Marvel Flicks

[Masa]

Sony Rehires James Vanderbilt to Write Spider-Man 5 and 6

Web-heads young and old, rejoice. We'll be seeing a lot of our friendly, neighborhood Spider-Man on the big screen in the years to come. Now, as for the details of who, what, and when - the web thickens. Just as Sony is ready to launch Spider-Man 4 (set for a 2011 release) with Sam Raimi, Tobey Maguire, and Kirsten Dunst all on-board once again, they've hired a writer to start work on Spider-Man 5 and 6, according to Variety. James Vanderbilt, of The Losers and David Fincher's Zodiac, will write an over-arching storyline that will extend from the fifth movie into the sixth - which might mean both films could even be shot back-to-back.

There's no word yet on exactly what Vanderbilt's story arc will contain, or if Raimi or the original cast will return to reprise their roles. Now, Vanderbilt isn't new to the Spider-Man universe, as he wrote the first draft of Spider-Man 4. Many of his original ideas will be seen on-screen come 2011; Raimi and Vanderbilt failed to see eye-to-eye, so David Lindsay-Abaire was brought on to rewrite Vanderbilt, which then led to Gary Ross, who is rewriting the whole thing yet again. In fact, this interconnected storyline was supposed to be a part of 4 and 5, but that idea was scrapped as shooting back-to-back was apparently out of the question.

By forcing the fifth and sixth movies to be shot in succession, Sony is hoping to pump out more Spider-Man films more frequently. As the interim periods have extended from two years to three to four between each franchise installment, Sony hopes to capitalize on the web slinger as often as possible with Vanderbilt's help. But here's the real kicker. Should Raimi, Maguire, and Dunst not want to continue their established roles, Spider-Man 5 will be treated as "the blueprint for a franchise reboot." I know a lot of you are probably seething through clenched jaws and grinding your molars to dust - but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't smiling.

Though I can appreciate the Spider-Man franchise's strengths (by that, I'm talking Spider-Man 1 and especially Spider-Man 2), I've never been a huge fan of what the main creators and cast have brought to the cinematic adaptation of my favorite comic book hero. Tobey Maguire never, ever felt like Peter Parker. And he was no Spider-Man that I recognized (except maybe the Spider-Man in the recent abysmal Brand New Day arc). Kirsten Dunst plays a fine Mary Jane - but she never knocked my costume off like I feel she should have. And while I'm an enormous fan of Sam Raimi's campy horror films (of both past and present), that sensibility never gelled with Spider-Man the way I hoped (and have continued to hope for).

Not to mention it's no secret that the main cast and crew have had their fair share of squabbles creatively. And, for that matter, now that this news has hit - I'm not sure just how excited I am for Spider-Man 4. Originally, Raimi, Maguire, and Dunst weren't even going to return. And with a script now passing through its third writer - I'm thinking we'll be seeing a lot of that discontent on screen. But who knows, maybe because this is their last shot, Raimi et al. will pull out all the stops and send this quadrilogy out with a bang. It could happen, I suppose.

Regardless, my mind is whirring at the mere notion that a new face will be behind those arachnid eyes and those eyes will be behind a fresh pair of taped-up glasses. There's so many directions this reboot could go. Will they incorporate Spider-Man's conception and Parker's most iconic moment of power versus responsibility? Will Peter Parker be in high school again, perhaps a younger take on the hero and a juxtaposition of his transformation as hero as well as a teenage boy raging with hormones (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince as filtered through Brian Michael Bendis' Ultimate Spider-Man)?

Will they flash forward and welcome us into a more experienced and established Spider-Man universe? A universe (like J. Michael Straczynski's run from #471 to #545) where Mary Jane and Peter Parker are a more mature couple, where Spider-Man has been in the hero profession for a while, yet still struggles to relate to today's youth. As of yet, this is all speculation. And, I'm guessing, will remain as such for a couple of years. Perhaps Vanderbilt's reboot of Sony's Spider-Man franchise will finally provide me the Spider-Man that I know and love from the panels of my Wednesday comics. And - just to get this out there - please, please, please consider Joseph Gordon-Levitt for the role. That's a casting change I can swing behind.

http://www.firstshowing.net/2009/08/16/sony-rehires-james-vanderbilt-to-write-spider-man-5-and-6/

[Masa]

20th Century Fox Moves Forward on a Fantastic Four Reboot

Fox fires back. Following the surprising announcement this morning about Disney acquiring Marvel, Fox has announced that they're moving forward on rebooting the Fantastic Four franchise that director Tim Story ruined twice already. Screenwriter and producer Akiva Goldsman (Poseidon, I Am Legend, Hancock) has been hired to oversee the reboot as producer. The studio has also hired Michael Green, a co-executive producer on "Heroes" who also co-wrote the Green Lantern movie, to write the new screenplay. No word yet on exactly what they're planning to change this time around, but it will certainly be scrutinized by the fans.

