Sony Dates 'Sinister Six' for 2016; 'The Amazing Spider-Man 3' Bumped to 2018

There has been a lot of talk lately about the state of Sony's The Amazing Spider-Man franchise, and little of it has been good. Okay, none of it has been. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 disappointed at the box office, Roberto Orci up and left the series completely, and rumors had begun that future movies were in disarray regarding when they would be released. And now that has proven to be true with Sony announcing dates for Sinister Six and The Amazing Spider-Man 3.

First up, it looks like Drew Goddard's Sinister Six movie will be next, hitting theaters on November 11th 2016. The film will try to build a story around Spidey's most nefarious villains, many of whom we saw glimpses of in The Amazing Spider-Man 2. Making a movie about bad guys is always tough but this seems like an especially daunting task. That will be followed by The Amazing Spider-Man 3 which has been knocked back two years into 2018, with Marc Webb likely wrapping up his part in the franchise.

So why the significant delay? Simple. Spidey needs a serious repackaging and it's wise of Sony to take the time and do that rather than rushing out another sequel as they did before.

Also, Sony announced Seth Gordon's adaptation of the Uncharted video game will hit on June 10th 2016. What about the planned Venom movie directed by Alex Kurtzman? Nowhere to be found.

Read More

Roberto Orci Exits 'The Amazing Spider-Man 3'; Timeline Still in Flux

How's this for screwy? The Amazing Spider-Man 2 has grossed $704M up to this point and is in the top highest-earning movies of 2014, and yet it's still considered a failure. To be fair it is the weakest of the bunch in terms of box office if we include Sam Raimi's trilogy. There have been rumblings of some tweaking in Sony's rather ambitious Spidey plans, which include Sinister Six and Venom films, and The Amazing Spider-Man 3 slated for June 2016. But as we heard recently, it's unclear when these movies will actually come out and in what order, and according to screenwriter Roberto Orci that confusion continues.

Speaking with IGN, Orci has confirmed he is "not officially involved" with The Amazing Spider-Man 3, presumably so he can focus on Paramount's Star Trek 3, which is expected to be his directorial debut. Orci had been part of the Spidey "brain trust" that included his former writing partner Alex Kurtzman and Drew Goddard. Kurtzman is still set to direct Venom, Goddard has his sights set on Sinister Six, and Marc Webb is returning to wrap up his run with The Amazing Spider-Man 3. Just because the names are in place doesn't mean anything else has been figured out, starting with the scheduling for all three films...

Orci:  “I don’t know what their plans are for that franchise.  I don’t ever want to say never, but we have to figure out what their scheduling is in terms of when they want each movie. I’ve read probably as much as anyone else. There’s a love for the Sinister Six, the idea of Venom — there’s an idea of Spider-Man’s going to be one of these characters that’s part of our business. He’s such a popular character. Spider-Man’s not going to go away any time soon. When it all happens and how and all that has yet to be determined.”

The big problem with The Amazing Spider-Man 2 was that it felt like a set up movie for the spinoffs rather than a story focused on Peter Parker. That's one of the big problems with Sony planning so far ahead and it will be interesting to see they are able to correct course.

Read More

Has Sony Bumped 'The Amazing Spider-Man 3' to 2017?

While the most recent crop of superhero movies have either performed up to expectations or well beyond them, one that really missed the mark was Sony's The Amazing Spider-Man 2. It may seem a little strange to say that a film currently sitting at $699M worldwide underperformed, but Sony really wanted more out of it, and the fact that critics and audiences largely trashed it didn't help. So perhaps it's not a complete shock to learn that plans for The Amazing Spider-Man 3 may have been pushed back just a little.

The report comes courtesy of AICN, who state that The Amazing Spider-Man 3 has been moved to 2017, away from the June 10th 2016 date that had previously been set. At the same time Sony dated The Amazing Spider-Man 4 for May 4th 2018, and there were also Sinister Six and Venom movies in the mix somewhere. Previously we had heard both spinoffs would arrive before 'Spidey 4', but the possibility exists now that Sinister Six, which Drew Goddard is writing and directing, will take over the June 2016 date. That would give Sony and Marc Webb time to do some fine-tuning on a third Spidey movie. And then we could see Venom take over the 2018 date and basically take a fourth Spidey film off the table, because Webb doesn't seem to have any interest beyond his trilogy, anyway.

