981-985

*Chapter 981: A Fragment*

"Thank you."

Countless words ultimately boiled down to this one simple phrase.

Michael finally pulled himself back from the emotional edge and regained some composure.

"Next time, I hope I have the chance to thank you in person—it would be my honor."

Anson, without any pretense, took the opportunity to joke, "You treating?"

Michael immediately caught on to the humor.

The painting had been priced at $5,000, but the final sale price added an extra zero.

Clearly, Anson was teasing about the situation in a lighthearted way.

Michael glanced at Annie. He now understood why people said Anson was so charming. Annie, however, looked back at Michael, confused.

Michael didn’t explain, just nodded with a bright smile, "Of course, I’ll treat. I can definitely manage that, 100%."

The call didn’t last long.

Michael turned to Annie and Thomas, the smile on his face widening. "He liked my work."

That one sentence was enough.

Annie and Thomas both hugged Michael, cheering and celebrating together.

Meanwhile, on the other end of the call, Anson hung up and immediately noticed the curious gazes from Nora and Lucas. Though they said nothing, their eyes were full of curiosity and concern.

Anson felt a little helpless. "Just a friend."

Nora raised an eyebrow. "A friend?"

Her tone was full of intrigue.

Initially, Anson wanted to explain the whole situation, a coincidence worth sharing as a fun story. But seeing Nora's look, he suddenly didn’t feel like explaining anymore.

"Ms. Nora, what’s with that look?"

"What look? My look is perfectly normal."

"Hey, your look is definitely implying something."

"What? Hmm? You tell me, what did you think you saw?"

Bzzzz, bzzzz.

The sound of a vibrating phone interrupted the exchange between Nora and Anson.

Nora turned and glared at Lucas. "We’re only on the third course."

In other words, dinner had barely started, and Lucas had already taken five or six calls.

Lucas, who had been quietly sitting on the side, didn’t argue. He instinctively glanced at his phone, then looked around.

"Mom, it’s for you."

Nora: ...

Next to them, Anson burst out laughing.

Nora looked exasperated but didn’t say anything further. She silently took the call, not even checking the caller ID.

"Good evening, this is Nora Wood."

On the other side of the table, Lucas and Anson secretly high-fived under the table.

Nora noticed but didn’t have time to deal with the two brothers. She focused on the call, listening attentively and communicating briefly.

After hanging up, she didn’t speak right away.

Anson felt a bit concerned. "Mom, what happened?"

Nora glanced at Anson, her expression a little strange. "I’ll need to go back to the gallery after dinner."

Lucas also sensed something was off. "What’s going on?"

Nora shrugged slightly, trying to find a more accurate way to express herself. But it wasn’t easy, so she simply said it directly.

"More than a third of the artworks in the gallery have sold."

There was a moment of silence.

Lucas exhaled calmly, looking unfazed.

Anson, on the other hand, was in disbelief. "Are you sure?"

Nora's smile grew wider. "Yes."

"So, I’ll need to go to the gallery later to confirm everything. It all happened so fast, just within a few hours. We need to double-check the buyers and the offers to make sure everything’s in order, and maybe even consider whether we need to launch a new round of promotion."

It all seemed unbelievable, even surreal.

Even after confirming it multiple times, the reality still felt a little out of reach—like a shock that kept reverberating in the mind.

In contrast, Lucas remained calm.

"There’s no need."

"Anson is the best promotion. From the moment he showed up, it only took a few hours for the market to respond positively. If we push for promotion now, it might seem forced, making people think everything was staged. The commercial aspect would be too strong, and it could turn people off. Instead, we should be patient and let word of mouth naturally spread."

Nora looked at Lucas, clearly impressed.

Lucas remained expressionless. "Mom, you should’ve seen the crowd outside the gallery today. If they could, they wouldn’t mind tearing Anson’s clothes apart and each grabbing a piece."

Anson raised an eyebrow. "Luke, do you want one too? If so, I’ve got plenty in my wardrobe—you can help yourself."

Lucas: ...

Nora, however, had already snapped back to attention and looked at Anson again, her face full of pride. "Sorry, Anson, I doubted your influence this afternoon."

