[Chapter 70: A Candid Interview & A $50 Masterpiece.][Alternative Titles: A Contender For The Game of the Year?]
Last Time on Chapter 069 of From Shadows To The Spotlight —
Jay then turned towards the camera and said, "If you haven't already heard about the name, these wonderful folks are here to tell you all about [Spider-Man: First Swing]—But let me tell you, I've seen some early footage. This thing looks incredible."
More cheers erupted. Jay leaned forward with a twinkle in his eye.
"Alex, I gotta ask—after delivering an epic fantasy, now you're jumping into the superhero arena. That's a big pivot. Are you nervous about putting this much on the line for a comic book movie?"
Alex shook his head confidently. "Not really," he said, his voice calm. "I didn't sign on because it was a sure thing. I signed on because I believed we could tell a story that meant something. Something entertaining."
"Something that lets people forget whatever's waiting for them outside the theater… and just lose themselves for a while. Because I believe that's what really matters."
Now Continuing —
Jay raised a brow as he tried to probe again. "Sure, but this wasn't made on pocket change. Those web-slinging effects don't come cheap. You're confident this thing's gonna turn a profit?"
"I am," Alex replied, his gaze steady. "We've had some very encouraging test screenings. Spider-Man isn't just a hero—he's the hero for a lot of people."
"And above all, there's a trust that audiences have started placing in our studio. MONARCH has built a reputation on featuring entertaining, experimental, character-driven stories, not just popcorn action flicks."
"And most people who watch Spider-Man will agree with me when I say that First Swing falls in the former category."
Jay gave an approving nod, clearly impressed. "Well, you've definitely earned that trust. But I'm hearing rumors—and you know I love rumors—I heard that you're already working on a Spider-Man television show.
Is that true?"
Alex gave a brief shake of his head, but his smile was knowing.
"Not quite. We're developing a show about Peter Parker—the boy behind the mask. It's not just about him swinging through rooftops."
"It's about his heart, his relationships, the loneliness and the weight he carries when no one's watching. We want people to know the kid who became the hero."
Jay leaned back in his chair, grinning wide.
"Man, MONARCH is really stepping up their game. First Middle-earth, now Marvel. What's next? Are you turning Shakespeare into a space opera?"
The audience roared. Alex just chuckled under his breath, and Andrew leaned into his mic with a playful smirk. "I'd pay to see Macbeth with lightsabers."
Jay shot back, "Only if Tommy's playing the ghost!"
Tommy Lee Jones, ever the straight man, barely blinked. "Only if the ghost doesn't talk."
Laughter burst across the room, and Jay raised his hands.
"We've got more coming after the break. Don't go anywhere—this cast is just getting started."
The applause rose again as the camera pulled back, sweeping across the stage, capturing the cast's grins, the camaraderie, and Alex's quiet, composed presence in the middle of it all.
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~The Mask and the Boy underneath~
The stage lights flared with the electric warmth of late-night television. The Tonight Show studio was buzzing with anticipation, the crowd still chuckling from Jay Leno's last quip reacting to the trailer of First Swing as the camera zoomed back in.
Jay leaned forward in his chair, eyebrows raised, lips curled in that familiar amused smirk. "I hope you all liked that trailer, this fresh take on the superhero genre and the boy who became Spider-Man. He's seventeen years old, still in high school, and about to become a household name. Please once give it up for the new kid on the block playing Peter Parker—Andrew Garfield!"
Applause thundered, and Andrew gave a sheepish little wave, his face a shade redder than moments before. His jaw clenched and unclenched slightly, not from nerves but from habit—something he'd been working on in media training.
He could hear Alex's advice echoing in his mind: "Don't be Andrew. Be Peter. You've studied him. You know him. Let him take the hit from the cameras."
So Andrew breathed in deep, and as the camera panned in on his boyish grin and tousled hair, he slipped into the mindset of the hero he'd spent the last year acting as.
Jay grinned at the crowd and turned back to Andrew. "Alright, Andrew—seventeen years old. First movie. Still got homework. And now you're Spider-Man. This isn't just any other superhero. You are now the face of Marvel. What's that feel like?"
Andrew laughed nervously, but it was genuine, his voice remaining steady despite it all. "It's a.. humbling experience. Completely surreal, to be honest. One minute I'm sitting in a drama class trying to figure out how to deliver Shakespeare without sounding like I'm choking, and the next I'm flipping around in a spandex suit with wires strapped to my back."
The crowd laughed. Jay chuckled too, impressed. "Now I heard you didn't just train in acting for this. There was, what—gymnastics? Martial arts? You trained like a ninja or something?"
