The Greatest Showman #1012 – Forced Duel

Following the awards season, the showdown between Generation Y stars has taken the commercial film market by storm. The clash with the four major box-office stars has become the summer's biggest highlight. Amidst a series of mishaps, the topic began to steadily gain traction.

Andrew Garfield, who found himself unexpectedly involved, appeared a bit overwhelmed by the swarm of reporters surrounding him. "Uh, I don't know, I mean, I don't know Chris, we've never met..." Andrew nervously scratched his ear and cheek, clearly caught off guard by the attention. "You know, I'm Spider-Man, and he's Thor..."

This comment sparked a round of laughter from the reporters.

Although both Spider-Man and Thor belong to the Marvel Universe, Spider-Man's rights are held by Sony Pictures, and the studio had firmly declined Disney's attempts to buy back the character's rights. After Tobey Maguire's version of Spider-Man ended, Sony launched a new iteration of the series, solidifying their position. As a result, the relationship between Spider-Man and other Marvel films is somewhat strained.

Andrew's awkward phrasing, surprisingly mirroring this reality, caused a moment of humor. "As for Renly... wow, he's really an amazing actor. Yes, I've seen him in the West End. Honestly, he shocked me. God, I love it. My wife loves it too!"

"I'm going to London again to see him perform, but those tickets are impossible to get. So, I'll need to ask Renly for his help. I hope he can get me a ticket from the inside." Andrew's sincere tone and childlike enthusiasm made him seem like an excited fan, even bouncing slightly on his feet.

This lighthearted moment shifted the atmosphere. What had been an attempt to stir discord now turned into a moment of camaraderie. Even the reporters, momentarily caught off guard, couldn't bring themselves to continue the tension. The scene had shifted from conflict to an unexpected moment of familial joy.

Compared to Chris's diplomatic public relations responses, Andrew's candidness was far more endearing. However, this wasn't the breaking point the reporters were hoping for—they needed more fuel for the fire, a true duel of words. The only option left was Renly.

The mere thought of Renly made the reporters uneasy. They knew Renly's sharp wit and evasiveness were legendary. His ability to elude straightforward answers had become the stuff of nightmares for journalists. This would be their first direct confrontation with him since the "hype gate" incident and the first face-to-face interview since his Oscar win.

When Renly arrived at New York's JFK International Airport, the sight before him was a familiar one: a throng of reporters. The crowd didn't seem as large as the one last year when "Anti-Cancer Me" returned to New York, but it still crowded the narrow arrivals hall. Despite the crowd, the reporters were oddly quiet, snapping pictures without a single shout.

The flashes from cameras created an almost surreal atmosphere, the sharp, silver bursts of light were relentless, yet the hum of the crowd was strangely muted. It felt as though the air itself was vibrating from the collective energy of the journalists, but the only sound was a constant, low buzz, like a jet flying low overhead.

Renly paused, momentarily stunned by the bizarre silence. Then, with a wry smile, he spoke, "Thank you for coming to welcome me back, but this is just a routine visit. Nothing special to report. Thank you, everyone!"

His playful tone broke the silence, and a reporter, eager to address the burning issue, finally asked about the latest hot topic.

When faced with the thorny question, Renly remained unflappable. "Ha, I always thought choosing a movie to watch was a decision made by one's girlfriend. But now, it seems like a lot of people have an opinion."

For a moment, there was silence, then laughter rippled through the crowd. Renly's sardonic humor defused the tension, subtly implying that such decisions were personal and that the ongoing drama surrounding the movie choices was trivial.

A reporter pressed further, "So, your relationship with Chris won't affect your movie choices?"

Renly raised an eyebrow. "What relationship with Chris?"

The question hung in the air, and the reporters were caught off guard, unsure of how to proceed. Should they dive into old wounds?

There was a hesitant pause before another reporter took a shot. "You were friends, weren't you?"

"Yes, we were," Renly replied, smiling. "Would you attend the wedding of an old friend, even if you didn't receive an invitation?"

The reporters froze. What was he getting at? An analogy, or an insult? They struggled to process the implications.

A reporter, undeterred, pressed on. "If he did send an invitation, would you go?"

Renly gave a half-joking shrug, "I'd hope he could find my number in the yellow pages."

The "yellow pages" were a nostalgic reference to the outdated telephone directories used to find people before the internet and social media took over. It was a pointed way of saying that he had lost touch with Chris and that any attempt to reconnect would be outdated.

The conversation shifted back to the crux of the matter. "So, you won't watch 'Snow White and the Huntsman'?"

Renly gave a straightforward answer. "No, I won't."

The reporters were stunned by the bluntness of his response. They had expected more drama, more conflict, but Renly's honesty left them momentarily speechless.

"But you won't watch this movie?" one reporter stammered, excitement rising as they scrambled for the story.

Renly shrugged nonchalantly. "What else would you expect? I think this is the answer you wanted."

The reporters' enthusiasm quickly turned to confusion as Renly continued, "The truth is, I won't have time to see any movie. In two weeks, I'm back in London for Les Miserables."

He paused, the subtext clear. "But don't you all enjoy hearing the same question over and over until you get a negative answer?"

The slap of Renly's dry wit was palpable. The reporters, caught off guard, suddenly found themselves flustered, unable to salvage their desired narrative. Renly had outwitted them again, exposing their methods for the shallowness they were.

As the press conference came to a close, Renly was about to leave when another reporter, determined not to let the topic die, asked, "What about The Amazing Spider-Man? You're not going to see that?"

Renly paused. "If Andrew invites me to the premiere, that would be my only chance."

But the subtext was clear: even if Chris had offered an invitation, Renly likely wouldn't attend. The boundary between friends and acquaintances had been drawn, though not openly stated. The subtle alienation was present, and everyone could feel it.

Renly left the airport amidst the throng of reporters, and soon the headlines were ablaze:

"Chris Hemsworth: I need to check my schedule.""Andrew Garfield: Chris and I never met.""Renly Hall: I won't watch Snow White and the Huntsman."

There were no grudges, but tensions were still stirred. There was no duel, yet one had been sparked.