Her tone was genuine, straightforward, and warm.

Anson, on the other hand, felt a little embarrassed. Even he hadn’t expected things to unfold like this, catching him completely off guard.

So, he made a joke. "I feel like I’ve been sold and am still counting the money. Is that normal?"

Lucas was right—

No promotion was the best promotion, or rather, the correct kind of promotion.

A week later, the buzz around the East Village art gallery began to spread across New York, catching the attention of the New Yorker.

Without any invitation or planned collaboration, The New Yorker sent a columnist to the gallery—not to interview or promote Anson, but to truly appreciate the exhibition and see what kind of show had attracted Anson’s attention.

A "pretty face" is often thought to mean something with style but no substance.

But over the past few years, Anson had been gradually revealing a different side.

From films, acting, and music to fashion... bit by bit, Anson was showing depth, taste, and personality, slowly breaking the stereotype of just being a handsome figurehead and revealing more of who he was as a person and an artist.

Of course, conspiracy theories persisted:

That it was all orchestrated by managers and PR teams, with Anson merely acting as a puppet for someone else’s genius. The so-called depth was nothing more than an empty shell.

This was exactly what The New Yorker aimed to explore.

If Anson had a carefully constructed image, why choose this exhibition? Shouldn't he attend more prestigious shows with better reputations? If it was all part of a strategy, there was no need to take such a risk.

But what if the exhibition was Anson’s own choice? What could we learn from that?

Putting Anson aside, The New Yorker also believed that giving these independent art exhibitions more attention was necessary to help nurture the art scene.

And so, quietly, more eyes turned toward Anson.

So, what about Anson?

*Chapter 982: The Event of the Year*

It was a rare afternoon in June.

Golden sunlight bathed the city of New York, lazily spreading heat across the towering concrete jungle. The early summer breeze mingled with the warmth, creating a perfect atmosphere that made one long for a picnic on the grassy lawns of Central Park.

No doubt, it was an ideal afternoon for a picnic.

However, not everyone could afford such leisure. The city remained busy, with people rushing back and forth, immersed in their own worlds, working tirelessly.

Duncan Lewis was one of those hurrying through the streets. He was on his bike, a red pizza delivery box strapped to his back, weaving between cars, speeding through the city streets.

But traffic was not on his side.

Up ahead, the street was completely blocked—not just traffic, but a full road closure, causing Duncan to groan in frustration. His hopes of making a quick delivery were dashed.

Why was the street closed?

Not only was it closed, but a thick crowd gathered outside the yellow barricades, packed tightly, stretching as far as the eye could see.

There was no end in sight.

Duncan slammed on the brakes and stopped at the intersection, his mind racing, trying to figure out a detour that would allow him to deliver the pizza on time.

But there was a problem: it was only his second day on the job, and he wasn’t familiar with the streets yet.

He had thought that delivering food was just about strength and speed, but now he realized planning routes was also an art.

"Damn it!" Duncan cursed under his breath.

He glanced around, trying to figure out the layout, but he was still lost. He didn’t even know how far the street closure extended. What was he supposed to do?

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the crowd nearby. They didn’t seem to be watching a spectacle—they were in line?

Just then, a man in the crowd, grinning, caught Duncan’s eye. Duncan approached him. “Excuse me, what’s going on here? How far does the street closure go?”

The man was in his forties, with a shiny bald spot on his forehead. He had an ordinary appearance, someone you’d lose in a crowd, but his constant smile made him stand out. Somehow, he immediately captured Duncan’s attention.

“John Landis,” the man introduced himself, extending his hand.

Duncan, confused, shook his hand. “What’s happening here?”

Without waiting for Duncan to explain, John began to answer.

“Ah, this is the set for ‘Spider-Man 2.’ Today’s the first official day of filming, though shooting won’t start for another three hours.”

“So, are you here for the open call for extras?” John asked.

Duncan froze, about to turn and leave, but the question caught his ear. “Are you an actor?”

John smiled. “Of course. I’ve done cameos in over forty movies and TV shows: ‘Six Feet Under,’ ‘The Sopranos,’ ‘Rush Hour,’ ‘Terminator 2.’ I’ve seen all kinds of stars on set.”

