From the get-go, there’s been a certain amount of cynicism regarding THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN. Firstly, they said it was too soon to reboot the franchise. And then, they didn’t like the Lizard – he was too CG and veered off from the original comic version.
But THN has been confident all along. In the comic book world characters are reinvented and reinterpreted all the time. It’s the key to their longevity and an integral part of the medium. And it seems like that’s exactly what Sony and director Marc Webb are doing – looking back at aspects of Spider-Man’s history not explored in the Sam Raimi movies, and using these to change the tone, direction, and focus of the franchise.This time around, the disappearance of Peter Parker’s parents is set to play a big role.
And THN applauds this. We also applaud the decision to ground the story in Parker’s school years (always the most fondly-remembered era from the original comic) and the addition of Gwen Stacey as the love interest. And as far as THN is concerned, the Lizard looks fine – we’d rather one, emotionally relevant villain and three meaningless ones.
For those still unsure, check out this four-minute preview of THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN. It looks AWESOME.
THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN stars Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans, Martin Sheen, Sally Field, and Dennis Leary. It arrives in UK cinemas 4th July.
Tom Fordy is a writer and journalist. Originally from Bristol, he now lives in London. He is a former editor of The Hollywood News and Loaded magazine. He also contributes regularly to The Telegraph, Esquire Weekly and numerous others. Follow him @thetomfordy.
