501-505

*Chapter 501: A Full-Blown Surge*

Shaking, shaking, shaking.

Hayden's gaze remained fixed on Carter's perpetually twitching right leg:

It shook when it was on the ground, with the toe tapping up and down. It shook when it was resting on his knee, with Carter clutching his ankle. It shook when he was lying flat on the sofa, causing his left leg to tremble as well.

It just kept shaking, unable to stop.

Originally, Hayden wasn’t nervous, but watching Carter’s leg bounce constantly made the whole world seem to tremble along with it, making him inexplicably anxious as well.

In truth, Hayden had mentally prepared himself—or at least, he thought he was ready—for the possibility that "Star Wars: Episode II" might slightly underperform at the box office.

20th Century Fox was also aware that the explosive opening weekend of "Spider-Man" was a special case, a perfect storm of circumstances that created a miracle they had missed. Replicating such a miracle with the opening weekend of "Star Wars: Episode II" might be challenging, and they would have to rely on the film’s performance in the following weeks—

Both "Titanic" and "The Phantom Menace" had opening weekends that underperformed but went on to rewrite box office history due to their sustained success.

Therefore,

20th Century Fox adjusted its strategy and released the film a day earlier. Typically, the opening weekend spans from Friday to Sunday, but now "Star Wars: Episode II" hit theaters on Thursday. While the opening weekend was still three days, the first-week cumulative box office period extended to four days. This change made it impossible for the media to directly compare the two films side by side.

On Thursday, the first-day box office numbers came in early—

$30 million.

A very impressive figure, once again proving the power of the "Star Wars" brand. Despite the poor premiere reviews and the direct competition from "Spider-Man," die-hard fans still flocked to theaters in droves to show their support, paying the highest respect to George Lucas.

By the way, "Spider-Man" had an opening weekend single-day box office of $47 million on Friday, easily breaking the North American record for the highest single-day box office, shattering the previous record of $32 million set by "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone."

In comparison, the opening day earnings of "Star Wars: Episode II" not only fell short of "Spider-Man," but also lagged behind "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone," ranking only third in box office history.

However, it's important to consider that Thursday is a weekday, with people still having to work the next day, unlike the other two films that opened on a Friday. Given these circumstances, "Star Wars: Episode II" still managed to pull in $30 million, which is both commendable and worthy of celebration.

Of course, that’s the logical explanation; but when Hayden saw the Thursday box office numbers, he had a nagging feeling:

Perhaps they should lower their expectations a bit.

He couldn't help it; the overwhelming negative reviews and blatant attacks after the premiere had severely shaken Hayden’s confidence. This was definitely not the outcome he had imagined.

So, he tried to prepare himself mentally. But now, seeing Carter's tension and anxiety, his stomach began to churn.

Bang.

Carter suddenly stood up, knocking over his chair with a loud crash, startling Hayden, who quickly looked up.

At this moment, they had no time to worry about the poor chair. Carter answered the phone, pressing it to his ear, urgently asking,

"Have the numbers come in?"

They didn't need to wait for the Los Angeles Times. Their agent had insider connections and could often get the accurate numbers first.

Hayden tilted his head to watch Carter, closely observing his expressions. The voices and smiles seemed to fade into silence, slipping into a void, leaving him dumbfounded as his focus slowly blurred, overwhelmed by a flood of indistinguishable emotions.

Sadness? Joy? Regret? Frustration? Anger?

Hayden couldn’t tell. It was more like a sense of confusion and emptiness, as if he were bungee jumping but suspended mid-air, neither going up nor down.

"Hayden, Hayden…"

Carter's voice gradually grew louder, snapping Hayden back to reality, jolting him with a cold sweat.

In the third week of May 2002, the North American weekend box office rankings were announced—

Champion: "Star Wars: Episode II."

Runner-up: "Spider-Man."

Third place: "Unfaithful."

The rankings were clear.

In terms of the chart, there were no surprises; everything proceeded as expected. "Star Wars: Episode II" took the top spot without any suspense, ending "Spider-Man's" two-week reign over the North American box office. However, "Spider-Man" didn’t collapse; it merely dropped to second place, still maintaining its competitive edge.

But the rankings aren’t what mattered; there were no surprises there. What truly mattered were the numbers, the actual box office figures.