This is most likely a political move by Fox because they're worried that their Marvel licenses will be running out sooner than later. And at this point, they really don't have a chance to get any new franchises (Marvel won't give them any more extensions), so I'm sure they realized today that, well, they better get these Marvel movies going now or never. Although the first Fantastic Four made $155 million and the Rise of the Silver Surfer made $132 million in 2007, I don't really know that many people who actually enjoyed them at all. I'm curious whether this means the Silver Surfer, played by Doug Jones, will be back in a big way or not?

It's unclear yet, since this news was released so early, if any of the original cast will return. My guess is that they won't - just because I think a reboot should mean a complete recasting. Additionally, Variety mentions "though the related Silver Surfer character soared in the Fantastic Four sequel, that iconic personality has remained a priority project for his own film at the studio." That sounds like he probably won't appear, which is unfortunate, since he was unquestionably the highlight of the sequel. As for Akiva Goldsman, he's actually a smart guy, I trust he'll do a good job. This also confirms the rumor from March that a reboot was coming.

http://www.firstshowing.net/2009/08/31/20th-century-fox-moves-forward-on-a-fantastic-four-reboot/

[Masa]

Bruce Campbell Says Spider-Man 4 Shooting in January?

Bruce Campbell is certainly a novelty in the Spider-Man franchise. In each film he's played a character who has somehow defeated the unbeatable Spider-Man (something which no other villain can seem to do). The actor's charisma and close relationship with director Sam Raimi pretty much guarantees his involvement in the upcoming sequels, so when Campbell dishes out some info, we should probably be listening. This time Access Hollywood caught up with Campbell and found out from him that not only is his role in Spider-Man 4 considered to be a "major one," but apparently the sequel will begin shooting in January of 2010.

Of course there's plenty of speculation about Campbell potentially taking on the role of a villain (Mysterio seems to be the most popular), but with all the craziness that's been going on hiring writer after writer for the forthcoming sequel, who really knows what's going on with the script. There's a chance they could even have a bigger role for Campbell set up in the fourth sequel to become a villain in either the fifth or sixth installments. Or maybe Campbell himself could simply be hyping it up (afterall he is out promoting his role in Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs) so for now I think we'll just have to take this with a grain of salt and wait for some official word from Raimi or Sony (hopefully).

http://www.firstshowing.net/2009/09/13/bruce-campbell-says-spider-man-4-shooting-in-january/

[Masa]

Marvel Still Working on Ghost Rider 2, Daredevil, & Silver Surfer

An interesting update has hit Variety today regarding Marvel and specifically some of the upcoming comic book projects Fox has in the works - such as Ghost Rider 2. The article primarily mentions that Columbia Pictures has begun moving forward with the Ghost Rider sequel and brought on David Goyer to create the story and supervise writers (even though Goyer said "he hadn't signed on yet"). Goyer last directed The Unborn but is probably better known for writing the Blade trilogy as well as Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. The plans are to apparently base the sequel on a Ghost Rider script that Goyer wrote years ago.

The article also includes a mention about other projects Fox has in the works, including: Fantastic Four with writer Michael Green and producer Akiva Goldsman, a Wolverine sequel and several X-Men spinoffs, and a new version of Daredevil and a Silver Surfer film that they're "quietly working" on. We've heard of all of these before, so none of them are new, but this is being reported as new confirmation that all of these projects still exist. For a while we thought the Silver Surfer movie was dead. And we also recently heard that Daredevil was being rebooted late last year. We've also heard about the Ghost Rider sequel before as well.

Speaking about the success of Blade back in the day, producer Avi Arad said: "The character was virtually unknown, didn't even have his own comic book, and had been part of Tombs of Dracula. It tells you what can happen if you unleash a library with the right creative partners." That's a very optimistic outlook especially considering Fox's Marvel movies are often hit-and-miss. Let's hope these three aren't misses.

http://www.firstshowing.net/2009/09/23/marvel-working-on-ghost-rider-2-daredevil-silver-surfer-movies/

[Masa]

Rumor: Black Cat as Spider-Man 4 Villain and a New Female Lead?

