STATUS

Currently untitled reboot of Sony’s web-slinging series (we are naming it “Ultimate Spider-Man” in reference to a similar move in comic form at the turn of the millennium) is currently casting and should shoot in the spring/summer of 2010, for a release on July 3rd 2012.

The movie will be shot in 3-D thanks to the billions Avatar earned late 09/early 2010.

Marc Webb (500 Days of Summer) will direct what is only his second feature film. His breezy, quirky and fun twentysomething rom-com impressed Sony execs to offer him the job over the many candidates they met with. A quote from the press release on 20.0.10 from Sony chairman Amy Pascal said;

“The key for us as we sought a new director was to identify filmmakers who could give sharp focus to Peter Parker’s life. We wanted someone who could capture the awe of being in Peter’s shoes so the audience could experience his sense of discovery while giving real heart to the emotion, anxiety, and recklessness of that age and coupling all of that with the adrenaline of Spider-Man’s adventure. We believe Marc Webb is the perfect choice to bring us on that journey.”

Webb’s deal is significantly cheaper than the one previous director Sam Raimi was on for the fourth movie in the previous franchise.

James Vanderbilt (Zodiac) has wrote the script, and we believe Ultimate Spider-Man writer Michael Brian Bendis is “consulting”, with much of the new direction expected to come from his source material.

Budget for the movie is rumoured to be around $80 million. In contrast, Spider-Man 3 was budgeted at $258 million, the second most expensive movie made of all time (figure not adjusted for inflation).

REBOOT

On 11.01.10, a reboot of the Spider-Man franchise was announced, which would see Peter Parker return to high school and grapple “contemporary human problems”.

I called the decision an “absolute travesty for comic book movie fans everywhere and an embarrassingly short-sighted, rather insane over-reaction from the heads at Sony” during my original news report, with a follow-up piece further venting my anger at the decision, posted one day later.

During the re-writing stage of Spider-Man 4, Sony formed a contingency plan – sending James Vanderbilt away with the task of writing a reboot draft which they would be ready to execute should Sam Raimi decide to bail on the series.

Even if Spider-Man 4 was made, the plan to move ahead with the reboot would still have been used. It’s said that Vanderbilt also has scripts written, or at least partly written, for a further two movies.

No cast has yet been announced.

STORY

As per the Sony press release…

Peter Parker is going back to high school with a reboot that focuses on a teenager grappling with both contemporary human problems and amazing super-human crises.

We later heard…

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.

Inspiration is said to come from Brian Michael Bendis’ Ultimate Spider-Man series, as we previously predicted.

Drew McWeeny has heard that the movie is centered around the three way romance between Parker, Gwen Stacy and Mary Jane Watson.

The villain for the picture is currently unknown, though it’s extremely unlikely that it’ll be The Vulture, after the fall-out of Spider-Man 4.

CAST

Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst have left the series, and the new director will need to piece together a new cast for the reboot.

On 02.02.10, it was confirmed that 18 year old Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightening Thief actor Logan Lerman had held talks with Sony over the lead role of Peter Parker. You may remember him as Christian Bale’s son in 3:10 to Yuma.

He told Access Hollywood…

“It’s one of my favorite characters ever and I’m a huge fan of the series. I’d love to have more conversations about it. I’m definitely very interested in it… It’s just you know, conversations are starting. It’s a long process with the studio and the producers and everything. But it’s definitely a project that I’m really interested in, of course.”

It should be noted that if Percy Jackson & The Olympians is a hit, the young actor would be looked in for future sequels and it would be inconceivable that he could committ to Peter Parker in the long term.
We’re hoping that J.K. Simmons is cast as the editor of the Daily Bugle in a kind of Judi Dench/Bond casting where he can carry across both franchises. We would also like to see Elizabeth Banks stay on as Betty Brant.

PRESS RELEASE 2

CULVER CITY, Calif., January , 2010 – Marc Webb, the director of the Golden Globe nominated Best Picture (500) Days of Summer, will direct the next chapter in the Spider-Man franchise, set to hit theaters summer 2012, it was jointly announced today by Columbia Pictures and Marvel Studios.

Written by James Vanderbilt, Webb will work closely with producers Avi Arad and Laura Ziskin in developing the project, which will begin production later this year.

Commenting on the announcement, Amy Pascal, co-chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Matt Tolmach, president of Columbia Pictures, said, “At its core, Spider-Man is a small, intimate human story about an everyday teenager that takes place in an epic super-human world. The key for us as we sought a new director was to identify filmmakers who could give sharp focus to Peter Parker’s life. We wanted someone who could capture the awe of being in Peter’s shoes so the audience could experience his sense of discovery while giving real heart to the emotion, anxiety, and recklessness of that age and coupling all of that with the adrenaline of Spider-Man’s adventure. We believe Marc Webb is the perfect choice to bring us on that journey.”

Arad and Ziskin added jointly, “Over the years, the Spider-Man comics have been told with bold and creative new writers and artists who have re-calibrated the way audiences see Peter Parker. Marc Webb will do for the new direction of the films what so many visionary storytellers have done with the comic books. He is an incredibly talented filmmaker and we look forward to working closely with him on this new adventure.”

Webb said, “This is a dream come true and I couldn’t be more aware of the challenge, responsibility, or opportunity. Sam Raimi’s virtuoso rendering of Spider-Man is a humbling precedent to follow and build upon. The first three films are beloved for good reason. But I think the Spider-Man mythology transcends not only generations but directors as well. I am signing on not to ‘take over’ from Sam. That would be impossible. Not to mention arrogant. I’m here because there’s an opportunity for ideas, stories, and histories that will add a new dimension, canvas, and creative voice to Spider-Man.”

Stan Lee, co-creator of Spider-Man, added, “I’m excited that Sony has chosen a director with a real penchant and understanding for the character. This is a brave, bold direction for the franchise, and I can’t wait to see what Marc comes up with next.”

Added Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige, “The idea of re-imagining the on-screen story for one of the world’s most iconic superheros is sure to deliver an exciting new dimension to Spider-Man fans everywhere. There are volumes of comics and material available to inspire fresh and compelling takes on Peter Parker and his journey as Spidey and we look forward to seeing this come alive onscreen.”

Marc Webb has won acclaim with his film debut (500) Days of Summer. He has several MTV VMAs™ including 2009’s Best Director award for Green Day’s “21 Guns,” 2006 Best Rock Video for AFI’s “Miss Murder,” and Best Group Video for The All-American Rejects’ “Move Along.” The Music Video Production Association honored him in 2006 as the Director of the Year for his work with Weezer, AAR, and My Chemical Romance.

In addition to two Golden Globe nominations including Best Picture (musical or comedy), his first feature film, (500) Days of Summer, starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel, has been nominated for three Independent Spirit Awards, including Best Feature. Webb was also awarded the Spotlight Award, which honors outstanding directorial debuts, by the National Board of Review.

PRESS RELEASE

Culver City, CA (January 11, 2010) – 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.

HE SAID, SHE SAID

Webb said on 19.01.10 to Variety…

“I’m here because there’s an opportunity for ideas, stories and histories that will add a new dimension, canvas and creative voice to ‘Spider-Man.’”