"Star Wars: Episode II" once again proved to be North America's top draw, raking in $80 million over the weekend, sparking a wave of astonishment—

Despite all the criticism, when it came time to act, the passionate fans and die-hard followers didn’t hesitate.

Even with Thursday’s initial surge, "Star Wars: Episode II" still managed to pull in such a box office haul during its opening weekend, second only to "Spider-Man" and "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone," making it the third-highest opening in box office history. Given the circumstances and the competition, it was a near-perfect result.

Ultimately, "Star Wars: Episode II" grossed $110 million in its first four days of release.

Well done!

The entire 20th Century Fox team could finally breathe a sigh of relief. Although they hadn’t been able to break the opening weekend record set by "Spider-Man," the film had still weathered immense pressure and sounded the victory horn, allowing them to relax a bit after the opening weekend numbers were revealed.

Now, the focus shifted to the long run.

From any angle, the box office numbers for "Star Wars: Episode II" were worth celebrating, but this was only the first step in a long journey. If the movie hoped to replicate the previous film’s $400 million domestic and $900 million global box office success, it would need to rely on its staying power—and the performance of its competitors.

Like "Spider-Man."

When 20th Century Fox saw the opening weekend box office numbers, they celebrated, but the joy was short-lived. Their attention quickly turned to "Spider-Man," and the smiles froze on their faces.

$64 million, a 33% drop.

That was "Spider-Man's" third-weekend box office figure.

This number could easily match the opening weekend box office of other summer blockbuster films.

This number, following two consecutive record-breaking weekends, saw a decline that incredibly remained below 35%, reminiscent of the "Titanic" phenomenon.

This number shattered all the established norms of North America's box office trends, opening the door to a whole new world.

Shocked?

No, that doesn’t even begin to cover it.

Looking back at the third week of May’s North American weekend box office rankings, the impact becomes even clearer.

Champion: "Star Wars: Episode II," with $80 million.

Runner-up: "Spider-Man," with $64 million.

Are we sure about this?

One movie in its opening weekend, the other in its third week, yet they’re still competing on the same level?

Did "Star Wars: Episode II" win? It doesn’t seem like it.

Did "Spider-Man" lose? It doesn’t seem like that either.

*Chapter 502: Disrupting the Landscape*

When the North American weekend box office rankings were released in the third week of May, all the media went into a frenzy—

At first glance, "Star Wars: Episode II" was predictably strong—oh yeah!

At second glance, wait a minute, what’s going on? "Spider-Man" is doing that well?

At third glance, oh my god, what the heck!

Finally, a brain freeze! What exactly are we witnessing here?

Words like "shock" and "impact" barely capture the feeling in the North American market; it’s like a tsunami, a storm, relentlessly sweeping through the entire North American film industry.

Although people were already aware that "Spider-Man" was continuously breaking records and was undoubtedly the first blockbuster of the summer, surpassing all expectations, seeing the film’s performance against a competitor like "Star Wars: Episode II" still shattered everyone’s expectations.

First, there was excitement and praise for "Star Wars: Episode II" holding strong under pressure with an impressive opening.

Then, "Spider-Man’s" third-week box office numbers hit like a tidal wave, ten times, no, a hundred times stronger, mercilessly silencing all other voices.

Reactions short-circuited.

What does this mean?

Even when faced with a monstrous competitor like "Star Wars: Episode II," "Spider-Man" showed the courage and strength to fight back head-on.

So, who can stop "Spider-Man"?

Probably no one.

As a result, something rare occurred again in North America.

Even though "Star Wars: Episode II" had its full release this week, the top news in the North American film market had to be shared with "Spider-Man."

This is absolutely mind-blowing.

In just three weeks, "Spider-Man’s" cumulative North American box office effortlessly reached $350 million, officially surpassing "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" to break into the top ten highest-grossing films in North American history, currently ranking seventh.

Now, reaching $400 million in North America is a certainty, $500 million is highly likely, and the real target might just be the second $600 million film in North America since "Titanic."

Wow!

A collective gasp.

"Spider-Man," a film based on a nerdy comic, a movie about a high school superhero—who could have predicted it would reach such heights?