We're going to pump the brakes after that headline because there's a lot of rumor manure to sift through. Earlier today Mania reported a big rumor that Black Cat would be the new villain in Spider-Man 4, and that Rachel McAdams (of The Notebook and Wedding Crashers fame) was the frontrunner for the role. However, this seemed to be just another in a long line of ridiculous villain rumors, but then our friends at SlashFilm found a post in The Observer regarding actress/columnist Romola Garai, who revealed she had an audition for a role in Spider-Man 4. But is she auditioning for Black Cat or a supposed new female lead?

Let's answer that second question first before we dig into this villain debacle. SlashFilm's apparent certainty on Sam Raimi looking for "a new female lead" is quite misleading and because of this misrepresentation, highly inaccurate. A new female lead fully implies that the story would put Kirsten Dunst as Mary Jane on the back-burner in favor of a new leading lady, but this is simply not the case. Dunst is still very much involved with the production and our sources say is being paid her full price for the project, so I doubt this new female role is that of a female lead, but rather a strong supporting role akin to Bryce Dallas Howard's work in Spider-Man 3 as Gwen Stacy. Now that we've cleared that up, onto the real story.

First let's just keep everyone on the ground and say that this should all be taken with a grain of salt. There seems to be a decent chance that Black Cat could be the villain if not at least one of the villains but at this point it's almost impossible to know. After Sam Raimi's talk about getting back to basics, it seemed like the two villain formula would be abandoned, but maybe he just wants to do it right this time. In fact, Black Cat's story (which includes a struggle with her unethical thieving ways and later a romance with Spider-Man) fits well with Raimi's Spider-Man formula, which always finds the villains troubling not only the costumed hero, but also becoming entangled in Peter Parker's personal life as well.

Black Cat's incarnation begins with her secret identity Felicia Hardy who was inspired to follow in her imprisoned father's footsteps as a cat burglar. But her new life was thrown into upheaval when she was date-raped by her boyfriend, Ryan. She turned her grief and shame into rage, channeling her feelings for revenge towards intensifying her training regime in martial arts and acrobatics. But when Ryan was killed by a drunk driver, depriving her of the satisfaction of revenge, Felicia set out stealing from others to compensate psychologically for what was stolen from her. It was her thievery and attempt to break her father out of prison that ultimately brought her into Spider-Man's life where she would find love and reform from her criminal lifestyle.

As I said, there's no way we can know this for certain just yet. There's still just as much of a chance that the other recent rumor of Dr. Kurt Connors finally stepping into the villainous role of The Lizard could happen as well. Anything could happen at this point! All I know is that what I'm hearing (but cannot divulge) are huge details along the lines of something from Mania's source that got buried in their story, and that's "[Sam Raimi and Co.] are [also] casting for a male villain, but had few details." I'd keep my eyes peeled for that bit before obsessing about this Black Cat business.

And really, this story from Romola Garai probably has nothing to do with Black Cat, because if Rachel McAdams was really a frontrunner, that means they've got quite the list of actresses for this character and I seriously doubt they are still putting lesser known actresses "on tape" for it. Unless it is known there is a wide search for a role to be filled, roles like this usually don't have auditions especially with names like Rachel McAdams being thrown around. And narratively I just don't know if this is the right approach because not only is a lone female villain a hard sell (remember Catwoman had The Penguin with her in Batman Returns), but she just feels a little too similar to Black Widow from the upcoming Iron Man 2.

http://www.firstshowing.net/2009/11/10/rumor-black-cat-as-spider-man-4-villain-a-new-female-lead/

[rebornsoul]

i almost forgot about spiderman!

[Masa]

Silver Surfer Spin-Off Movie Isn't Dead, Still Being Developed

A week or so ago, screenwriter J. Michael Straczynski, who had been writing a Silver Surfer spin-off screenplay for Fox, told Collider in an interview that "if they do a Silver Surfer film down the road, it'll have to be its own separate thing." The way he answered the question caused most news websites to report that the Silver Surfer spin-off movie was dead mainly because Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer didn't do as well as Fox wanted. However, Straczynski emailed Latino Review and explained that it's not dead at all, and Fox is just going a different route and having someone else write a script for them instead of using his.

We never reported on the "dead" news last week because I thought it was mostly speculation anyway (and I'm an optimist). Plus, I found this post from September where it had been stated that Fox was still "quietly" working on a Silver Surfer film. So it doesn't sound like it's dead at all, just still in very early development, kind of like the Venom spin-off. Here's the update Straczynski gave in order to clear up any confusion:

"When I was asked about the Silver Surfer script, I responded about the one I'd written around the time that FF2 was launched, and was designed to pick up where that one left off. When FF2 didn't do as well as hoped for, that script was set aside, but that has NOTHING to do with the Silver Surfer script that is NOW under development at Fox with other folks. As far as I know, that is proceeding apace. So the hysteria that's gripped the nets about 'ohmygod the Surfer movie is dead!' is not correct, as I was again referring to only that one specific script tied into FF2, NOT what's being done now."

