**Chapter 487: Congratulations from All Sides**

As an agent, Carter had seen too many dark sides in Hollywood's small circle. It wasn't that he was being cynical, but the spotlight in the entertainment world often blinds people, pulling them in before they even realize they're trapped.

And indeed, reality was just as harsh—

With the explosive box office success of *Spider-Man*'s premiere, discussions swept across North America, putting the *Star Wars: Episode II* team directly in the crossfire.

These two films were undoubtedly the biggest attractions of the first month of the summer season, with other films avoiding direct competition. No one wanted to get caught between these two juggernauts, even other blockbuster films made way.

*Spider-Man* and *Star Wars: Episode II* were released just one week apart, making it inevitable that they would clash.

It's no surprise that once *Spider-Man* took the market by storm, *Star Wars: Episode II* was the first to respond, with all eyes on them.

20th Century Fox didn't drop the ball with their PR efforts either.

"Congratulations to *Spider-Man* for surpassing $130 million in its opening weekend!"

On the surface, they played the role of gracious competitors, but behind the scenes, their marketing team was working overtime.

There was both excitement and anxiety.

On one hand, if an underdog like *Spider-Man* could achieve such a staggering box office, then surely *Star Wars: Episode II* could easily hit $100 million on opening weekend, right?

On the other hand, *Spider-Man*'s unexpected success might have already drained some of the summer box office potential, leaving less room for *Star Wars: Episode II*, especially with just a week between their releases.

So, just like ducks paddling furiously underwater while appearing calm on the surface, the *Star Wars: Episode II* team was also feeling the pressure and anxiously watching the situation unfold.

What Carter and Hayden saw in the *Los Angeles Times* was just the tip of the iceberg.

"$130,000,000! History."

"*Spider-Man* has arrived, the summer season is back."

"Unexpected but not surprising, *Spider-Man* rewrites North American film history."

"Anson Wood, the man who's writing a new chapter in North American cinema."

"Finally! Breaking the $100 million mark!"

"From $70 million to $90 million in four years; from $90 million to $130 million in just six months, what happened in between?"

"*Spider-Man*: It's not just about $100 million…"

*Spider-Man*, *Spider-Man*, and more *Spider-Man*. Over 260 media outlets across North America were all reporting on the film's historic achievement, fueling the hype.

And it wasn't just North America—other countries around the world were also celebrating *Spider-Man*'s success, marking this historic moment in film. Even though this wasn't yet the era of social media, newspapers and magazines ensured that the news reached every corner of the globe, inviting everyone to join the celebration.

The buzz, the shock, the praise—*Spider-Man* was generating Titanic-level excitement.

In late 1997, *Titanic* was released with a production cost reportedly over $200 million, forcing 20th Century Fox to bring in Paramount to help share the risk and complete the film. However, its opening weekend was a disastrous flop—just $28 million in three days.

Forget about recouping costs; it was a financial hemorrhage.

But against all odds, 20th Century Fox launched a series of year-end couple's movie events, leveraging the millennium's "apocalyptic" fear alongside the film's positive word-of-mouth to turn the tide.

Not only did the movie top the North American box office for 15 consecutive weekends, but its weekend box office drops remained below 10% for three months, including four weekends where the box office defied expectations and increased.

The rest is history.

So, what was initially dubbed a "disaster of the century" turned into a "box office bomb of the century," drawing even the most uninterested audiences to theaters.

The hype was unmatched.

Now, *Spider-Man* seemed to be experiencing a similar trajectory:

Breaking out in a big way.

First, Anson generated a huge buzz, then the film made history with its opening weekend box office—not just barely breaking records, but setting a whole new bar.

Compared to *Jurassic Park III*, *Spider-Man*'s opening weekend nearly doubled the box office. Compared to *Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone*, it saw a 45% increase.

The success was overwhelming, and the widespread discussion meant even casual moviegoers were noticing this film:

Maybe they should buy a ticket and see what the fuss was about?

The first weekend of May 2002 saw an explosion in the North American box office, giving audiences a taste of the summer heat they hadn't felt in a long time.

The champion? *Spider-Man*.

The runner-up? *The Scorpion King*.

Third place? *Changing Lanes*.

It's worth noting that *Spider-Man* dominated the market almost single-handedly, with the runner-up *The Scorpion King* only managing a paltry $9 million over the weekend. Its third-weekend box office was still bleeding, down nearly 50%.

To put it accurately, *Spider-Man* swept through the entire market like a T-Rex, leaving other films completely overshadowed.

*Murder by Numbers* suffered the same fate, with its weekend box office down another 43%, bringing in just $3.6 million. After three weeks, its cumulative box office was $23 million, and soon, no one would be talking about Sandra's attempt at a career shift.

No wonder even the *Star Wars: Episode II* team was worried about getting squeezed out of the market—

*Spider-Man* was, indeed, a monster.

Now, the most crucial question was how *Spider-Man* would fare in the following weeks. How much would its box office drop in the second week? The third week?

If *Spider-Man* experienced a significant drop in its second weekend, then *Star Wars: Episode II* would have nothing to worry about; but if it turned into another *Titanic*, the *Star Wars: Episode II* team might really be in trouble.

However, everything was still unknown.

After all, no previous film's box office trend could serve as a reference since a $100 million opening weekend was uncharted territory.

The only comparable example was last year's *Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone*.

Its second-weekend drop was 36.3%, with a weekend gross of $57 million.

But there's only one data point, so its relevance is limited.

Moreover, *Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone* had the advantage of Thanksgiving weekend for its second weekend, which drew in families. A 36% drop was an exceptionally strong performance.

Based on past experience, any drop below 50% is considered good; but those past experiences don't really apply here, serving only as a rough guide.

The first to venture into uncharted territory will have to forge their own path—

On its second weekend, *Spider-Man* saw a drop of 31.1%, with a weekend gross of $96.5 million.