“If you want, you could join in too.”

“You know, you might even meet Anson Wood and Kirsten Dunst here. Well, at least Anson. I’m not sure if Kirsten’s filming today.”

Duncan, wide-eyed, forgot he was supposed to leave.

John enjoyed moments like this, as if a spotlight had found him. His grin grew even wider.

“‘Spider-Man,’ you’ve heard of it, right? Half of Hollywood auditioned for ‘Spider-Man 2.’ Everyone wanted to be part of the sequel, even just for a brief appearance—it’s a rare chance.”

“All the actors I know auditioned for it.”

“Every. Single. One.”

“Because we all know this movie is going to be a hit. Everyone’s going to watch it, and this is your best chance to get noticed on the big screen. You wouldn’t want to miss that.”

“Without a doubt, this is the biggest event of the year. All the actors have been waiting for this day, hoping to be part of it.”

“Even as a background extra, you never know how you might appear in the movie—it’s like playing ‘Where’s Waldo’—a surprise!”

Unconsciously, a small crowd gathered around them, including others waiting in line, their faces lighting up with excitement. It felt like a party atmosphere was brewing.

Duncan couldn’t help but laugh along. “Everyone? Even Brad Pitt?”

John burst out laughing. “Maybe Brad Pitt wanted to be part of it, but he was too shy to admit it.”

Everyone laughed heartily, the atmosphere growing even more lively.

Duncan joined in the laughter. He was tempted to stay, but then remembered his job. “I wish I could quit this stupid job and join you, but I really need to finish this delivery.”

He patted the pizza box strapped to his back.

John didn’t push him further. “What a shame.”

“The whole street’s blocked. The permit was granted three months ago. This closure stretches out for three blocks in all directions.”

“If you want to find another route, you’ll need to go quite a bit further.”

Duncan exhaled deeply. “I guess I better get going, or I’ll be late.”

He glanced one last time at the massive crowd ahead, disappointment visible on his face. Reluctantly, he turned to leave.

Nearby, another young man on a skateboard, wearing a cap, watched Duncan leave, then turned to John with a question.

“So, how can I get to Corsi Street and Grand Street?”

John sighed. “Oh, God, that’s inside the closed area. Do you work there?”

“The closure isn’t just for cars; pedestrians can’t get through either. But if you live or work in one of the buildings inside, you should have a pass. You can ask around.”

“See that black luxury trailer over there?”

The skateboarder followed John’s pointed finger. “What about it?”

“That’s Anson Wood’s personal trailer. He’s the heart and soul of the whole production. I’m just warning you, don’t go to the wrong place. The tent in front of the trailer is the check-in spot, where the crew gathers. You can ask about getting through, but don’t be mistaken for someone you're not.”

“Wow, that thing’s huge. It looks like a Transformer,” the skateboarder marveled.

The crowd burst into laughter again, with someone shouting, “Welcome to Hollywood!” which was quickly met with teasing corrections, “Manhattan,” and “Geography idiot!”

John beamed at the skateboarder. “He deserves the star treatment. He’s the hottest young talent in Hollywood right now. But hey, who knows? Maybe you’ll have your own trailer someday.”

More laughter and whistles erupted, and the atmosphere became even more festive.

The skateboarder nodded gratefully. “Hope today’s shoot goes well.”

With that, he kicked off on his skateboard, gliding past the long line toward the front. All eyes followed him as he zoomed ahead.

Someone in the crowd whispered, “Doesn’t that guy look a lot like Anson from the back?”

*Chapter 983: The Skateboard Kid*

“…Don’t you think that figure looks a lot like Anson?”

A voice emerged from the noisy crowd, sparking a wave of chuckles, playful banter, and lighthearted teasing.

“Yeah, yeah, as if Anson would be skating around the lower city.”

“Why would Anson need to ask for directions? Doesn’t he have like three or four assistants?”

“I’ve seen Leonardo DiCaprio ride a bike to a film set, but that was in Burbank at the Warner Bros. studio. Maybe he’s not into golf carts.”

“If I remember correctly, Anson should be a bit shorter. This guy looks taller.”

