America Tycoon: The Wolf of Showbiz

With the main poster for "Infernal Affairs" unveiled, the movie officially kicked off its promotional campaign.

On this poster, Leonardo, Martin, and Nicholson stood dominant and formidable.

The competition for top billing wasn't particularly intense, and the production team dealt with it quite sensibly.

Leonardo was on the far left of the poster, with the largest portrait, demonstrating his status as the lead actor.

Martin stood on the far right, his half-length portrait one-fifth smaller than Leonardo's.

Nicholson's full-length image was the same size as Martin's but positioned behind the two leads, after all, he was a supporting actor.

A two-minute official trailer also aired in rotation on major US television networks, and there was even a version full of swearing on the internet.

Martin's personal blog and the official website of the Cola Cult had already announced the specific release dates in major US cities way ahead of time.

The website of the Cola Cult also featured an additional personal character trailer for Martin, revisiting the classic scene of a bottled Cola exploding a head.

The character Colin, played by him, faced an attack by criminals and grabbed a nearby Cola to fight back vigorously.

The sponsorship of several million US dollars from Coca-Cola wasn't taken by the production team for nothing.

Martin, Leonardo, Nicholson, and Scorsese spread out in four directions, frequently attending various promotional events.

Sometimes they would gather in one place, waving the flag and shouting for the movie together.

In October, without any major films releasing, "Infernal Affairs" was undoubtedly in a class by itself.

In mid-September, the main creative team headed to Toronto.

The Toronto Film Festival, unlike European film festivals, doesn't have an official prize-giving system and is closer to a platform for film screenings, promotion, and trade.

Due to geographical factors, in the eyes of many American fans, it's the largest international film festival in the world.

The global premiere of "Infernal Affairs" was chosen to be during the festival.

In the bar of the Four Seasons Hotel in Toronto, Martin received a drink from the bartender, raised it towards Nicholson, and said, "Have we reached an understanding then?"

The two had just discussed making a big deal out of something next year.

Nicholson chuckled coldly, "An opportunity as fun as this, I'd join in even if you didn't ask me."

Leonardo clinked glasses with Martin, "You really are an expert at messing things up." Explore new worlds at empire

The three of them drank together, and Martin pointed at the television hanging from the ceiling, "Look, our director's interview is on."

Martin Scorsese had an interview with NBC in the morning, and by the afternoon it was in the news.

Most of the content was for promotional purposes, but there was a segment related to the Trio of Scoundrels.

The reporter asked, "There have been media reports that during the filming, the three main actors, Martin Davis, Leonardo, and Jack Nicholson, formed a trio. Did this organization play a positive role in motivating the production?"

Scorsese's expression was quite odd, "They established a very strange organization which indeed helped them build rapport with each other, but more often they were causing trouble on set, giving me a headache."

Martin, looking quite innocent, asked his two companions, "We didn't cause trouble on set, did we?"

Nicholson and Leonardo shook their heads simultaneously, "Absolutely not!"

On the television, Scorsese continued, "Sometimes, I don't quite see eye to eye with them on the characters, they're as stubborn as oxen, and it takes a lot of time for me to convince them to reach an agreement."

He emphasized, "And when these three are up to mischief, I think it would be better to spend their salaries on hiring a few oxen for the shooting instead."

That was the end of the TV interview.

Leonardo asked, "We're as stubborn as oxen?" He spread his hands, "Are we even worse than oxen?"

Martin said earnestly, "Good actors definitely have their own unique insights into their characters."

"This Scorsese guy is declaring war on our trio!" Nicholson, as the oldest of the trio, was always ready to take the lead when it came to stirring things up, "Leo, Martin, we've messed with a lot of people, should we mess with Scorsese this time?"

Leonardo pondered, "Director Scorsese is getting old, he can't physically keep up with you, so we have to keep it within what he can handle."

Martin looked like he was seriously considering it.

Nicholson asked, "You have a ton of lousy ideas, come up with a good one quickly. The trio has been attacked by the director, and we must respond!"

Being old friends with Scorsese for decades, he had a clear idea, "We have to make Scorsese pay a price."

"You two bastards, listen to me!" Martin gradually had an idea, "Here's what I'm thinking, as Hollywood's Trio of Scoundrels most capable of stirring things up, we need to respond to the director's comments but also create a media spectacle, make headlines that benefit the film's publicity. That way, if there are any costs for causing mischief, the production team can reimburse us."

Nicholson said to Leonardo, "See, he's full of bad ideas."

Martin asked, "This is my first time in Toronto, and I'm not very familiar with the place. Do you two know any ranch owners here?"

Leonardo replied, "I know some people, when you have money, friends are plenty."

Nicholson scoffed, "They're not real friends, they're after your money."

