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🕑 Added 2025-07-22 16:46:31 +0000 UTCChapter 1606: A Bucket of Cold Water
"The Hollywood Reporter," truly a professional and authoritative media outlet in the industry, grounded in reality and looking towards the future, they certainly showed their foresight—
It's no exaggeration to say that Will Smith is in his prime, and his trajectory is on the rise. Both his industry status and market appeal are unique.
Simply put, the name "Will Smith" is a brand in itself. You don't need any other words or information; that alone is enough reason for audiences to go to the movies.
From a realistic perspective, Will is thirty-six this year, just past the thirty-five mark, squarely in the golden age for male actors in Hollywood, with his career constantly climbing. Anson, on the other hand, isn't even twenty-two yet, practically a kid, like a middle schooler who hasn't grown up, just like Peter Parker. Does he really have box office appeal outside of "Spider-Man"?
New waves pushing the old is the law of nature, but it seems the time for that hasn't quite arrived yet.
In the parallel universe Anson was familiar with, although Hollywood was blooming with diverse talent, the next ten years would truly be the peak of Will Smith's career. After "I, Robot," "Hitch," "The Pursuit of Happyness," "I Am Legend," and "Hancock" were four consecutive box office explosions—
This time, it wasn't just a hundred million in North America, but two hundred million in North America, four times in a row!
The box office numbers were only one aspect; what was truly astonishing was that these films had different genres and styles, showcasing Will's versatility!
Everything was just as "The Hollywood Reporter" said: the current Will Smith was indeed unstoppable!
On one side was Will Smith, the top superstar with the most box office appeal in Hollywood at the moment, with his career trajectory showing a continuous upward trend.
On the other side was Anson Wood, the absolute king of the new generation in Hollywood, who had leaped to the pinnacle of the pyramid with a triple jump.
So, when Will meets Anson, who would win and who would lose?
Would the student surpass the master, or would the old ginger be spicier?
To some extent, people's frenzy was understandable, from industry insiders to the news media and the general public, even casual onlookers were no exception.
The North American media fanned the flames, enjoying the spectacle, and heatedly debated the possibility of "Spider-Man 2" overpowering "I, Robot" to achieve three consecutive weeks at the top of the box office charts. The hype about Anson surpassing Will to become the number one in Hollywood was endless, with all sorts of alarmist claims flying everywhere.
Even industry executives were no exception, but the slight difference was that they were focusing on Sony Columbia.
If "Spider-Man 2" could truly suppress "I, Robot" and continue to write miracles, then whether Anson surpassed Will to become the number one in Hollywood was debatable and up for interpretation. But what was certain was that Sony Columbia really needed to show one hundred and twenty percent sincerity to convince Anson.
Here, what "one hundred and twenty percent sincerity" meant was something that would have a ripple effect. Perhaps other film companies and even the entire Hollywood would be drawn into this storm.
The "twenty million dollar club" was still the highest standard in Hollywood; but industry executives could sense something unusual. Anson's goals were not limited to this, otherwise, the back-and-forth between Anson and Hollywood film companies throughout 2003 wouldn't have been so tense and tight. And now, with the explosion of "Spider-Man 2," things were quietly changing.
Next, it was up to Sony Columbia.
So, one by one, they grabbed their popcorn and soda, propped their feet up on their desks, and anticipated a great show, unable to control their excitement.
Chaotic, noisy, bustling, like a kaleidoscope.
In the midst of all this excitement, 20th Century Fox seemed particularly firm and resolute, showing confidence in Hollywood with a decisive attitude:
We've noticed this summer box office is especially active. Currently, two films have broken one hundred million dollars in their opening weekend, creating history and writing miracles. Who knows, maybe we're about to witness a third one together?
That's how confident they were!
Moreover, not only that, 20th Century Fox's publicity also showed dominance, standing behind Will with a hundred percent trust and support.
You could glimpse the tip of the iceberg from the official press release published in the "Los Angeles Times":
"Thank you, next."
This report chose Will's words from his premiere interview, showing his calm and confident demeanor. With this attitude, it demonstrated Will's continuously rising career curve. Forget about a mere Anson; even if Leonardo showed up, he wasn't afraid of anyone in the summer box office market.
If someone else said this, it might sound arrogant and dismissive. But coming from Will, with the depth built from countless times proving himself, breaking doubts, and laying foundations, it had powerful (convincing power). Instantly, the entire film market was ignited.
Audiences who weren't interested in "Spider-Man 2" or "I, Robot" at all, audiences who hadn't planned on going to the movies to kill time, audiences who had little interest in films, audiences who liked Will Smith but not the sci-fi genre... all turned their attention.
