‘Spider-man’ to undergo gritty reboot

By Mark Pollard | Published January 13, 2010

One of the big news stories in Hollywood right now is that a third sequel in the SPIDER-MAN franchise has been scrapped after director Sam Raimi signaled that he would not be able to complete it in time for a summer 2011 release. That means Tobey Maguire is gone too and now Sony Pictures is looking to restart the franchise.

It would be back to the drawing board except that Sony already has another origin story that has been in development with writer James Vanderbilt (THE RUNDOWN). Apparently, the plan was to do one more film with the old team before starting over. Now that’s going to happen a little sooner.

What’s different this time is that Peter Parker is going back to high school and will be getting a grittier, more contemporary treatment.

As their plans finalize, there is a lot of speculation going on as to who will be cast and who will direct.

In their coverage, Entertainment Weekly is putting forth suggestions for the lead that include Zac Efron (HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL), Robert Pattinson (TWILIGHT), Daniel Radcliffe (HARRY POTTER), Shia LaBeouf (TRANSFORMERS), and Jaden Smith (THE KARATE KID).

Some of the director names being bandied about as possibilities include Marc Webb (500 DAYS OF SUMMER), Michael Bay and Gary Ross (SEABISCUIT).

I’d like to see a suitable unknown with an actual background in acrobatics, gymnastics and/or parkour get the lead but we know that’s not likely to happen when Sony’s primary concern is filling theater seats. With CGI and the costume, wires and a stunt double will always be easy options. However, I’d argue that if you’re going to sell this as a more gritty and contemporary take, you need an actor that actually looks and moves like Spider-man without the costume.

Related Topics:

  • DaRedLight
    I can careless who is casted...I will not watch it! The last Spiderman was horrible. As for a Black lead...I am patiently waiting for someone to pick up on the Black Panther! Now there is a Marvel story well wriiten, with much potential, and can use the talents of many Black actors to - date! I think a Black Panther movie would and could be almost epic if done correctly.
  • Zac Efron (HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL), Robert Pattinson (TWILIGHT), Daniel Radcliffe (HARRY POTTER), Shia LaBeouf (TRANSFORMERS), and Jaden Smith (THE KARATE KID).

    What is this, the all-American pansy list? Why don't they get someone who could actually be believable as an ass-kicking Spiderman? I thought this series is trying to be 'grittier.'
  • megadautilus
    As long as its better than 3. And eighties overly huge action stars and movies were great.
  • One day we'll look back at "gritty, contemporary" action films the way that we eventually came to look at disco in the seventies, or overmuscled bodybuilder action stars of the eighties -- an unfortunate, somewhat inexplicable infatuation that was silly, juvenile, and ultimately pointless.

    Seriously, "gritty" Spiderman is just about the stupidest idea to come down the pipeline in a while. I hope we're all not too embarrassed come 2019.
  • SrrieS, Mark-San, but the idea of a Parkour Practitioner as the Lead BLOWS, in my Humble Opinion...NO, get a GOOD, decent, Talented Teen Actor to portray the ACting Chops, and have the Parkour Traceur or whatnot play behind the MASK, OF COURSE, Natch!!!!?
  • Omen
    Ultimate Spide-man much like ultimate Iron man in a line of comics published by marvel.
  • jrserver
    This has to be one of THE dumbest decisions Hollywood has ever made, and I daresay, it may be an unfortunate indicator that Spidey is about to suffer the same fate as Superman and Batman where the fourth movie totally sucks and ruins the franchise altogether. Just a shame, a damn shame.
  • Oh Please, you Mini-Prophet//Wannabe ALarmist, Stop your Whining, and SHOVE it, already, this is about the BEST damn NEWS we could've gotten, since the WHOLE SPider-man Trilogy is a BLOATED Mess of Random Convenience on the Part of Raimi...If ANYTHING, this is a GODSEND...