I've been patiently waiting for good news on the Silver Surfer spin-off because it's one movie that I'd love to see, no matter how long it takes to get made. After reading some Silver Surfer comics earlier this year, I fell in love with the character and have been hoping we'd get to see Norrin Radd in all of his glory at some point, especially because the "tease" we were given in Rise of the Silver Surfer was pretty awesome (I loved Doug Jone's performance). Straczynski said in the interview that his script was going to tell the Surfer's origin story. Let's hope that whatever version Fox is developing now also touches upon his origin, because that's one of the best parts. We'll be sure to keep you updated on this, but for now just know that it is not dead.

http://www.firstshowing.net/2009/11/30/silver-surfer-spin-off-movie-isnt-dead-still-being-developed/

[Masa]

New Writer Hired for X-Men: First Class, Singer is Returning

Yesterday night, Bryan Singer announced on the "blue carpet" at the Avatar premiere that he would be directing X-Men: First Class, the next movie in Fox's X-Men franchise. Just in case you didn't believe it, Heat Vision has confirmed that Singer is officially directing the spin-off/prequel. They also report that Fox has hired Jamie Moss (Street Kings) to rewrite the script and work with Singer on developing the project. Oh and they also mention that "new characters will also be created," as in they're going to create some new mutants that haven't been seen in the comics. Fox has made some smart choices, so maybe there's hope?

X-Men: First Class will "look at the teenage years of the super-powered mutant heroes seen the X-Men movies and the Wolverine movies." Last year, Fox hired "The O.C." and "Gossip Girl" writer Josh Schwartz to write the first draft of the script. I can't tell you how incredibly thankful I am to hear that they brought in someone else, because I guarantee you his script would've been "The O.C." but with young X-Men, and no one wants to see that. No word on when we can expect X-Men: First Class to hit theaters, but this seems like a sign that they really want to get things going. New characters, new writer, old director.

http://www.firstshowing.net/2009/12/17/new-writer-hired-for-x-men-first-class-singer-is-official/

[Masa]

Rumor: Spider-Man 4 on 'Indefinite Hold' Due to Villain Issues?

This is only a rumor and I'm writing about it purely for the sake of discussion. IESB claims they've heard from an "inside source" that Spider-Man 4, or Spider-M4n as it's currently being referred to at the studio, was put on "indefinite hold" due to arguments over the villain between Sony execs and Sam Raimi. While IESB says that some department heads working on SM4 were notified of this halt last week, SuperHeroHype says they contacted Sony who told them that they "are simply on hiatus for the holidays and production will resume in the new year." So who do you believe? Or is there some truth to both stories? Read on for more!

IESB goes on to say that Sam Raimi really wants Vulture (see this article) to be the villain, but the studio wants "which ever character is selling [comic] books right now but basically they have no idea, just not the Vulture." You have got to be kidding me! I actually completely believe that. They may be going on break, but I actually believe Raimi is fighting with the Sony execs about this exact issue. Apparently Raimi wanted Vulture in Spider-Man 3 alongside of Sandman, but that didn't happened and he was eventually forced to include Venom because that's what Sony thought fans wanted. And look how bad that movie turned out.

So apparently production was stopped until "some compromises are made." As in, until Sony gets their way and ruins another Spider-Man movie. I'm calling this right now. If Vulture does not appear in Spider-Man 4, the movie is going to suck. If he does (along with other villains), it should be awesome. I guarantee you if Raimi had his way and made a Spider-Man movie exactly the way he wanted, it would be awesome (just like Spider-Man 2). Instead of arguing further, Sony has decided to let everything cool down over the holidays, despite they're desire to get this made right away. Hence why there is some truth to both stories.

Let's not forget that when Movieline reported that John Malkovich might be cast as the Vulture, they also added that the Sony execs don't want the Lizard as a villain at all because they "can't bring themselves to sign off on such an odd-looking enemy — instead, they'd rather hew closer to villains with a human face." Obviously these execs are complete fucking idiots. I'm tired of hearing this crap about a franchise I once loved because Raimi made movies with villains he loved, not what Sony execs thought were "selling books." Even if this is just a rumor, it's disheartening to know that they're having these kind of problems again.

http://www.firstshowing.net/2009/12/17/rumor-spider-man-4-on-indefinite-hold-due-to-villain-issues/

[Masa]

Kevin Feige Looks Back at a Decade of Marvel on the Big Screen

By now you probably all know who Kevin Feige is - if not, he's the current President of Marvel Studios and is now responsible for bringing us Iron Man 2, Thor, and The Avengers. He began his Marvel career as associate producer on Bryan Singer's X-Men in 1998, even though it didn't hit theaters until 2000. Now a decade later he looks back at how comic book movies have become so much more than just a fad and how there's so much more in store in their future. "As the year 2000 dawned, Marvel Comics had only recently escaped bankruptcy and the company's future stood on shaky ground at best. Flash forward 10 years."