“It’s probably a delivery guy bringing documents to Wall Street.”

Before them was a bustling crowd, like the gathering before a parade. As John had said, half of Hollywood's actors seemed to be there, everyone eager to be a part of Spider-Man 2.

Without a doubt, the start of production on Spider-Man 2 was the most highly anticipated industry event of the first half of the year. Not only were the media reporters gathered to capture exclusive footage to build hype for the sequel, but insiders in the film industry—actors, agents, producers—were also paying close attention. No one wanted to be left out.

Titanic made history, but it didn’t have a sequel.

Spider-Man also made history, nearly surpassing Titanic, and it did have a sequel.

In some ways, the industry had already placed this superhero film in the same category as Star Wars, hoping that the Spider-Man series could once again reshape the landscape of Hollywood cinema.

All eyes were on it.

Just witnessing the scene in front of them, one could feel the impact Spider-Man had.

Though it was just an ordinary street scene in New York, Sam Raimi’s commitment to shooting on location had ignited the enthusiasm of the city's residents. They truly saw Peter Parker as their friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, a good citizen of New York. Even in the bustling city, people were willing to stop and watch.

In busy New York, this was a rare exception.

John, who wasn’t very tall, was swallowed by the crowd. But he still tried to catch sight of the skateboard kid they’d just noticed.

The skateboarder smoothly made his way to the check-in point. After a brief conversation, the crowd stirred with excitement. Even from a distance, they could sense the frenzied atmosphere as people hurried about in a mix of joy and nervousness.

Then, the skateboard kid successfully entered the crew area. He even turned around, waved in gratitude, and flashed a bright smile under the sunlight.

John whistled in response, and the crowd around him buzzed with excitement.

But then, they watched in stunned silence as the skateboard kid headed toward a sleek black luxury trailer—like something out of Transformers. The crowd started to grow anxious.

“That kid…”

“No way, did he mess up?”

“Is he just curious?”

People around the skateboarder came and went, but no one stopped him. He walked straight to the trailer, opened the door, and went inside.

Gasp.

The crowd exchanged shocked glances, full of concern.

John blinked, and an absurd thought suddenly popped into his head. “Anson…”

The words escaped his throat, turning his vague suspicion into reality. He stood frozen, as if struck by lightning.

Total shutdown!

In an instant, the bustling, noisy crowd fell silent. It was as if the world had stopped turning. People looked at each other in disbelief, completely unable to react. A strange calm spread through the sea of onlookers.

…

Inside the trailer, it was spacious and bright.

As the door opened and he stepped up into the trailer, the first thing that greeted him was a living room. The rectangular space had light-colored wooden flooring, leaving a small open area—big enough for a waltz but perhaps a bit tight for a tango.

On one long side of the rectangle was the kitchen, located near the door, with a sink, refrigerator, cabinets, microwave, and even an oven—all fully equipped. On the opposite side, a long sofa ran against the wall, in shades of beige, gray, and deep blue—low-key but bright.

On the short sides of the rectangle, the left side led to a bedroom with a large double bed, nearly filling the entire space. On the right side was a bathroom and a wardrobe, pristine as if everything were brand new—like stepping onto the Titanic for the first time.

Not only was it spacious, but it was modern and stylish.

Honestly, this trailer was more comfortable and cleaner than most apartments in downtown New York. Just being there brightened one’s mood.

And this entire space belonged solely to Anson.

This was one of the conditions negotiated by Anson’s agent, Edgar, when renewing his contract with Sony-Columbia. When agents discuss contracts, pay and bonuses are only part of it. There are many other details.

For instance, are there any nude scenes? Will male actors need to show abs, or female actors reveal their curves?

Or work hours—if the schedule goes beyond what's stipulated, can the actor protest or have a say?

Then there’s the treatment on set. For a production like Spider-Man that insists on shooting on location, trailers are a must. However, most actors don’t get their own trailers. The entire crew might share two trailers. And there are things like meals, afternoon tea, and even personal dietary habits—all these details are discussed.

Mariah Carey is the classic example, known industry-wide.

