How Sony can save Spider-Man – Restore its luster

By SEAN O’CONNELL
It was the shot heard ‘round the geek community. After months of publicized rumors regarding hostile negotiations, “Spider-Man” director Sam Raimi and his star, Tobey Maguire, decided not to return for the lucrative series’ anticipated fourth installment.

Wasting no time, Sony – as was reported on HollywoodNews.com – announced plans to reboot the “Spider-Man” franchise, using a script from “Zodiac” scribe James Vanderbilt that would send an uncast Peter Parker back to high school for a grittier take on the iconic Marvel Comic superhero.

Reboots are the rage, as everything from “Star Trek” and Batman to the decades-old James Bond franchise are getting reimagined for a new generation. But “Spider-Man” hasn’t been out of theaters for very long – the original hit theaters in 2002; the latest sequel, “Spider-Man 3,” opened big in 2007 – so the character’s still very fresh in audiences minds.

Believe it or not, that’s a positive for Sony, which has a golden opportunity to start over and improve on Raimi’s close-but-no-cigar take on our favorite web slinger. Since the contents of Vanderbilt’s screenplay are a mystery to most, I’m going to float three suggestions Sony should follow if they hope to restore Spider-Man’s luster and appease rabid fans of both the comics and the films.

1. Hire Bryan Singer
I almost said, “Hire Matthew Vaughn,” but after his high-octane comic book comedy “Kick-Ass” hits theaters this April, Sony probably would balk at his asking price. Singer, on the other hand, has expressed interest in returning to the comic book genre (albeit at the helm of an “X-Men” prequel) and has plenty of experience with character-driven superhero stories.

And while Singer’s first two “X-Man” were lauded by critics and fans, his misunderstood “Superman Returns” struggled to find a large audience. Something tells me Singer would like to hit a home run with his comic-book return, and a rejuvenated “Spider-Man” story would play to the narrative elements – a young hero, dual identities, humorous dialogue, large-scale action – that have attracted him to scripts in the past.

2. Treat Spider-Man like James Bond
Spidey fans with blogs and Web cams made it perfectly clear earlier this week – they don’t need to (and especially don’t want to) sit through Spider-Man’s origin story again. Yes, Christopher Nolan had to reintroduce Bruce Wayne for his “Batman Begins.” But Raimi’s recent “Spider-Man” films were so popular, covering that ground seems unnecessary.

Instead, I suggest treating Spidey the same way James Bond’s producers treat their iconic spy: Act as if we already know who he is and hit the ground running. Even “Casino Royale,” a 007 reboot of sorts, spent little time explaining who Bond was or what motivated him. Dive right in.
This presents a second benefit. Open the next “Spider-Man” movie with a major action sequence that’s completely isolated from the main story. Bond does this all the time in his films. That way fans could see Spider-Man face off against a classic villain who might not have enough backstory or character development to sustain an entire picture. Admittedly, I’m intrigued at seeing Spider-Man fight the Vulture. The aerial photography should be stunning. But do I want Vulture as the main villain of another Spider-Man film? Not exactly. Pit Spidey against Electro, Mysterio or a lesser-known baddie, then move on to a beefier conflict with Kraven the Hunter or The Lizard.

3. Time for a Marvel Team-Up
We’re already heading toward an “Avengers” movie that will pair Iron Man, Captain America, Thor and other icons from the Marvel universe in one picture. The next “Spider-Man” should follow that lead, incorporating other characters who tried to launch their own film franchises but couldn’t. Daredevil, the Punisher and the Fantastic Four frequently popped up in Spider-Man’s comics. Why not put them in a Spider-Man film? Ben Affleck has to be available. And if he isn’t, borrow Hugh Jackman for a Wolverine cameo. Ask Chris Evans if he’ll play Human Torch for a Spidey film. Drop a CGI Hulk into the mix. They call it a Marvel “universe” for a reason. Let’s see some of these stars cross each other’s orbits.