Nov 19 2009 Anne Hathaway Could Be in the Spider-Man

How do you like the idea of Anne Hathaway as Black Cat, Spider-Maniacs (fans of Spider-Man who are psychotic)? I ask not arbitrarily but because she might actually have been offered the role.

According to Nikki Finke, producers for the superhero series have approached the Bride Wars warrior with an offer for an unspecified part. Using the knowledge that Kirsten Dunst is still in and Black Cat supposedly has a part in the next Spider-Man film, me and the rest of the internet is guessing that offer was for Black Cat.

Of course, there's also the rumor going around that Rachel McAdams was rumored last week, so we're probably at least a Michelle Williams rumor away from an official announcement. In the meantime, let's continue complaining that Sam Raimi for some reason isn't keeping true to the character and casting a young actress with actual white hair and disproportionately enormous breasts.

Nov 10 2009 'Spider-Man 4': Rachel McAdams Up for Black Cat??? Unknown Male Up for Male Villain???

With Batman sequel rumors calming momentarily, let's take some time to concentrate on different superhero movie casting speculation that probably won't end up being true. Like, did you hear how Rachel McAdams (and a guy) might be in Spider-Man 4???

Rachel McAdams has met with the producers of the film for a major role. McAdams (of 'Wedding Crashers' and 'Sherlock Holmes' fame) is said to be a top contender for the role of Felicia Hardy, known to comic fans as The Black Cat.

Fans recall that when Spidey first encounters the Black Cat, she's a cat burgler looking to free her ailing father from prison. She becomes smitten with the web-slinger, to the point of a stalker-level obsession. Later stories had Peter reciprocating her affection and her becoming a lover, a friend and ally (the perfect thing to allow Sony to create a Spidey spin-off).

And it looks like it'll be a two-villain movie. Our source also says they are casting for a male villain, but had few details. However, this would seem to discount the idea that Lizard is the primary, since the role of Dr. Conners has been cast since movie #2.

I guess Sam Raimi is hoping Spider-Man plots are like odometers, where if you stack on enough romantic conflicts and superfluous villains, eventually they'll roll over into a reasonable number again.

Oct 22 2009 Dylan Baker Finally Getting His Shot at Being The Lizard?

No, probably not. But, in a recent Q&A following a screening of Trick 'r Treat, the Spider-Man actor did reveal that he will be reprising the role of Curt Connors--the one-armed scientist who would one day become the reptilian villain The Lizard--in Spider-Man 4:

Baker said that he had just gotten his first call concerning Spider-Man 4 that very day. Baker appeared in Spider-Man 2 and Spider-Man 3 as Dr. Curt Connors, a professor at Empire State University.

When Dougherty ribbed him about “just appearing in the background” Baker said that, basically, that’s what he’d be doing. It was unclear if they were being truthful or if, in fact, Dr. Connors would become supervillain The Lizard in this fourth entry in the film series. During their riffing, Dougherty used the phrase “cocktease for another year” as to whether or not we’d see The Lizard.

Personally, I can't see The Lizard being a hugely successful villain--at least not on his own. Mainly because I've seen Happiness, and know Dylan Baker the Pederast is a far, far scarier (and tragic) villain. It would be like following up Darth Vader by playing a double-parker.

Oct 16 2009 Sam Raimi Concedes, OK, Maybe There Were a Lot of Bad Guys in 'Spider-Man 3'

Though still refusing to describe Spider-Man 3 as a "bullshit clusterfuck" (the only truly accurate way to describe it), director Sam Raimi admitted to the Coventry Telegraph that some of the criticism of his superhero film might have been accurate, and promised a back-to-basics approach for his next effort:

I think having so many villains detracted from the experience. I would agree with the criticism.

I think I've learned about the importance of getting to the point and the importance of having limitations, and I'm hoping to take that into a production where I'm actually allowed to explore with more of the tools to pull it off with a little more splendour.

I hope I don't lose that edge that I've just found. That would be my approach to Spider-Man 4: to get back to the basics.

Raimi would then add, "And by 'basics,' I mean 'Spider-Man dancing in jazz more clubs.' That is my definition of basics."

Sep 16 2009 Get Your Spider-Man Costume Dry Cleaned By May 6, 2011

Because that's when Spider-Man 4 will be released, "web-slingers!" This article from yesterday's Variety claims director Sam Raimi and stars Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst are on board, with the script being written by Gary Ross.