Sony is in a precarious position right now with their Spider-Man franchise. Generally it's the second film that really hits a stride but that didn't happen with The Amazing Spider-Man 2, and now time needs to be spent figuring out where things went wrong. Shuffling the release dates around could be just what's needed to get back on track.

Read More

Marc Webb Talks 'Sinister Six', Kraven the Hunter, and 'The Amazing Spider-Man 3'

Despite mixed reviews and a general feeling The Amazing Spider-Man 2 took a step backwards, the film opened strong with $92M last weekend and $360M worldwide. Good news for Sony who have planned sequels through 2018, not to mention spinoffs for Venom and the Sinister Six. Drew Goddard will be directing Sinister Six when it eventually arrives, and we saw some of the groundwork laid for it, not to mention for 2016's The Amazing Spider-Man 3. From this point there are huge spoilers so just be warned.

So if you were watching closely then you probably noticed the metallic tentacles of Doctor Octopus and the wings of the Vulture in the background at OsCorp, clearly setting the characters up to appear later. But was that always the case? Marc Webb tells Grantland he kind of had to double-check...

Webb: "I had to talk to Drew Goddard and make sure these things were going to be played out in the future universe. There are some very specific plans, for example, for [Doc] Ock and for Vulture. Or the man in the hat at the end of the first movie. All those things emerge with varying degrees of emphasis."

That man who turned up at the end is The Gentleman, a character Webb hinted strongly last year would turn up in the film. In the series of graphic novels penned by Adam-Troy Castro it's The Gentleman who brings the Sinister Six together, just as he's doing in the movie with the help of Dane DeHaan's Harry Osborn. And who is likely to be joining the Green Goblin as part of the team? If Webb has his way it will be classic Spidey villain, Kraven the Hunter. He tells Comicbook.com...

Webb:  “Kraven. I like the idea of Kraven. The Vulture. Ock. I always thought the idea of Mysterio was interesting. Maybe Scorpion. But really, Kraven I think is kind of interesting.” 

Kraven is a Russian big game hunter who teams with his half-brother the Chameleon to take down Spider-Man, considering him the ultimate prey. Later on after repeated failures, Kraven decides to take one more shot at Spider-Man before ending his own life, and actually emerges victorious for a time. He's also one of the founding members of the Sinister Six, at least the one put together by Doctor Octopus in the comics. The Amazing Spider-Man 2's credits tease seems to hint that Kraven and possibly Chameleon will be a part of the collection of villains, but there's some dispute whether that's true.

Lastly, Webb had to speak out about the decision to kill off Emma Stone's Gwen Stacy, the character dying in the battle with Green Goblin. In the comics there is some question about the circumstances of her death, such as whether her neck was broken by the Goblin or if Spidey's webs snapped her spine, but in the movie there's no doubt about it. And the impact of her death obviously has a huge impact on Peter Parker that will last through the next film. Webb didn't end things on a gloomy note, however, choosing to give Peter a ray of sunshine and a means of bouncing back at the end. He tells Movies.com...

Webb: "To me, I knew, even before the first movie, to the point that my involvement was predicated on the idea that we get to address this part of the comics. It was fascinating and what was daring and interesting about this comic. So I wanted to confront the death of Gwen Stacy. And I knew, and I believe, that you have to find meaning in that. That's the job, especially when you're dealing with kids, which is a huge part of the Spider-Man audience and was me, reading those comics. It was important to find meaning in loss and find meaning in that tragic event. And that required a dénouement. It's what Aunt May provided for Peter Parker that gives the whole meaning."

And of course, that leaves the door open for Peter to find somebody new in The Amazing Spider-Man 3. Maybe we'll finally see Mary Jane Watson? Or perhaps Felicity Jones' Felicia Hardy will finally get something to do?