The heatwave was fully ignited.
The world was a noisy, bustling place.
The summer of 2004 became completely different because of "Spider-Man 2." Everything seemed to be caught in a hurricane, dazzling and overwhelming.
Within Hollywood, people had their focal points, with undercurrents surging. Outside of Hollywood, people also had topics of heated discussion, creating a buzz.
It even broke the boundaries of Hollywood, with attention not just from the film, entertainment, and art industries, but powerfully breaking into the mainstream, evolving into a wave.
The highly anticipated summer box office was still continuously breaking records, pushing the North American summer frenzy to a new height. The entire industry was buzzing restlessly.
According to market trends in previous years, the peak of the summer box office would have already occurred in May and June, with a gradual decline from July to August. And this year was even more so because of the explosive performance of "Spider-Man 2" in its first two weeks, which seemingly drained the market's energy in one go. It was predictable that the box office performance in the following market would see a significant drop—
After all, the market capacity is limited.
However, an unexpected situation arose.
The "clash of the old and new" between Anson and Will reignited market enthusiasm. This was also an important reason why the news media and film companies spared no effort to push the topic's popularity, hoping that the topic would strongly break into the mainstream and further tap into the market's potential, drawing audiences beyond the target demographic into movie theaters.
The frenzy currently unfolding further boosted expectations.
Then, "I, Robot" premiered.
The heatwave that had spread widely from the premiere, however, plummeted into an ice cellar the moment the media reviews were revealed. The freefall between extremes caught everyone off guard, leading to a scramble. This was clearly a situation people hadn't anticipated.
Fifty-nine points.
"I, Robot"'s media score was a failing grade.
In the face of 20th Century Fox's full confidence and amidst the continuously escalating frenzy, the harsh and critical film critics delivered a bucket of cold water.
Suddenly sober.
Chapter 1607: The Silent Party
“I, Robot” – Media Composite Score: 59.
Splash!
A bucket of cold water hits straight in the face, instantly extinguishing the roaring flames. All the excitement and noise freeze solid in a second—everyone’s left speechless.
Wait... this wasn't how things were supposed to go.
Who would’ve guessed? The party was in full swing when someone came in, shut off the music, and walked out without saying a word. Seriously, is that really okay?
Of course, media ratings don’t always make or break a genre film’s box office success. Just look at Will’s past record:
“Wild Wild West” – 40. “Men in Black II” – 49. “Bad Boys II” – 38.
Each one worse than the last in the critics’ eyes, yet all of them easily broke $100 million in North American box office. “Men in Black II” even pulled in $440 million globally.
We’ve already talked about this—do people care about popcorn flicks’ reviews? Sure, they care somewhat, but before social media took over our lives, most moviegoers didn’t bother checking ratings before heading to the theater. They mainly showed up for the actors.
And at this moment, the only name that truly matters is Will Smith.
People buy tickets for Will Smith, not because of media scores.
Of his last five movies, the highest-rated by critics was Ali, with a score of 65. So if you look at I, Robot scoring 59—it’s really not that bad.
In fact, it’s almost a passing grade!
That’s something worth celebrating, right?
But here’s the problem: Spider-Man 2 had just dropped with a 93 critic score, and 20th Century Fox had made big promises, pumping expectations for I, Robot sky high. Hardcore fans had already started hyping it as the "Best Film of the Year."
The original novel, I, Robot, was published in 1950 by Isaac Asimov. It's one of the earliest major works of sci-fi, introducing the iconic Three Laws of Robotics. It’s considered a sacred text in the sci-fi world—a must-read for any fan.
Its influence reaches across film, TV, literature, and even comics. From the moment this adaptation was announced, it had everyone’s attention.
Some diehard book fans even declared: “Once I, Robot arrives, Spider-Man won’t even be worthy of tying its shoes.”
The buildup was massive. The hype was real. And then... this?
A 59?
So how are they supposed to celebrate or brag now? Everyone was all fired up and suddenly choked mid-cheer, unsure of what to do next.
The emotional whiplash was real. The party train slammed on the brakes, throwing everyone inside into total disarray.
So now what?
With the music turned off, is the party supposed to continue? Should people still be dancing in the middle of the dance floor without any rhythm or beat?
Total confusion.
But then again—Bad Boys II only had a 38 and still grossed $273 million worldwide. And Men in Black II did even better.
Sure, Sony-Columbia took a hit due to Bad Boys II’s enormous $130 million production cost, but in the media, Will Smith’s name kept rising in star power. Clearly, audiences were still willing to take a chance and buy into the Will Smith brand.