"With landmark achievements in film, animation, publishing and digital media behind it, Marvel not only solidified its hold on the comic book world, [but] it established itself as an incredibly successful worldwide entertainment brand with few peers." Feige talks about the past decade over on Marvel.com although I've pulled some of his best comments below. He has some great stories to tell and so much to say, so read on!

And Along Came a Spider, Again
In 2004 came "Spider-Man 2." I think that was one of the best films we've ever done. Again, with the sequel, we were able to get the origins out of the way and focus on the character and his relationships with those around him. There was even talk of Alfred Molina being up for an Oscar [for his performance as Doctor Octopus].

Mining the Marvel Universe
The mid-decade also brought the "Fantastic Four," "Punisher" and "Elektra" films. This got studios wanting to move forward with a lot of the characters faster. Things got a little out of our hands then. That's when we started thinking above making the movies internally. When the day finally came that we had our own studio, that's when everything changed.

I could not agree with him more! Not only is Spider-Man 2 one of my all-time favorite comic book movies, but he's dead on with the comment about how making movies under one roof, not with multiple studios, is a much better idea. They really did learn from their mistakes. I absolutely love Feige because he knows what he's doing. He's one of the best executives working in Hollywood right now and I can't wait to see what's in the store for the future of Marvel Studios this upcoming decade. Speaking of which, Feige ends with this:

Hammer Time
 To be honest the thing that I'm most excited about right now though, is the screen test we just finished for "Thor." We've done some costume tests and watching the Asgardians walk onto the sound stage takes me back to that first time I saw the X-Men on the set all together in Toronto. Only it was unlike anything we've ever put on film before! It's great to be starting the next decade in such an exciting way just as we did last decade. We're really redefining the comic book genre and what a Marvel movie can be. It's going to be great.

If you've enjoyed reading this so far, I suggest heading to Marvel.com and reading Feige's full report on the last decade. He talks about how casting Ian McKellen as Magneto and Patrick Stewart as Xavier "set the bar pretty high." And how Spider-Man 3 was "too much of a good thing" and that they've learned that "bigger is not always better" moving forward. It's not only quite a relief (knowing he's this smart), but also inspiring and exciting, to hear Feige talk about all of this. It's fascinating to see how far they've come in a decade and exciting to think about where they're heading next. Bring on more awesome Marvel movies, I can't wait!

http://www.firstshowing.net/2009/12/31/kevin-feige-looks-back-at-a-decade-of-marvel-on-the-big-screen/

[Masa]

Confirmed: Spider-Man 4 on Hold, Sam Raimi 'Hates' the Script

This sounds bad. We wrote a few stories at the end of last year about Spider-Man 4 being put on hold because Sony and Sam Raimi were fighting about the script for the fourth movie. Sony wants another record-breaking blockbuster while Raimi wants to get "back to basics" and make a movie that everyone actually enjoys this time. Well, Nikki Finke of Deadline Hollywood has now confirmed that Spider-Man 4 is indeed on hold and it may not even make its May 2011 release date. "We will be extending the production hiatus on the film. The studio is firmly committed to this franchise but, for us, the script must come first."

If you thought thinks were bad last year, apparently they've only gotten much worse. Drew McWeeny of HitFix says: "Since that first story ran, I've been hearing some really terrible things about what's going on between Sam Raimi, the studio, and the writers, and I've been starting to wonder if there's any chance they can reach an agreement that will make all involved parties happy." I'm starting to worry about that as well. Will Raimi and Sony be able to work things out? I'm surprised that they're even fighting with Raimi, especially if they paid copious amounts to make sure he would return to begin with. Doesn't make sense?

Anyway, word from Finke is that the Raimi "hated" the latest draft of the script. Sony has hired a fourth writer, Alvin Sargent, who wrote Spider-Man 2 and 3, to work on a new draft (which they're waiting on). But the problem is they're already behind schedule waiting on this script and therefore, according to an insider at Sony, "it is unlikely that May 11, 2011, date will be made." But of course, "it depends on how quickly the script can get in," and if Raimi and Sony both like it. Finke says that Sony still wants to release Spider-Man 4 that summer, even if they have to do push it back to July. But they'll be losing that May spot.

