Caffeinated Clint
Though we know it’s all about money and retaining the rights (so that they don’t revert back to Marvel), Sony have tried their hardest to convince audiences this new “Spider-Man” series is the exciting, necessary ‘untold’ adventure saga of the sticky-fingered one that we didn’t know we wanted. Or something. But, after 2012’s superfluous and utterly undistinguished “Amazing Spider-Man”, I don’t know that the marketing invention has anyone convinced.
But more than that, Sony seem to believe that – after only the two films that fall under the ‘reboot’ umbrella – they’ve earned the right to jump five spots ahead in the game grid, and get busy on an “Avengers”-like plans that’ll see the “Spider-Man” universe open to spin-off’s.. .and all sorts of unwarranted extension add-ons.
And again, like the 2012 reboot, it just feels way too early and way too unwarranted to even be discussing such grand plans.
Marvel earned the right to further flesh out and expand their superhero movie universe, with all those solo efforts and “Avengers” movies, but what Sony are doing with “Spider-Man” and Warners are doing with the “Man of Steel” sequel (which has suddenly turned into ‘Super Friends’ the movie), is indubitably and transparently about coin not cinemagoer.
Still, guessing we’ll see these “Venom” and “Sinister Six” movies out of interest’s sake… and the money they’ll make from our curiosity factor will convince the crowd they made the right decision. So, really, we’ve only ourselves to blame.
I do miss JK Simmons’ J.Jonah Jameson.
CULVER CITY, Calif., December 12, 2013 – In a move to forge a new legacy in the story of Peter Parker on screen, Sony Pictures Entertainment, in association with Marvel Entertainment, is developing several new projects in the Spider-Man franchise, with Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci, Jeff Pinkner, Ed Solomon, and Drew Goddard to collaborate on overseeing the developing story over several films that will be produced by Avi Arad and Matt Tolmach, it was announced today by Doug Belgrad, president of Columbia Pictures, and Hannah Minghella, president of Production for the studio.
The five writers, along with the two producers and Marc Webb, have formed a franchise brain trust to expand the universe for the brand and to develop a continuous tone and thread throughout the films.
Under the deals, the studio announced that Kurtzman & Orci & Pinkner are writing the screenplay for The Amazing Spider-Man 3, which the studio hopes Webb will return to direct; the film will go into production next fall for release on June 10, 2016. In addition, the team will build on the cinematic foundation laid by Webb, Arad, and Tolmach in the first two movies.
They will expand the franchise as Kurtzman & Orci & Solomon will write the screenplay for Venom, which Kurtzman will direct; also, Goddard will write, with an eye to direct, The Sinister Six, focusing on the villains in the franchise. Hannah Minghella and Rachel O’Connor will oversee the development and production of these films for the studio. In tapping these five writers, the studio and the producers are guiding the future of the franchise with the writer/producers who have each played significant and key roles in developing such highly successful franchises, films, and series as Star Trek, Transformers, “Alias,” “Fringe,” Men in Black, Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, World War Z, “Lost,” Cloverfield, The Cabin in the Woods, and Marvel’s upcoming “Daredevil” series.
Commenting on the announcement, Belgrad said, “The Spider-Man film franchise is one of our studio’s greatest assets. We are thrilled with the creative team we have assembled to delve more deeply into the world that Marc, Avi and Matt have begun to explore in The Amazing Spider-Man and The Amazing Spider-Man 2. We believe that Marc, Alex, and Drew have uniquely exciting visions for how to expand the Spider-Man universe in each of these upcoming films.”