And paired with the strong reputation of the original I, Robot novel... maybe there’s still hope for the box office?
Will definitely thought so.
Promotion: Full Blast Mode!
Will could feel the pressure, and he wasn’t taking it lightly. His publicity schedule was jam-packed—he didn’t miss a single event he could attend. Not only did 20th Century Fox pull out all the stops, but Will also tapped into his own network, launching a relentless promo campaign. He was everywhere.
Literally—every corner of North America saw Will Smith’s face.
Last night he was in Chicago. This morning? Atlanta. Tonight? Laughing it up in New Orleans. His promo tour was like a blitzkrieg across the continent.
This was the moment when star power would be put to the ultimate test.
No matter where he showed up—big city or small town—every place was packed. Crowds spilled into the streets, wrapping around buildings in winding lines. As soon as people heard Will was in town, it sparked a city-wide frenzy.
And unlike the surprise appearances of Catch Me If You Can, Will didn’t hide his schedule. He made sure every appearance was publicized to the max, rallying the hype and sweeping from East to West, stirring up all the excitement he could.
All of Hollywood knew—Will was going all in.
Over the years, Will had become one of Hollywood’s top-tier stars. He wasn’t just a member of the $20 million club—he also used his identity and influence to build connections, forming a growing power base that could now go toe-to-toe with groups like the “Boston Crew” or the “Frat Pack.” His position in the industry was on another level.
Because of that, his promo plans had changed too. He no longer needed to fight for exposure like a B-list actor—only showing up to high-profile, must-see events.
There’s an old Hollywood joke: A-list actors get interviewed by the New York Times. Z-list actors get interviewed by Gardener’s World. A-list actors attend Louis Vuitton launches. Z-listers cut ribbons at Brooklyn butcher shops.
It’s not really a joke—it’s real life.
But this time was different.
Will didn’t go to a Brooklyn butcher shop—but he did surprise a single Black mom running a BBQ joint in Houston, turning it into a heartwarming community moment under the guise of charity. It was his way of showing he was still connected to the people.
He personally showed up at every single event. Every place. Every city. Will made sure all of North America knew: his movie is out.
Hollywood was whispering the truth: He really, really, really doesn’t want to lose to Anson.
And honestly, can you blame him?
Losing to Peter Parker—a high schooler in a mask—is already humiliating. But to lose to a movie that’s been out for three weeks? That’s a gut punch for any actor, let alone Will Smith.
Backing Will was CAA—Creative Artists Agency—the king of Hollywood talent agencies and the current top dog among the Big Five.
CAA was all about pooling resources and working together. So now, with everyone uniting behind Will, the energy exploding out of that support hit unbelievable levels. The summer of 2004 became something else entirely—something far beyond expectations.
In other words, even if the music’s been turned off… the party’s still going strong. People are still dancing, still celebrating, still living it up—even if there’s no background music. They’ll sing and dance on their own.
The party isn’t over.
Every summer brings big box office battles, but 2004? This one’s something special. The hits just keep coming.
Chapter 1608: Brought Down
Frenzy.
That's the only keyword for the 2004 summer box office, and the competing brilliance of Anson and Will was undoubtedly the peak climax of this party.
However, Hollywood insiders could sense something unusual amidst this bustling surge—
Given Will's status in the industry and market appeal, coupled with the early promotional momentum of "I, Robot," Will actually didn't need to try so hard. He could have remained calm, watched the situation unfold with a smile, faced Anson's challenge with composure, and accepted all potential outcomes.
But he didn't.
Looking at Will's busy, almost desperate figure, did this mean that the Hollywood superstars led by Will genuinely felt threatened?
On the surface, everyone was focused on the North American box office rankings; in reality, before the box office numbers were even released, the outcome had already been decided.
Anson Wood now possessed the momentum to go toe-to-toe with Will, even threatening his position. This was no longer just media hype and noise; Hollywood insiders could genuinely feel this energy. Verbal denial and bravado ultimately couldn't resist the honesty of real actions.
If "I, Robot" had won the North American weekend box office, it would have been taken for granted, because of Will, and even more so because it was an "unfair contest" pitting an opening weekend against a third weekend. What's more, if Will had to expend so much effort to win, how significant would that victory margin have been?
But if "I, Robot" unfortunately lost, the massive momentum built up would all turn into a footnote for Will's embarrassment and failure.
It was that simple.
In other words, from the moment Will got angry and raged, from the moment he started to care and be bothered, Anson had already become invincible.
No wonder! While Will was showing up in every corner of North America for promotion, the "Spider-Man 2" team's publicity was systematically entering its final stages, showing no signs of being threatened.