Forget about others; even Sony Columbia themselves almost choked in disbelief. They didn’t even know how this happened—how history was made just like that.

It wasn’t until now that Hollywood finally realized what "Operation Ticket Stub" really meant—

A gamble that could very well be the turning point in history.

Anson teaming up with Sam on the full release day of "Star Wars: Episode II" not only successfully leveraged the "Star Wars" franchise’s traffic to keep "Spider-Man" in the spotlight, but also broke through the barriers, making "Spider-Man" a true topic of national conversation.

This completely changed the dynamics of this summer’s movie season—

What’s left now is history.

20th Century Fox: … What, what’s happening?

"Uh, Hayden…" Carter was also frozen, his mind in a fog.

He needed a moment.

Taking a deep breath, as a seasoned agent, Carter regained his composure, "Hayden, it’s still not too late to fix this. Call Anson, you two can go see both movies together, take a photo, post your ticket stubs, we’ll create some buzz…"

Although they missed the first opportunity to react, it’s still not too late to mend things. If they can properly leverage Hayden and Anson’s friendship, "Star Wars: Episode II" can still ride the wave.

Carter’s brain went into overdrive.

However.

Hayden shook his head, "No."

Carter was stunned, "What did you say?"

Hayden looked up at Carter, "You heard me."

Carter gasped, hardly believing his ears, "Hayden, do you know what you’re doing?"

Hayden said nothing.

"Hayden, you should know what this movie’s opportunity means. We cannot afford to fail—this is 'Star Wars.' If even 'Star Wars' fails, no production will look at you again."

"This movie is too important for you. We fought so hard to land this role; we can’t let a little spider ruin everything."

"Don’t pay attention to the negative reviews. As long as the box office succeeds, all criticism will vanish; no one will care about those critiques."

"A pretty face? Ha, Anson was just a pretty face in 'The Princess Diaries' too. Honestly, 'Spider-Man' isn’t much different, so don’t worry, those criticisms don’t matter."

"If you’re worried about Anson, don’t be. You can put all the blame on me. Say it was me who told you to move out, me who told you to distance yourself from them, me who told you not to contact them."

Carter had already figured it out—

An agent’s main roles are to arrange work and take the fall; nothing else is that important.

So as long as the blame is shifted, Hayden and Anson can repair their relationship.

But Hayden remained silent.

Carter grew anxious, "Hayden!"

Hayden: "But all of this was my idea."

Carter: "Yours, mine—does it matter? It doesn’t matter at all. The only thing that matters now is repairing the relationship. We need Anson; we need to seize this opportunity."

Hayden shook his head gently, "It’s not that simple. You don’t know how smart Anson is. He’ll see through everything in an instant, see through any lies, and understand why we’re choosing to make up now…"

Carter: "So what? Let him see through it. How many real friendships do you think exist in Hollywood? It’s all just a show. As long as it benefits 'Spider-Man,' he’ll play along, just like you said, he’s a smart guy."

Hayden exhaled softly, "I don’t want to."

Carter choked, almost passing out, "Hayden Christensen, are you crazy? Do you know what this means? Do you know what you’re saying?"

But Hayden was unusually calm, "Carter, we missed our chance. It’s that simple. If we had reached out three days ago, things would be different, and we could have salvaged the situation. But now… it’s too late."

As he spoke, his words trailed off.

Carter: ???

Too late? What do you mean too late? "Star Wars: Episode II" just premiered; there’s still time! Too late or not, it has to be now!

"Hayden?"

"Hayden!"

"Damn it, damn it, damn it!"

But this time, Hayden didn’t respond. He just turned to look out the window, lost in thought. No one knew what was going through his mind, only Carter’s frantic cursing filled the air, as if he were an ant on a hot pan, pacing back and forth, left and right.

Everyone is surprised by Anson’s ability to come up with wild ideas and create miracles, but he knows, there’s nothing surprising about it at all—it was all entirely predictable. It just happened that way.

Ha.

Hayden’s lips curled slightly. He almost felt like laughing.

In the same space, two completely different worlds, Hayden’s thoughts began to slowly drift away.

*Chapter 503: The Birth of a Superstar*

In some ways, Hayden was right—

“Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones” missed its timing.

