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[Think]

I was looking forward to Spidey 4 for the Super Hero Squad sub-line, but this is pretty good news. Let the franchise keep some dignity.

The teenager idea is pretty bad, though. I'd rather somebody just create a new movie-universe Sinister 6, allowing for the chance to popularize 2 or 3 lesser-known villains. Spread the action over two movies, then that's it.

The Sinister 6 would actually be the Sinister 7, as the six would be recruited by J. Jonah Jameson - actually the Chameleon in disguise.

Actually, nevermind, I've already seen it now 

[thecollector22]

Anyone think this is Disney's first powerplay at Marvel?

[really_rather_not_nice]

Y'know, I think this was more of a Sony thing, actually.

I think they think that they need a really "popular" villain to make their franchise have the fire that Iron Man has (which, as most decisions made by executives do, misses the point)I think it had a bit to do with Raimi's not wanting to tow the company line, and this being seen as stalling. They do have to do something with the property after all, or the rights revert back to Marvel, and they can't have that now that Marvel is a real force to be reckoned with. Also I get the feeling that they are trying to learn from Marvel's success, and now see the current iteration of Spider-Man as old and tired, and needing a revamp.

What I would really like to see of course is Marvel get back the rights to the X-Men and Spider-Man and the Fantastic 4, and make halfway decent movies out of them. But I will reserve my true wishing for this to happen until after I've seen the rest of the Avenger-family movies. I think seeing Iron Man 2, Thor and the Captain America Movie will be the true litmus test as to how awesome Marvel Studios truly is. I mean Iron Man was great, but we can't judge them on that one movie alone.

But I think SPider-Man is still waiting for the right treatment and the right director. I just don't think Raimi was really the guy.

[Laser Lemon]

But to be really bluntly honest, I never really got that much into the Raimi films anyway. I thought heach movie had some really great moments, that if stitched all together would have made one really great Spider-Man movie... but the same could be said about all the terrible moments too.
...I think Spider-Man is still waiting for the right treatment and the right director. I just don't think Raimi was really the guy.

I totally agree with you here.  I loved the first movie, and had nothing but good things to say about the way it catapulted Spidey into the public consciousness.  But the nitpicking geek in me was really offput by part 2.  The screaming into the camera bits and the fact that Pete would let some guy get robbed in an alley without even telling anyone bugged me.  I mean, his uncle got shot by a dude in the same situation!  And then part 3, with all the campy stuff and the backhanding MJ, man, that gave me flashbacks to the clone years.  And don't even get me started on the Sandman shooting Uncle Ben.  I have to agree, a change was long overdue. 

[clevernamehere]

I think I'm closest to Think on this one... while I really wanted to see the merchandising (SHS specifically) that a movie would bring, a reboot at this point is probably for the best movie wise.

Maybe a reboot can get everyone what they want... it'll start with a smaller villain/group of villains (but teasing a bigger villain the way Iron Man did, or just using the "lesser" villains for their own merit like Batman Begins), then move on to Norman Osborn later in the franchise. 

If they DO choose to go back to high school, it'll irk me to no end (but ultimately change nothing) because I've never been one of those that believed Spider-Man is better as a high school kid.  Some people don't realize how little time he actually spent in high school.  He graduated in like 1965 after only a couple years of publication.  He was in college or on his own working for literally decades, including his animated appearances in stuff like Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends and the 90's Spider-Man Animated series.

[really_rather_not_nice]

I think I'm closest to Think on this one... while I really wanted to see the merchandising (SHS specifically) that a movie would bring, a reboot at this point is probably for the best movie wise.

Maybe a reboot can get everyone what they want... it'll start with a smaller villain/group of villains (but teasing a bigger villain the way Iron Man did, or just using the "lesser" villains for their own merit like Batman Begins), then move on to Norman Osborn later in the franchise. 

If they DO choose to go back to high school, it'll irk me to no end (but ultimately change nothing) because I've never been one of those that believed Spider-Man is better as a high school kid.  Some people don't realize how little time he actually spent in high school.  He graduated in like 1965 after only a couple years of publication.  He was in college or on his own working for literally decades, including his animated appearances in stuff like Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends and the 90's Spider-Man Animated series.

And that's why I've never been all that into the Ultimate run. Either they make him a perpetual teenager in the comics forever, or he has to grow up sometime dammit! And I just don't see a teenage boy being called "Spider-Man". It sticks in my craw.

[jestergoblin]

And that's why I've never been all that into the Ultimate run. Either they make him a perpetual teenager in the comics forever, or he has to grow up sometime dammit! And I just don't see a teenage boy being called "Spider-Man". It sticks in my craw.

In the Ultimate Universe, Peter Parker ages (roughly) one year for every 100 issues. In the course of the entire series, it's only been like a year and a half for him.

