Chapter 5: Spider-Man's Jumps Off!

It was thanks to Rufus's outstanding performance, the filming of "Spider-Man" progressed rapidly.

Director Marc Webb was all smiles every day; in all his years of directing, he had never experienced such a smooth shoot.

Rufus was the most consistent performer in both dramatic and action scenes. Sometimes, he would even deliver an impromptu performance that left everyone impressed.

Mark Webb was so taken with Rufus's portrayal that he often referred to him as Peter Parker.

"I have to say, Rufus was born for this role."

"I wouldn't be surprised if he's now swinging around New York, slinging webs," the producer, Avi Arad, added with a nod.

"Hey, I was skeptical at first, but I'm glad you stuck to your judgment and chose the right person," Avi continued.

The scene being filmed was a crucial one in "Spider-Man." Peter Parker had just realized his unique abilities and developed a web-shooter using materials from Osborn Technology. He was about to test his web-swinging skills for the first time from the top of a building.

The crew had set up various pieces of equipment on the roof, and Rufus was already in makeup and costume. Emma , who didn't have any scenes to shoot that morning, had climbed up to the roof to watch.

Tentatively walking to the edge of the roof, Emma looked down with trepidation. The wind was strong up there, and as she peeked at the traffic far below, a wave of fear suddenly swept over her.

At that critical moment, a pair of strong, reassuring hands wrapped around her waist, pulling her back to safety. Startled, she turned to see Rufus Harding smiling at her.

"Hey, it's too dangerous for you to be standing so close to the edge."

"Thanks..." she mumbled, her heart pounding.

Maybe it was the "suspension bridge effect," but Emma's heart started racing. Usually so playful and easygoing around Rufus, she suddenly felt shy and flustered.

"What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?" Rufus asked, reaching out to touch her forehead instinctively.

"It's okay, I don't have a fever... I'm fine."

Emma, who was usually so carefree, found herself lowering her head in embarrassment.

"Rufus, please be careful during the shoot. I'll get out of your way now."

She quickly left the shooting area, leaving Rufus slightly puzzled.

"What was that about? Was she scared?" he wondered.

By this time, the stage manager had already secured the wires to him. Rufus needed to perform a series of high-rise jumps and web-swinging stunts.

Director Marc Webb had become accustomed to not needing stunt doubles. Rufus's physical performance was simply on another level.

"Okay, everyone, get ready!"

"Action!"

Rufus stood on the edge of the building, took a few steps, and then effortlessly leaped onto another building. His body moved with the agility of a parkour expert, clearing obstacles with dazzling ease in one continuous motion.

"Quick, quick, quick! Keep up with the camera!" Mark Webb shouted anxiously over the intercom. Even the crane camera on the track could barely keep pace with Rufus's movements!

The shot, which had been expected to require multiple takes, once again achieved the effect of one continuous take.

Everyone on set, including Marc Webb and Emma Stone, was left speechless, their mouths agape.

"Oh my god!"

Finally, Rufus reached the edge of the residential area and paused. Ahead of him was a wide main road, with the nearest building at least 50 meters away.

The continuous shot could finally come to an end.

"Cut!"

For what felt like the hundredth time, the entire crew erupted into applause, praising Rufus for his incredible performance.

"Wow, Rufus, how on earth did you do that?" Mark Webb was full of admiration.

"I did some parkour training before, so it's nothing," Rufus casually replied, though he was also a bit surprised by his own performance.

Initially, Rufus had thought that his ability to "become" the character was limited to understanding their emotions and thoughts. He hadn't expected that it would also extend to perfectly replicating their physical movements!

The previous subway fight scene and the parkour sequence just now proved this point. With such an ability, Rufus's acting career had endless possibilities. He could easily take on roles ranging from a city brawler to a top-secret agent like Jason Bourne, or even John Wick on a mission of vengeance.

The thought of playing John Wick crossed his mind, especially since the film wasn't released until 2014. When he had some free time, he could write the script and get it made. Whether or not the series made money was secondary; the key was to have fun making the movie.

For now, though, his main focus was on "Spider-Man." Rufus's salary was $3 million—$1 million less than Tobey Maguire had made for the 2002 version. But that didn't bother him. When he first negotiated his contract, he insisted on a 5% box office cut.

Sony Pictures, not particularly optimistic about this comic book movie, agreed to his request without much hassle. Assuming this version of "Spider-Man" reached the same global box office numbers as the 2002 film—$826 million—Rufus's salary, plus his share of the profits, would amount to at least $15 million!

As long as the film succeeded as it had in the past, Rufus would finally establish himself in Hollywood.

"Rufus, are you ready? We're moving on to the next shot."

"No problem!" Rufus snapped out of his thoughts and gave the director a thumbs up.

"Scene 36, Shot 5, Take 1..."

"Action!"

Despite the safety cables and harness, Marc Webb couldn't help but feel anxious for Rufus. Emma, standing nearby, had her heart in her throat.

Rufus's next move was incredibly dangerous. He needed to swing between two buildings. Normally, a crew would shoot such a scene in front of a green screen, with soft foam mats underneath for safety. Later, they would add in the high-altitude effects with computer graphics.

But Rufus had somehow convinced the crew to shoot the scene for real. Was he out of his mind?

It was too late to stop him now. Rufus grabbed the steel cable that would serve as his web-line and actually jumped!

"Oh my god! God bless! Please, let him be okay!" Emma Stone couldn't bear to watch and began praying fervently for Rufus's safety.

But then, a triumphant roar echoed over the rooftops of Queens, New York. Rufus , looking every bit the real Spider-Man, was swinging between buildings!

At that moment, Rufus felt the wind rushing past his ears. The exhilarating sense of weightlessness made him want to shout with joy, like Tarzan swinging through the jungle.

It was so thrilling, even more exciting than bungee jumping! Was this what it felt like to be Spider-Man?

Rufus had no doubts about his safety; he gripped the cable confidently and swung across to the rooftop of the opposite building.

The crew on the other side was tense, ready to catch him if something went wrong. But Rufus completed a graceful backflip in mid-air and landed smoothly in Spider-Man's signature pose.

The entire set fell into stunned silence, broken only by the distant hum of city traffic. Mark Webb was so mesmerized that he forgot to call "cut." The camera kept rolling, capturing every breathtaking moment of Rufus 's performance as Spider-Man.