If they had followed up with the "Ticket Stub Campaign" after waiting for the premiere box office data, the intention to ride the wave would have been too obvious. Not only would it fail to achieve the desired publicity, but it might also become a target for online ridicule, potentially causing further backlash and pushing the audience away.

It would have been better to maintain their stance, continuing the attitude and position they had held since the premiere, at least avoiding the dilemma of being caught between a rock and a hard place.

Twentieth Century Fox had the same thought.

By the time they realized the need to follow up on the "Ticket Stub Campaign," the tide of public opinion had already quietly shifted, and they found themselves having missed the opportunity and falling into a passive position.

Clearly, this summer box office season was filled with too many unusual events, defying conventional judgment, and Twentieth Century Fox was unprepared for it.

To make matters worse, the 2002 World Cup arrived as scheduled.

Although the World Cup had limited impact on the North American continent—where football was the dominant sport, and soccer wasn't even comparable to baseball, ice hockey, or basketball in popularity—it was still a quadrennial celebration.

Naturally, cinema attendance was affected. Not only "Star Wars: Episode II," but even "Spider-Man" couldn’t escape the market turbulence, as the summer box office season, which had just started to recover, was once again hit hard.

As a result—

“Star Wars: Episode II,” constrained by its own reputation, saw a subsequent box office trajectory that fell far short of expectations. Despite a small surge during Memorial Day weekend, the second weekend saw a controlled drop in box office numbers. However, the impact of the World Cup soon led to a severe decline in weekend box office revenue, and the movie never recovered from the blow.

The drop was far beyond expectations, completely diverging from market predictions.

Twentieth Century Fox made one mistake after another, blindly believing that the "Star Wars" miracle could be replicated in the second installment of the series:

Even if the film’s reputation collapsed, it could still sweep through the competition.

But they made the mistake of clinging to the past, ignoring the ever-changing nature of the market.

While the poor reception of the first installment didn’t stop audiences from flocking to theaters due to their nostalgia and affection for "Star Wars," the situation was entirely different with the second installment.

Having felt duped the first time, general audiences and casual fans were in no rush this time; instead, they waited patiently for reviews to come in and refused to pay for mere nostalgia.

In other words, only the hardcore fans were still willing to go to the theater.

Once the general audience realized the film's poor reputation, their enthusiasm for buying tickets was dampened. And with Twentieth Century Fox missing the promotional window and failing to turn things around, the movie’s box office trajectory took a comprehensive hit, unable to replicate the previous success.

To be precise, "Star Wars: Episode II" lost its luster, becoming just another ordinary summer blockbuster. Its buzz and box office numbers blended into the overall summer trend, making it one of the many mediocre genre films.

By the time Twentieth Century Fox realized the predicament and tried to salvage the situation, it was already too late. This was clearly the result of a series of mistakes piling up.

In the end, "Star Wars: Episode II" grossed $302 million in North America, barely and narrowly crossing the $300 million mark. Adding in international markets, the global box office settled at $645 million, continuing the trend of "Star Wars" performing modestly overseas.

Of course, the movie was still successful. With a production budget controlled at $115 million, plus Twentieth Century Fox’s meticulously calculated promotional budget, "Star Wars: Episode II" easily turned a profit, and the third installment of the series was promptly put into production.

However, comparisons are inevitable, and compared to the record-shattering box office performance of "Star Wars: Episode I," the second installment’s performance dropped significantly, even becoming a subject of ridicule on various talk shows, which was far from what Twentieth Century Fox had hoped for.

Could this be considered the turning point where "Star Wars" fell from its pedestal?

Rumor has it that George Lucas was under immense pressure, suffering sleepless nights and severe anxiety, even seriously considering abandoning the development of the third installment.

And indeed, this was the case.

Although George Lucas still directed "Star Wars: Episode III," it became his final directorial work. After 2005, he semi-retired, no longer taking on directorial roles, but staying active behind the scenes as a writer, producer, and technical advisor.

The pressure of fame was evident, even for a figure as prominent as George Lucas.

Twentieth Century Fox was equally disheartened. When they decided to produce the "Star Wars" prequel series, they had expected an easy, profitable venture, never anticipating the rollercoaster ride that nearly gave them a heart attack.

