By Louis Bedigian
for GameZone.com
Sony surprised the world when it announced that the plans for a fourth Spider-Man movie had been replaced by something entirely new: a series reboot.
Like most moviegoers, my gut reaction was an instant, “What are they thinking!? It’s too soon to reboot Spider-Man!” That reaction isn’t unjustified: Tobey Maguire first donned the web-slinging suit in 2002. Why should the series start over in 2012, just 10 years after the first Spider-Man movie was made?
Memories and Revelations
As I thought this over, I remembered having similar thoughts about the Batman reboot. After the first two Batman flicks (which were directed by Tim Burton), the famed comic book hero fell off the wagon, switching actors and directors between sequels as if they were extras on a sitcom. It was a disaster, so much so that the very idea of starting over seemed ridiculous.
That is until Christopher Nolan came on board. He changed everything. He made us believe in the Dark Knight again, creating two classic films that may never be surpassed.
Despite the distaste moviegoers seem to have for parts of Spider-Man 3, however, Spider-Man was not a franchise that ended in blasphemy. By all accounts, it still has a huge and highly satisfied fan base. Many of those fans are diehard Sami Raimi supporters; others see Tobey Maguire as the only man that could ever portray Peter Parker. Are these people really going to head back to theaters in 2012?
If the movie is good enough, I’d argue that most will eventually cave and see it – if not in theaters then definitely on DVD, turning the pool of naysayers into potential ticket buyers for the inevitable reboot sequel.
But let’s dig deeper than the financial benefits to the three companies involved (Sony, Marvel and Disney). Let’s explore what this will mean for moviegoers and the eventual players of the games based on the new Spider-Man films.
Less Comedy, Deeper Story
Now that Spider-Man is going dark, there won’t be much room for the campy humor that Sam Raimi brought to his trilogy. To fill its place, the new director and writer(s) will need to craft a story that is enriched by all the things that make Peter Parker great – his love, his anguish, his desire to help others. These elements will be the driving forces behind the new Spider-Man.
At least, that’s the hope. Without them, Spider-Man will have to spend a full two hours swinging from buildings and fighting bad guys. While that could make for some of the most eye-popping visuals known to man, that’s not the kind of movie that will set itself up for a lengthy franchise – which must be Sony’s (and its subsidiary, Columbia Pictures) goal or they wouldn’t have bothered.
(500) Days of Peter Parker
If Sony and company hoped to shock us with the new Spider-Man game plan, they have succeeded with flying colors. Shortly after the reboot was announced, Sony confirmed that Marc Webb – best known for directing music videos and (500) Days of Summer – would direct the new film.
Though you might think Sony is crazy to take a chance on a virtual newcomer, some of the biggest movies of all time were made by directors with a very small portfolio: Jaws (Steven Spielberg), Star Wars (George Lucas), The Lord of the Rings (Peter Jackson), and Batman Begins (Christopher Nolan) were all made by directors who, at best, had made one or two critically acclaimed movies and/or a small film with some financial success. None of these directors had widespread fame, and yet two of them were given the chance to helm an existing franchise.
Considering that music videos frequently require action, fast cuts or a degree of special effects (if not all three elements combined), and considering the acclaim (500) Days of Summer received, it isn’t all that surprising that Webb was chosen for Spider-Man.
Disney-Man
Sony may have control of the Spider-Man movie rights, but it’s Disney who controls the Marvel empire. Even if Disney has no intention of directly influencing the next film, it could still impact Spider-Man’s big-screen future by launching a new version of the comics, a new Spidey spin-off, a new cartoon, or simply a new video game or a new set of toys. How? Because every time consumers see, experience and enjoy Spider-Man they get a picture in their minds of how he should look, act and behave.
The first Spider-Man trilogy ran through most of Peter Parker’s biggest villains, just as the first four Batman movies did. Thus, it isn’t hard to assume that the new Spider-Man will get a little more creative with its use of enemies, particularly those that fans may not expect.
This is one area where Sony could score huge points with Disney – if it cares to – as part of the Mouse House’s goal in acquiring Marvel was to take advantage of the many, many different characters the company has produced over the last several decades. If the new Spider-Man movie helps to popularize one of the lesser-known villains, it won’t just expand the possibilities for new comics – it will also open the door to new merchandising opportunities. (Something we all know Disney loves very, very much.)
More Games…Different Games?
For the time being, the Spider-Man video games will remain unchanged. But just as Disney chose to build the Toy Story 3 video game itself after acquiring Pixar (instead of passing it off to THQ as it would have in the past), you can bet there will come a time – likely whenever Marvel’s current contracts expire – that Disney will at least consider doing the same with Spider-Man and other key Marvel properties.
If Disney is happy with the current setup, it could still release additional Spider-Man-related games of its own. Given the relationship Disney has with Square Enix, don’t be surprised if you eventually see Spider-Man – or some other Marvel favorite – make an appearance in a future Kingdom Hearts game.
