Capítulo 10: Chapter 9
Leonard, a Ph.D. graduate from the California Institute of Technology, had a deep passion for comics alongside his scientific research. As a quintessential nerd, he and his friends were avid fans of both Marvel and DC.
Growing up, Leonard was captivated by the "Superman" and "Batman" movies, eagerly awaiting the day when the thrilling stories and diverse superheroes from his beloved comics would be brought to life on the big screen. Unfortunately, the live-action movies of the 21st century left comic fans like Leonard deeply disappointed. The consensus was clear: Hollywood just couldn't make a decent comic-book movie anymore. It felt like a colossal trap.
After a long, exhausting day, Leonard returned to his rented apartment, drained. His roommate, Howard, was engrossed in a game of "World of Warcraft," a phenomenon that had taken the world by storm since its public beta in North America over a year ago.
"Playing 'World of Warcraft' again? Don't you ever get tired of it?" Leonard asked, barely hiding his weariness.
"You just don't get it," Howard replied without taking his eyes off the screen. "Blizzard makes the best games in the world. I could play this until I'm 50."
Leonard rolled his eyes, sat down at his computer, and began browsing YouTube videos out of sheer boredom. He believed that video websites were destined to become the mainstream pastime of the future.
"Cats, dogs, more cats... wait, Spider-Man?" Leonard mumbled as he scrolled. He stopped in his tracks when he saw Spider-Man's iconic red-and-blue suit. At first, he assumed it was just another fan cosplay. But then, he noticed that the video was posted by Columbia Pictures' official account.
Everyone knew that Sony held the rights to Spider-Man, and Columbia Pictures was a subsidiary of Sony Entertainment. Rumors had been swirling recently about Sony rebooting the live-action "Spider-Man" movie, but Leonard dismissed them as wishful thinking. However, the truth was staring him in the face—a pilot trailer had indeed been released!
The video was already approaching one million views, with more and more people tuning in. Leonard, heart pounding with excitement, hit the play button and switched to full-screen mode.
[Sony Entertainment]
[Marvel]
[Produced by Columbia Pictures]
"Not everyone can be a hero."
"My life is destined to never be peaceful."
The magnetic voice-over accompanied a scene of a blond man in a suit walking into a bank. Leonard was confused—was this the protagonist? What did this have to do with Spider-Man?
The man then pulled out a shotgun and began robbing the bank, with several masked accomplices quickly breaking into the vault and escaping with large bags of cash. Police cars surrounded the bank, but the robbers even had a helicopter ready to aid their escape!
Leonard was still puzzled. Could this be a preview for some other action movie? But then, something made his breath catch in his throat—a gigantic spider web suddenly appeared, stretched between two skyscrapers, stopping the helicopter in its tracks! The camera zoomed out, revealing a familiar figure swinging between buildings in the sunset.
It was Spider-Man!
Goosebumps erupted on Leonard's arms as he watched. The trailer continued with breathtaking shots of Spider-Man zipping through the cityscape, culminating with him standing atop the Empire State Building, holding the American flag in a classic superhero pose. The trailer ended with Spider-Man swinging directly at the camera, before the screen cut to black.
[December 2006]
[Prepare to be amazed!]
The trailer lasted only 30 seconds, but Leonard was left speechless. He sat in silence for a moment before finally exclaiming, "Holy shit!"
As a Marvel fan, Spider-Man was one of Leonard's favorite superheroes. Seeing him brought to life in such an incredible way felt like a dream come true.
"No way, Sony Entertainment, are you serious?" he muttered, still processing what he had just seen.
Meanwhile, the comment section under the trailer was exploding. Thousands of comments poured in within seconds of refreshing the page.
"So cool! So excited!"
"Wait, didn't they just start filming? How is it coming out this year?"
"Everyone said Spider-Man being played by an Asian actor was a mistake, but it actually looks amazing!"
"Is it really releasing this Christmas? I've never seen a film studio work this fast."
"I'm already hyped after watching the trailer—this movie is going to be huge!"
"I can't wait! Bring on December! Spider-Man, Spider-Man!"
Despite the overwhelming excitement, some fans were still skeptical. They'd been burned before by video game adaptations and live-action comic book movies, which often turned out to be massive disappointments. If "Spider-Man" wasn't executed well, it could ruin the character's legacy and scare off future adaptations.
But even with those doubts, the anticipation was undeniable. The trailer's stunning visuals, especially the scenes of Spider-Man soaring through the city, promised a truly epic experience on the big screen.
As Leonard's excitement reached a fever pitch, he turned to Howard, who was still fuming over his recent in-game death.
"Howard! Oh my god! Stop playing for a minute and watch this!"
"Wait, I just died because of you!" Howard grumbled but came over anyway.
"What's so important?"
"Spider-Man!" Leonard exclaimed, pointing at the screen.
Howard's annoyance quickly faded as he caught sight of the trailer. "Jesus! Is this real?"
…
Elsewhere in Los Santos, Xu Can leaned back on his plush sofa, sipping a cold Coke as he admired the sunset through the floor-to-ceiling windows of his luxurious new apartment. He had come a long way from working odd jobs on film sets and in coffee shops. With $1.95 million now sitting in his bank account from his latest paycheck, Xu Can felt a sense of satisfaction. His salary had been $3 million before taxes, and despite the hefty 35% tax rate, he was pleased with the result.
He had considered buying a villa in Beverly Hills but decided to keep a low profile for now. His current penthouse, with its Nordic modern decor and spacious 200 square meters, suited him just fine. Once "Spider-Man" hit theaters, his earnings from box office shares and increased actor fees would make luxury living even more accessible.
Xu Can was about to check out the "Spider-Man" trailer on his computer when his manager, Happy, called him.
"May! Some media are talking about your casting. Should we take legal action?"
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