Chapter 20

"Now, please welcome the creative team to the stage!"

After the screening of Spider-Man, the atmosphere in the theater was electric, more intense than a Super Bowl crowd.

Every fan was on their feet, cheering and applauding with unbridled joy. Even the normally reserved Leonard and his friends were standing up, howling with excitement.

"Director Marc Webb!"

"Starring Willem Dafoe! James Franco! Emma Stone!"

"And our lead actor—Xu Can!"

As Xu Can walked onto the stage, the entire audience erupted in excitement, chanting in unison:

"Spider-Man! Spider-Man! Spider-Man!"

Xu Can waved with a charming smile, which only fueled the crowd's enthusiasm. Who could possibly doubt his role as Spider-Man now? In the hearts of fans, no one else could be a better fit.

The crowd was so excited that the host had to call for quiet several times, but to no avail. Finally, Xu Can, who was clearly the star of the moment, took the microphone.

"Guys, let's all take a seat. If you didn't get enough, you can buy tickets for the 12 AM showing later tonight."

Xu Can stood on stage like a seasoned talk show host, addressing the audience with ease:

"If you're not satisfied with the shouting, you can film a short video and post it online. I promise I'll watch every one—well, only the ones from beautiful ladies. Sorry, fellas."

He continued with a playful tone, "To be honest, yelling isn't great for your throat. I only have two throat lozenges, one for Emma and one for me, so I'm afraid I can't share."

In the minds of North Americans, Asian international students or residents are often seen as quiet or reserved. But Xu Can's humor quickly won over the crowd, who were now much calmer.

The host gave Xu Can a discreet thumbs-up, impressed by how effortlessly he controlled the room.

"Okay, now that our main creative team is on stage, the director will say a few words before we move on to the Q&A."

Director Marc Webb began to speak about the creative process behind the film:

"Initially, we searched for a long time to find the right Spider-Man. We auditioned many actors, including Josh Hartnett, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Jude Law..."

These were all well-known Hollywood stars, including the world-famous "Leo" from Titanic.

"Oh, and let's not forget James Franco, sitting right here... Sorry, James, no offense."

The director made a lighthearted joke, and Franco, though a bit perplexed at first, eventually laughed along, especially after seeing Xu Can's impressive performance.

"It's okay," Franco responded with a grin, "I think I did pretty well as the Green Goblin."

The director continued discussing the casting process:

"As everyone knows, we held an open audition for Spider-Man, which was open to both established actors and newcomers."

"One day, while I was at a coffee shop, I noticed Xu Can. At first, he seemed unremarkable, but upon closer inspection, I knew there was something special about him."

"He came to audition, and I immediately knew he was the perfect choice. Now, everyone can see that I made the right call."

Marc Webb's words were met with warm applause.

The discussion about Spider-Man's casting and the film's creative concepts gave the audience a deeper understanding of the story.

Webb also mentioned that Xu Can was a co-screenwriter, contributing many ideas to the film, including the villain designs, the film's hip-hop aesthetic, and the decision to feature Gwen Stacy as the love interest rather than MJ, who is traditionally introduced later in Peter Parker's life.

Afterward, Xu Can, Emma Stone, Willem Dafoe, and others shared amusing stories from the film's production, keeping the mood light and the audience entertained.

"Do you know what's funny?" Webb laughed, "I didn't even need to direct these two on set! The interactions between our leads were entirely their own. I didn't give them any lines."

"Did you get any candy?" a fan yelled from the audience, causing everyone to burst into laughter.

"So sweet! So sweet!" the audience chanted in agreement, with one enthusiastic fan even standing up to shout, "Just get married already!"

Even the typically composed Emma Stone blushed and smiled shyly.

"Alright, alright, enough with the jokes," Webb said, "Now it's time for the Q&A session you've all been waiting for."

With that, Marc Webb invited the audience to ask their questions, and the media representatives quickly raised their hands.

"You there, ma'am."

"Hello! I'm a reporter for the Los Santos Times. The film's visuals were stunning. It's sure to perform well. Do you have any plans for a sequel?"

The producer responded eagerly, "Yes, regardless of the box office performance, we're committed to making a sequel. We're already in the early stages of planning a trilogy."

"Yeah!!!"

"Marvelous!"

Cheers erupted from the audience again. With the first Spider-Man movie being such a hit, a sequel seemed inevitable. Fans were already eager to see what was next.

Another reporter stood up.

"I'm an NBC reporter. Before the release, Emma made a bet that the box office would exceed $500 million. Currently, Pirates of the Caribbean 2 is leading with $423 million. Do you still think you can surpass that?"

"Honestly, $500 million was a bit impulsive," Emma Stone admitted, pausing before smiling confidently. "I should have set my sights higher! Sorry, Johnny Depp, but we're probably going to overtake you."

The reporter's question had a hint of provocation, but Stone handled it with grace, her confidence winning over the audience, who applauded her response.

The entire creative team was clearly proud of the film, and their answers were relaxed and full of optimism, keeping the atmosphere light and filled with laughter.

"We're running out of time, so we'll take one last question... You, the lady in black."

"I'm a reporter from The New York Times. First, congratulations on the film's success. I noticed that many of the battle scenes are incredibly imaginative, with action sequences that seem almost impossible. You've previously claimed that Xu Can did not use a stunt double and performed all the stunts himself. Is that true? Because it seems hard to believe—these moves are incredibly difficult, and it's rare for actors to do them without professional stunt doubles or extensive CGI. Can you clarify?"

The New York Times reporter's question was pointed, and it was clear some in the audience shared her skepticism. Was it really possible that Xu Can did all the stunts himself? It seemed unlikely.

The reporter probably expected the question to put the creative team on the spot, perhaps forcing them to admit to using CGI or a stunt double.

But instead, the team exchanged knowing smiles.

"I'll answer that," Xu Can said, stepping forward.

He calmly moved to an open space on the stage, flashing a confident smile.

The audience watched in stunned silence, not sure what to expect next.

And then, with everyone holding their breath, Xu Can leaped into the air, executing a series of difficult aerial kicks!

But he didn't stop there.

Next, Xu Can flawlessly performed a series of moves, recreating Spider-Man's iconic stunts from the film, each more impressive than the last!

Remember, he was doing all this in a crisp black suit.

These moves were even more challenging than those in the movie, and seeing them live was far more astonishing!

The audience was left speechless, staring in disbelief as Xu Can struck a perfect superhero landing to finish his impromptu performance with grace.

The theater was silent for a moment, with only the sound of a few audience members discreetly capturing the scene on their phones. Then, the applause and cheers exploded, louder than ever before.

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