It wasn’t until the year-end box office data for 2002 was released that they could look back and identify the many reasons for "Star Wars: Episode II" falling short of expectations: the film itself, promotional strategies, the World Cup, and more. But one undeniable factor was the competition from "Spider-Man."

Initially thought to be a sacrificial lamb in a sluggish market, "Spider-Man" defied expectations and paved its way through the summer box office season—

Not only did it withstand pressure and make history, breaking through the barriers of the North American box office market, but it also held its own against "Star Wars: Episode II."

In fact, "Spider-Man" didn’t just hold its own; it capitalized on its competition’s momentum, using it as a springboard to break through its own limitations, at times completely overshadowing "Star Wars: Episode II" and leaving the battle for North America’s top spot far behind, racing ahead at full speed.

History was made.

No one predicted "Spider-Man’s" strong opening, its ability to topple "Star Wars: Episode II," or its meteoric rise toward historical records.

The surprise echoed wave after wave, even making its way into World Cup coverage, further highlighting the movie’s extraordinary popularity.

Four hundred million dollars in North America? Or five hundred million?

No.

Six hundred million dollars in North America—

Becoming only the second film after "Titanic" to raise the bar to a whole new level, even overshadowing "Star Wars: Episode I."

All of North America witnessed the birth of a superstar!

*Chapter 504: North America's 600 Million*

A question: What does a $500 million box office in North America really mean?

In 1997, "Titanic" emerged as the first film in North American history to reach $500 million and later $600 million at the box office. Many believed this marked the beginning of a new era in the movie industry, but reality proved otherwise.

In the previous timeline, it wasn't until 2008 that "The Dark Knight" became the second film to achieve $500 million in North America. The second film to reach $600 million was "Avatar" in 2009.

During this period, three films—"Star Wars: Episode I," "Shrek 2," and "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest"—each crossed the $400 million mark but fell short of the $500 million milestone, unable to make history.

In other words, it wasn't until after 2009 that the North American market truly entered the "$500 million era," where new heights were consistently reached.

But now, a small butterfly has flapped its wings, slightly altering history in a parallel universe. Though it's unclear whether this will completely change the landscape of the film industry, at least—

"Titanic" is no longer alone.

"Spider-Man," after just three weeks in theaters, easily surpassed $300 million and continued its upward trajectory with remarkable momentum.

$400 million.

$500 million.

Easily, without any suspense.

The entire North American market witnessed "Spider-Man" climb steadily higher. The real question now was whether this neighborhood hero could surpass the record set by "Titanic":

$606.8 million in North America.

And could it possibly claim the top spot as the highest-grossing film in North American history?

Everyone held their breath.

The World Cup frenzy eventually slowed "Spider-Man's" progress; coupled with fierce competition from other major studios during the summer blockbuster season, the market was drained, delaying "Spider-Man's" attempt to break historical records.

When "Spider-Man's" North American box office wobbled past $595 million, it seemed to stall, inching forward at a snail's pace.

This was undoubtedly frustrating.

Industry insiders could only lament that, like "Titanic" before it, the final stages of box office growth had nearly reached their limit. It was only through special screenings and promotional events funded by the studios that "Titanic" barely crossed the $600 million mark. Now, "Spider-Man" found itself in a similar situation, proving that the current North American box office market simply couldn't support such high numbers—$500 million was the ceiling.

However, Sony Columbia, like 20th Century Fox before them, wasn't willing to miss the chance to make history and started pushing again.

Sony Columbia extended the film's release from 22 weeks to 26 and organized screening events alongside another film starring Anson, "Catch Me If You Can," to stimulate the box office.

In the end, "Spider-Man" slowly crept over the $600 million line, settling at $602.38 million, just behind "Titanic" and taking the second spot in North American box office history.

Despite the disappointment of not setting a new record, "Spider-Man" still became the second film in North American history to cross the $600 million mark. Coupled with the numerous records it set during its first three weeks, this film undeniably left a significant mark on history.

Looking back, before "Spider-Man" was released, most people believed that $200 million was the upper limit for a film in North America, and $300 million was a pipe dream.

But "Spider-Man" defied all doubters, exceeding expectations by a wide margin.

