novellhall Chapter 352 Christine plays MJ
Chapter 352 Christine plays MJ
Chapter 351 Christine plays MJ
"As for commercial films, the fact that she was able to carry the Twilight series to billions of dollars in global box office revenue proves that she has enough audience appeal and box office draw."
Kevin Feige's remarks drew nods of approval from Sony's top executives.
They were all too aware of the commercial value of this combination.
A Golden Globe-winning actor and a top Hollywood actress, rumors of a reunion off-screen, and Spider-Man and MJ on-screen.
The official announcement alone can provide three months of free publicity from global media.
This level of popularity is something no actress can bring.
"Then it's settled!"
Jon Watts couldn't wait to speak; he had already begun to imagine Kristen Stewart as Michael Jackson and Chen Xun as Peter Parker on screen together.
"Let's talk to Chen Xun first and see what he thinks, and then we'll formally contact Christine's team."
That afternoon, Kevin Feige and Jon Watts met with Chen Xun's management team and arranged to meet in the meeting room at Marvel headquarters.
After exchanging pleasantries, Kevin Feige cut to the chase and laid out the casting team's thoughts: "Chen, we have a new idea regarding the female lead MJ in 'Spider-Man.' We'd like to invite Kristen Stewart to play the role, and we'd like to hear your opinion first."
Chen Xun was taken aback, surprised that they would consider this idea.
He had looked at the profiles of several MJ candidates before, but he never expected that Marvel and Sony would set their sights on Kristen Stewart.
But it must be said that this idea is indeed precise and bold.
Christine's temperament and the MJ he wanted were almost a perfect match.
Although Zendaya's portrayal of MJ in his previous life was also outstanding, it was far removed from the original comic book characterization.
Christine not only fits the classic image in the comics, but also gives the character a unique soul.
"I think this is a great idea."
Without the slightest hesitation, Chen Xun gave an affirmative answer: "Christine's acting skills and temperament are very suitable for the role of MJ. She can handle it perfectly."
Upon receiving Chen Xun's affirmation, Jon Watts immediately breathed a sigh of relief and quickly followed up with, "So, what are your thoughts on how you're portraying this character?"
"We originally planned to completely reconstruct this character, to move beyond the 'pretty face' stereotype. You're familiar with Christine, so you must understand her traits better."
Chen Xun tapped the table lightly with his fingertips, the image of MJ already forming in his mind. He slowly spoke, "My idea is that this character should completely break away from the decorative nature of female leads in traditional superhero movies. She doesn't exist for Peter Parker; she has her own life and worldview."
"In terms of appearance, there's no need for elaborate makeup, or even no makeup at all. Let her be in her most natural state, wearing loose menswear, work pants, and Doc Martens—whatever is comfortable."
"Don't make her wear tight dresses and sweet makeup to cater to the aesthetics of teen movies. That's not the MJ we want."
"We need to amplify her sharpness and aloofness in terms of personality."
"She doesn't like to join in the fun, doesn't like to say nice things, has a sharp tongue, can see through Peter's little thoughts at a glance, but will help him quietly at crucial moments."
"She is Peter's soulmate, not his appendage. Their relationship is equal, based on mutual attraction and redemption, not a hero and his girlfriend relationship."
His explanation was clear and logical, outlining the character of MJ from his outward appearance to his inner essence.
Kevin Feige and Jon Watts exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with amazement and admiration.
"Chen, you're absolutely right!"
Jon Watts slammed his fist on the table excitedly: "This is the MJ I want! It's exactly what I've been thinking! If we go in this direction, it will definitely be the most unique version of MJ ever!"
Kevin Feige smiled and nodded, "With your ideas, the character is established. Now we'll officially contact Christine's team."
"Why don't you say hello to her first?"
"Let me talk to her first."
That evening, in their villa in Beverly Hills, Chen Xun and Christine snuggled on the sofa, watching an old movie.
Dakota took Ellie home.
Ellie also has her studies and filming work for a new movie.
The night outside the window was deep, and the warm yellow light from the floor lamp shone on the two of them, creating a lazy and intimate atmosphere.
During the intermission, Chen Xun picked up the water glass on the table, took a sip, and turned to Chris Jiang beside him: "We'd like to invite you to play the female lead, MJ, in Marvel's 'Spider-Man: Homecoming' project."
Christine, who was peeling an orange, paused at the sound of his voice, turned sharply to look at him, her eyes wide with surprise: "What? You want me to play the female lead in Spider-Man?"
She clearly hadn't expected to receive this invitation.
After all, she hasn't taken on a major commercial blockbuster for a long time.
Especially superhero movies, which I've never seen before.
"right!"
Chen Xun nodded and explained to her in detail Marvel and Sony's ideas, as well as his vision for the character: "They think your temperament and the character are a perfect match, and I also think this character is very suitable for you."
"She's not a typical 'pretty face' female lead; she's an independent, clear-headed, cool, and edgy character who can completely break free from the framework of all previous versions and bring her own unique perspective to the role."
