….
The test shoot had been nothing short of a victory.
Within the walls of the production team, all questions were answered - replaced by enthusiasm you only got when something truly remarkable had just taken place.
The picturization, acting of Andrew within the suite, stunt, VFX, the tone, the mood - they all clicked into place - even without any sound or music composition.
For the first time in a while, the project didn't feel like a dream or a long shot.
It felt inevitable.
The footage wasn't just good, it was unbelievable.
Even the cast and crew who worked for the shoot were marvelled after witnessing what they have worked for, also providing a chance to let out a collective exhale.
Even the most unwilling of the team, the ones who had worked on a dozen big-budget projects and seen it all, were left nodding, smirking, or exchanging wide-eyed glances.
And then… Two days later, the entire industry got rocked again.
The next bombshell came not from Regal, but from Stan Lee himself.
In a surprise press conference hosted at the MDC headquarters in Burbank, Stan, looking spry despite his age, wearing his classic tinted glasses and a wide grin, stepped up to the mic and made an announcement that practically bent the timeline of superhero cinema.
"Regal's next project." He said, pausing for dramatic effect. "Is Spider-Man."
The words hit like thunder, cameras flashed and reporters jolted upright.
A hundred headlines were born instantly.
Stan wasn't done.
"…and I will tell you something else." He continued with that infectious enthusiasm, his hand chopping the air for emphasis. "This is going to be Regal's best work, not just that, I believe… I know this will be the greatest superhero film ever made. Period."
Gasps.
A few chuckles.
A few skeptical eyebrow raises.
…and a lot of murmuring.
He meant it.
But the industry? The internet? They weren't all on board.
It didn't take long for the cynics to crawl out.
Within hours, the backlash began swirling.
On forums, podcasts, Twitter threads, people started picking apart Stan's claim like vultures.
–["Isn't this the same guy who produced Green Lantern?"] Someone tweeted. ["Let's not forget MDC already tried to do the 'next big superhero' movie, that tanked harder than anything else in the genre."]
–["The same studio that made the biggest flop in superhero history."] Another post mocked. ["Now talking about the biggest success? Get real."]
Even a few journalists weighed in, trying to be diplomatic but still scathing beneath the surface.
"No disrespect to Stan." One article began. "But hyperbole doesn't undo history."
In truth, it wasn't like Stan to make bold, sweeping statements.
He had always been passionate, yes, but careful.
He let the work speak for itself.
But this time? He had gone all in.
Why?
Even he couldn't say.
"I don't know." He told one reporter off-camera, chuckling softly. "I guess I just felt it, I saw that test footage, I saw what Regal is doing, and… maybe I got carried away. But maybe… I should."
Some thought he had gone mad.
Others… weren't so sure.
Because Regal was involved.
…and if anyone could shake up the genre, maybe it was the guy who had just redefined psychological thrillers [Death Note], reinvented comedy [The Hangover], and brought [Harry Potter] to life with a grounded realism never before attempted.
Still, superhero films were a whole different beast.
Unlike magic or mystery or social satire, superhero films were a battleground.
A kingdom.
One where only the giants survived.
And this world already had its kings.
Pixy Studios ruled the charts with their [Power Rangers] universe; their cinematic saga had become the gold standard for action-packed ensemble hero flicks.
Their branding, merchandising, and marketing was untouchable.
The recent entry, [Ranger War] (2011), had raked in hundreds of millions despite lukewarm critical response.
Fans were loyal, though growing impatient.
Then there was [Star Wars], a joint IP managed by Apollo Pictures and Vista Crown International, which had blurred the line between sci-fi and superhero storytelling, pulling fans from both camps into its orbit.
Lastly, there was Whitebridge Studios, which held onto a unique piece of ground.
They owned the live-action franchise rights to [The Incredibles].
The one he used to rewatch on grainy DVD screens, the one that made him first think about family dynamics in a superhero world, not just the action, but the conflict, the parenting, the sacrifice.
Also there is no animation version here in this world.
And now, rumors were already starting to surface about a new standalone film in the works, this time focusing on one of the most beloved characters from that universe: Frozone.
For now the expected time is late 2013.
Regal wouldn't say it aloud, but if he were being honest… he was actually excited to see it.
Frozone had always been a scene-stealer, and if done right, it could be something truly special.
But that wasn't all.
So, the stakes were clear.
Regal wasn't just walking into a creative challenge.
He was entering a battlefield already drenched in history, loyalty, and billion-dollar expectations.
And the competition wasn't slowing down.
An announcement had already been made Pixy Studios was prepping a return to form, a massive installment in the Power Rangers universe, aiming for a late 2012 or early 2013 release.
Their last film had been rushed.
This time, they were taking their time, meticulously building it up, with whispers of recasting, director changes, and a narrative overhaul.
Which might have been good news for Regal.
Because the man moved fast.
But efficiently.
If Pixy faltered, even slightly, postponed by a director reshuffle or internal rewrites, Regal's Spider-Man might swoop in and claim the box office without competition.
But no one was naive.
If this clash happened, and it was looking more and more likely, it would be war.
A full-blown superhero war.
And Regal?
He was just quietly… preparing.
He wasn't concerned about Stan's statement.
He wasn't even concerned about the backlash.
Because what he had in his mind, what he was building, wasn't about living up to hype.
It was about rewriting the genre.
One frame at a time.
Because backing down wasn't a choice.
Regal knows how the industry works…
You back down once, they expect you to back down forever.
….
While the debates online had been lively for weeks, things really caught fire after Stan's statement.
It wasn't just a casual interview soundbite either, he had doubled down, saying with that trademark twinkle in his eye that Regal was "going to make the greatest superhero movie ever made."
That one line was enough to set off a chain reaction.
The existing fandoms, already territorial, took it as a challenge, and the Power Rangers crowd? They were especially vocal.
Not the polite, carefully worded kind of criticism you would get from journalists either, these were blunt posts from people who had been following their franchise for decades, and they didn't mince words.
….
Top Comments on PopCultureBoard.net - "Stan Lee says Regal's film will be the GREATEST superhero movie ever"
–MorphinTime_89: [Oh, so he's just gonna erase 30 years of Power Rangers history from comics… like it never happened? Cool. Cool cool cool]
–MechaKnight: [Big words coming for someone who made the most notorious super hero film]
–Henshin_Justice: [This is why I don't trust hype statements, I will believe it when I see it, and when I see it, it better be better than the expectations they are giving]
–ComicSnob77: [You guys are overreacting, they are just hyping up a movie]
–DragonZord_Lord: [Nah man, hype is fine, but this feels like they are trying to overshadow everything else, like - look at the timing, feels intentional]
–TheReal_Sentai: [Call me a conspiracy nut, but I think someone's stirring this up, half the "anti-Regal" posts here are from accounts made like, yesterday]
…..
It wasn't just about Regal anymore; some were twisting it into an attack on their own childhood heroes.
Comment threads turned into digital battlegrounds, with GIFs, memes, and mock posters popping up in real time.
And maybe, there was more to it than pure fandom rage.
Because the way some of these arguments kept getting reignited, almost on cue, it felt like there was someone quietly tossing matches into the pile.
.
….
[To be continued…]
★─────⇌•★•⇋─────★
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