And Spider-Man was originally a young guy and that was one of the defining parts of his character. Up until Spider-Man, there were no young heroes who weren't sidekicks. Bucky and Robin were the only two close to Peter's age but both had mentors - something Spider-Man didn't.

It's easy to look back now and say a young hero isn't anything new, but Spider-Man was one of the first young heroes and it really is a defining part of his character - even today. The whole point of Spider-Man is that he's a young hero.

[wwwyzerd]

Technically Johnny Storm was the first young hero, but I get what you're saying...I'm just a stickler for details.

[really_rather_not_nice]

And that's why I've never been all that into the Ultimate run. Either they make him a perpetual teenager in the comics forever, or he has to grow up sometime dammit! And I just don't see a teenage boy being called "Spider-Man". It sticks in my craw.

It's easy to look back now and say a young hero isn't anything new, but Spider-Man was one of the first young heroes and it really is a defining part of his character - even today. The whole point of Spider-Man is that he's a young hero.

I just don't particulary care for that interpretation of the character. I prefer him to be a young man, perhaps even eighteen or nineteen, but not a kid. In the comics, he's been around long enough now that he should be treated almost like a seasoned veteran at this point, but I still like the fact that he still has heroes to look up to, and that he's human and makes mistakes because of his personality. I really loved the moment in one of the first issues of New Avengers when Cap gives Spider-Man the compliment of telling him how impressed he is with the work he's done, and PEter seems genuinely surprised and honored. Because even though he's been around forever, and he's had all this experience, there is that part of Peter Parker that will never feel he's truly up to snuff, and will never truly recognize his own greatness. Almost a built-in innocence or naivete when it comes to his own legend. I think as long as Marvel preserves that sense of inner-youth, it doesn't really matter if he's in high school or college, or is living paycheck to paycheck working for the Bugle or whatever.

[wintersoldier69]

More information about what killed Spider-Man 4 just came out.  You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login

The gist of the plot for Spider-Man 4 is that Peter Parker gets over MJ, finds a new girl, falls in love. But: Peter also discovers her father is actually the Vulture, a naughty green guy with wings to be played by John Malkovich. Peter is torn between the love of his new lady and taking down the Vulture. Being a Spandex tight-ass, he decides to take down the Vulture, and kills him. This patricide goes down poorly with Peter’s new fiancée, and she rejects him. Despondent, Peter decides to abandon his superpowers, and Movie No. 4 ends with Peter Parker throwing away his Spider-Man mask, and audiences wondering if they are watching Superman II.

In retrospect I'm glad we're not getting this movie after all.  I like the Vulture but he's not really enough of a major villain to build a movie around.  And he's pretty similar to the Goblins in color scheme and abilities and we've had two of those already in the movies.

[Toxin]

Dude, I can't believe they cancelled Spiderman 4. I am so bumbed out. All though I didn't entirely love what they did to Venom in the last film I still thought the movie was awesome. I was really excited about this film eventhough it was developing around a weird story.
I really can't see myself liking what they are planning now. Damb I am so bumbed out I am truely at a loss for words. 

[Think]

Well, Sony now gets the George Lucas Story Commitment Award for making things up as they go along.

If the movies were going to go that far into left field, then how about this:

Modify House of M; in the movie continuity, it's an dream world crafted by Mysterio. By trapping Spidey mentally in Mysterio's universe, villains can return, story elements can drastically change, but none of it's permanent. The movie could also capitalize on the nice-looking House of M costume.

The one shared element between the dream world and the real world would be Mad Jack. By defeating the pumpkin-headed menace in the dream world, Spidey could escape and go after Mysterio and Mad Jack in actuality (using Quentin and Maguire Beck as the movie team of villains).

[clevernamehere]

That... that plot actually makes sense.

The illusion/hysteria/mindbending stuff would be a good opportunity to let the movie do the wild fantasy stuff that's too unreal for the movie they want (Electro throwing thunderbolts, Connors becoming the Lizard, dead characters like Green Goblin returning)

For a variation on the theme, what about a version of Kraven's Last Hunt?  The drugged Spidey can hallucinate all these crazy things, like a world where there are symbiotes like Carnage or there's an army of goblins... green, grey, hob... all the flavors.  Meanwhile, the actual villain is a very frightening, very believable, regular guy that used his wiles to trap Spider-Man while he systematically stalks and terrorizes all of Peter's friends and loved ones.

[really_rather_not_nice]

Kraven and Mysterio together. I think that could really work, if you take elements of both those plots you guys have outlined, and made Kraven the physical threat underlying Mysterio's psychological one. Both are human-level threats, and in my opinion ONLY, neither one is really complex enough to focus an entire movie on. That's a superviallain team-up that would make sense and not overshadow each other (though Mysterio's presence would be felt more through the special effects than as himself, which is as it should be). Both are Spidey classics, and would thrill the kiddos if done correctly.