From “The Social Network” and the little seen intellectual sci-fi “Never Let Me Go” all the way to Peter Parker and the “Spider-Man” reboot, below is a picture of actor Andrew Garfield as the title character. Looks very tough. What do we call this film? “Spider-Man Redux?” “Spider-Man 2012?” The movie is currently untitled.
Fanboys are already spinning attempting to put the best face on this re-envisioning of popular superhero. The 2012 movie has attracted talent of pure pedigree. It will be directed by Marc Webb, whose last movie was the excellent “500 Days of Summer.” Perhaps, Webb can infuse the film with some of the youthful angst that he captured so well with “Summer.” Everyone knows that no hero is more angst-ridden that Peter Parker and his web-slinging alter ego.
“Spider-Man” will be a complete restart from what I’ve read. And in addition to a thoughtful and capable director, it has a heck of a cast with Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy, Denis Leary as Mr. Stacy, and Martin Sheen and Sally Field playing the ill-fated Parkers. The heavy in the movie will be The Lizard or the one-armed Dr. Curt Connors who will be played by Rhys Ifans. We saw Ifans last year in Noah Baumbach’s critically lambasted “Greenberg.” Ifans had a great and creepy scene in “The Deathly Hallows” as well. Me-thinks he’ll play The Lizard very well.
Frankly, I can’t see that there is much more to be do with the Spider-Man character that hasn’t already been explored in the first three films. Sure, the comic has been running for decades and there are stories that could be effectively adapted. But why not find a new hero to develop and leave Spidey alone. If this reboot is successful, it will be a major coup for Columbia and Marvel. But if it is bad or even just decent, the backlash could be very costly.