Webb: "Will Peter Parker love again? When [relationships] end, it's very difficult to imagine emerging from that. I think that’s, emotionally, where he's going to start off in the next movie." 

The Amazing Spider-Man 3 opens June 10th 2016.

Read More

Marc Webb Teases J. Jonah Jameson for Future 'Spider-Man' Films

If all of the viral promos for The Amazing Spider-Man 2 are to be believe, we're going to be seeing a lot of Peter Parker's worst enemies show up at some point, everybody from Carnage to the Hobgoblin. While the virals shouldn't be considered confirmation of anything, one character who is frequently a part of them is J. Jonah Jameson, the Daily Bugle's editor-in-chief and hater numero uno when it comes to Spidey. The character wasn't seen in the first film, much to the chagrin of some fans, but Marc Webb made it sound as if we can expect Jameson to appear at some point...

Webb: "I like the idea very much of him coming up in the next film. It was more easy to accept a new Spider-Man than someone who could out do J.K. Simmons in that role, he is so iconic. That's something we've really talked about. Obviously I love that character because he poses such an interesting dilemma for Spider-Man. The answer is I don't know, but I think you can expect to see him in the future."

JK Simmons played Jameson in the Sam Raimi trilogy, and I don't envy whoever has to follow him in the role. The tenor of the virals has Jameson doing exactly what we'd expect; bashing Spider-Man and labeling him a criminal. That sounds like a natural direction for 2016's The Amazing Spider-Man 3 to go, don't you think? You can watch the entire Google+ Hangout with Webb and The Amazing Spider-Man 2's cast below.

Read More

Shailene Woodley Says She May Not Return for 'The Amazing Spider-Man 3'

Now that Divergent is the first non-Twilight, non-The Hunger Games YA hit film, earning $94M in its first couple of weeks, Shailene Woodley is going to be even busier. The sequel has already been given a thumbs up, meaning she'll be living the Dauntless life for a few years yet. It also means she may not have time to tackle another franchise, even if it involves your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.

Woodley was meant to play Mary Jane Watson in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, only to have her scenes cut by Marc Webb after a few days of filming. The character is expected to return in the sequel, and all involved have been elusive about the situation, including whether Woodley would be in the role. Now she's spoken up to Total Film about her future as Mary Jane, and it sounds as if she won't be coming back....

Woodley: “I have no idea and I don’t know that I’d even want to do two franchises at this point, now having been through this.” 

She's referring to the time-consuming and physically demanding nature of Hollywood blockbusters there, not her Spidey experiences. Her Divergent co-star, Theo James, is right by her side and steps in a little bit in answering the question. Obviously there's still something of a Four/Tris dynamic working between them.

It appears that her brief experiences on Spider-Man were enjoyable, though, saying the chance to work with Andrew Garfield was a definite plus.  Overall she's taking a diplomatic route to answering the question, but I'd be surprised if there isn't a new Mary Jane Watson for Peter Parker to fall in love with.

Read More

Marc Webb Confirmed to Direct 'The Amazing Spider-Man 3'; New Spidey Films Every Year

And you thought Spider-Man had enough trouble carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders, he's also carrying Sony's future on his back. The studio is putting all of their eggs into the Spidey basket, expanding what Marc Webb originally called a trilogy into what is now a fourth film, plus Venom and Sinister Six spinoffs. It's a huge undertaking, one that Webb is ready to stick around for one more time.

Variety reports that Webb is now confirmed to direct The Amazing Spider-Man 3, which is expected to open June 6th 2016. Andrew Garfield will return, of course, although there's some serious doubt about Emma Stone making it that far. Paul Giamatti has also talked about suiting up as the Rhino for a third film. But this is hardly all that Sony has in store. According to Sony chief Amy Pascal, the franchise expansion means there will always be Spidey content right around the corner...

"We are expanding the ‘Spider-Man’ universe into ‘The Sinister Six’ and ‘Venom,’ so that we have ‘Spider-Man’ movies every year."

So there ya go. The never-ending stream of Spidey flicks continues when The Amazing Spider-Man 2 opens May 2nd.