Of course, Sony Columbia's massive $139 million production budget and over $10 million in promotional costs were staggering; however, with a $600 million North American box office, they still made a huge profit—

Although Sony Columbia didn't disclose the film's exact revenue, Forbes insiders estimated that it brought in at least $100 million in profit for the studio.

And that wasn't all.

The film also had its overseas box office!

As mentioned earlier, in 2002, the global film market was far from fully developed, lagging significantly behind North America in maturity.

Additionally, the distribution channels of Hollywood's seven major studios in various international markets were not yet fully established, often relying on local partners, which could lead to varied box office performances.

Another crucial factor:

Differences in aesthetic and cultural preferences.

Some films that were box office hits in North America might not perform well in Germany or Northern Europe; others that did poorly in the UK might be wildly popular in Asia.

This is the norm.

What we're seeing here is typical. Both "Spider-Man" and "Star Wars" follow the same pattern.

"Star Wars" is a series deeply rooted in North American culture, and its box office performance overseas has never quite matched that of the North American market.

The same goes for "Spider-Man." As a comic series popular among nerds, its recognition is far behind that of Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. At that time, the superhero movie market had not yet taken off, and international audiences were clearly less enthusiastic about this film, lacking the frenzy seen in North America.

Sony Pictures had already tempered its expectations, not holding out much hope for the overseas market. But reality brought a small surprise—

The internet, though not yet as fully integrated into people's lives as social media, had made significant strides since the turn of the millennium.

When the film caused a sensation in the North American market, other countries and regions had already heard about it.

Not long after, "Star Wars: Episode II" grossed $345 million in the overseas market, which was a relief for 20th Century Fox. At least it performed better internationally than it did in North America, which was good news.

Soon after, "Spider-Man" was released in 69 countries and regions worldwide, and it also unleashed tremendous energy. From summer through fall and into winter, it dominated the box office, topping the charts in nearly every country it was released in, with consecutive number-one spots becoming the norm.

Surprising!

Absolutely surprising!

While this success couldn't quite compare to the explosion in North America, it still gave people hope—

Superhero movies could resonate more broadly on a global scale.

Maybe comic book adaptations didn’t have to be confined to low-budget B-movie frameworks; with increased investment, they could find more opportunities to thrive in the A-list movie market.

After all, even Sony Pictures managed to succeed, didn’t they?

In the end, "Spider-Man" grossed $670 million at the international box office!

Boom, boom, boom!

Chapter 505: Focusing Attention**

All along, it wasn’t that film studios had no interest in superhero movies—they just weren’t particularly interested.

Superhero movies, like other genres, didn’t stand out, nor were they ignored. They overlapped with sci-fi, action, and adventure films, but they never highlighted their own unique value.

In reality, film studios don’t care about genres or themes; they only care about profit:

Whatever makes money, they’ll produce. Whatever genre is popular, they’ll favor.

This is why, in film history, Westerns and musicals both had their golden eras, with a surge in both quantity and quality. But as they peaked, they declined, never to reclaim their former glory.

Superhero movies are no different.

The box office failure of "Batman & Robin" in 1997 led Warner Bros. to shelve its DC Comics adaptations, and other studios couldn’t see the advantage of superhero films over other genres. Naturally, superhero movies didn’t receive any special treatment.

With other superhero movies unable to secure investment, they shifted into low-budget B-movie territory, where they unexpectedly carved out a niche.

But now, with the box office triumph of "Spider-Man," other studios are getting restless, turning their attention back to the superhero genre. After all, it’s a treasure trove of intellectual property, with endless possibilities for adaptations—

Who knows? The next "Spider-Man" might be sitting in their desk drawer.

That’s how the market always works.

"Spider-Man," despite Sony Pictures’ limited promotional efforts and apparent lack of confidence in the overseas market, still succeeded. The lead cast, headed by Anson, didn’t even travel to major markets like the UK, France, or Germany to promote the film. Despite the original comic’s lesser influence compared to DC’s big three, the movie still flourished internationally, bringing countless good news.

After consistently topping the weekend box office in over 50 countries and regions, and showing incredible staying power, "Spider-Man" grossed $670 million overseas, breaking the $600 million mark, just like in North America—another pleasant surprise.

In pure numbers, the international performance of "Spider-Man" might seem a bit less impressive. By 2002, three other films had already crossed the $700 million mark overseas:

"Titanic," "Jurassic Park," and "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone."

