Marc Webb to direct new SPIDER-MAN reboot!!
From a breezy twentysomething rom-com, to a breezy twentsomething rom-com with spidey webs!
UPDATED AGAIN: Nikki Finke says the $10 million deal figure quoted for Webb's deal is wrong. UPDATED: Sony have just sent out an official press release, mentioning Webb's deal for one movie and not three. The press release can be found right at the bottom of this article, but here's a quote I really wanted to lead this story with from Sony co-chairman Amy Pascal;
"The key for us as we sought a new director was to identify filmmakers who could give sharp focus to Peter Parkers life. We wanted someone who could capture the awe of being in Peters shoes so the audience could experience his sense of discovery while giving real heart to the emotion, anxiety, and recklessness of that age and coupling all of that with the adrenaline of Spider-Mans adventure. We believe Marc Webb is the perfect choice to bring us on that journey.END OF UPDATE Confirmed tonight, ironically at The Vulture (need we really say again why?) - Marc Webb's second feature film after the breezy 500 Days of Summer will be the first of a new Spider-Man trilogy at Sony. The site claim Webb has a three movie deal. The young director is in the same situation as Sam Raimi was in ten years ago and it'll be his vision over multiple films, and we at OWF are certainly down with that. Not that we like the whole idea of a reboot, in fact we kind of despise it - but if they are gonna roll the dice with a retcon, they might as well do it right.
Webb won the much sought after gig for his impressive handling of a very smart young adult rom-com which really connected with a twentysomething audience (including me!). Sony really took notice of that and believe he'll be perfect for their back at High School trilogy which Drew McWeeny has heard is centered around the three way romance between Parker, Gwen Stacy and Mary Jane Watson. It's the John Hughes version of the Spider-Man saga, I guess. Nevertheless it's a pretty smart move to include Stacy in the mix because nobody wants to sit through the goofball Peter Parker trying to woo Mary Jane again, and Gwen Stacy was always a more interesting character anyways. I was always a little pissed when Sam Raimi didn't include her in his first movie, and I guess all Spidey fans wanna see her cruel and sickening death at the hands of the Green Goblin, somewhere down the road, right? 
But then again does that mean we have to go through the Harry/Norman Osbourne thing again - and Green Goblin's origin - and the death of Uncle Ben (hence the picture above). Yikes. The Vulture claim Webb's deal is $10 million for the first movie, the same money they gave out to Sam Raimi in 2000, which is WAY cheaper than bringing back Raimi back again, as his deal just got larger and larger for each movie. Some sources suggest Raimi & Tobey Maguire together took 25% of the final Spider-Man 3 gross, so Sony have been wise to include no such deals in Webb's pay packet. I do like Webb and I think he's got a bright future in the industry but what I wrote when he was first linked with the role last week, still stands; ...its one thing to go from helming a rom-com to a big budget, studio action spectacular like a Spider-Man movie. My spidey sense tingles at the thought that not only will he have to learn his first action sequence, but hell be learning how to shoot in 3-D, hell be learning how to work within a strict studio environment and with a rabid fanboy expectation, as us internet and comic con folk watch over his every decision.Big congrats then is in order for Webb, who precisely a year ago this week came out of nowhere with his debut Indie-style rom-com at Sundance and is now on top of the world. You're in for the ride of your life kid - be encouraged by what the likes of Chris Nolan and J.J. Abrams have achieved when the chips were down with loyal fanboy franchises, and make something really spectacular. I guess Sony are giving you a big amount of creative control - make best use of it. You only get ONE chance at making the first picture in a new superhero franchise and the decisions you make now can tie you down for the next five years and beyond, so choose wisely! Sony's press release...
CULVER CITY, Calif., January , 2010 Marc Webb, the director of the Golden Globe nominated Best Picture (500) Days of Summer, will direct the next chapter in the Spider-Man franchise, set to hit theaters summer 2012, it was jointly announced today by Columbia Pictures and Marvel Studios. Written by James Vanderbilt, Webb will work closely with producers Avi Arad and Laura Ziskin in developing the project, which will begin production later this year. Commenting on the announcement, Amy Pascal, co-chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Matt Tolmach, president of Columbia Pictures, said, At its core, Spider-Man is a small, intimate human story about an everyday teenager that takes place in an epic super-human world. The key for us as we sought a new director was to identify filmmakers who could give sharp focus to Peter Parkers life. We wanted someone who could capture the awe of being in Peters shoes so the audience could experience his sense of discovery while giving real heart to the emotion, anxiety, and recklessness of that age and coupling all of that with the adrenaline of Spider-Mans adventure. We believe Marc Webb is the perfect choice to bring us on that journey. Arad and Ziskin added jointly, Over the years, the Spider-Man comics have been told with bold and creative new writers and artists who have re-calibrated the way audiences see Peter Parker. Marc Webb will do for the new direction of the films what so many visionary storytellers have done with the comic books. He is an incredibly talented filmmaker and we look forward to working closely with him on this new adventure. Webb said, This is a dream come true and I couldn't be more aware of the challenge, responsibility, or opportunity. Sam Raimi's virtuoso rendering of Spider-Man is a humbling precedent to follow and build upon. The first three films are beloved for good reason. But I think the Spider-Man mythology transcends not only generations but directors as well. I am signing on not to take over from Sam. That would be impossible. Not to mention arrogant. I'm here because there's an opportunity for ideas, stories, and histories that will add a new dimension, canvas, and creative voice to Spider-Man. Stan Lee, co-creator of Spider-Man, added, Im excited that Sony has chosen a director with a real penchant and understanding for the character. This is a brave, bold direction for the franchise, and I cant wait to see what Marc comes up with next. Added Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige, The idea of re-imagining the on-screen story for one of the worlds most iconic superheros is sure to deliver an exciting new dimension to Spider-Man fans everywhere. There are volumes of comics and material available to inspire fresh and compelling takes on Peter Parker and his journey as Spidey and we look forward to seeing this come alive onscreen. Marc Webbhas won acclaim with his film debut (500) Days of Summer. He has several MTV VMAs including 2009's Best Director award for Green Day's "21 Guns," 2006 Best Rock Video for AFIs Miss Murder, and Best Group Video for The All-American Rejects Move Along. The Music Video Production Association honored him in 2006 as the Director of the Year for his work with Weezer, AAR, and My Chemical Romance. In addition to two Golden Globe nominations including Best Picture (musical or comedy), his first feature film, (500) Days of Summer, starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel, has been nominated for three Independent Spirit Awards, including Best Feature. Webb was also awarded the Spotlight Award, which honors outstanding directorial debuts, by the National Board of Review.