As Christine listened, the surprise in her eyes slowly faded, replaced by growing interest.
She has never been interested in the same old female leads in commercial films.
But Chen Xun's description of MJ completely resonated with her.
She doesn't need to deliberately dress up or cater to the audience's expectations; she just needs to play a girl with her own ideas, which is practically tailor-made for her.
Not to mention the male lead is Chen Xun.
The thought of acting opposite him, playing Spider-Man and MJ, filled her with an irresistible urge to try it out.
This is the first time the two have collaborated since rumors of their breakup surfaced!
"Do they really dare to let me act in this?"
Christine raised an eyebrow, a smile playing on her lips: "Aren't you afraid I'll portray MJ as a traitor?"
"That's exactly the kind of rebellious spirit I want from you."
Chen Xun smiled and reached out to pinch her chin: "Otherwise, they wouldn't have thought of you first, and you get to act opposite me. Don't you want to give it a try?"
Seeing the smile in his eyes, Christine's hesitation vanished instantly. She leaned in and kissed the corner of his lips, her eyes gleaming with a defiant and bright light: "Of course I'll try! It's just MJ, right? I'm not only going to play him, but I'm going to make it the most unforgettable version in film history."
She paused, then added with a smile, "Besides, it's so much fun to play a couple with my ex-boyfriend on the big screen. Audiences all over the world will have to watch us fall in love. It's a worthwhile deal."
Chen Xun was amused by her, reached out and pulled her into his arms, then lowered his head and kissed the top of her head.
He is also looking forward to seeing what kind of chemistry Kristen Stewart will bring to the role.
The bond between Peter and MJ, both on and off screen, will make their story even more touching.
Three days later, Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures Entertainment jointly announced two major pieces of news:
It has been officially announced that Golden Globe-winning actor Chen Xun will play the male lead Peter Parker/Spider-Man in "Spider-Man: Homecoming," becoming the first Chinese actor to portray Spider-Man in MCU history.
It has been officially announced that Kristen Stewart will star as Mary Jane (MJ) in the film, opposite Chen Xun, who plays Peter Parker.
The two official announcements instantly ignited the global internet, triggering a tsunami-level media frenzy.
The comment section on the official announcement Weibo post was instantly flooded!
Within an hour, the post was shared over a million times and received over half a million comments, with related hashtags dominating the trending topics: "I'm stunned, Marvel, have you gone mad?! Chen Xun playing Spider-Man, and Kristen Stewart playing MJ?!"
"My God! They're a couple off-screen, and they play Spider-Man and MJ on-screen? Is the official team leading the charge in shipping this couple?"
"I give this move a perfect score! Marvel, you know exactly what we want to see!"
"What a dream collaboration! Just imagining them together makes me excited!"
Overseas social media platforms were even overwhelmed, crashing their servers.
Just as Chen Xun's trending topics were starting to decline, a new trending topic immediately took his place.
Seven out of the top ten trending topics on Twitter are related to this official announcement.
#ChenXunSpiderMan#
#ChristineMJ#
Two terms topped the global trending search list.
In just a few hours, the number of discussions exceeded 100 million.
Top industry media outlets such as The Hollywood Reporter and Variety followed up with reports immediately.
"Marvel and Sony have played the most unexpected card. The combination of Chen Xun and Christine not only breaks all the traditions of Spider-Man casting, but also makes this film, which is already a hit before filming, a direct lock for the box office champion of next summer."
Countless Marvel fans and Spider-Man comic book enthusiasts were swept up in the frenzy.
Many people initially questioned whether casting a Chinese actor as Spider-Man would be inconsistent with the original story.
But once the official announcement was made, and with Christine joining the team, the doubts vanished instantly, replaced by overwhelming anticipation.
"I was worried about the casting, but Marvel just pulled out all the stops!"
"Chen Xun's acting skills are more than enough to play Peter Parker, and Kristen Stewart's temperament is such a perfect match for MJ. This is definitely the most anticipated version of Spider-Man!"
"In the comics, MJ is a cool, red-haired white girl, and Kristen Stewart is simply the perfect match! Add to that Chen Xun's Peter Parker, and I could ship this couple until the movie is released!"
"Who would understand! When I watched Twilight back then, I never imagined that one day I would see Kristen Stewart play a Marvel heroine, especially alongside a Golden Globe-winning Chinese actor. It's surreal!"
Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, Chen Xun had just hung up the phone with Kevin Feige, who was grinning from ear to ear.
After the official announcement, the intention of cinemas around the world to schedule the film doubled, and the marketing and distribution departments are almost overwhelmed.
Chen Xun put down his phone and turned to meet Christine's gaze. She was scrolling through online comments, a smile playing on her lips. She looked up at him and waved her phone: "The whole internet is shipping us as a couple. Now it's too late to hide it."
Chen Xun walked over, sat down beside her, pulled her into his arms, and smiled as he lowered his head to kiss her: "What are you hiding? Let them ship us if they want to. Anyway, you're mine both on and off screen."