Among them, "Titanic’s" $1.5 billion in international box office remains an unsurpassable peak.

In comparison, "Spider-Man’s" overseas box office doesn’t seem as astounding, but this is only relative. For Sony Pictures, the result was more than satisfying—

$600 million in North America, $670 million overseas.

"Spider-Man" ended up with a global total of $1.27 billion, becoming only the fifth film in history to break the $1 billion mark worldwide, joining "Titanic," "Jurassic Park," "Star Wars: Episode I," and "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone."

For now, it ranks behind "Titanic," holding second place in global box office history.

In other words, "Spider-Man" climbed to a new height as the runner-up in both North American and global box office history—something Sony Pictures never anticipated.

Amazement, shock, and awe.

From the moment "Spider-Man" hit theaters, the global film market was swept into a frenzy, with discussions buzzing nonstop.

When you think about it, the key to "Jurassic Park’s" success was dinosaurs, for "Star Wars: Episode I," it was the trilogy, for "Harry Potter," it was the magical world, and for "Titanic," it was Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet.

So, what about "Spider-Man"?

Anson Wood.

No matter how you look at it, the conclusion is the same—like "Titanic," the film’s success largely falls on the shoulders of its male lead.

Now, when you think about it, "Spider-Man" and "Titanic" are vastly different films, but the stories behind their success have striking similarities, both driven by the male lead.

As a result, just like Leonardo, Anson became everyone’s darling.

"Anson, a global sensation overnight."

"The new heartthrob: Anson Wood."

"The first love of countless girls: Anson."

"From the rock band lead singer in 'The Princess Diaries' to the young superhero in 'Spider-Man,' Anson is becoming a new generation idol."

"Behind the superhero suit, a boy not yet 19 years old."

"Who can resist Anson Wood?"

"Overnight success! Hollywood welcomes Anson with open arms."

Anson, Anson, and more Anson—

His name and face are everywhere, in every corner.

Hollywood never lacks overnight success stories. Just this summer, Hayden from "Star Wars: Episode II" and Anson from "Spider-Man" dominated the charts together, igniting the season.

Though "Star Wars: Episode II" fell short in terms of reviews and box office, as mentioned before, any actor who stars in a "Star Wars" film will find themselves in the spotlight.

Hayden was no exception. This handsome Canadian heartthrob also won the hearts of countless girls, with his face appearing on countless magazines, newspapers, TV shows, and websites.

However, compared to Anson, it’s like comparing a molehill to a mountain.

Anson’s benchmark should be Leonardo after "Titanic," reaching a level of fame where everyone knows his name.

The headline from "People" magazine was no exaggeration:

"Everyone wants a piece of Anson."

Yet, here’s the interesting part:

Rumors of Hayden being recognized on the street, at gas stations, in supermarkets, and in coffee shops abound, with tales of him being mobbed by fans.

But not Anson.

It’s as if Anson… vanished from North America—or maybe he’s hiding out in some remote area of Alaska. Despite his face being everywhere, no one seems to run into him on the street, which is quite puzzling.

Think about it: after "Spider-Man" premiered, Anson even went to Century City AMC to watch the movie with Sam. From last year’s "New York Times" to "Vogue" magazine, he has always rejected the idea of cultivating an air of mystery, emphasizing authenticity. But now, after skyrocketing to fame, he suddenly disappeared. What’s going on?

Could it be a case of saying one thing and doing another?

That… wouldn’t be surprising.

In Hollywood, the land of fame and fortune, everything is about image, everything is an illusion, everything is carefully calculated, just like a perfect product, presented in a way that consumers want to see, and they happily buy into it.

Who knows? Maybe Anson once believed in sharing his true self, but after finding out what success really meant, he regretted it and quickly retreated into his shell, refusing to show any of his real self.

Such things are all too common in Hollywood.

No worries, that’s exactly why the world of fame and fortune needs this one profession—

Paparazzi.

Suddenly, every paparazzo in Los Angeles is on the move, mobilizing resources and contacts, trying to uncover Anson’s whereabouts.

But all signs point to the fact that Anson never left Los Angeles, which means he’s been hiding right under their noses!

Is that even possible?