May 17, 1999.
Every release in the Star Wars universe began to be produced without rest or delay; the people who came closest were the glorious fan club, which now had a total of 3,000 members spread across the entire country, along with the Real Jedi, another fan group that had a total of 20,000 members on its roster, and at that time it was the true Star Wars fan group since 1980. The reality was that they operated not just for 3,000 people or for 20,000 people; their group spread across the entire Northern Hemisphere, and their publications were followed by millions who perhaps gathered from time to time, or perhaps met in secret. It was the biggest piece of the pie.
—Yesssss. —It was the chorus of the crowd. Advance ticket sales for the screening were being held at two theaters: the Chinese Theatre and another under the management of Lux Distributions, which had one of the largest auditoriums in all of North America, with a total of 803 seats available and a screen that stretched across the entire ceiling. Lux Animation Cinema honored Billy's taste for dominating premieres and had a different kind of organization.
—We'll have to leave this great place. —Raimon commented.
—So it's true, you have tickets for the Chinese Theatre. —Finn Huller commented, a fan, a cowboy, and completely willing to give thanks for the wonders of cinema. He wore a Darth Vader T-shirt and a good-natured smile that constantly praised the new franchise.
There were detractors; at least 30% of the people were against the first installment of the trilogy. But Billy's difference lay in giving the power to one of the best science fiction directors of the era, together with Lucas's production, the support of Billy's screenplay, the backing of the fan clubs, and the animated series that explained everything in lavish detail. Many voices began to quiet down with remarkable dignity.
—The most epic part is still to come. —Raimon commented.
The three Star Wars fans would be able to appear for free in one of the episodes of the final series about Padmé Amidala. It was a six-episode miniseries about the fight against corruption in the Senate and the dark side as known by the woman herself, entirely political, and it was being written by three of the best American screenwriters, with its touch of the mafia and the way the world of Coruscant functioned. It showed the position of fear surrounding the Jedi and the criminal syndicates, who kept bidding, returning, and bidding again. Meanwhile, George Lucas's Science Fiction, Science, and Technology Museum Street was beginning to take shape.
—What's the most epic part? —Finn asked.
—Everyone, listen: we're going to hold a raffle. The five winners will earn a place at the Great Chinese Museum with the real actors and George Lucas, while three others will win spots to appear as extras in the new Star Wars miniseries. —Raimon commented. He knew very well that the latest series, the Count Dooku series, had been a complete success: a ten-episode series that revolutionized a simple concept. None of that was truly important; none of it. It was only a way of winning over certain fans, of making it the quintessential American franchise, making it belong to the people, giving fans priority, and making sure their voices were heard.
Some people's eyes remained completely fixed on Raimon's answer, leaving them speechless, and on the way, he smiled, and on the way,y everyone dissolved into whispers. The entry slips were placed into a giant spinning wheel, el where everyone dropped their papers. Lux Animation's grand cinema, in partnership with Cinemark, was the place where they had built a magnificent structure. A gigantic building was a reflection of the age.
Billy wore a dark blue suit. He wore a black shirt with a silver-gray tie, a Star Wars pin, and on his arm was Natalie Portman, wearing a daring black Padmé dress, the very one she wore in the scene itself. She was careful with her image, but she was beautiful at that time, hand in hand with Billy. They were already beginning to give answers.
—I think a series like Star Wars has to be treated with the respect it deserves. I don't think it's just science fiction; it's a project Lucas has been developing since 1980, and on my side, I've spent ten years developing something without leaving anything to chance. I don't want anything to be empty. —Billy commented to an ABC reporter.
—You mean this isn't a show?
—Imeana,n it's cinema; we're trying to make cinema. —Billy said, pulling Natalie along as they moved to the next press line, a brief moment in time. It was fair to say that Natalie was a newcomer and answered questions with Billy taking the lead; she watched him while the cameras captured their glances.
—Are you two dating? —an ABC reporter asked.
—We're good friends. —Natalie replied.
—Natalie is an intelligent woman. She's a very good friend of mine. I'm sorry reality isn't keeping up with the rumors. We have a good relationship. —Billy commented, unwilling to make anything more of it. She was shy at that time; she only nodded, completely red, delicate as a flower bud, and while he denied it, she looked at him with lovestruck eyes. The photograph made the front pages the following morning.
If that was enough.
Billy continued answering questions and doing what he had to do. While Natalie watched him with those large eyes, it was something else: the confidence and the quiet strength, the way he left journalists in silence with his ideas about business, about life, and about philanthropy. His command of three languages, his degree, and his wealth were a beacon for Natalie, who wanted someone like that in her life, a capable man.
Ten years after the events of The Phantom Menace, the Galactic Republic is facing a serious political crisis. Thousands of star systems threaten to secede under the leadership of the former Jedi Count Dooku. Meanwhile, Senator Padmé Amidala survives an assassination attempt upon arriving on Coruscant.
To protect her, the Jedi Council assigns Obi-Wan Kenobi and his young apprentice, Anakin Skywalker.
Anakin accompanies Padmé to Naboo, where the two fall in love, even though Jedi are forbidden from forming romantic attachments. At the same time, Obi-Wan investigates the attack and discovers a secret clone army created on the planet Kamino to serve the Republic. Billy's chemistry was unmistakable: the way the screen showed Billy kissing Natalie and her completely crazy about him; the chemistry was palpable, and the rumors only grew.
The investigation leads him to Geonosis, where he discovers that Dooku is building a massive droid army to begin a war. Anakin and Padmé try to rescue Obi-Wan, but they are captured. The three are sentenced to death in a battle arena, although they are saved by hundreds of Jedi and the newly discovered clone army. The film culminates in the first great battle of the Clone Wars. Dooku escapes after confronting Obi-Wan and Anakin, and the galaxy officially enters war. Meanwhile, Anakin and Padmé secretly marry, an event that will have profound consequences for the future of the galaxy.
Natalie felt her body react to the way he moved closer, and she pressed herself against him, the way her whole body opened itself to receive him; she blushed once again