    Bring on THE NITTY-GRITTY!!!!!!
  • 8thfortune
    The problem isn’t the suggestion of Jaden Smith, the problem is the embarrassing lack of young black male leads to choose from. As a man of color, martial artist and a fu film buff and fan, I am sick to death of American films perpetuating the same old
    myth of the all white Superman. Why can’t Spiderman be black? Films like “The Matrix,” “Three Kings” and a multitude of others were written for a black leads (that’s right, Neo AKA The One, was written for an African American) but were struck down by the racist Hollywood shuffle. Just imagine how cool it would have been to see a smooth good-looking brother as James Bond instead of that pasty-faced troll doll they have now (Stop laughing, you know that I’m right). So even though I would like to see someone who can move like Donny Yen but look like me in the role, I know that that’s not going to happen. In the mean time, I’m glad that someone is finally thinking outside of the box with the suggestion of Jaden Smith.
  • ZenShiite
    I'd much rather see Luke Cage and Iron Fist, Black Panther or any of Marvel's other black superheroes on-screen than to randomly change Spider-Man for no reason when there are plenty of superheroes to devle into. I'm also against this move by Sony. So what if Raimi can't get it together for 2011? Part of the problem is Sony hasn't been agreeing on a script with him AND were working on this reboot for release in 2012 anyways. Seems to me they were just trying to block him, and part of the reason SM3 is bad is because the studio execs foisted upon him the inclusion of a character he didn't want to work with... Venom. They could do a War Machine spin-off of Iron Man, depending upon how popular Rhoadie is in the new movie. I don't really see the need or reasoning to tweak Spider-Man in that way.
  • Spider-Man is SUCH an Idealized "Figure" in the MINDS of SO Many People, why bother even SUGGESTING something so OutLandish to the Character itself? Let's face it, could you IMAGINE a Black Lead to Portray a WHINY "WHITE" Teenager?

    I prefer to see more ROLES that are DIVERSE, than Have OUTRAGEOUS Casting based on "OMG, a NEW type of Person//PortrayaL to INJECT Much-Need'd Interest and Refreshing WHATNOT" but that's just STUNT-Casting that wiLL do VERY Little to ADD anything to the Character, OTHER than STUNT Casting, Please, Leave RaciaL Politics at the DOOR...I'd MUCH PreFeR to see an ORIGINAL Concept//Archetype & Character//STORY DeveLOPED specificaLLY to the IndividuaL Performer, whether "WHITE" "BLACK" Etc...

    Just like DENZEL...The BOOK of ELI transcends RaciaL Politics and whatnot, and is ABOUT the Character & Story, so Please, SAVE the PREACHING, and go elsewhere with your Politiks...In fact, I'm PROUD to say, I like the Idea of BOOK of ELI, not because of RACE, but BECAUSE it's SUITABLE to the Story...

    Don't be BLIND'd by your Feelings just to Satisfy your Fantasies...

    Relevance to the Story MUST always be Paramount...

    And I like the Idea of having more Black Characters as Leads...

    Black Actors need STRONGER ROLES, not just "Charity" Cases...

    And please, G.I. Joe doesn't count, Sorry, but Marlon Wayans is a JOKE!!

    I say, ChiweteL ELJioFOR & DenzeL WaShinGton are Paving the way...

    Hopefully, for the Next Gen of ACTORS, Regardless of Race OR Creed!

    Seriously...Though, I DO Understand your DISDAIN of the Ubiquitous & BORING VANILLA SUPERHEROES, I say, Patience, the RiGHT TIME wiLL Show OUR TRUE STRENGTH...THe Minority has & WILL Become the Majority as Diversity, and the Viewing habits of the Populace Gravitate towards NaturaLLY MORE DIVERSITY, since WE ARE DIVERSE...

    No longer wiLL the Days of WHITE NEO abide...Sorry, but we don't need no STINKIN' WHITE Savior...

    That's an Image that's been Cramm'd down OUR Throats for SO Long...

    White Politics aside...haha, Jesus was of COLOR, ya"LL!!! ha...

    Jk...But ju knows I SPEAK da TRUTH, SO SUXXX On them CHERRY appLES!!! PUHEAST OUT, SON!
  • Silent Flute
    Jaden Smith? Lol.. for some reason i crack up (just a little...)
    everytime i hear the name. I was surprised to see he got the
    role for karate kid. It's not that he is virtually unknown, also
    not necessarily the only reason he gets roles is because of
    his papa... but it's the fact that he is like 11 years old 3' 4''
    tops. I would personally preferred to see part four of spiderman...

    kind of sad, but only in a ''i hope they don't mess it up'' kind
    of way.
  • J. J. Marley
    if they want to do a reboot so bad, they should really do it like Italian Spiderman:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhHhXukovMU

    just sayin' ...
blog comments powered by Disqus

  • Digg
  • StumbleUpon
  • Facebook
  • Reddit
  • Twitter
  • MySpace
  • RSS