Due to time constraints, she took an unconventional approach to promoting the film. Instead of building up hype before the release, she waited until after the premiere to detonate the buzz she had carefully planted beforehand.
She used Roy's appearance to contrast his acting, then used his acting to spark conversation about the film. As long as audiences were captivated by his portrayal of the Joker, the discussion would naturally shift toward the movie itself. And once more people were talking about the film, would box office sales even be a concern?
Once the ticket sales climbed, even more attention would be drawn to Roy, and naturally, his popularity would skyrocket.
It was, quite simply, the perfect publicity strategy, wasn't it?
In fact, after using an actor for a publicity boost, shifting focus to the director would've been an excellent next move—especially for a director like Laila, whose name alone generated massive buzz.
However, neither the production side nor the media dared to stir up too much controversy around her. The last tabloid that tried to slander her? It ended up being bought out and rebranded as a subsidiary of the Moran Group—its reputation is still a laughingstock among peers to this day. If something like that happened again, people might laugh themselves into a coma.
Sure, criticizing is fair game—but outright slander or fabricating stories is crossing a line. Of course, for some of the trashier tabloids, making things up is nothing new; they've "discovered aliens" more times than anyone can count. So what's another story about a Hollywood director?
But when the director in question has serious backing—someone who could bankrupt you with a single lawsuit—you have to stop and consider whether the potential attention is worth the very real financial consequences.
And the truth is, aside from making things up, no one knows where to even find dirt on Laila. Criticize her work? Her last film made Hollywood history, dominating box offices alongside two others in a three-way tie for the highest-grossing film of all time. How do you even argue with that?
Attack her personal life?
Please. There isn't another socialite in all of America who lives as quietly as Laila does. No drinking, no partying, no drug scandals. Her lifestyle was cleaner than a monk's. Even her relationship with Roy? Since news of their being together broke, there hadn't been a single crack, and now they were nearly engaged.
Some gossip rags had previously reported she was pregnant or had broken up, but time quickly proved those rumors to be baseless nonsense. After being wrong so many times, no one took those claims seriously anymore.
So it wasn't that the media didn't want to use Laila for publicity—they simply couldn't find anything to work with.
The shameless outlets could tear her down today and praise her tomorrow, riding the public tide. But as a "principled" tabloid? No, no—they had to double down and go even harder in trying to drag her down!
But there was no drama to dig up, and yet readers and viewers still craved updates about her. If they went too long without any Laila-related gossip, they'd get chewed out in the comments. So every media outlet had a love-hate relationship with her—afraid to push too far, yet unable to resist the temptation to dig.
And once again, she'd succeeded. From the critics' praise to the audience's explosive reaction, it was clear the new movie had immense potential. If every screening was met with the same kind of enthusiasm, then there was no doubt Laila had another box office hit on her hands.
That very evening, as soon as the first wave of viewers left the theater, related topics started exploding online.
"This is Laila's best superhero movie yet!"
"Who would've thought that was Roy—?!"
"Why do the actors in Laila's films always deliver such top-tier performances?"
Thread after thread rose to the top of forums and social platforms. Facebook was no different—fans who'd just seen the movie were desperate to spill their excitement, and every single post was full of glowing praise.
The hottest topic of all? Roy's performance. Out of everyone who saw the movie, only a tiny number recognized him as the Joker. Most people were left wondering: Who on earth managed to bring that insane, terrifying villain to life in such a captivating, even magnetic way?
When people finally made the connection between Roy and the Joker, those who had seen the film—and even those who hadn't—were all stunned.
Just days ago, Roy had been trending for being one of the most handsome men in the world. And now? He had blown everyone away playing a character buried under layers of makeup, with not a trace of his real face visible—yet he still managed to steal the show.
"Roy's acting is insane!"
"This is hands down Roy's best performance to date. If you don't see it in theaters, you're going to regret it!"
"I still can't believe that was Roy. Seriously, are we being pranked?"
Praise for Roy's acting exploded across the internet in an instant. Yes, Batman and the rest of the cast had made noticeable leaps in performance—but under the Joker's overwhelming spotlight, they were inevitably overshadowed.
This left countless fans who hadn't yet seen the movie desperately anxious. With glowing reviews spreading like wildfire, they couldn't wait to get to the theater and see this "instant classic" with their own eyes—just how incredible was that performance?
And when that kind of curiosity turns into demand, it's easy to imagine how powerful the box office numbers will become.
By the next morning, major media outlets had already released their official reviews. Compared to fan and viewer comments, these pieces—written by professional critics—held even greater sway.
"The Dark Knight isn't just another Batman movie. It's not just a comic book film or a summer blockbuster. Alongside Wall-E, it stands as one of this year's best mainstream releases—a gripping and mesmerizing thriller."
— Houston Chronicle
"Watching The Dark Knight feels like staring into a mirror on a moonless night—frightening and disorienting."
— Denver Post
"Positioned at the intersection of art and industry, poetry and entertainment, The Dark Knight is darker and more profound than any other Hollywood adaptation of a comic book."
— The New York Times
Nearly every outlet gave the film glowing reviews, all praising it as an extraordinary superhero movie.
As The Entertainer Weekly put it, Laila used her masterful storytelling to transform a tired "hero saves the world" cliché into a powerful, thought-provoking fable.
Sure, The Entertainer Weekly was a Moran family-owned publication—so of course it would praise her film to the skies. But when the majority of media outlets are saying the same thing, quantity becomes quality—and you can be sure it'll drive even more people to the theaters.
And as for Roy, many critics now call his performance the best of the year.