Spider-Man 3
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- For the video game based on the movie, see Spider-Man 3 (video game).
Columbia Pictures officially announced that the main filming for Spider-Man 3 started on January 2, 2006; however, certain preliminary test photography was said to have begun as early as September 2005. Filming began on November 5, 2005. If the reported $300 million budget is true, Spider-Man 3 will be the most expensive film ever made in nominal U.S. dollars, breaking 's budget record of $210 million, and second, in adjusted dollars, to War and Peace's budget of $560 Million. [Spider-Man 3 information] IMDb.com. URL accessed June 27, 2006. [Movie budget records] The-numbers.com. URL accessed June 27, 2006.
- 1 New actors
- 2 Official announcements
- 3 Possible villains, characters, and storylines
- 3.1 Dylan Baker
- 3.2 Elizabeth Banks
- 3.3 Bruce Campbell
- 3.4 Thomas Haden Church
- 3.5 James Cromwell
- 3.6 James Franco
- 3.7 Daniel Gillies
- 3.8 Topher Grace
- 3.9 Bryce Dallas Howard
- 4 Cameos
- 5 Film score
- 6 Trivia
- 7 Cast
- 8 References
- 9 External links
New actors
Thomas Haden Church, who starred in the movie Sideways, and Topher Grace, known for his role as Eric Forman on That 70's Show, are two new actors being cast, both as antagonists in the new film. Church will play Flint Marko, alias Sandman.Topher Grace will be playing Eddie Brock, though sources say that he may also make an appearance as Spider-Man's arch-rival and fearsome villain, Venom. Several images of him wielding a camera and his brief appearance in the teaser trailer also support this. This is furthered by the fact that several interviews with cast members have confirmed the presence of Venom in the film; however, whether or not this refers to Brock's alternate identity, or simply to the symbiote costume with which he merges is unclear (referring to the symbiote itself as "Venom" is a common mistake), leading to speculation over whether or not Brock will actually become Venom in this film.
Bryce Dallas Howard (daughter of Ron Howard) will also make her debut in the third film as Gwen Stacy - Spider-Man's first serious girlfriend in the comic book series.
James Cromwell will appear in the film as Gwen's father, Police Captain George Stacy. ["James Cromwell joins cast of Spiderman 3]" Freezedriedmovies.com. URL accessed June 27, 2006.
Official announcements
- Sony Pictures Entertainment has released an official gallery for the villain candidates on the movie website. The gallery's front page says: "There has been a lot of speculation about who the villains will be in the upcoming Spider-Man 3. We're not going to spoil your fun but here are some of the candidates." The site then goes on to list: Carnage, Chameleon, Doctor Octopus, Electro, Green Goblin, Hobgoblin, Hydro, Kraven the Hunter, Jackal, Lizard, Mysterio, Rhino, Sandman, Scorpion, Venom, and Vulture. [Spider-man villain gallery] Sonypictures.com . URL accessed June 27, 2006.
- On November 5, 2005 Thomas Haden Church was officially cast as the villain Sandman along with the first image from Spider-Man 3 being released.
- On February 23, 2006, a photo was shown on [SuperHeroHype.com] of Spider-Man in what appears to be a black costume. Later that day, the official web site updates confirming the authenticity of the photo by placing it on the cover of the Daily Bugle with the head line "SPIDER-MAN IS WEARING A BLACK SUIT!" At the bottom of the page it states, "You may think you are looking at a black and white photo. Look closely. Spider-Man wears a black suit in Spider-Man 3", all in black capitals.
- Former Marvel Studios CEO Avi Arad has said that there are four villains in Spider-Man 3: Venom, Sandman, Green Goblin II, and a mysterious fourth. He states that the fourth will be revealed during the next Comic Con. Many have speculated that the Chameleon could be the fourth villain. Many early reports stated Dmetri Smerdyakov, the Chameleon's true name, would be portrayed as one of Peter's teachers at college. ["Four Spider-Man 3 Villains!"] Superherohype.com. URL accessed June 27, 2006. Others speculate it is the Lizard, the Hobgoblin, the Black Cat, Mysterio, Carnage and even the Man-Wolf.
- The first teaser trailer for Spider-Man 3 accompanied the theatrical release of Superman Returns, although it was released on the internet on June 27. [Spider-Man 3 trailer] Apple.com. URL accessed June 27, 2006.