She demands red carpets and white candles upon hotel arrival, twenty humidifiers in her room, a separate car for her dog, a temporary gym set up in the neighboring hotel room, an antique table flown in for signing autographs, and eleven bodyguards surrounding her dining table to ensure no one sees her eat.

These are the kinds of things included in contracts.

Edgar had secured only the most basic requests for Anson, and Sony-Columbia agreed without hesitation. Compared to box office revenue shares, these were trivial matters.

Anson was worth it.

Knock knock.

There was a knock at the door. After receiving permission from Anson, the door opened again, and Noah stepped inside.

As Anson’s assistant, Noah had been on an extended break—so long, in fact, that with Spider-Man 2 about to begin shooting, he was thrilled to finally be back in action.

To his surprise, Anson insisted on going to the set alone, trying to immerse himself in the role just like Peter Parker at the beginning of the film. As a result, Noah once again found himself with little to do, arriving early to prepare for Anson’s work.

Having just learned that Anson had arrived, Noah sprinted over, full of excitement.

“So, how does it feel?”

*Chapter 984: Flesh and Blood*

Huff, huff.

Noah was gasping for breath, afraid that if he slowed down even a little, he might miss work. His cheeks were flushed, and his bright eyes looked up to size up Anson.

After a quick scan to confirm Anson’s condition and realizing that he was still full of energy, Noah felt a bit relieved. "How do you feel?" he asked.

Anson turned to look at Noah. "Oh, not bad, quite the experience."

"Honestly, I kind of regret not coming back earlier. Maybe I should have experienced the life of a pizza delivery guy sooner, not just observing it in a rush, but actually delivering for two days. I would have crammed my schedule and dashed through the streets of Manhattan. That kind of experience would have been totally different."

"But still, I got something out of it."

"Even though I only followed the pizza guy’s route a couple of times, I got a taste of the crowded traffic, bad drivers, hectic schedule, and the craziness of rush hour. It was already a whole new world for me."

"The biggest challenge was the noise. You can’t imagine the constant bombardment of sounds—engines, horns, conversations, and the subway all crashing into your eardrums. It felt like I was exposed to some sort of pollution."

In "Spider-Man 2," Peter Parker starts off as a pizza delivery boy, handling deliveries, which is exactly why they were now in Little Italy in downtown Manhattan, the most concentrated and authentic area for pizza delivery, getting ready to start filming the movie.

For Peter, balancing work, school, and being a superhero was exhausting. His hectic life was constantly on the verge of collapse, teetering on the edge, and could fall apart at any moment. He had to put all his energy into just barely maintaining some semblance of order in his life.

This was Peter’s reality.

"Spider-Man 2" is widely considered one of the pinnacles of superhero movies. Before "The Dark Knight" in The Batman series, this film was seen as a milestone, credited with launching a new era of superhero cinema. You can see its influence in later films like Iron Man, Captain America, and even The Dark Knight itself.

Leaving aside its reputation and quality, the core reason for its success lies in how Spider-Man 2 delves deep into the struggle superheroes face in balancing their real lives with their duties to justice.

Before this film, "Superman" seemed perfect, easily saving the world; "Batman" was a billionaire, with no worries about his livelihood, fully focused on fighting crime; and the "X-Men" had a school system, united in fighting evil and official oppression—personal survival wasn’t a topic of discussion.

Then came Spider-Man 2.

Peter Parker, a young man just starting college, had to face the pressures of life—his studies, his future, his job, his financial needs. While continuing the coming-of-age theme from the first film, Peter also had to grow up further and confront the pressures of adult life.

He wasn’t just a superhero saving the world. He was also an ordinary person with everyday worries about life and love—a flesh-and-blood human being, just like the millions of ordinary people living in the real world.

Thus, the struggle to find a balance between saving himself and saving the world became the most real part of Peter Parker's story.

From a moral standpoint, superheroes should save the world. "With great power comes great responsibility"—that’s the idea. But from a practical standpoint, superheroes have their own lives too. They’re not just machines expected to sacrifice themselves for the world.

Don’t superheroes deserve happiness? Should they continue to sacrifice themselves unconditionally for others? Must they be flawless, morally perfect beings?

