For a relatively complex film like Inception, achieving blockbuster-level success like Transformers is not an easy task. It requires extra effort in the promotional campaign. When Duke finished all the post-production work, major entertainment media across North America received a special manual. It was a "top secret" document titled Dream Sharing: Tactical Employment Program Manual, from Duke’s production team. If it had been from an ordinary film crew, the media would have simply discarded it like trash. But considering Duke’s current status and influence in both the American and global film markets combined with Warner Bros.’ timely public relations efforts the media treated this manual with the utmost seriousness. Media outlets like Empire Magazine, The Hollywood Reporter, and Entertainment Weekly all featured scanned copies and the contents of the manual prominently on their websites’ homepages. The manual was primarily composed of seven sections: Experts and Operators, Environment Construction, the Relationship Between the "Dream World" and the "Waking World," Hostile Subconscious, Warfare in Dreams, Interrogation Techniques, and Device Instructions for the "Dream Machine." The final Chapter listed a website address—/—which was in fact an already-public viral marketing site for Inception. The site essentially served as a user guide for the "Dream Machine." Clearly, this Dream Sharing manual marked the beginning of another wave of promotional campaigns for Inception. However, the manual was heavily marked and redacted. Just what information was hidden underneath? It was left to the audience to discover for themselves. This was Duke’s way of arousing curiosity and luring filmgoers into theaters. In mid-April, two weeks before Inception’s release, a wide range of promotional activities were launched. Duke, accompanied by leading actors Leonardo DiCaprio, Charlize Theron, Scarlett Johansson, James Franco, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, held a press conference in Los Angeles. Everyone appeared before the cameras with confident and assured expressions, increasing anticipation for this mysterious new work among movie fans. As the summer release date approached, Duke’s new film stirred a fresh wave of video bombardment in the media. Warner Bros. consecutively released four high-definition TV spots for Inception, a brand-new behind-the-scenes featurette, and interview videos with director Duke, producers Tina Fey and Charles Roven, and the eight lead actors including Leonardo DiCaprio. Beyond marketing and promotions, Duke and Warner Bros. also made ample preparations in distribution. Two screening sessions for fans and media were held in each of Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Boston. They had full confidence in the film itself. The clear aim was to use early positive word-of-mouth to boost box office performance upon official release. At one point, the film even used the slogan: "Only smart people can understand this movie." In this world, few would willingly admit to being stupid. "Test screening audience scores are overall rated A+, and the average score from media reporters is 9.5 out of 10..." Inside Warner Bros.’ office, Jamie Johnson reported the general test screening statistics to Duke. "Among them, as high as 81.8% gave the film a perfect score!" Duke nodded slightly. "We need to spread the strong word-of-mouth as fast as possible." ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵※𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮※𝓷𝓮𝓽 These ratings would be meaningless if not amplified by media hype and publicity, reaching hundreds of millions of viewers. "Don’t worry," Jamie Johnson grinned brightly, clearly in a great mood. "We haven’t relaxed on the promotional front at all." At present, Inception had already been screened on a limited scale. Both professional media and general audiences spared no praise, giving unanimous acclaim. Jamie Johnson believed Inception had every chance to replicate the strong box office trajectory of The Dark Knight and create a new miracle for high-concept films going mainstream. Sitting across from him was the director the strongest guarantee for all of this. Jamie Johnson was absolutely certain of that. Not just Warner Bros.’ statistics, either. After eight rounds of test screenings, 1,794 users had rated Inception on IMDb, with an average score of 9.8. With one week to go before the film’s release, media coverage had become critical. Nearly all media outlets gave Inception overwhelmingly positive praise. They were effusive with accolades: unbelievable, masterpiece, perfect, miracle, subconscious, Freud, Jungian theories, thrilling action, emotional impact, and more. AICN’s review stated: "Inception is incredibly detailed, yet has an emotional thread that drives the plot, along with many exciting action scenes. It’s almost a miracle: a multi-layered exploration of the subconscious that becomes a new kind of action classic. In every conceivable category, it excels. Duke Rosenberg is a visual master. He uses cinematic metaphors to intellectually guide viewers." The Hollywood Reporter believed Inception had established Duke as a leader in sci-fi filmmaking: "A film with an extremely complex structure, yet one that’s utterly captivating. Inception is definitely the most explosive film of the summer, and it has made Duke Rosenberg the new standard-bearer of the sci-fi genre. After watching the film, you’ll feel emotionally and mentally drained." The review continued: "If Inception is a ’metaphysical puzzle,’ then it’s also a metaphor-laden visual spectacle. It deliberately constructs a false reality that captivates us, confuses our minds, and leaves a lasting impression it achieves that." Empire Magazine proclaimed: "This film is like another version of The Matrix: physics-defying discussions, thrilling action scenes, impactful emotions, and Leonardo’s stunning performance are all deeply captivating. This is an entirely new realm for Duke’s filmmaking." It wasn’t just the media many directors and producers who had seen the film also praised Inception endlessly in interviews. George Lucas said in an interview that the film was nothing short of perfect: "I say without reservation that Inception has easily become the best blockbuster of the year, and I would even go further to say it’s one of the best films in the past five years. Inception approaches perfection! Although it is a film set within a structure of consciousness, it is also a wonderful action movie. John Schwartzman’s cinematography is unparalleled, the digital effects are incredibly realistic, Hans Zimmer’s score is excellent, the action scenes are intense, and the story carries emotional impact. This is Duke’s most complex film since making The Matrix." Francis Ford Coppola, who also saw the film with George Lucas, praised it, saying, "Watching Inception, you must keep up with the film’s pace or you’ll easily get lost. The film’s structure is like a complex maze, guiding the audience through an interconnected ’real dream’ it not only explores dreams but also contains many metaphors about real movie production." After eight rounds of test screenings, many industry insiders were drawn to the theaters. Warner’s media team was already well-prepared, continuously selecting suitable interviewees to further promote the film. Quentin Tarantino told CNN on camera, "Inception is a masterpiece, a truly ambitious blockbuster. Duke has never missed, and it feels like a miracle. Sometimes, Inception doesn’t even feel like a movie; it transports you to another world, where the cinema screen becomes like the dream inside your mind. In today’s Hollywood, that’s incredible. I love every moment in the ’dream.’ The film is a dream, and Duke deeply understands that." His close friend Robert Rodriguez also thought the film was outstanding: "Every minute of Inception is gripping. The concept feels a bit like Freud, or perhaps closer to the psychologist Jung. The film will definitely bring the joy of deconstruction. Duke is a director who balances commerce and art very well. The skiing chase scenes and zero-gravity fights are big highlights, and the special effects are almost perfect." Ordinary audience members who saw the test screenings were full of praise for Inception. The film’s exceptional reputation spread like a virus all over the internet. "Inception has silenced those who disdain Hollywood movies. It’s a magical film. Its opening feels like James Bond battling The Matrix, and then you can sense the shadows of many blockbusters, such as Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner and Duke’s own The Dark Knight. Yet Inception definitely has its unique charm. Duke created a dream world and guided us to immerse ourselves in it with our own secrets. This might be the greatest enjoyment that cinema can offer." However, some media expressed concerns about the market prospects for Inception. They believed Duke’s overconfidence in the audience’s ability to understand the film might cause embarrassment at the box office, since many people are already accustomed to mindless popcorn flicks. Whether the film will be coldly received or become a huge hit can only be revealed after the official release. 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