So what's the big fight all about? Well, referring to the article we wrote in December, it sounds like Raimi really wants John Malkovich to play Vulture, and Sony doesn't like that idea. They also don't like the idea of hiring Anne Hathaway as Vulturess (or some other key female character) because "she'd cost too much and that they probably don't need 'such a big star' for the pic." And let's not forget why they don't want Dr. Connors to ever turn into The Lizard - because they "can't bring themselves to sign off on such an odd-looking enemy." Raimi is the one who should win this - he knows his franchise better than anyone.

I really have no more energy to write about Spider-Man 4 or Spider-M4n or whatever it'll be called. The more I hear, the more depressed I get. If only Sony would listen to Raimi and go with what he wants in his movie, then we'd not only have another big record-breaker in the works, but it'd probably be an awesome movie as well (just like Spider-Man 2). We'll keep you update on this anyway, hopefully with better news.

http://www.firstshowing.net/2010/01/05/confirmed-spider-man-4-on-hold-raimi-hates-the-script/

[sousora]

I think the recent Batman movies are a good example of absolutely stupid looking comic book villains that can look AMAZING on screen. Really now, Scarecrow? That shit is just lame, but on screen they still made him awesome. We need not even mention the Joker.

I'm not the hugest Spider-Man fan, but if he wants The Lizard as his villain, let him have the damn Lizard. Studios suck.

[Masa]

Malkovich Seemingly Confirms He'll Be Vulture in Spider-Man 4

It's odd to report this when we already know that Spider-Man 4 is officially on hold until further notice, but then again, this is a pretty good story and it will probably make a few people upset. Our Italian friends at BadTaste.it sent an email over this morning informing us that actor John Malkovich had appeared on an Italian TV show called "Quelli Che il Calcio" and spoke about his involvement in Spider-Man 4. Nearly a month ago, it was discovered that Malkovich was Sam Raimi's top choice for the role of the villain Vulture. While we don't have a complete transcript from the show, it sounds like he did confirm that he's on-board.

"When conductor Simona Ventura asked him about his role of Vulture in the movie, he not only didn't deny his involvement, but confermed [sic] that he's waiting for the final script to be sent to him, and that the movie has been delayed. He also hopes that shooting will begin as soon as possible."

There isn't a clip of this available online yet, but I do have a feeling it's accurate. And beyond that, when we first heard about Malkovich, it fit with exactly what I was hearing from a few people on the inside anyway. Obviously Sony won't confirm that he's cast or that Vulture is even the villain and they probably won't even mention Spider-Man 4 for a few more months. If this is indeed the case, I'm still very excited. I'd love to see Malkovich in a Spidey movie and I think this is as inspired casting as Alfred Molina was for Spider-Man 2. And if you're still unhappy with Vulture, go read this article again from our resident Spider-Man expert.

http://www.firstshowing.net/2010/01/10/malkovich-seemingly-confirms-hell-play-vulture-in-spider-man-4/

[Aioros]

Peter Parker is going back to high school when the next Spider-Man hits theaters in the summer of 2012.

Columbia Pictures and Marvel Studios announced today they are moving forward with a film based on a script by James Vanderbilt that focuses on a teenager grappling with both contemporary human problems and amazing super-human crises.

The new chapter in the "Spider-Man" franchise produced by Columbia, Marvel Studios and Avi Arad and Laura Ziskin, will have a new cast and filmmaking team. Spider-Man 4 was to have been released in 2011, but had not yet gone into production.

"A decade ago we set out on this journey with Sam Raimi and Tobey Maguire and together we made three 'Spider-Man' films that set a new bar for the genre. When we began, no one ever imagined that we would make history at the box-office and now we have a rare opportunity to make history once again with this franchise. Peter Parker as an ordinary young adult grappling with extraordinary powers has always been the foundation that has made this character so timeless and compelling for generations of fans. We're very excited about the creative possibilities that come from returning to Peter's roots and we look forward to working once again with Marvel Studios, Avi Arad and Laura Ziskin on this new beginning," said Amy Pascal, co-chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment.

"Working on the 'Spider-Man' movies was the experience of a lifetime for me. While we were looking forward to doing a fourth one together, the studio and Marvel have a unique opportunity to take the franchise in a new direction, and I know they will do a terrific job," said Sam Raimi.