- Recently, WireImage.com spoiled [a big Spider-Man 3 plot twist] with five pages of images from the movie.
- The teaser trailer contained images of the symbiote taking over Spider-Man's suit, Sandman, and Green Goblin II. It also showed Topher Grace with a camera looking very much like Eddie Brock. He looked up at the screen and said, "Parker". Although this may confirm Topher's casting as Eddie Brock, it doesn't verify whether or not Venom will be in the film.
Possible villains, characters, and storylines
Dylan Baker
The Lizard was once considered the most likely villain due to the appearance of Dr. Curt Connors in Spider-Man 2 (played by Dylan Baker) who becomes The Lizard in the Spider-Man comics. However, Baker was not immediately signed for the third film while other actors were sought and signed first, which might indicate that the filling the role of Connors/The Lizard is not imperative. There is also concern that another sympathetic "mad scientist" villain in the third movie might seem repetitive after both the Green Goblin and Doctor Octavius. However, Avi Arad, CEO of Marvel Comics, confirmed in June 2005 that Baker is signed to this movie. There is a theory that Dr. Connors will be helping Spider-Man stop the bonding process of the symbiote and capture it for a brief period of time before it bonds with Eddie Brock.Elizabeth Banks
According to Superherohype.com, Elizabeth Banks will return to reprise her role as Betty Brant in Spider-Man 3. She told SCI FI Wire she's "still not sure how much of her character will remain in the final cut of the movie", and she urged journalists to remind Sam Raimi that she was Peter Parker's first love interest, according to the comic-book history.Bruce Campbell
Fans have been wondering what role Bruce Campbell would be playing in this Spider-Man movie (he played a ring announcer in Spider-Man, a rude usher in Spider-Man 2, and provided the voice for the guide the Spider-Man 2 video game). Campbell stated in an interview on G4 that he would be "annoying Spider-Man" in the third film. However, in a recent fan made interview which was subsequently removed at the request of Sony [link], they claimed that Bruce Campbell would be playing Quentin Beck (Mysterio in the comics). Although the interview was fan made, the poster contends that there were elements of the interview that did not originate from him. It's interesting to note that, in the Ultimate Spider-Man comic, a story arc dealing with the filming of a Spider-man movie had the character Mysterio as a villain in the film, played by an actor that is supposed to be Bruce Campbell.Thomas Haden Church
At a recent press conference, Kirsten Dunst, who plays Mary Jane Watson in the franchise, claimed Thomas Haden Church will be playing Sandman, and Topher Grace will be playing Venom. She also claimed that there would be "two and a half bad guys", and that one of them would be "resurrected", which was confirmed to be the Green Goblin in the recent teaser trailer. Another possibility is that the "half bad guy" would be Spider-Man, bonded with the symbiote. ["Dunst Spills The Spidey Villain Beans"] Chud.com. URL accessed June 27, 2006.
Of these claims, only Church's role as Sandman and the "resurrection" of the Green Goblin have been confirmed, the first by pictures released by Sony and both by the teaser trailer released for the film. The veracity of her other claims are in question, as she admitted that she had not read the script at the time of the press conference. In the past, she has also "confirmed" villains appearing in Spider-Man 2. Of these villains (Doctor Octopus, Man-Wolf, and The Lizard), only Doctor Octopus appears, thus the veracity of her claims are still under some dispute. (The Lizard was slated for the movie, but he was removed [not counting the cameo of Dr. Curt Connors, who becomes The Lizard], and Man-Wolf appears in his pre-transformation form, John Jameson.)
It has been revealed in the press, through photos taken during filming, that Flint Marko/Sandman may have been central to the birth of Spider-Man in the first film. The photos depict Marko and Uncle Ben together, with the carjacker, who Peter attacked afterwards, standing in the background.