Actually, the promotional tour was endless. After "Spider-Man 2" repeatedly made history, interview requests and magazine shoots from all over the world poured in. They had been busy for half a month with no end in sight, and invitations were still piling up like mountains. This meant that as long as Anson nodded, their promotional momentum could completely compete with Will, and even surpass him without a problem.
However, Anson didn't.
This composure and confidence, which should have belonged to Will, now appeared in Anson. This was the most interesting part of the current situation.
Of course, what's being discussed here is just a kind of aura, an invisible and intangible presence and halo. It's noteworthy for industry insiders, but meaningless to the general public, whose real focus is still the box office—
Numbers, that's what truly held power.
Even Hollywood was no exception. After all the twists and turns, eyes were still fixated on the North American weekend box office chart.
"Get your papers! Get your papers! The result of the Anson Wood versus Will Smith showdown is finally out!"
"The answer to the hottest and biggest box office clash of the 2004 summer is revealed!"
"Get a newspaper! The clash between 'I, Robot' and 'Spider-Man'!"
Bathing in the dazzling July sun of the California summer, it was still morning, but you could already feel waves of heat hitting you.
Edgar had just sat down at an outdoor table at a coffee shop and hadn't even had time to order when he saw a newsboy hawking papers outside the coffee shop along the street. He was slightly surprised.
Years ago, you could still see newsboys in big cities like Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago; but in the past couple of years, fewer and fewer people read newspapers. Compared to selling on the street, users who subscribed to newspapers for home delivery via newsboys became the focus of traditional media, and street newsboys gradually disappeared.
Seeing one occasionally again brought a sense of familiarity.
Edgar chuckled lightly, raised his right hand, and was about to call out to the newsboy when someone beat him to it.
"Hey, kid, over here. Do you have 'The Times'?"
The newsboy quickly jogged over, "Yes, sir. 'Los Angeles Times' and 'New York Times' are both available. Also, 'The Wall Street Journal' and 'The Washington Post' are here. If you need Mr. Roger Ebert's 'Chicago Sun-Times,' we have that too."
Listing them off like family treasures!
Edgar followed the voice and saw an oval-shaped black head appear in his line of sight, wearing his signature square black-rimmed glasses. His beard was neatly trimmed, and his perfectly fitted iron-gray suit clearly looked Italian-made by hand; there was no brand, but it was definitely high-end.
"Why didn't I see them at the newsstand just now?" The black bald head"" took out a twenty-dollar bill from his pocket, casually handed it to the newsboy, and indicated that he didn't need change.
The newsboy quickly pocketed the bill and kept one copy of each type of newspaper he was holding, "They were all snatched up early this morning, sir. Almost everyone in Century City got one. There should be a second batch around ten o'clock."
Century City, located southwest of downtown Los Angeles, was full of skyscrapers, one of the few areas in the city with a concentration of tall buildings. It had become home to Hollywood companies, not just film studios but also talent agencies.
In today's film industry, if a company could move into Century City, it was a sign of success.
The corner of the black bald head"'s mouth lifted slightly, "Looks like I was a little late."
At this moment, the black bald head" also noticed Edgar's raised right hand and motioned to the newsboy, "There's another customer there."
After speaking, the black bald head" nodded and smiled slightly at Edgar—
James Lassiter, a senior agent at Creative Artists Agency. His biggest client was Will Smith. They had worked together for many years and had a close relationship, not just as work partners but also as good friends in private.
Not long ago, Will teamed up with James Lassiter and several others to co-found Overbrook Entertainment, officially entering the film production field.
Edgar also gave the newsboy twenty dollars, nodded lightly in response, and turned his gaze back to the newsboy, "So, how's business this morning?"
"Everything's good. Everything's great!" The newsboy beamed, "Who would want to miss the biggest headline of this summer box office? Please enjoy the news."
The newsboy was smart enough not to spoil anything, leaving a cliffhanger, and quickly dashed away. Clearly, he didn't want to stay there and wait for them to read the papers.
Edgar glanced at Lassiter. The expression in his eyes hidden behind his glasses was unclear in the sunlight, but he immediately folded the newspaper and placed it back on the table, not opening any other papers. He began to leisurely enjoy his coffee, his calm and composed demeanor intriguing.
Perhaps, this was a signal?
Edgar opened "The Los Angeles Times," quickly scanned it, and the corner of his mouth turned up.
The North American weekend box office chart for the third week of July 2004.
First, "Spider-Man 2."
Second, "I, Robot."
...The text after that was no longer important; this set of data was enough.
Although it wasn't entirely unexpected, when this moment truly happened... Hollywood, truly changed.