"We have had a once-in-a-lifetime collaboration and friendship with Sam and Tobey and they have given us their best for the better part of the last decade. This is a bittersweet moment for us because while it is hard to imagine Spider-Man in anyone else's hands, I know that this was a day that was inevitable," said Matt Tolmach, president of Columbia Pictures, who has served as the studio's chief production executive since the beginning of the franchise. "Now everything begins anew, and that's got us all tremendously excited about what comes next. Under the continuing supervision of Avi and Laura, we have a clear vision for the future of Spider-Man and can't wait to share this exciting new direction with audiences in 2012."

"'Spider-Man' will always be an important franchise for Sony Pictures and a fresh start like this is a responsibility that we all take very seriously," said Michael Lynton, Chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures. "We have always believed that story comes first and story guides the direction of these films and as we move onto the next chapter, we will stay true to that principle and will do so with the highest respect for the source material and the fans and moviegoers who deserve nothing but the best when it comes to bringing these stories and characters to life on the big screen."

The studio will have more news about Spider-Man in 2012 in the coming weeks as it prepares for production of the film.

http://www.superherohype.com/news/spider-mannews.php?id=8976

Spider-Man 4 Scrapped; Raimi and Maguire Gone; Sony Plans Franchise Reboot for 2012

Nikki Finke just recruited Variety’s chief newshound Mike Fleming, and now the new duo are coming out of the gate with a massive story. Their first big report is that Sony is scrapping Spider-Man 4 after script and schedule concerns caused Sam Raimi to walk away from the film. The scuttled sequel has already been confirmed by a Sony Pictures press release, and the studio will now go for a full franchise reboot. New director, new cast. Details after the break.

Finke and Fleming’s report says the decision was made just today, and that the studio will start over with a “franchise reboot” script by James Vanderbilt. They quote sources reporting that Raimi said he couldn’t make the picture’s 2011 release date and maintain quality standards.

The Sony press release offers more info. Shorn of back-patting quotes, the core info is as follows:

Peter Parker is going back to high school when the next Spider-Man hits theaters in the summer of 2012. Columbia Pictures and Marvel Studios announced today they are moving forward with a film based on a script by James Vanderbilt that focuses on a teenager grappling with both contemporary human problems and amazing super-human crises.

That means no Malkovich, no Vulture, no Vulturess, and no more Kirsten Dunst. Let’s see what Sony comes up with now; bets on a thinly-translated Ultimate Spider-Man adaptation? Reboot writer James Vanderbilt wrote an early draft of Spider-Man 4, and had been hired to write the presumptive fifth and sixth films.

When that deal for SM5 and 6 came down last August, the possibility of those scripts being the basis for a reboot was mentioned, so this isn’t an utter left-field surprise. Though a studio scrapping a film as potentially massive as Spidey 4 in favor of a reboot is still a huge deal; this is nothing like rebooting the Hulk, or Ghost Rider or Fantastic Four.

What next for Raimi? Will he go directly on to World of Warcraft, the Dennis Lehane adaptation The Given Day, or something else? (Another smaller film?) All things considered, you’ve got to guess that he and Tobey Maguire are both more happy than anything else to get away from increasingly difficult franchise.

http://www.slashfilm.com/2010/01/11/spider-man-4-scrapped-raimi-and-maguire-gone-sony-plans-franchise-reboot-for-2012/

[Masa]

More Spider-Man Reboot Details?  

Yesterday, Columbia Pictures and Marvel Studios confirmed that (500) Days of Summer helmer Marc Webb is going to direct the Spider-Man reboot. In reporting on the news, the Risky Business blog has some possible more details on the project: Webb, who has options on two sequels, will now tackle a Jamie Vanderbilt script that sees a “Spider-Man” movie that will look and feel very different from the big movies that went before it.

The plan for the movie is to be in the $80 million range and feature a cast of relative unknowns (so you can quash those Rob Pattinson or Gordon-Levitt rumors at this point). And the story will be pared down to center on a high school kid who is dealing with the knowledge that his uncle died even though the teen had the power to stop it.

The touchstone for the new movie will not be the 1960s comics, which were the inspiration behind the movies by Raimi, who grew on up on them, but rather this past decade’s “Ultimate Spider-Man” comics by Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Bagley where the villain-fighting took a back seat to the high school angst. Please keep in mind that none of this is confirmed and we may not know for sure until closer to release. Stay tuned for more announcements as they come in...

http://www.superherohype.com/news/spider-mannews.php?id=9001

[Ishtar]

I can't express at all my total loathe towards a Spider-Man reboot; Sam Raimi and Tobey Maguire did something AWESOME (not to count that Spidey was and is my favorite fictional character). Both of them brought to life just as great as I imagined Spider-Man films; alright, I do not have anything against (500) Days of Summer's director (that movie is beautiful but c'mon...is not the fucking same!) but well, if the original cast is off...why do a goddamn reboot right now? Is that big the need of money? Can't they bring something better instead? I mean, why re-do something that's already well-done?!