Read More

Sony Expands Spider-Man Universe with Venom and Sinister Six Spinoffs

“I mean I’m under contract for another one after this… as far as a fourth one? That’s not anything to do with me."

That was what Andrew Garfield said just a few days ago when asked about the future of the Amazing Spider-Man franchise, which Sony has mapped out through 2018 and a fourth movie based on Marvel wall-crawler. It was a surprising statement considering how much time and money had already been invested in him and the films, and some speculated it was all just a contractual ploy. Maybe it was, maybe it wasn't, but it seems more clear than ever that the Spider-Man universe is expanding in a big way and moving away from the adventures of Peter Parker.

Sony is building their own Avengers-style cohesive world, which they hope will "forge a new legacy in the story of Peter Parker on screen."  Part of this expansion will be two spinoff movies; the first is the long-developing Venom film based on the Spidey villain last seen in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man 3. Josh Trank (Chronicle) had been circling it some time ago but it will be Alex Kurtzman directing, co-writing the script with his usual writing partner Bob Orci and Ed Solomon.

They've also secured The Cabin in the Woods' Drew Goddard to pen and possibly direct a movie based on the Sinister Six, the team of evil-doers expected to form in the next two movies. Goddard is also busy penning the Daredevil Netflix TV series for Marvel Entertainment, who are also backing Sony's overall plan.

As for the core Amazing Spider-Man movies? Sony still has hopes of Marc Webb returning to direct it, and have tapped Orci, Kurtzman, and Jeff Pinkner to write the screenplay with an eye towards a fall start date and release on June 10, 2016.

With this assembled group of talent Sony plans to develop an ongoing, overarching story spread across several movies. It already seemed like that was the direction they were heading. We can safely assume this has been the plan for some time as Webb has been hinting the fourth movie would be an ensemble rather than a Spider-Man focused story.

Big moves are being made, and it wouldn't be surprising if more announcements are made soon. What do you think? Does this is increase your excitement for The Amazing Spider-Man 2?

Read More

Paul Giamatti To Return as Rhino in 'The Amazing Spider-Man 3'

Paul Giamatti has been making the press rounds to hype the JFK drama Parkland (review of that here), and of course the conversation spun to his role as Rhino in The Amazing Spider-Man 2. It's unclear how large a role he'll play in the film, or if he'll even don the famous rhino suit, but one thing we know now thanks to Giamatti's comments to Collider is that he'll be back for The Amazing Spider-Man 3.

Giamatti revealed that he's signed a multi-picture deal with Sony that will see him through the next film, although he's unsure if he'll be needed for the fourth, which is expected to hit theaters in 2018. The plan at this point seems to be that each sequel will build to the formation of the Sinister Six, it's just of when they will show up and who will comprise its villainous members. Rhino will most certainly be amongst them, and we can probably expect Jamie Foxx's Electro to be in there as well since the actor has spoken openly about it. The director Marc Webb has had quite a bit of fun teasing their arrival, as well.

For what it's worth, Giamatti doesn't sound like he has any inside information, although he could just be playing coy and not wanting to spill the beans. Although if we look at this logically, if Giamatti isn't confirmed for the fourth film, then that means we should see the Sinister Six turn up in the third.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 opens May 2nd 2014, followed by The Amazing Spider-Man 3 on June 10th 2016.

Read More

Familiar Writers Hired to Script 'The Amazing Spider-Man 3'

It makes complete sense that Sony would want to keep intact as many pieces of their Amazing Spider-Man franchise as possible. They've moved ahead on the next three films, which THR says they hope will be directed by Marc Webb and encompass a larger, overarching story that could include the arrival of the Sinister Six. With The Amazing Spider-Man 2 set to open next year, the studio has decided to let its writers keep penning the further adventures of Peter Parker.

Uber-producers and blockbuster scribes Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, and Jeff Pinker have been brought back to write The Amazing Spider-Man 3. This was probably one of the easier decisions Sony has had to make as Orci and Kurtzman are a powerhouse duo who have worked on the Transformers and Star Trek franchises, which last time I checked made a little bit of money. Pinker has been running with them for awhile but mostly on small screen projects like Fringe and Alias.

