook his head. "It's hard to say. If it were anyone else's film, the chances of it failing would be higher. But with a Murphy Stanton film..."
He sighed, recalling Murphy's previous works.
"Let's call 20th Century Fox and Carla Faith!"
Stan Lee suggested, given his numerous dealings with Fox due to the *X-Men* franchise. "Ask them to change their release date!"
"That's impossible!" Kevin Feige glanced at Stan Lee with a hint of disdain. "This trailer aired on Fox TV and online last night. The release date has been announced. There's no way Fox will change it now."
Changing the release date would mean all prior marketing efforts were wasted and would entail significant risks.
Avi Arad had been frowning since seeing the *City of Chaos* release date. "Why would 20th Century Fox choose this weekend?"
"Murphy Stanton hadn't confirmed the title *City of Chaos* earlier, affecting Fox's ability to announce a release date." Kevin Feige explained. "By the time they agreed on the title and decided on a summer release, the prime summer weekends had already been taken by other major releases. Their options were limited."
"So they chose the opening weekend of the summer?" Stan Lee scoffed.
Kevin Feige shrugged. "There are only a few prime summer weekends: the first weekend in May, Memorial Day weekend, mid-June, and the Fourth of July weekend. These are the recognized best weekends of the summer."
These weekends typically attracted the biggest releases, as they offered the best chances for a massive box office haul. Although the summer season was the largest in North America, not all weekends were created equal.
The first weekend in May, following the traditional box office doldrums of March and April, saw a pent-up demand for blockbusters. Moviegoers, starved for new releases, eagerly anticipated the start of the summer season. This hunger, brewing for nearly two months, often translated into strong box office numbers for the first major release of the summer, even without a holiday boost.
Understanding this, Kevin Feige realized, "Carla Faith and 20th Century Fox scheduled *City of Chaos* for the same weekend as *Thor* because they believe *Thor* won't affect their film."
"Won't affect their film?" Avi Arad pondered deeply.
Stan Lee reflexively asked, "What do you mean?"
Kevin Feige replied, "They believe *Thor* can't compete with *City of Chaos*."
"Can't compete?" Stan Lee stood up abruptly. "Are you kidding? This is a Marvel superhero movie!"
The successes of *X-Men*, *Spider-Man*, and *Iron Man* had filled Stan Lee with confidence in his creations.
Thinking through Feige's point, Kevin Feige became more convinced. "From the trailer, Murphy Stanton's *City of Chaos* is realistic and dark but has a hint of superhero flair. Did you notice?"
Stan Lee recalled the trailer and nodded slightly. A man saving a city while hiding his identity did have a superhero vibe.
Feige continued, "Thor is ultimately a lesser-known, third-tier comic hero."
Stan Lee bristled at this critique of his creation. "Thor still has a reader base. That film is an original without even a source comic!"
He added, "Don't forget, this is a Marvel movie, a powerful brand!"
"Is it?" Kevin Feige, confident yet realistic about Marvel's standing, replied, "The Marvel superhero brand is strong. But how does it compare to the Murphy Stanton brand?"
"We..." Stan Lee started to argue that Marvel had greater influence but couldn't deny Murphy's impressive achievements in Hollywood.
In recent years, prestigious media outlets like *The Hollywood Reporter*, *The New York Times*, and *The Los Angeles Times* had praised Murphy Stanton as the most successful director combining art and commerce in the new century. His *Man of Steel* was widely regarded as the pinnacle of superhero films.
Even Stan Lee, with his thick skin, couldn't claim Marvel's brand outshone Murphy Stanton's in North America.
"Kevin?" Though not always on the same page, Avi Arad knew they needed a united front. "Should I discuss changing *Thor*'s release date with Disney?"
"It's already March." Kevin Feige shook his head. "Changing the release date now is too risky, and Disney won't agree."
He added, "Let's go to Los Angeles and push Disney to increase *Thor*'s marketing budget. We might still have a chance."
Avi Arad nodded, and Feige continued, "I'll also meet with Carla Faith to limit the competition."
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