Simply put, superhero films have long tried to deify these characters, while the Spider-Man series has consistently tried to strip away that god-like aura and show Peter’s reality—his vulnerabilities, struggles, doubts, and ultimate choices between good and evil, self and the world.

One of the most iconic scenes in The Dark Knight involves the Joker forcing Batman to choose—his lover or a boat full of ordinary lives. This isn’t just a simple trolley problem; it forces the superhero into a tug-of-war between justice and morality, adding depth to the film.

And the inspiration for that scene? It came from Spider-Man 2. Of course, Christopher Nolan further refined and developed it, eventually crafting a masterpiece.

Sam Raimi’s greatest contribution to the Spider-Man series lies here. As a die-hard fan of the original comics, Raimi zeroed in on Spider-Man’s ordinary, real, youthful qualities and tackled superhero themes from a fresh angle, making Peter Parker a character with real flesh and blood.

In fact, this holds true not only for the past but also for the future.

After Avengers: Age of Ultron, superhero movies faced a steep decline, heavily criticized across the board. Both their box office and quality plummeted, and they were mocked as "soulless theme parks." Defenders of superhero films scrambled for reasons to defend the genre.

One core reason is that later superheroes became mere tools—like mascots in tight suits at a theme park party. Movie studios tried to strip away the essence of the actors, turning superheroes into assembly-line products—striving to create gods.

Naturally, the results followed.

These heroes had no soul, no emotions, no personal lives or thoughts. The plot and crises in these films felt empty, merely going through the motions. A couple of jokes here and there, followed by the inevitable final battle to save the day.

Gods are meant to be revered, not understood. No one cares about their emotions, nor do they need to. As a result, the bond between their world and ordinary human life grew ever thinner, until all that remained were the same pale faces, with less and less distinction between superheroes.

Movies like these found it increasingly difficult to resonate with audiences, especially as superhero fatigue set in, making it even harder to connect.

Which is why, in the post-superhero movie era, TV series have become more popular than films:

Why?

The core reason is that TV shows have more time and space to build superheroes into real, relatable characters. They are no longer just one-dimensional symbols of justice. Audiences get to see the human side beneath the mask and cape, allowing people to connect and resonate with them.

This is why Spider-Man 2, even after twenty years, remains a classic, standing alongside masterpieces like The Dark Knight, The Avengers, and Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

*Chapter 985: Unlimited Potential*

Years later, when people look back on the unique genre of superhero movies, everyone knows that the debut of Spider-Man changed history. It was the first film to gross over $100 million in its opening weekend, setting a monumental milestone in film history.

However, amidst all the bustling discussions, it's easy to overlook the existence of Spider-Man 2.

If Spider-Man made Hollywood studios realize the value of superhero comic book rights, then Spider-Man 2 made producers and directors realize that superhero films could be made in a completely different way.

On one hand, Sam Raimi’s exploration of the character Peter Parker was refreshing, fully showcasing the director's love for the original comic.

On the other hand, as a popcorn movie, Sam Raimi also cleverly incorporated his dark sense of humor, derived from his background as a horror movie director, into the fight scenes. The scenes where Doctor Octopus awakens in the hospital and Spider-Man saves the train became classic moments that people still talk about.

Especially the latter — even years later, when genre films had reached their peak, with more sophisticated filming techniques and endless new ideas, it still remained an undisputed classic.

These factors are key reasons why the film became a classic.

However, as the soul of the series, Peter Parker undoubtedly carried the central responsibility in this film.

For an actor, Spider-Man 2 was a rare opportunity to showcase their acting skills.

Even in Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins trilogy, Christian Bale never got the same amount of screen time to perform such deep emotional scenes.

In the version of Spider-Man 2 that Anson knew from his previous life, Sam Raimi, riding the box office success of the first film, gained significant creative control from Sony Columbia Pictures and was able to shoot according to his own vision.

He not only brought his expertise in horror films to the screen but also took his time, patiently focusing large portions of the plot and screen time on Peter Parker's inner struggles and torment.

It’s no exaggeration to say that aside from Ang Lee’s Hulk, no other superhero movie has spent so much time exploring the protagonist's psychological arc — not even Zack Snyder’s Watchmen.