Martin poured drinks for the two of them, "We are the real friends."

Leonardo deliberately posed with a wary look, "What are you plotting against me?"

Martin patted his shoulder, "Relax, we absolutely have no designs on your ass."

"Wait a minute!" Nicholson raised his hand to interrupt the two bastards' indecent talk, "You're getting off topic."

Leonardo steered the conversation back, "What do you want to do?"

Martin said, "It's simple. The premiere's about to happen. Shouldn't we give Director Scorsese a big gift at the event?"

Nicholson laughed, "Great idea!"

"I agree!" Leonardo had even more in mind, "Martin, is this a publicity stunt you've conspired with the crew?"

Martin neither confirmed nor denied, simply stating, "Aren't we known as the strongest trio? If we're going to make a scene, it better be a sensational headline. Petty pranks are boring."

Suddenly, Leonardo remembered something, "After Jack and I left Pine Forest Film Studio, I heard that Emma Watson peed her pants from a firecracker in the toilet. Was it you?"

"How could I bully a young girl?" Martin, considering himself the highest quality member of the trio, proclaimed, "I swear, it wasn't me."

Leonardo took out his phone, dialed a few numbers, and hurried Martin and Nicholson along, "Let's go! We're heading to the suburbs, there's a big ranch there, and the owner is the cousin of one of my ex-girlfriends."

As Martin followed him out, he said to Nicholson, "Having a plethora of ex-girlfriends has its perks!"

That same day, Scorsese's television interview news spread rapidly. Even though he clearly joked during the interview, the gossip media didn't care about that, and entertainment outlets that would manufacture conflicts out of nothing immediately went into overdrive.

"'Infernal Affairs' crew at odds, director and lead actors in deep conflict!"

"Scorsese criticizes three lead actors for not acting as well as the cow!"

"Shocking! Hollywood's three major stars outshone by a cow…"

But TMZ, which had just been established the previous year, struck a different chord from the gossip tabloids, prominently featuring several photos on the homepage of their website.

All related to the 'Infernal Affairs' crew, showing a very harmonious relationship between the Trio of Scoundrels and Martin Scorsese, whether in public or in private, without a hint of conflict.

TMZ gradually showed how it differed from ordinary gossip media.

Some even called it the Sun of the internet.

The parties involved, however, had yet to speak out until the "Infernal Affairs" premiere.

Toronto Roy Thomson Hall was the film festival's main venue, and the premiere was set there.

From the director to the lead actors, the crew gathered A-list directors and superstars, coupled with prior reports of supposed conflicts, which brought hordes of media reporters to the premiere.

Hundreds of people packed the media area to the brim.

Film fans attending the festival also prioritized this gangster film as their top viewing choice for the festival, with the red carpet packed tightly on both sides.

Faithful followers of the Cola Cult from the Toronto district hung up posters of their Sect Hierarch early, waiting for Martin to walk the red carpet and partake in the world-famous scene of sharing Coca-Cola.

Director Martin Scorsese arrived with a smile that betrayed no sign of being affected by media reports.

The leading lady Vera Farmiga was also there, as the only heavyweight female face of the main cast, she attracted a lot of attention.

Matt Damon, who had nearly missed all the promotional events and rushed over from London to attend the premiere, was very low-key. He walked the red carpet as a matter of routine, neither interacting with fans nor accepting media interviews.

When the film's marketing plan was being developed, Matt Damon's team communicated with the crew, hoping to use his role as Dignam to make a run for the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor but was rejected by the crew, for Martin Davis was their choice.

One of the two lead actors going for the Best Supporting Actor nomination meant Matt's character had to be discarded.

Supporting stars like Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, and Jodi Foster also walked the red carpet.

On-site fans and media reporters noticed that the three lead actors of the film had yet to appear.

"Don't tell me there really is a conflict?"

"Could it be that they're not attending the premiere?"

The media area buzzed with speculation, nearly boiling over.

On the platform constructed in front of the theater, atop the red carpet, Robert De Niro found Scorsese. He knew Martin and Leonardo well, "You're not really in a conflict with them, are you?"

Scorsese just smiled.

Robert De Niro felt something was off, "Although Martin likes to stir things up, he's slick and social, and Leo goes without saying..."

Suddenly, the sound of a truck horn blared, and a cargo van painted with posters of the three lead actors from "Infernal Affairs" approached from afar.

No matter whether they were fans or reporters, all eyes turned in that direction.

The van stopped in front of the red carpet, and Martin, driving, was the first to step down from the driver's seat, followed by Leonardo and Nicholson on the other side.

The trio went to the back of the van, opened the cargo doors, and a metal ramp automatically slid down, creating an incline from the vehicle to the road.

Martin entered the van and led a cow out from within!

The crowd erupted in astonishment!