Andrew nodded, his eyes lighting up. "Yeah. Alex wanted me to be able to move like Peter Parker does—light on his feet, agile, kind of like a cat who just discovered parkour. So, I trained in gymnastics, yoga and martial arts for months. Every day after school, I'd go straight to the gym. It was intense. I mean.. at one point, my coach told me I had to learn how to do splits."
Jay leaned back with mock horror. "Ouch. The splits?!"
Andrew laughed, shoulders relaxing. "Yeah, that was probably the most painful experience of the entire prep. I couldn't walk properly the next day—I felt like I had fought the hulk with my hamstrings. But now?"
"Now I can do a front flip, backflip, cartwheel, handstand... even aerial acrobatics. Though, to be fair, the harness does a lot of the work, and so do my talented stunt doubles Greg and Steve."
"They are phenomenal, you should see the hits and falls they can take stand right back up."
"To me they are nothing less than super."
Jay's eyes widened at Andrew's comment, while most actors and stars are obsessed with claiming that they did all their stunts and fight scenes themselves to paint a false picture of authenticity, and grandeur that their star is the "real" deal.
He peeked a glance at Alex to see his reaction, but the man was a picture of calm serenity as if the response had already been curated before.
Still he appreciated the frankness and honesty with which the kid had answered his question so he decided to not bring too much attention to it and keep the show going.
Jay clapped his hands in amusement. "They sound like wonderful people, But seriously," Jay added, voice more earnest now, "that is a lot of work. You've put in hundreds of hours. That's gotta be something you're proud of."
Andrew's smile softened. "I am.. Alex isn't someone who likes to half-heartedly try something. If he is doing something or it is connected to his work somehow you can bet that he is going to give it his 100% and that is also what he expects out of us. So we always bring our A-game."
"For me personally, I just wanted to be the best Peter Parker and Spider-Man I could be. That was the goal, always. And after watching the film for myself... and hearing the feedback from the test screenings—I really feel like it was all worth it. Every cramp, every blister... even the bruises from falling on my face during stunt practice."
"I will do it all over it in a heartbeat."
Jay raised a brow. "Falling on your face? You're telling me Spider-Man wipes out?"
Andrew played along as he deadpanned. "Oh yeah. Regularly. There's a blooper reel somewhere that's probably just ninety minutes of me screaming midair flailing about."
The audience burst into laughter again. Jay leaned forward conspiratorially, turning slightly in his chair.
"Alright, now I gotta ask," he said, voice dipping into that mischievous tone that made viewers lean in across the country.
"There are some very talented and very beautiful actresses in this movie. I mean, we've got Malin Åkerman as Mary Jane and Reese Witherspoon as Gwen Stacy... so come on, Andrew."
Jay grinned wide. "Which one did you have a crush on?"
The crowd exploded in cheers, whistles, and laughter. Andrew's blush returned with full vengeance.
"I—uh—" he started, then scratched the back of his neck with an awkward chuckle. "Well, I plead the Fifth, Jay."
Jay laughed and leaned back, satisfied. "Classic dodge. I see now why Jonah hates you."
Andrew shrugged helplessly, eyes twinkling. "Hey, if I'm gonna emulate Peter, I have to keep some secrets. But nah, he's just a hater."
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~One Month Ago~
The bell above the Archmon Store's door jingled as two guys strolled in, their sneakers squeaking on the polished floor. The sign outside glowed neon, promising a geek's paradise, and the place delivered. Shelves burst with graphic tees—Jurassic Park, Star Wars, James Bond—next to action figures, plushies, and shiny metallic posters.
Comics, manga, and graphic novels lined one wall, while video games and consoles gleamed under glass displays. The air smelled faintly of new plastic and popcorn from a machine in the corner.
The two looked like they'd just rolled out of high school or maybe freshman year of college. The skinny one, all sharp elbows and messy hair, was practically bouncing as he nudged his friend, who was taller, a bit chubby, and rocking a faded Transformers shirt.
They weaved through aisles, the skinny guy waving his hands like he was conducting an orchestra.
"Dude, I'm telling you, Jurassic Park: Dino Dynasty is the game," Skinny said, his voice buzzing with hype. "It dropped two weeks ago, and everyone's losing their minds. You've seen the non-spoiler forums, right? People are calling it a masterpiece!"
Tall Guy raised an eyebrow, hands stuffed in his pockets. "Yeah, but fifty bucks, man? That's, like, half my paycheck. I could grab two used games for that."
They stopped in front of the counter, where a display case held a pristine copy of Dino Dynasty, its cover art was a neatly designed dinosaur park with many dinosaurs in enclosures under the Jurassic Park logo.
Skinny pointed at it like it was the Holy Grail. "Monarch Interactive Games doesn't mess around. It's their big one, and it's blowing up. Come on, you're the Monarch fanboy—back me up here!"
