SPIDER-MAN Reboot will aim to be Gritty and Contemporary - Possible Directors being discussed
The internet was and still is a frenzied mixture of hate and rejoicing over Sony's decision to scrap plans for Sam Raimi's Spider-Man 4 and entirely reboot the franchise in 2012 with a new director and cast. There was already two reboot films planned for when Raimi wrapped up his series of films with the original cast. But after postponed start dates due to script problems, Raimi felt he wouldn't be able to make the 2011 release date while maintaining the integrity of the film, so Sony opted to scrap the fourth installment altogether and focus on solely rebooting the franchise. To read all the details on what transpired yesterday and Sony Pictures' official statement Click Here.
Though the dust still hasn't settled on the bomb that was dropped on Hollywood and the Geek Community yesterday, more details have come out on the new Spider-Man film and a couple of good names (as well as a not so good name) are being thrown around as possible directors to take helm of the new franchise. The move on the Spidey franchise is being likened to Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins, which relaunched the franchise with a more gritty realistic seven years after Batman & Robin was a critical and commercial disaster. But the 5 years between Raimi's Spider-Man 3 and the planned 2012 release of the Spider-Man reboot is more in line (mathematically at least, or in terms of "too soon") with the time frame between Ang Lee's Hulk (2003) and Louis Leterrier's The Incredible Hulk (2008) -- though the latter didn't dive back into the origin of the character.
Peter Parker on the other will find himself back in highschool, with the series re-exploring his origin in a more contemporary setting, as a teenager battling today’s issues. The word "gritty" is also being thrown around, but I always felt the Spider-Man comics had a bit more of a comedic and colorful tone. After all, he's got a bright red suit on, not black kevlar. The one thing that was a lock as of yesterday is that the new film will shoot of an already completed script by Zodiac scribe Jamie Vanderbilt.
Still up in the air is who will direct and who will be the new web slinger. Rumors will start on a new Peter Parker soon enough, but there are two great names being thrown around for possible director's already. (500) Days of Summer director Marc Webb is being talked about after previously being in discussions with Sony to take over Moneyball. That job went to Bennett Miller, but it might work out for the better if Webb lands the Spider-Man franchise -- Webb wanted to make the horror film The Strangers, after losing out on that gig he took on (500) Days... I think it worked out better for him. If you've seen his feature debut in (500) Days then you know Webb can masterfully depict male issues in a smart, funny, honest and realistic manner. If you're worried about his non-action background, keep in mind he has a slew of music videos under his belt that would show otherwise.
Another good name who's expressed interest is Seabiscuit director Gary Ross, who had worked on one of the drafts of Spider-Man 4 and is said to know the ins and outs of the comic book series. But a name that is causing some fist clenching on my part is Transformer director and professional pyro-maniac Michael Bay. He expressed interest in taking over the franchise in the past, but there is no word on whether or not he's still interested. I'll let you guys eviscerate him in the comments below.
What do you think of the new Spider-Man movie being "Gritty and Contemporary" and the possible directors being thrown around?