As filming had just started, the first wave of promotions focused primarily on the novel's source material. Matthew had successfully turned Twilight and The Hunger Games into blockbuster adaptations, and he had learned valuable lessons from those projects—namely, that people who had read the original book were more likely to purchase tickets to see its movie adaptation.
Whether or not these readers believed the adaptation did justice to the original material, over 95% of them would still contribute to the box office revenue.
Additionally, book fans were more inclined to spend on related merchandise.
Much like Warner Bros. had done with the Harry Potter series, creating more readers before the movie's release would undoubtedly benefit its future performance.
Promotional articles about the novel started popping up across North American media and websites.
"From a 99-Cent Novel to a Sensation: The Martian!"
Headlines like these grabbed attention, as underdog success stories were a favorite theme for both media outlets and the public.
The novel's author, Andy Weir, was painted as a figure of determination and resilience.
"The Martian author Andy Weir shares the same tenacious spirit as Mark Watney, the protagonist played by Matthew Horner. Years ago, Andy Weir began writing a story about an astronaut stranded on a red planet, diving deeply into its mysteries. He spent three years crafting this tale, posting chapters online every few weeks to give readers free access to follow Mark Watney's journey."
"After gaining a modest following, he decided, at the urging of his fans, to turn the story into an e-book. One fan suggested he upload it to Amazon, and he did, pricing it at just 99 cents for readers to enjoy."
Meanwhile, Matthew supported Andy Weir's rise by giving interviews from the set, cheering him on.
"When I first picked up this book," Matthew shared in one interview, "I thought, 'I'll just read 20 or 30 pages to get a feel for it.' After all, at that time, it didn't even have a physical edition—no one wanted to publish it. But I ended up devouring the entire book in one sitting. I was completely hooked. It was love at first sight!"
As this interview spread across television and online platforms, the novel's popularity skyrocketed. Suddenly, everyone wanted to read the book that Matthew had praised so highly.
With its quality assured and bolstered by Matthew's enthusiastic recommendation, along with a solid promotional campaign, the book hit the top of The New York Times bestseller list by late June. It also climbed to the number-one spot in Amazon's e-book sales rankings.
In response, a swarm of North American journalists descended on Dalby, the small Australian town where the film was being shot, eager to visit the set and conduct interviews. The Martian was becoming a household name.
As the only actor currently filming, Matthew dedicated time outside of shooting to a group interview with reporters.
The film's production budget was a substantial $120 million. While not extravagant compared to similar films, it was fully funded by Thirteen Studio, with Matthew as an investor. Naturally, he spared no effort in promoting it.
"When I read the script, my biggest fear was the loneliness of being completely alone out there," Matthew told the gathered reporters. "In my life, I'm surrounded by amazing actors and great friends. But for this movie, I had to portray a man entirely isolated on Mars. That was the biggest challenge for me—no friends, no companions. But with a great director like Ridley Scott, I felt reassured."
Disney, through its subsidiaries Disney Studios and Buena Vista International, also sent representatives to discuss the film's release date with Matthew. Initially, Disney had planned to release The Martian during Thanksgiving 2014, giving the production team ample time for post-production.
However, Ridley Scott insisted he didn't need that much time. He claimed the film could be fully ready by March.
This made an earlier release inevitable.
Disney eventually decided to move the film to a summer release, slotting it into June 2014. With Iron Man 3 opening the summer season and Fast & Furious 6 dominating Matthew's usual solo-release weekend, June became the optimal choice.
This adjustment significantly compressed the post-production timeline. However, Ridley Scott and his experienced team were well-versed in producing sci-fi films, and the crew showed no signs of worry.
Matthew and Disney both believed that The Martian had the potential to be a true crowd-pleaser. Even audiences unfamiliar with the science behind the story would find it easy to follow and enjoy.
In the movie industry, understanding your target audience is crucial. Twilight and The Hunger Games were prime examples of successful audience targeting.
Unlike those series, The Martian wasn't tied to a specific demographic. The novel's premise wasn't overly intellectual or deeply scientific. Instead, it balanced humor, humanity, and science with a hopeful and passionate tone that resonated with a wide range of readers.
From 8-year-olds dreaming of space to office workers in their cubicles, almost anyone could find something to love about this film.
This broad appeal necessitated visual restraint. Many graphic scenes from the novel, such as Mark Watney treating his wounds, were toned down or omitted entirely for the theatrical release, though some of these would appear in the DVD version.
Amid the promotional frenzy, Matthew remained focused on his primary task—bringing Mark Watney to life.
On set, a plot of land had been prepared. Carrying two buckets, Matthew crouched down to inspect the soil. Pulling a trowel from his belt, he dug a small hole, measured its depth, and nodded in satisfaction.
"Damn you, Mars!" he muttered, cutting open a package with scissors. Acting as if assaulted by a foul stench, he turned away dramatically. "Ugh, that's vile!"
He squeezed the contents—a mix of human waste—into a bucket containing Martian and Earth soil. Gagging, he coughed violently.
"No, this won't work," he muttered, grabbing some tissue to stuff into his nostrils. Returning to his task, he cut open another package. This time, he sighed in relief. "Ah, scented tissues. NASA finally did something right!"
As he mixed the waste with soil, Matthew joked, "I'm breathing through my mouth now, but the smell is still getting in. This…" He dropped the package and retched. "Thank God I didn't eat before this!"
With a resigned look, he added, "If I don't do this, there won't be any food later."
He glanced at the bucket. "What if the potatoes don't grow? Am I supposed to eat this? No way. That's horrifying!"
After finishing the mix, he grabbed an iron rod and began stirring vigorously.
"Once I get back, I'm patenting this," he quipped. "No one gets the formula. The secret isn't in the Martian-Earth soil blend but in the exclusive ingredient created by Mark Watney."
Satisfied with the mixture, Matthew set the rod aside and scooped a small amount of "Kingkira" fertilizer into the hole.
"Finally, a fertilizer rich in microorganisms!" He wore a mix of disgust and pride as he completed the task.
This scene, depicting the pivotal step in Mark Watney's survival—growing potatoes on Mars—was critical to the story. For the first time, a space sci-fi film elevated a botanist to the role of protagonist.
The scene design earned approval from NASA experts.
The astronaut's quarters provided a controlled environment with stable pressure, temperature, and lighting. Watney's modifications to machinery and the greenhouse solved the water issue. But cultivating crops still required nutrients and minerals, which Earth soil provided.
Mixing Earth's microbiologically active soil with Martian soil created a workable medium for growth, making the scenario scientifically plausible.
The scene was shot in a single take, marking the last shot Matthew filmed in June before returning to North America to promote G.I. Joe: Retaliation.
Since Matthew's scenes were largely independent of the rest of the cast, his absence wouldn't disrupt Ridley Scott's schedule.
_________________________
[Check out my Patreon for +200 additional chapters in all my fanfics! $5 for all!!]
[w w w . p a t r e o n .com / INNIT]
[+50 PowerStones = +1 Chapter] [+5 Reviews = +1 Chapter]