Tall Guy snorted. "Fanboy? I just like their movies. Doesn't mean I'm gonna drop fifty without thinking it through."
Skinny rolled his eyes and turned to the counter, where a guy leaned against the register, looking like he'd rather be anywhere else. His nameplate read Steve, pinned crookedly to his green Archmon polo.
He jabbed a thumb at his friend. "Yo, Steve, help me out. This guy's getting cold feet right at the finish line. You played Dino Dynasty? Is it worth the cash?"
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Steve blinked at them, his mind kicking in like a light switch had been flipped on. He'd been zoning out, counting ceiling tiles to survive the slow shift, but that question? Oh, it was like someone hit play on his favorite track.
He straightened up, boredom evaporating, as his eyes lit up behind his glasses. Jurassic Park: Dino Dynasty? He'd sunk in hundreds of hours into that game, and it was a freaking gem.
The secret twist? No way he could spill that—it'd ruin the magic of their first playthrough.
"Buy it," Steve said, leaning forward with a grin, voice brimming with confidence. "Seriously, it's one of the best games I've ever played. Monarch Interactive Games? They're not like those other studios churning out movie tie-ins."
Tall Guy tilted his head. "What's so special about 'em?"
Steve was in his element now, like a kid showing off his Pokémon cards. "Okay, so you know how so many gamers shit on most game studios that are tied to movie studios or big entertainment companies?"
The two of them nodded.
"Well it is well deserved as it's nothing but just a cash grab. They rush their games to hit theaters with the film. Like, boom, movie's out, here's a half-baked game."
"But Monarch? They don't play that. They take their time to make something truly awesome. Jurassic Park 2 hit theaters, what, two years ago? And they just dropped Dino Dynasty two weeks back. Why? 'Cause they wanted the game to be perfect."
Skinny's jaw dropped a little. "Two years? That's nuts."
"Yup," Steve said, popping the 'p.' "They had Bullfrog Productions and id Software working on it. Dual studio system, man. Bullfrog's the sim kings—Theme Park, Dungeon Keeper—and id's the shooter gods with Doom and Quake. Two legends, totally different vibes, teaming up for this. That's why it's so good."
The guys' eyes went wide, like Steve had just told them aliens landed. "Bullfrog and id?" Tall Guy said, whistling. "Okay, that's legit. I am sold."
"But wait, there's more," Steve added, lowering his voice and leaning in slightly over the counter like he was sharing a secret. "They got Hollywood celebs doing voice-overs, and their look-alikes are in the game as well. I'm not saying who or what role they play in the game—you gotta find out for yourselves. But trust me, it's worth it."
Skinny nodded fast, like a bobblehead. "Alright, sold. We'll take two!" He thrust out a crisp fifty-dollar bill, and Tall Guy matched it, pulling one from his wallet with a grin.
Ka-ching! Steve thought, his grin widening as he rang up the sale.
"Hold up, one sec. I have seen you guys before. Have you ever thought about getting our membership? Five to ten percent off everything in any Archmon Store, coast to coast."
"Plus, free home delivery on orders over a hundred bucks. Terms and conditions, y'know, but it's a sweet deal nonetheless."
Tall Guy perked up, eyeing the shelves packed with tees, action figures, and manga. "How much is it?"
"Just thirty bucks a year," Steve said, sliding the game copies into a bag.
Skinny scrunched his nose. "Thirty? Nah, that's steep."
But Tall Guy was already doing mental math, his gaze drifting to a Darth Vader poster and a stack of Dragon Ball Z manga. "Dude, we are in here all the time. Let's split it—fifteen each."
Skinny sighed, digging into his pocket. "Fine, but I'm tapped. Got ten and some change." He plopped a crumpled ten-dollar bill and a handful of coins on the counter.
"Don't sweat it," Tall Guy said, waving him off. "I'll cover the rest. Just hook me up next time." He placed a few more bills onto the counter. "Yo, Steve, sign us up."
Steve nodded, punching info into the register. "Name and age?"
"Henry Cavill, seventeen," Tall Guy said, standing a bit taller.
Steve printed the membership card, handed it over with the games, and flashed a grin. "You're all set. Enjoy, guys." As they turned to leave, he called after them, a knowing smile creeping onto his face. "Oh, and one last thing—hire good people in that game, and treat 'em right. Like you'd want to be treated."
Henry glanced back, tossing a quick "Thanks, man!" before he and his friend pushed through the door, the bell jingling behind them. Steve leaned back, still buzzing from the sale, already imagining those two losing their minds when they hit that moment in Dino Dynasty.
– To be continued…
{2,437 words}
{TRL: This is the new Hollywood story that has been bouncing around in my head. I really need to get this out so here's another chapter.
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