The reason is simple and straightforward.

Hulk bombed.

To be precise, Hulk was filmed before Spider-Man became a box office hit. In April 2002, this movie began filming in Arizona.

After his career skyrocketed with Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Ang Lee took over the project after four different directors had passed on it. Universal Pictures gave him full creative freedom, especially after the success of Spider-Man, and had high expectations for the film.

However, Ang Lee struggled to find a balance in this commercial blockbuster. With a budget of $140 million and over $30 million spent on promotion, Hulk was released in June of that year, grossing only $130 million domestically and $245 million worldwide.

A major disappointment.

Not only did it flop, but after profit-sharing, Universal Pictures lost over $70 million, making it the biggest box office disaster of 2003.

Additionally, the box office performance of Spider-Man 2 in the parallel world was also lower than the first film. Of course, it still made money, but compared to the expectations, it was inevitably disappointing.

After that, Hollywood studios formed an impression: Don’t dive too deeply into a superhero’s inner struggles — no one wants to see a superhero going through a midlife crisis.

Later, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and the Daredevil TV series shattered this notion, but that’s another story.

Now, back to Spider-Man 2.

Sam Raimi dedicated plenty of plot, screen time, and patience to focus on Peter Parker's mental state and character development, creating a more complete and coherent arc than the first film — a rare feat in genre films.

Not only in superhero films but in other genres as well, this is uncommon.

As you can imagine, this gave the actor enough space to develop the character — the character’s struggles at different moments, the timing, and the way they eventually transformed.

The film allowed the actor to create a fully fleshed-out character!

However, in the parallel world of his previous life, Tobey Maguire messed it up.

In the first movie, Peter Parker is a boy-next-door dealing with teenage troubles, a portrayal that suits the tone of a school movie or soap opera. This is Tobey Maguire’s strength, and he did an excellent job.

But in the second movie, Peter Parker faces more than just growing pains; he’s dealing with life and reality. The complexity skyrockets: justice and evil, self-interest and the greater good, responsibility and selfishness, money and love — these are questions some people struggle with their entire lives, and countless individuals remain trapped in the prison of reality. Naturally, it's not that simple.

Faced with such deep, complex dilemmas, Tobey Maguire’s approach, sticking with a youthful, romantic interpretation, was far from enough.

In fact, it was a disaster.

In the movie, Peter Parker repeatedly faces moments of inner conflict and difficult choices — sometimes without answers, sometimes on the verge of breaking down, sometimes helplessly cornered. The emotions are complicated and diverse, fully capturing the struggles of a young man stepping into the real world.

Yet, Tobey Maguire consistently displayed the same wide-eyed, teary expression throughout the film. While not as extreme as a blank-faced performance, it came pretty close.

Under his portrayal, the complex and profound emotions were reduced to a singular thread of grievance and confusion, and then… nothing more.

Sure, feeling wronged and confused were the right emotions, but having that same expression from start to finish was terrible.

There were no character edges, no performance nuances, and no character arc. Even by the end, he showed no growth or transformation, always stuck in the same wronged, burdened demeanor. This caused the character to stagnate, which was a complete disaster for the movie.

In fact, early in his career, people hadn’t yet noticed this flaw in Tobey Maguire’s acting. But after Spider-Man 2, it became glaringly obvious and remained a barrier he could never overcome.

In a way, Tobey was a "pretty face," a baby-faced vase.

So, does this mean Tobey’s performance ruined Spider-Man 2 and caused the movie's box office to fall short of the first film?

Anson wouldn’t go that far. After all, Tobey’s boy-next-door charm undeniably gave Peter Parker a unique, irreplaceable quality. But there’s no doubt that Tobey’s acting limited Spider-Man 2, preventing Sam Raimi’s carefully crafted script and characters from reaching their full potential.

If that potential had been fully tapped, could Spider-Man 2 have rewritten history?

Anson wasn’t sure, because there were too many factors influencing a movie's box office. In this timeline, Spider-Man has reached an entirely new, almost unbeatable level.

But Anson wanted to give it a shot.