Anson?
Wait, why is Anson here?
The usually quick-witted Jesse suddenly found his mind coming to a halt, almost choking on his own saliva in surprise. Last time, they had witnessed history here; little did they expect to witness another extraordinary scene this time.
Though his thoughts were racing, Jesse quickly regained his composure, called out to Alexander, and swiftly made his way over.
Amidst the bustling crowd, Anson stood there casually, without any special actions or words, yet it seemed as if the sunlight naturally gathered on him like a spotlight. The surrounding crowd blurred into the background, making it effortless to spot him.
Before realizing it, Jesse's focus had narrowed down to Anson alone.
So, it turns out that people really can carry their own aura.
Not just Jesse, but others in line also began to notice Anson, their gazes subtly drifting towards him.
By the time Jesse reached him, a quiet commotion had already started, with some people even striking up conversations with Anson, creating a particularly lighthearted and cheerful atmosphere.
The more Jesse looked at this scene, the more miraculous it seemed.
Clearly, this was a line to watch *"Star Wars: Episode II"*, but when did it turn into an Anson fan meet-and-greet?
Taking a few quick steps, Jesse rushed to Anson's side.
"Anson, may I ask why you're here?"
With that one question, all eyes turned toward them.
Bathed in the attention, Anson appeared especially relaxed, replying, "To watch a movie, of course."
It was so natural, so straightforward, that Jesse was at a rare loss for words—
Of course, Anson was here to watch a movie. What else could it be? Just because Anson starred in *"Spider-Man"*, does that mean he can't watch a movie?
It was precisely because people thought *"Spider-Man"* and *"Star Wars: Episode II"* were competitors that they were surprised to see Anson here. But breaking away from such stereotypes, this scene didn't seem so surprising after all.
Seeing Jesse at a loss for words, leaving a rare pause in the interview, Anson's smile widened. He gestured to the side, "I'm here with the director to support *'Star Wars'*. Honestly, who could say no to *'Star Wars'*?"
What a statement!
At that moment, Jesse snapped back to reality and noticed Sam Raimi quietly standing nearby—
Blinking rapidly, Jesse's mind raced, "Wow, wait, wow!"
"Ladies and gentlemen, the director and lead actor of *'Spider-Man'* are at the cinema, ready to buy tickets for *'Star Wars: Episode II'*. Looks like Sam and Anson are Anakin Skywalker fans too."
Before he could finish speaking, someone in the line shouted, "Good choice!"
Amidst the hubbub, Anson turned and responded, "Thanks for the compliment."
Boom.
The crowd burst into laughter.
Meanwhile.
In San Francisco, Lucas was watching the morning news. When the assistant changed the channel, Lucas accidentally caught a familiar face on Fox Morning News, nearly choking on his drink, coughing violently.
The caption on the screen read, "*'Spider-Man'* director Sam Raimi and star Anson Wood personally came to the cinema to support *'Star Wars: Episode II'*."
And on the screen, Anson was smiling brightly, saying the now-iconic line, "To watch a movie, of course"—
Even Anson himself didn't expect that this line would spark widespread discussion across North America.
Because it was so obvious—going to the cinema was naturally to watch a movie. What else would you do there, play tennis?
And because it was so straightforward, he openly expressed his love for the film, showing support even for a competitor.
In 2002, this kind of situation was extremely rare, very, very rare. During the summer box office season, film companies were in a life-or-death struggle, with actors even avoiding mentioning their competitors' names during promotions to prevent inadvertently helping them with publicity.
And yet, Anson took a completely different approach.
The entire North American market was left questioning: "Wait, you can do that?"
The real-world response was the best proof. Before Lucas could react, a colleague who had never shown any interest in movies glanced over and said, "Lucas, isn't that your brother? Suddenly, I feel like watching *'Spider-Man'*."
Lucas was taken aback, then chuckled, "Sure, I'll buy the tickets, you get the popcorn. After work today, let's go as a whole company?"
Laughter and chatter erupted around them.
And this was just the beginning—
Through Fox Morning News, Anson and Sam's trip to the cinema to watch *'Star Wars: Episode II'* quickly went viral.
Before the summer box office season began, Hollywood showed a united front, with the seven major studios banding together to encourage audiences to return to theaters. But once the season started, it was every studio for itself, fighting tooth and nail.
Was this normal?
But audiences hadn't noticed this yet because the film industry had always been like this.
Until now.
Anson and Sam's actions, consistent inside and out, resonated deeply:
Indeed, there is competition between movies. Audiences have limited time and money, often only able to choose one film. The market potential is relatively fixed; but when the entire box office market is sluggish, movies should stand together as partners and comrades-in-arms. Winning or losing no longer matters because this is about the rise and fall of an entire industry.
Audiences can support *'Spider-Man'*, or they can support *'Star Wars: Episode II'*. It doesn't matter which movie they choose; what matters is the film itself, and that they buy a ticket and go to the cinema to enjoy the visual feast.
This level of magnanimity, this attitude, this vision, is truly something to be admired.
While 20th Century Fox and countless professionals and media outlets were focused on breaking *'Spider-Man'*'s opening weekend box office record, Anson and Sam were looking higher and thinking further ahead.
Instantly, the topic became a hot debate—
From *The Tonight Show* to *SNL*, talk shows big and small were buzzing with discussion. Anson won widespread praise from entertainment industry professionals, who were deeply impressed by this young actor, not yet twenty.
The most incredible part was that *SNL*, always on-trend, even parodied Jesse's interview with Anson. Though it was a comedic sketch, it still showed how Anson was making his mark on popular culture, even beyond the role of Peter Parker. Anson Wood, the actor, was beginning to establish his own identity, which was the true unexpected reward.
His breakout status? 100%.
This wave of excitement was something the premiere of *'Star Wars: Episode II'* hadn't anticipated—a pot of hot oil suddenly poured onto an already raging fire, causing it to explode—
And it spread like wildfire.
Jay Leno even joked on his show, "*'Spider-Man'* has made its move. Now it's *'Star Wars: Episode II'*'s turn."