**
Training gradually became a routine.
Matt officially joined the "Ye's Martial Arts School," and he and Anson began training together. With a fixed schedule and consistent training, days blurred into one another. Before they knew it, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas had come and gone, and then, the New Year had already arrived.
Unfortunately, the days of Anson and Matt training side by side were numbered. Each had other things to learn, so while they continued to report to the martial arts school, their training schedules began to diverge.
— Yoga, rock climbing, strength training.
Anson's schedule was completely packed.
Additionally, Anson had set extra tasks for himself.
He frequented the library, borrowing books related to nature, biology, and astronomy—including ones about spiders. This was to fully immerse himself in the preparation he had done for his audition, breathing life into the character of Peter Parker and making him vibrant and full through Anson's interpretation.
It was certain that none of this content would make it into the film, but it helped Anson to understand the character, the story, and the mindset, filling the character's soul with unseen, intangible details.
Although Anson couldn't be sure of the effect, every journey begins with a single step.
He genuinely believed that acting could be something fun.
So, while he regretted not being able to continue daily training with Matt at the martial arts school, Anson found something equally exciting to dive into.
Focused, dedicated, and fully immersed, he hardly noticed the passage of time.
Meanwhile, the "Spider-Man" crew was in the midst of intense pre-production preparations.
One key aspect was the costume.
For a superhero, the costume is a crucial part of their image—a great costume can significantly enhance both the character and the movie.
The production team had a thirty-person group dedicated to designing the costume, which not only needed to look good but also couldn't hinder the actor's performance.
Anson, who was temporarily living in New York, saved the crew a lot of trouble. Not only could he easily go to the studio for costume fittings, but he also actively participated in the design process, providing feedback based on his tests and discussing ideas with the design team—
Brainstorming sessions.
In fact, Anson's hands-on approach and enthusiastic participation were immensely helpful, laying the foundation for the final design and earning him high praise from the design team.
Filming hadn't even started, yet Anson's collaboration with the crew was off to a smooth start. He had already won over part of the crew, gaining a wave of positive reviews.
There was also a small incident.
After the Christmas and New Year holidays, the design team returned to the studio, only to discover that it had been broken into and robbed—
Four costumes were stolen.
Although Sony Columbia had plenty of backups, ensuring that the theft wouldn't delay the start of filming, and the stolen costumes weren't the final versions, meaning their premature reveal wouldn't spoil Spider-Man's look, the situation was still serious.
Sony Columbia issued a $25,000 reward, guaranteeing that no legal action would be taken, hoping to recover the four costumes. They even set up a dedicated tip line for reports.
This incident made headlines in the entertainment sections of major newspapers and magazines, becoming one of the hottest and most widely discussed topics since the start of 2001. For the first time, the usually low-profile "Spider-Man" crew found itself in the spotlight.
Actually, Sony Columbia has been extremely secretive, keeping everything under wraps. Not only have they kept the costumes hidden, but they've also completely sealed off any news about Anson and James's successful casting. From start to finish, there hasn't been a single leak.
This secrecy is also the reason why Sony Columbia is so eager to recover the stolen costumes. They truly do not want Spider-Man's suit to be leaked in any form before the movie's release, even if the stolen suit isn't the final version.
However, despite their efforts, the stolen costumes were never found, and the tip line didn't yield any clues. Some people even started to suspect that this might be a publicity stunt orchestrated by Sony Columbia, that there was no actual thief, and that it was just a way to promote "Spider-Man."
Sony Columbia has declined to comment on this.
As for everything else? Still a secret.
This secrecy only fueled the paparazzi's curiosity. Even though there was a chance they were being baited, they couldn't resist digging deeper, trying to uncover the truth.
The buzz around "Spider-Man" began even before the crew officially started filming.
One of the topics was the casting process.
Not only were the media curious about the stolen costumes, but Anson and James were also curious about what Sony Columbia was hiding and what stage the casting process had reached.
With all the secrecy and information lockdown, could it be that the casting process wasn't going well?
The answer was close to that.
Although Sam Raimi thought Alicia Witt was a good choice, other producers had different opinions, and even Sam wasn't entirely convinced. This caused the selection process for the lead actress to stall.
Sony Columbia then held another round of auditions, but the results were still unsatisfactory.
To Sam Raimi, Anson was very handsome, and pairing him with a beautiful actress wasn't easy; but their expectations went beyond that. They hoped the actress playing the lead could bring out the best in Anson and create sparks on screen.
It wasn't until a month before the crew was set to start filming that the other roles were finalized, but the lead actress role remained unfilled.
Then, there was finally a breakthrough.
Kirsten Dunst was impressed by the surprising choice of Anson to play Peter Parker, so she agreed to audition. After passing the first round, she personally flew to Berlin, where Sam was scouting filming locations, for a second audition.
This move demonstrated Kirsten's sincerity.
Kirsten, who is the same age as Anson at eighteen, began her career as a child star. In 1994, her stunning performance in "Interview with the Vampire" established her career. At just eleven years old, Kirsten held her own on screen alongside Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt.
Not only did she hold her own, but her lively and dynamic performance became the highlight of the entire movie.
Over the years, Kirsten's career has progressed more smoothly than many of her peers. Films like "Little Women," "Jumanji," "Bring It On," and "The Virgin Suicides" have showcased her acting talent, making her one of the most important young actresses of her generation.
Of course, like all child stars, Kirsten also faced the challenges of transitioning into adult roles.
This was one reason why she hesitated when the opportunity to audition for "Spider-Man" came up. She didn't want to be typecast as just a pretty face in a superhero movie.
However, Kirsten took the step, demonstrated her sincerity, and ultimately won over Sam and the other producers with her audition.
Mary Jane had finally found her actress, marking that the "Spider-Man" crew was now fully ready.