James Cromwell
Joining the cast is James Cromwell who has been confirmed to play Gwen Stacy's father, George Stacy. In the comics, George is the retired chief of the New York Police and approves of Peter's and Gwen's relationship, but George is killed by saving a boy from some falling rubble due to a battle between Spider-Man and Doctor Octopus and dies in the rescue. Doctor Octopus is presumably deceased at the end of the second film. Whether or not this will happen without Doc Ock to Cromwell's character in the movie is unknown.James Franco
According to the filmography on his official website [link], James Franco's character, Harry Osborn, will become the second Green Goblin (a.k.a. Green Goblin II). Harry Osborn becomes Green Goblin II in most comic book adaptations in which he is featured, although he was the Hobgoblin in the Ultimate Spider-Man adaptation. The first Green Goblin, played by Willem Dafoe, was the villain in the first movie and was also the father of Franco's character. Director Sam Raimi has stated that this movie will stray the most from the comic books and has hinted at the possibility that Franco may not become a supervillain at all. Rumors have surfaced of Harry becoming a "good Goblin" shortly before dying at the end of the film. It has also been confirmed by Franco that this will be the last Spider-Man movie his character will be in.[link]
In screenshots of the Spider-Man 3 teaser trailer, a scene is shown depicting Harry riding a snowboard-like glider, and wearing his own Goblin suit. While the suit is green, with what looks like some purple elements, it differs from his father's, as he looks more like a burglar with high tech equipment than the Goblin. This design was already spoiled months ago in a Q and A session with a CGI worker on the movie.[link]
Daniel Gillies
Daniel Gillies returns to reprise the role of John Jameson in Spider-Man 2. In the comics, John finds an odd jewel on the moon which transforms him into the Man-Wolf. While the Man-Wolf is a minor villain, he has recently been re-appearing in the comics, which might mean he could appear in a future film. In , John Jameson was the astronaut who brought back the Venom symbiote from an asteroid. As he was already established as an astronaut in Spider-Man 2 and the character seems to serve no further purpose, this makes it possible to use an origin similar to the cartoon's version of Venom's origin.Topher Grace
"Spider-Man will face double the trouble in our next film and I couldn't be more excited about the direction we are taking Peter Parker and the franchise," said Raimi. "Topher Grace is an extraordinarily talented actor and will be perfect for the complexities of the role we are developing." Sam Raimi also let slip that one or both villains would involve massive, mind-bending CGI, which have since been revealed to be Sandman and the symbiote suit that Spider-Man wears. Raimi stated that the film might have been released in 2006 were it not for the tremendous amount of post-production work needed to perfect the CGI.
Raimi was vague about Grace's role, stating only that Topher Grace will play "a complex role" that will contrast with the comedic, wholesome, or good-natured roles he's most known for playing. It has since been revealed that he is playing Eddie Brock. Photos of Topher carrying a camera during shooting scenes led many to believe this was the case long before the confirmation. Also, Brock may not become Venom in this movie. Sam Raimi has previously stated he dislikes the Venom character and claimed that as long as he's directing Spider-Man movies, Venom will never be in one as a villain. He could have, of course, changed his mind or lied (in the special features of the first Spider-Man DVD, Raimi claimed that Doctor Octopus would not be in the second movie). A possible story arc, to correspond to Raimi's original claims, is that Eddie will be his own antagonist to Peter/Spider-Man throughout the movie.
The release of the photograph of Spider-Man in a black costume (see picture on top right) followed by the teaser trailer confirming it to be the symbiote suit has strengthened the rumor of a Venom appearance, as the symbiote suit is an essential element of the Venom story arc. The famous scene in which Spider-Man dispels the creature using the sound of a ringing bell in a tower is also featured (although whether the costume is an alien being, as in the original comics, or a genetic experiment like the Ultimate Marvel version remains to be seen).
Variety's Michael Fleming has claimed that Grace will indeed be playing Venom. This has been a source of great controversy among fans, with many objecting to the casting of Grace as Venom on the grounds that the lean build of Topher Grace does not resemble the enormous build of weightlifter Eddie Brock from the comic book. Nevertheless, in the ongoing alternate universe known as Ultimate Spider-Man, which contextualizes the life of Peter Parker and his conversion to the superhero Spider-Man for the contemporary generation, Eddie Brock Jr. - who more closely resembles Topher Grace's stature and new blonde hair - is a boyhood friend of Parker's who eventually dons the persona of Venom, albeit with a non-alien origin. It is likely that a movie version of Eddie Brock would pull elements from the 1990's cartoon version, where he is depicted as a struggling photographer/journalist who loses his family and home due to Spider-Man. Chatter on fansites supports this posibility, with support coming from the notion that the alien symbiote backstory is too complicated for a mainstream film.
- In an interview with writer Gregory Ellwood of the [MSN Movies and Entertainment website], Thomas Haden Church has confirmed that the character Venom does appear in the film, although no mention of Topher Grace playing that character was stated.
