If you are planning to go see “The Great Gatsby,” director Baz Luhrmann hopes you will walk away from the film wanting to host lavish parties over the summer.

The movie is based on F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel set in the 1920’s and revolves around a man named Jay Gatsby, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, who throws extravagant parties at his Long Island mansion in an attempt to lure a married former love interest named Daisy, played by Carey Mulligan.

“The idea is that you don’t just come see the movie, but also celebrate that extraordinary book throughout the summer,” Luhrmann, who is best known for directing “Romeo and Juliet” and “Moulin Rouge!,” recently told Reuters. “There’s an intoxication that (protagonist) Jay Gatsby used to draw all of New York into his glittering parties and his mysterious gardens.”

Luhrmann believes the tale perfectly encapsulates the essence of the state during the warmest season of the year, saying, “Is there a book that captures summer in New York more accurately, more viscerally than ‘The Great Gatsby’? I don’t think so.”

According to Entertainment Weekly, “The Great Gatsby” grossed $19.4 million on its opening day Friday, placing the romantic drama in second place at the box office. The number one spot went to “Iron Man 3,” with $19.8 million. Michael Bay’s action comedy “Pain and Gain” starring Mark Wahlberg and Dwayne Johnson took third place with $1.3 million, Tyler Perry’s comedy “Peeples” starring Craig Robinson and Kerry Washington took fourth place with $1.2 million, followed by the Jackie Robinson biopic “42” with $1.1 million.

While “The Great Gatsby” might have attracted large crowds, it almost didn’t come to exist. Originally slated for a December 2012 release, the film was pushed back until May due to bad weather, an injury endured by its director, and conflict with another movie’s premiere date also starring its leading actor.

Luhrmann explained to Reuters that it rained multiple times while filming that they had to shut down production. They also had to halt production when Luhrmann was accidentally hit by a crane, in which he suffered a concussion and needed four stitches. Quentin Tarantino’s American western film “Django Unchained,” featuring DiCaprio, was also going to have the same December release date as “The Great Gatsby” in which case the actor would have had to promote two drastically different movies during the award season. To eliminate this dilemma, Warner Bros. decided to reschedule “The Great Gatsby” to a later time, ultimately corresponding with a date close to the beginning of summer. The later release date was deemed the perfect fit by Luhrmann since the story takes place around the same time.

“The convincing point for me was that the book is set in the sweltering summer,” Luhrmann said. “All the action takes place during one summer period.”