Ross's previous writing jobs have been a bizarrely mixed bag, including Big, Pleasantville, Mr. Baseball, and the film that gave Kevin Kline his most memorable dual-role, Dave, so it's anyone's guess what this guy is going to come up with for a Spider-Man movie.

I wonder what happened to the talk of a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright writing the script. I'm just going to assume Raimi switched writers to find someone with more experience in writing the themes he has planned for the fourth film. Meaning his ideas for Spider-Man 4 probably revolve around Spider-Man magically aging, magically entering a '50s television show, playing baseball as Tom Selleck in Japan, and being both the U.S. President and someone who looks so insanely similar that he can pass as the U.S. President. So, basically, it's already way better than Spider-Man 3.

Aug 17 2009 Man Hired to Build Up Our 'Spider-Man' Cache

Our precious Spider-Man script reserves are growing! Though production has yet to begin on Spider-Man 4, Zodiac writer James Vanderbilt has been hired to write fifth and sixth chapters of the superhero franchise:

As Sony Pictures Entertainment preps a fourth installment of "Spider-Man" to begin production early next year, the studio has quietly engaged screenwriter James Vanderbilt to pen "Spider-Man 5" and "Spider-Man 6."

Vanderbilt was the first writer on "Spider-Man 4." Director Sam Raimi brought on "Rabbit Hole" playwright David Lindsay-Abaire to rewrite him, and Gary Ross is now rewriting that script. The studio is enthusiastic about where it stands as the picture begins prepping for an early 2010 production start for a May 2011 release.

Raimi didn't embrace all of Vanderbilt's ideas, but execs at Columbia Pictures and Marvel Studios have. Vanderbilt has been hired to pen the fifth and sixth movies, which have an interconnected storyline.

Good luck topping the X-treme-itude of Spider-Man 3's X-treme snowboard-style Harry Osborn, Vanderbilt. Your best bet is probably going to be inventing a new villain that's a talking, sunglasses-wearing shark on a skateboard.

Jun 8 2009 'Spider-Man' Keeps Dunst, Dodges Vampire Trend

Continuity sticklers can breathe a sigh of relief: in an interview with producer Todd Black, the New York Post has confirmed that Kirsten Dunst will continue to bring the Mary Jane character absolutely nothing more than the lines written in the script, with the actress returning to give at least one more hollow, angry/affectionate-alternating performance in Spider-Man 4.

Black also shot down rumors that Spider-Man 4 would take a cue from Twilight and feature Morbius the fluffy-haired vampire as the villain, explaining:

We're just coming up with who the villain's going to be now. We'll be shooting in New York again. Trust me, people will appreciate who we pick, because it'll be a big part of New York.

The Post speculates the villain being referred to is probably either Kraven or, more likely, Kingpin, but I have another theory...

Continue Reading " 'Spider-Man' Keeps Dunst, Dodges Vampire Trend "

Jun 3 2009 Posters for 'Scott Pilgrim', 'Shrek Forever After', 'The Number 4 on a Bed of Webbing'

Be the first kid on your block to know that Spider-Man 4 will be using the same font to write the number 4 that they used to write 2 and 3. From the Licensing Show in Las Vegas, where 7-11 and Hardee's wage war over who gets to brand their extra-large soft drink cups with Thor logos, here and here are some posters for upcoming movies that will be made into toys and school binders.

Pay particularly attention to haunting eyes and sinister grins on the poster for Shrek 4, which is now apparently being called Shrek Forever After. What happened to Shrek Goes Fourth? Pick an enraging pun and stick with it, guys.

Mar 12 2009 Marvel Wants You to Save the Date(s)!

Marvel Studios has released some new and changed dates for their super comic men movies. Save the date(s)!:

Iron Man 2 - May 7, 2010
Spider-Man 4 - May 6, 2011
Thor - June 17, 2011
The First Avenger: Captain America - July 22, 2011
The Avengers - May 4, 2012

Summer of 2011 is going to be so superhero movie rich. I'm barely going to have time to catch waves, work at the local ice cream parlor, and fall in and out of love with a girl I meet at summer camp with all this nerd shit I have to do.