...
Fuck...I've read about those news as they surfaced and I can't still forget my anger.

[Foxy Brown]

Summary: Hulk smash.

[Masa]

Veteran Writer Alvin Sargent Polishing the Spider-Man Reboot

It must be a good week for news focusing on big name screenwriters doing "punch-ups" on major projects. Just yesterday we heard about Charlie Kaufman spending a couple weeks on Kung Fu Panda: The Kaboom of Doom, and now Heat Vision is back with yet another punch-up scoop as they report veteran screenwriter Alvin Sargent (Ordinary People) is putting some finishing touches on the screenplay, written by James Vanderbilt (Zodiac) for Marc Webb's reboot of Sony's Spider-Man franchise. Sargent has been involved with all of the past Spider-Man  films and is apparently Sony's "go-to-guy for punching up weighty scenes."

This is likely only good news for the franchise and it means we're probably getting closer to finally getting some official casting announcements on the horizon now that a completed script is in sight. Heat Vision says this new Spider-Man is rumored to be more emotionally anchored and realistic than the previous films so bringing in someone who has great dramatic experience with an Oscar winning film like Ordinary People, is definitely a smart move. Word is that Peter Parker will be a 17-year-old high school kid struggling with shifting hormones and an outsider status and though it doesn't seem like an 83 year-old screenwriter would be the right guy for tackling a young character like that, his work on the first few Spider-Man movies should speak for itself (well, maybe not the third film with the jazz hands and whatnot, but you still get the idea).

http://www.firstshowing.net/2010/05/14/veteran-writer-alvin-sargent-polishing-the-spider-man-reboot/

[Masa]

Sam Jackson Says a S.H.I.E.L.D. Movie Coming After Avengers?

It is? The big Marvel news of the day seems to be this little quote from an interview that RadioBigBoy  (via The Playlist) recently had with Samuel L. Jackson, better known as Nick Fury in the cinematic Marvel Universe. In the interview, Jackson states: "The Avengers should start shooting some time next year, and then some time after that there'll be a big S.H.I.E.L.D. movie." Whoa, this brings up plenty of questions. First, does he mean a Nick Fury movie, because isn't The Avengers a S.H.I.E.L.D. movie as is? Second, if it's a spin-off, will they bring in other secondary S.H.I.E.L.D. members who aren't big superheroes to fill it up?

Our friends at SlashFilm remind me that we've got at least two S.H.I.E.L.D. members who might appear in this spin-off: Agent Coulson (played by Clark Gregg) and Black Widow (played by Scarlett Johansson). But who else might be in this if not the big superheroes (Iron Man, Thor, Captain America)? It's interesting to note that so far the only S.H.I.E.L.D. people we've ever met have all been from the Iron Man movies, so maybe we'll meet more secondary characters in the Thor and Captain America movies before we get to The Avengers. All I know for now is that Marvel has a very exciting line-up coming down the road.

http://www.firstshowing.net/2010/05/13/sam-jackson-says-shield-movie-is-coming-after-avengers/

[Masa]

Big Rumor: Jamie Bell Already Selected as New Spider-Man?

Despite a big internet campaign to get comedian/actor Donald Glover (of "Community" and Mystery Team) an audition for Peter Parker in the upcoming Spider-Man reboot, a big rumor has surfaced from Bleeding Cool (via The Playlist) that says British actor Jamie Bell (King Kong, Defiance), who was on the shortlist of considered actors we brought up last month, has already been chosen as the new webslinger in Marc Webb's reboot. Obviously, the rumor is helped by the fact that Bell was on the shortlist of actors in consideration for the role, but remember when we all thought that John Krasinski was the frontrunner for Captain America?

Of course, if this does turn out true, I'll be the first to say that I'm immensely pleased with the decision. Bell was my favorite actor out of the bunch that was brought up because of his versatility and experience with big effects driven flicks like King Kong and more recently, The Adventures of Tintin franchise. Of course, since he already has a film trilogy that he's dedicated himself too, that might create problems for his availability on the Spider-Man front. But for now, this must be taken with a grain of salt as we'll surely be hearing more rumors down the line until we get official word from the studio. Would you be happy with Jamie Bell?

http://www.firstshowing.net/2010/06/07/big-rumor-jamie-bell-already-selected-as-new-spider-man/