- In another interview on [CHUD], Church once again said that both his character and Topher's character were accidentally blurted out, referencing Kirsten Dunst's reveal of Sandman and Venom as the villains.
- In other set pictures from New York, a scene was shot which involved an armored truck and possibly Sandman; there is a number on the roof of the truck. The number could symbolize the introduction of Venom, seeing as it is the date that Venom first appeared in the comics.
- New photos of Tobey Maguire on the New York set shows Tobey having a black and gray spidey suit under his shirt.
- More recent set photos reveal Topher Grace (as possibly Eddie Brock) with blonde hair and a black leather jacket. This portrayal of Eddie Brock would appear to be influenced by the "Ultimate" version of the Spiderman comic series. [link]
- Also, in a [newspaper seen in the film], the picture seen appears to be credited to Eddie Brock, though it is difficult to read at best.
- On a radio interview on Opie and Anthony, Thomas Haden Church confirmed that Venom will be in the film, and that he expected him to appear pretty much like the comic book version. [Radio interview with Thomas Haden Church] Sbrooks1.com. URL accessed June 28, 2006.
- The July 3-9 issue of TV Guide contains two pictures from the Spider-Man 3 set, both of which featuring the blonde Topher Grace. Part of the article reads, "Also in Manhattan, Topher Grace entered the superhero world as Eddie Brock (aka the guy who becomes the evil Venom) in Spider-Man 3." This essentially confirms Grace's role as Brock; however, no announcement has been made by Sony as of yet.
Bryce Dallas Howard
As of January 18, 2006, Bryce Howard has been signed to appear in a major role in Spider-Man 3. She has been reported to be portraying Spider-Man's first real girlfriend in the comics, Gwen Stacy. In a recent appearance on The Tonight Show, Howard is seen with freshly-dyed, long, blonde hair, further confirming the casting. The Hollywood Reporter reports that Gwen will be the third part of a love triangle in the film and, perhaps more importantly, will survive. More information can be found at SuperHeroHype.com. The teaser trailer shows Peter Parker dancing with her.
Cameos
- The Amazing Spider-Man TV star Nicholas Hammond (who was the first actor to portray a live-action Peter Parker) is rumored to have a cameo role in the third movie.
- Stan Lee will most likely have a quick cameo as in the last two films.[link] Stan Lee tends to make a cameo appearance in any film he has a hand in creating.
- Chris Tucker is rumored to have a cameo appearance as a cab driver.
- Sam Raimi will likely have a short cameo, much like Stan Lee.
- Cliff Robertson will reprise his role as Uncle Ben, presumably in a flashback or dream sequence, as in Spider-Man 2.
Film score
Composer Danny Elfman has confirmed that he will not be back for the third installment of Spider-Man, due to difficulties with director Sam Raimi, [link], and instead he will be working on the movie Charlotte's Web. The film will instead be scored by Christopher Young [link], however Elfman's theme will still be adapted for the third film, as Sony owns the rights to it.Trivia
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- The teaser site for the movie was brought online on April 8, 2006.
- The teaser for the movie was released before the release of Superman Returns on the Spider-Man 3 teaser website on June 27, 2006.)
Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Dylan Baker | Dr. Curt Connors |
| Bryce Dallas Howard | Gwen Stacy |
| Kirsten Dunst | Mary Jane Watson |
| James Franco | Harry Osborn / Green Goblin II |
| Daniel Gillies | John Jameson |
| Rosemary Harris | Aunt May |
| Tobey Maguire | Peter Parker / Spider-Man |
| Bill Nunn | Joseph "Robbie" Robertson |
| Ted Raimi | Hoffman |
| J. K. Simmons | J. Jonah Jameson |
| James Cromwell | Captain George Stacy |
| Thomas Haden Church | Flint Marko / Sandman |
| Topher Grace | Eddie Brock |
| Elizabeth Banks | Betty Brant |
| Cliff Robertson | Uncle Ben |
| Tim DeZarn | Philip Watson |
| Michael Papajohn | Carjacker |
| Bruce Campbell | To Be Announced |
References
External links
- [Spider-Man website]
- [Spider Man 3 teaser trailer] at [Apple.com] (requires [Quick Time Player])
- [Spider-Man Movies] hype at the [SuperHeroHype!]
- [Spiderman 3 at Rotten Tomatoes]
- [Spiderman 3 at Movie Tab]
- [Spiderman 3 at CanMag]
- [Spiderman 3 trailer]
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