So the Spidey machine keeps plugging away. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 opens on May 2nd 2014, The Amazing Spider-Man 3 arrives June 10th 2016.

Read More

Mary Jane Watson To Be Completely Recast For 'The Amazing Spider-Man 3'

Hey, you remember like an hour ago when we learned that Shailene Woodley's Mary Jane Watson role had been cut out of The Amazing Spider-Man 2? Turns out that's just the tip of the iceberg, as THR reports that the role is likely to be recast when The Amazing Spider-Man 3 swings into production.

There was always some doubt that Woodley would be able to fit in a third film, especially with her leading another major franchise in Divergent. She's also lined up a slew of other high-profile projects that guarantee she'll be busy for a very long time. So if it ends up that she doesn't return for 'Spidey 3', it won't be a major shock, although considering her status as a fast-rising star and Golden Globe nominee, it's still a major loss.

The decision to cut Mary Jane Watson from the sequel was driven by Webb's desire to trim down on the plot, which already has a handful of villains and a couple of potential love interests for Peter Parker...

Webb: "I made a creative decision to streamline the story and focus on Peter and Gwen and their relationship. Shailene is an incredibly talented actress and while we only shot a few scenes with Mary Jane, we all love working with her.”

There were a lot of vocal critics who disliked the idea of Woodley as MJ, with the popular criticism being that she simply wasn't glamorous or pretty enough. It's a silly complaint, but I imagine those folks are mighty happy right now.

Read More

Mary Jane Watson Cut From 'The Amazing Spider-Man 2'

With three potential love interests and nearly a half dozen villains chasing down Peter Parker in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, it was a wonder how Marc Webb intended to juggle them all. A window of opportunity may have been presented to him last week when a third and fourth film were dated, as it allowed for the story to be stretched further, and it looks like that's exactly what is happening.

Last fall we learned that Shailene Woodley would be taking on the role of Spidey's future wife Mary Jane Watson, and set images have already been released of her on set. But now in a conversation with EW, she reveals that her part has been completely removed, with the character slated to appear in the third film...

Woodley: "Of course I'm bummed, But I'm a firm believer in everything happening for a specific reason....based on the proposed plot, I completely understand holding off on introducing (Mary Jane) until the next film."

This means we won't be seeing Mary Jane as Parker's fall back plan if Webb goes through with killing off Emma Stone's Gwen Stacy character. It also suggests a "flying by the seat of our pants" mentality, and we could be seeing other significant changes spurred on by the sudden addition of a fourth movie.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 opens on May 2nd 2014, and we'll finally get to score some Mary Jane when part three hits on June 10th 2016.

Read More

Sony Sets Release Dates for Third and Fourth 'The Amazing Spider-Man' Movies

Sam Raimi is probably somewhere chuckling right now. As you know, he was intended to take his Spider-Man franchise into a fourth film, but that idea was canned and it instead became Marc Webb's The Amazing Spider-Man reboot. Always planned as a trilogy, Webb is currently at work on the sequel which hits theaters in a year. But in what can only be a sign of confidence, Sony has set release dates not only for a third film, but for a fourth. We'll see if it ever reaches that far.

The Amazing Spider-Man 3 has been dated for June 10th 2016, with the next film to come May 4th 2018. Yeah, that's how far ahead studios are looking already, continuing the rather disturbing trend of dating movies that have no scripts, casts, or directors even in the discussion phase. There's always the chance Sony has a plan in place for the third film, as rumors suggest it will involve Spidey (Andrew Garfield) battling the Sinister Six. The villainous team does look to be forming up in the sequel, with Jamie Foxx as Electro, Paul Giamatti as Rhino, Colm Feore rumored as The Vulture, and the Green Goblin portrayed by either Chris Cooper or Dane DeHaan.

We'll see if Marc Webb sticks it out for the long haul, although I wouldn't count on seeing Emma Stone there at the end. Call it a hunch. So what do you think? Do you want two more Spider-Man movies? Or is a trilogy more than enough? The Amazing Spider-Man 2 webs up theaters on May 2nd 2014.

Read More