The bigger the drama, the more the crowd enjoys it—
Hollywood insiders are fanning the flames, watching with cold detachment, constantly speculating that Sony-Columbia is orchestrating a grand scheme with ambitious goals.
Right now, Sony-Columbia must be secretly rejoicing. Whether this is an open or covert plan, their objective has already been achieved.
"Spider-Man 2" is the hottest topic, and it's just from revealing the new suit! The buzz has easily overshadowed the entire summer box office.
Is this even possible?
Everyone thought the big winner this summer would be "Pirates of the Caribbean." Johnny Depp skyrocketed to fame with this movie, after over a decade of accumulating potential, finally reaching the top. Even pirate films were making a full comeback. But unexpectedly, "Spider-Man 2" jumped into the spotlight.
Now, everyone's talking about "Spider-Man 2." Sony-Columbia has stolen the summer's attention just by sitting in their office. If all of this is a calculated plan by them, it makes sense.
However, the reality might be a bit different.
Internally, Sony-Columbia looks quite different.
"Shut up."
Michael Lynton tried to stop the arguing in the office. People were blaming and cursing each other, trying to pass the buck. It was an ugly sight.
But the calm and gentlemanly Lynton's voice was drowned in the high-pitched noise. No one realized that their boss was struggling to contain his anger, as everyone continued arguing fiercely, each trying to prove their point was right.
Bang.
A loud noise startled everyone into silence. Eyes turned toward Michael, who had slammed a thick stack of documents onto the floor, scattering papers everywhere.
On the desk, a clear spot had been made.
However, Michael's face remained calm, unbothered, as if he had no idea why those papers had fallen to the ground.
"Shut up."
Michael repeated.
"Calm down. This is Sony-Columbia. Even if it's the end of the world, you shouldn't run around like headless chickens, screaming and wailing. Show some composure and demonstrate your wisdom."
"There's no need for this dog-eat-dog scene in front of me."
His tone was steady, as usual, but there was a chilling coldness in his words that made everyone shiver.
Without pausing, Michael continued, bringing everyone's attention back to the issue at hand.
"Stop reaching out to backup actors for now. Don't act hastily."
"For the actors we've already contacted, make sure they keep their mouths shut. Even if the media gets wind of something, they better not say a word."
"Or they'll face the consequences."
This was a small meeting, with only Michael's core team present.
In other words, people he trusted.
Despite the pressure, someone spoke up, "It's probably too late by now. The media has already heard something. The news is bound to leak soon, and suddenly stopping our actions won't change that."
"Besides, didn't we already have a contingency plan?"
"We never intended to replace Anson. We were just preparing for the worst-case scenario."
Before Michael could respond, someone else immediately retorted under their breath.
"That was yesterday. We could've gotten away with that excuse a day ago. But now, with Anson as the victim, if we keep using that story, we'll be torn apart."
"What do you mean? Anson's the victim? We're the victims here, okay?"
Michael could hardly bear watching this unfold.
Their conversation was completely off-track, with each person speaking their own piece, none of them really listening to each other. Communication had broken down.
Michael couldn't hold back any longer, "Stop!"
He raised his hand, cutting the conversation short and summing up the situation.
"When were the Spider-Man suit photos taken? Does this have anything to do with Anson's injury? And how did they leak?"
"Then, who snuck into Anson's hospital room to try to take photos of him? Was it the same person who took the Spider-Man suit photos?"
On the other side, someone still didn't get it. "Paparazzi. It's all the work of paparazzi. What does this have to do with us? Wait, are you saying we set this all up?"
Everyone in the office gasped.
Michael sighed, "If we had set this up, it would've been easier to manage. But no, we didn't. This has nothing to do with us."
"Then why are we so worried?"
"Because if we act like we don't care, we'll seem cold-blooded."
"Ah... I see."
"Paparazzi is a broad term. If we can't find the real culprit, the public won't have anyone specific to blame. But if people find out that we're not supporting Anson and are more concerned about the movie, they'll turn their anger on us. Anson's not even dead, and we're already looking for a replacement? What do you think will happen?"
"We'll become the scapegoats."
"Exactly. People can't blame vague paparazzi, but they can target us. Our calm, professional demeanor will be seen as cold-hearted and ruthless. We'll become the focus of their rage."
The room fell silent. Even Michael.
The normally calm and logical Michael was now lost in thought.
In short, if the paparazzi hadn't been involved, this would've been simple: the accident was an unfortunate event, and both Anson and the crew were victims.
In that case, making backup plans to protect the production would've made sense, even if it wasn't a good look. Sony-Columbia might take some heat, but they'd still have public support.
But now, things were different. The paparazzi's involvement implied two things:
First, this was man-made, not just an accident.
Second, while Anson and the crew are still victims, the production is also at fault for letting the paparazzi infiltrate the set. They'd need to apologize for their poor security, meaning they're no longer just victims—they're partly responsible.
In this context, Sony-Columbia searching for a replacement actor looks heartless. Cold, cruel, inhumane—those are the kinder descriptions. The worst-case scenario would be conspiracy theories—
People might accuse Sony-Columbia of deliberately planning to replace Anson, staging the accident to hurt him and cast someone else.
If it reaches that point, things won't be simple anymore.
Michael knew that if Sony-Columbia became the target, their Hollywood competitors wouldn't hesitate to seize the opportunity. He, for one, would never pass up such a chance if it came his way.