Jan 19 2009 J.K. Simmons Reprising Role of Other Guy with "J" Initial First Name

There's been a lot of talk about if Sam Raimi, Tobey Maguire, or Kirsten Dunst are returning for Spider-Man 4. Let's not even sweat them, everyone. Raimi fell apart a bit by the third film, Maguire had a mixed reception, and come on, Kirsten Dunst? The real guy we should be worrying about is J.K. Simmons, people. His perfectly exaggerated portrayal of "Daily Bugle" publisher J. Jonah Jamseon is accept-no-immitations spot-on. They can put Justin Long in webbed spandex and I'll say "fair enough," but if they try gluing a toothbrush mustache to Tommy Lee Jones, I call bullshit.

Let's start worrying about getting that guy back. Except just said he is coming back and shooting is starting next year, so don't worry, Pumpkin:

The fourth film in the blockbuster “Spider-Man” franchise will begin shooting in 2010, actor J.K. Simmons told MTV News at Sundance, revealing that he’ll continue in the role of Daily Bugle publisher J. Jonah Jameson. “I saw Sam [Raimi] at his Christmas party.”

Simmons added that he doesn't want or expect a larger part in the next sequel, alluding to becoming a week-long wolf of some nature:

“We’ve definitely brainstormed ideas for Triple-J, but I have no desire to make Triple-J more of the focus of those movies,” he said. “The amount that I did in 1, 2 and 3, is just exactly right. Like be the wolf. Come in, blow in, do a week, blow out, be the comic relief, and hit the road. And let Tobey and everybody else do the heavy lifting.”

Also: don't make Justin Long Spider-Man. I was lying about saying "fair enough" to that.

EXCLUSIVE: ‘Spider-Man 4’ To Begin Shooting In 2010, Says Bugle Chief [MTV]

Jan 9 2009 Morbius Could Be in 'Spider-Man 4', or Not

Does Sam Raimi want Morbius the Living Vampire as the villain in the next Spider-Man sequel? If you want to speculate that the director saying he likes it when Morbius fights Spider-Man in the comics to mean that, then yes. From Empire Magazine (via /Film):

“I like it in the Marvel comics when Spider-Man fights Morbius,” said Raimi. “He’s really cool. A vampire! I like that combination of superhero plus supernatural.”

So there you go. Personally, I'm less concerned about what this quote might mean in regards to Spider-Man 4 and more with what hints it gives about Sam Raimi's mental state. Doesn't it kind of sound like he has borderline dementia? Who gives quotes like that? Before Dark Knight, you never heard Christopher Nolan saying, "I enjoy it in the DC comic booklets when Batman fights the Joker. A clown!" It sounds like my grandpa muttering about the evening news. "I like it when the man on the TV gives Grandpa the weather. Help! A vampire!"

Of course maybe the question was, "Sam, do you like it--in the Marvel comics--when Spider-Man fights Morbius--and could you make sure to restate the question in your response and shout that Morbius is a vampire afterwards?", in which case I'm the one over-analyzing everything and looking like the fool. But I find it hard to believe I could be the one seeming foolish simply by spending half-an-hour reading into a quote and criticizing its slightly peculiar phrasing.

Oct 31 2008 Pulitzer Prize-Winning Playwright Writing 'Spider-Man', Probably Thinks He's Better Than Us

Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright David Lindsay-Abaire is in final negotiations to write Spider-Man 4. This will be the Spider-Man for the literati! From THR:

Lindsay-Abaire, who won a Pulitzer in 2007 for his drama "Rabbit Hole," is in final negotiations to write "Spider-Man 4" for Columbia.

Sam Raimi and Tobey Maguire are back as director and star, respectively, as are series producers Laura Ziskin and Avi Arad. Kirsten Dunst also is expected to return for the latest movie featuring the Marvel Comics character.

Lindsay-Abaire has said in interviews that his plays tend to be "peopled with outsiders in search of clarity," which would put his work on sympathetic terms with Peter Parker, who in his classic incarnation is the perpetual outsider.

A Pulitzer prize-winner writing a Spider-Man is nothing new, but a playwright this time? Yikes! Is this Spider-Man or Death of Spider-Man?! Is this Spider-Man or Spider-Madame Butterfly?! Spider-Man or Streetcar Named Desire, Which is Being Suspended by Webs of Spider-Man?! Spider-Man or Shrek the Musical...-Man????

Nah, this should fine. Almost anything would improve on the last sequel. Though I am slightly concerned that Lindsay-Abaire wrote Inkheart, which looks terrible (in fairness, everything with Brendan Fraser looks terrible), and Shrek the Musical, which is Shrek the Musical.