In record time, Sony has lined up Marc Webb to take over duties on their lucrative Spider-Man franchise. Webb was introduced to audiences over the summer as the helmer of (500) Days of Summer, a refreshing take on the boy-meets-girl love story. He joins a long line of independent filmmakers brought in to start comic book franchises behind Bryan Singer, Sam Raimi, and Christopher Nolan.
It speaks volumes that Sony has chosen to go, yet again, with a director who is known for their character work and care of story. All three previous gambles have paid off for the franchise minded, and Webb seems to have the visual style and story sensibility that would lend itself to a rebound from the bloated and disappointing Spider-Man 3.
The question now is where is the series going? The easy answer is that it’s a classic reboot, taking Peter Parker back to high school and focusing on his early adventures. Earlier this month, I wrote about all of the juicy production rumors we can look forward to. At the time I was speaking about Spider-Man 4 (or Spider-M4n officially), but now we’re in a whole new ball game. Since this is a fresh start, will we be seeing Gwen Stacy properly brought to the screen (a point of contention for fans with the Raimi pics)?
Also, what do they do about a villain? It seems way too early to use the Green Goblin, Doc Ock, Venom, or Sandman again. Even the Batman franchise waited 19 years before rolling out a new take on the Joker. So it remains to be seen who Sony (and Webb, I guess) choose for the nemesis. After all, it was this same discussion that derailed Spider-Man 4, with Raimi wanting The Vulture and the studio refusing. If they did decide to reuse one of those villains, particularly Green Goblin, it will be an incredible challenge to make audiences feel as if there’s something new there.
One thought that has gained traction throughout this switch in creative teams is that Sony is looking at adapting the Ultimate Spider-Man line of books, a popular series that revamped elements of the origin story and was friendly to new readers. Ultimate Spider-Man even had different takes on the villains, for instance Parker’s dad worked on the Venom suit with Eddie Brock, Sr., and Eddie Brock Jr. goes to school with Peter before he becomes Venom. Ultimate Spider-Man got the humor of the character right, a trait fans complained Raimi had overlooked.
My initial thoughts are that if they are indeed going with Ultimate Spider-Man as the template, then Venom would be a good bet to show up. He’s extremely popular, and many were left unsatisfied with his rushed portrayal in Spider-Man 3. The other likely candidate would be Electro, as Sony seems to only be interested in Parker’s human-looking baddies.
So buckle up. As production is reportedly starting later this year, expect a series of fast and furious reveals. Especially as Marvel prepares to hype Iron-Man 2 with crossover news.
Good luck to Mr. Webb, and here’s hoping he and his team are successful.
Comments
Michael Hawk
January 20th, 2010 - 4:12:21 PM
I couldn't believe they'd find a way for me to be less interested in in the Spider Man franchise, but I was wrong. Bravo Sony, bravo. Marc Webb is a bloated music video director and I suggest anyone who thinks he is a master of character development sit down and watch (500) days of Summer a second time. That movie is populated with poorly flushed out leads that are two of the most unlikable movie folk ever conceived. Just because something doesn't fit the romcom mold doesn't mean it is refreshing and interesting. Webb's Spiderman is gonna be a bore.
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