Anson is back.
Just one sentence, and that was enough.
Overnight, all kinds of strange opinions flooded major forums. Not just online—radio stations, TV, and newspapers all joined in.
Various conspiracy theories flourished again, dazzling everyone with their wild speculations.
Some claimed that the photos were too blurry to see clearly. They couldn't be 100% sure it was Anson; it could be a body double. They speculated that Anson was disfigured and undergoing plastic surgery, and Sony Columbia realized it would take far longer than expected, so they sent out a double to distract the public.
"Otherwise, why would Sam, who never attends parties, show up there?"
Some believed Anson's injuries were actually very severe and that he was still in critical condition, possibly even at risk of becoming comatose. Fearing this news would leak and throw them into a crisis, Sony Columbia released this smokescreen to divert attention.
"This is the only explanation. Otherwise, why hasn't Anson appeared publicly? No interviews, no footage—nothing!"
Others flipped the narrative: "You're all wrong! Anson was never hurt in the first place. This is all just hype, including the story of Sony Columbia replacing him. It's all part of a PR stunt to promote Spider-Man 2."
"This is the most logical explanation. Why else would Sony Columbia suddenly prepare to replace Anson?"
And then there was the most outlandish theory, silently capturing everyone's attention.
According to this version, Anson was already dead.
Sony Columbia was caught completely off-guard, and it was entirely their fault. The Wood family was furious and planning to take Sony Columbia to court, demanding record-breaking compensation. The situation had spiraled out of control, and now Sony Columbia was trying to avoid public backlash by diverting attention at all costs.
The Wood family not only targeted Sony Columbia but also went after the entire crew. The whole production was on edge, with everyone living in fear, so they all played along with the "real and fake Anson" charade.
Ridiculous! Absurd!
It was so far-fetched that people couldn't even be bothered to refute it.
But because of that, netizens started to believe it. One by one, they rushed to share the "truth," eager to expose it to everyone.
The commotion was louder and more chaotic than anyone could've imagined. Even TMZ hadn't anticipated things would escalate this much, as if all of North America had gone mad.
But that's reality—
The text could only capture a tiny fraction of the madness, barely conveying how it swept everyone up like a tornado.
Fortunately, these wild conspiracy theories were still a minority view. Most people remained rational, or at least didn't let their imaginations run wild.
According to TMZ's photos, Anson had indeed appeared and returned to the set. He might have even completed an afternoon of shooting.
This was good news—huge news.
Could it mean that the stormy chaos of the past three weeks was finally calming down, and things were back on track after all the setbacks?
Eve: Yes.
The morning after TMZ released the photos, Eve, on behalf of Anson, issued an official statement:
Anson had fully recovered and returned to the set immediately to resume work.
Anson had always been thinking about the crew, focusing on his recovery to return as soon as possible, blah blah blah. He believed this would be an excellent movie, blah blah blah. He sincerely thanked everyone for their concern, blah blah blah. Despite the challenges ahead, Anson would give it his all, blah blah blah.
The official statement was filled with clichés.
In short: everything is fine. Thank you, everyone.
This was Anson's official statement, sent out to all major media outlets in the form of a press release—
But a small detail, one that very few people noticed, was that Eve also sent it to TMZ.
What did this mean?
Had Anson forgiven Harry Percy?
No, that wasn't it. It meant that Eve had, for the first time, acknowledged TMZ as a legitimate media outlet.
In 2003, online media like blogs and forums were just starting to emerge, but they hadn't yet gained recognition as real journalism. They were still considered "amateur," "unprofessional," and just for fun. Gossip sites like TMZ were even further from being taken seriously.
But Eve became the first to "break the taboo."
Eve: ??? Don't look at me like that! Everything was Anson's decision. I'm just a puppet, okay? I have no idea what's going on—you should be asking Anson, not me!
Finally, Anson issued his official statement, responding to TMZ's report and confirming that the Spider-Man 2 production was back on track, pushing forward at full speed.
Logically, things should've settled down at this point.
But they didn't.
"It's fake."
"Lies!"
"Eve and Sony Columbia are in cahoots, traitors!"
"There are no photos or videos of Anson. You're completely making this up—I don't believe a word."
"If Anson is fully recovered, why hasn't he made a public appearance?"
"Tell us, what are you and Sony Columbia plotting?"
"At first, I didn't believe the conspiracy theories, but now it's giving me chills."
Eve: …
Speechless.
At first, Eve found these conspiracy theories laughable. They were so ridiculous that she couldn't help but admire the creativity behind them.
But as they dragged on and on, they became tiresome. Reading all the nonsense became irritating.
At one point, Eve even considered releasing photos or videos of Anson or allowing him to give an interview to discuss the accident—
After all, throughout the entire incident, Anson himself hadn't spoken a word. Naturally, people were curious to hear his side of the story.
When Eve asked for Anson's opinion, his response was intriguing.
"I don't mind. You're the professional—I'll follow your advice. Do you think I need to speak up, Eve?"
Calm, composed.
However, Eve sensed there was more to Anson's words, a hidden meaning behind those peaceful eyes.
Eve, being a PR expert, was confident in her expertise. In Hollywood, she typically handled actors like babysitting, cleaning up their messes. But with Anson, she realized things were a bit different.
After reflecting, Eve decided to abandon the idea.
First, an interview now might embarrass Sony Columbia and appear like a publicity stunt.
Second, they couldn't allow public opinion to dictate their actions, or else their entire strategy would be derailed.
It was better to let the rumors fly and for Anson to focus wholeheartedly on the movie.
And so, that's exactly what happened—
The conspiracies were left to continue flying, while Anson devoted himself entirely to filming.