Chapter 604: Stan-Lee

Finally, Anne Hathaway arrived at the interview area with Martin.

The reporters' enthusiasm erupted like a volcano—far surpassing the excitement they'd shown for "Batman" earlier.

"Martin, how did you approach the character of the Joker?"

"Martin, do you think your version of the Joker can surpass Jack Nicholson's?"

"Martin, we heard Ben Affleck actually hit you during the interrogation room scene because he got too into character. Do you hold any resentment? Will you take revenge?"

"Martin—!"

"Alright, alright, everyone!" Martin laughed, raising his hands to calm the crowd. "I'll answer your questions—no need to fire them all at once. It's hard to make out what anyone's saying when it's that rapid-fire."

The noise in the press area gradually subsided, and order returned.

"For the first question—my understanding of the Joker: I believe the Joker is a very special kind of villain. He doesn't care about money or fame. He causes explosions and massacres not for personal gain, but to force the people of Gotham to reexamine human nature. He enjoys confronting Batman—not because Batman gets in his way, but because he wants to push Batman, who refuses to kill, to the edge. In a way, the Joker sees Batman as his most beloved toy…"

"As for the second question—can my Joker surpass Jack Nicholson's? Haha, well, Jack and I actually made a bet on that. The final verdict, of course, will come from the audience."

"For the third question—do I resent Ben? Not at all. Why would I? That scene was the moment Ben really clicked with the role. From that day on, he just kept getting better and better. We're going to make something unforgettable—just wait and see."

"For the fourth question…"

After fielding a few more inquiries, Martin led Anne Hathaway into the theater.

Following Martin and Ben Affleck's walk down the red carpet, the crowd's fervor began to cool slightly.

Actors like Aaron Eckhart (Two-Face), Gary Oldman (Commissioner Gordon), and Michael Caine (Alfred) walked the red carpet afterward, but their appearance didn't stir much of a wave.

In the banquet hall.

Ever since Martin entered, two pairs of eyes had been fixed on him.

One of them belonged to an older man with white hair and beard, glasses, and a sharp, composed expression—none other than Stan Lee, the legendary father of Marvel superheroes. The other, with grayish hair and a more guarded demeanor, was Avi Arad, Chairman and CEO of Marvel Studios.

Stan Lee said, "DC's Batman has been completely revitalized. I've always believed Martin deserves the most credit. His screenplay is the soul of the Dark Trilogy, and he's the one who established its signature dark tone. Look at how the fans went wild earlier—he's just the screenwriter, and yet he's the center of attention. And don't forget—he's also Spider-Man, our highest-grossing Marvel hero to date. I say he's more than ready."

Avi Arad narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing Martin from across the room. "But Martin has never proven himself as a director. If we were talking about him starring in another superhero film, I'd have no objections. But directing?"

Stan Lee responded sharply, "Never proven himself? Have you already forgotten 127 Hours?"

"Of course not. But 127 Hours is a biopic. That's very different from directing a superhero blockbuster," Avi replied.

"Come on, he also wrote the screenplays for the entire Dark Knight Trilogy. You've seen his scripts—they're basically storyboards, down to the finest detail. That kind of visual precision? That is directing. It shows he already has the kind of cinematic instinct that great directors need."

Stan Lee was growing animated.

Avi Arad raised his hand slightly to calm him. He glanced sideways, then leaned in and lowered his voice. "Old man, I'm not ruling out Martin as the director of Man of Steel. I'm just not certain yet. I want to talk to him first before making the call. You know as well as I do—after the back-to-back flops of Hulk and Daredevil, our production department's taken a serious hit. We're still a young studio. We can't afford another disaster. We have to be careful."

"Alright, alright," Stan Lee sighed. "We'll talk to him properly, then."

"So let's go."

"Let's."

At that moment, Martin was leading Anne Hathaway around the room, exchanging greetings with everyone who came up to him.

Anne was beaming.

Just then—

"Hello, Mr. Meyers."

Martin turned, ready to give a perfunctory greeting—until he saw who it was: Stan Lee and Avi Arad.

Two of Marvel's biggest names, showing up to the premiere of a DC superhero film?

Well, Martin wasn't particularly surprised.

Despite their rivalry, Marvel and DC had a long, tangled history of both competition and collaboration. Not only had they borrowed characters from each other, their heroes had even teamed up—or fought—in crossover comics.

For example—have you read Superman vs. The Amazing Spider-Man (Son vs. Son)?

That one goes way back, one of the earliest major crossovers. Based on their powers alone, DC's Superman should have completely overpowered Spider-Man—but Marvel gave Spidey an odd boost: exposure to "red sun rays," which negated Superman's powers and leveled the playing field.

Then there was Batman vs. The Incredible Hulk.

Released in 1981, it left some fans scratching their heads: how could these two characters—so different in every way—even fight?

But of course, there's one constant in the Batman universe.

Yes, the Joker.

Naturally, the Clown Prince of Crime found his way into that story too.

And let's not forget Batman and Spider-Man—two characters with opposite personalities: one cold and brooding, the other talkative and sarcastic. Their team-up became known as one of the most fascinating Marvel/DC crossovers ever.

That lineup appeared not once, but twice, with full-length comics devoted to their adventures.

In one, their enemy was the Joker. In the other—it was Carnage.

So while Marvel and DC were rivals, they also had moments of genuine collaboration.

Seeing these two silver-haired titans at a DC premiere? Not so strange after all.