Khan's 'Spider-Man' Villain Role Update

irrfan-khanIn an article at the NY TIMES, it was indicated that Irrfan Khan (SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE) will be playing the comic book character Nels Van Adder.
Nels Van Adder was a researcher who unwittingly first tested the formula that would later bring about the Green Goblin. In the Marvel comics, this resulted in Van Adder becoming a monstrous and deadly creature, sometimes referred to as the “Proto-Goblin”.
proto-GoblinKhan was evidently  unfamiliar with the character, not even sure of his name, having seen only a few pages of the “top-secret” script to the film.
If based on the comic book story, this would give George Stacy (Denis Leary) a more significant and directly involved role to play than simply being Gwen Stacy’s (Emma Stone) father.
Annie Parisse is set to play Van Atter’s wife.

'Spider-Man' Reboot Shoots RED Epic

RED_epic-2In a post at Reduser.net, John Schwartzman (ARMAGEDON ), Director of Photography on Columbia Pictures still-untitled Spider-Man film, revealed the film began shooting on Monday, December 6th, using RED Epics; new digital cameras configured to capture the images in High Definition 3-D.

Today was Epic, Monday December 6 marks the first day the Red Epic camera was used to shoot a major studio motion picture. I can say for certainty the camera does exist, and boy is it ready for primetime, as a matter of fact it’s a true game changer. We shot in 3D with 4 Epics mounted on 2 3ality TS-5 rigs today, we did 22 set ups, including running high speed and the images look stunning! …For the first time in digital cinematography, small size doesn’t come with a resolution penalty, as a matter of fact there isn’t a higher resolution camera available other than IMAX, and this one weighs 5lbs with an ultra prime on it, suddenly 3D isn’t a 100 lb beast! We had the cameras on dollies and a libra head today and we flew the 3D rig like it was an Arri 435. You guys told me you could do it in September and here we are today, Congratulations.
I am lighting by eye except that I’ve had to re-train myself to work at lower light levels because the camera is so sensitive. The images we made today were stunning, rich beautiful color and the resolution of a vistavision camera all in a package the size of a Hasselblad 501.
…. I can tell you without these cameras it would be impossible to move a 3D rig in the ways that THIS story demands, if Jim (ED. Note: Jim Jannard, head of RED Cameras) and the crew hadn’t made these cameras available to us I don’t think we could have shot this movie the way our director envisioned it in 3D. Guys, you’ve trusted me to take these out on their maiden voyage and I can tell you that after today I won’t let you down.”

Looks as though Marc Webb’s Spider-Man production will be the first feature to use the cameras, which only debuted in April of this year, and faced some technical and manufacturing hurdles.
Peter Jackson, an early proponent of RED’s other HD cameras, has ordered 30 RED Epics to shoot a real epic; his 3-D, two-part adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkein’s THE HOBBIT.
Via SuperheroHype

Peter's Parents in 'Spider-Man' reboot

Campbell_ScottAccording to The Hollywood Reporter,  Campbell Scott (THE EXORCISM OF EMILY ROSE) has been signed to play Peter Parker’s (Andrew Garfield) father in Sony/Columbia’s SPIDER-MAN reboot.
Julianne Nicholson (LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT)  is said to be in talks to play his mother.
In the comics, it was revealed in later years that Peter’s parents Richard and Mary Parker were spies for the U.S. government (agents of S.H.I.E.L.D), and killed in the line of duty when he was quite young. One of the various Red Skulls was involved with their death, framing them as traitors.
 Irrfan Khan (SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE) and Annie Parisse (RUBICON) are reported to be under consideration to play a villainous couple, Khan’s character named Van Atter, with Parisse as his wife.
No details as yet about how much of a part any of these characters will play in the film.

Denis Leary to join 'Spider-Man'?

Leary_rescueMEAccording to The Hollywood Reporter,  Denis Leary (RESCUE ME) is in talks to play Captain George Stacy, the policeman father of Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone), Peter Parker’s (Andrew Garfield) love interest.
In the comic books, Capt. Stacy deduces Peter Parker is Spider-Man, but keeps the knowledge to himself, tacitly approving his activities.  He dies after being hit by falling bricks during a battle between Spider-Man and Doc Ock — an accident Gwen blames on the web-slinger. This of course complicates her relationship with Peter, leading to a temporary break-up.
It’s unknown if the script by  James Vanderbilt and Alvin Sargent of the as-yet-untitled movie will feature any of these incidents, or variations thereof.

Uncle Ben & Aunt May Cast for 'Spiderman' Reboot?

martin_sheenDeadline.com says that Martin Sheen (THE DEAD ZONE, WEST WING) is set to take on the role of Peter Parker’s  Uncle Ben in Sony/ Columbia’s Spider-Man reboot movie.
It also states that Sally Field (FOREST GUMP, THE FLYING NUN) is in  talks to play Aunt May.
This would tend to support the notion that the movie will spend a good deal of time re-telling Spider-Man’s origin story. This was pretty much inevitable, once it was learned that  Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) is supposed to be a Sally_Fieldhigh school student in the new film.
Note: The Hollywood Reporter was somewhat more cautious, saying Martin Sheen was in “final negotiations” to play Uncle Ben in the as yet untitled film.
Production on the 3D film starts in December,  under the aptly-named director Marc Webb.

Spider-Man Villain to be Lizard?

According to The Wrap , the villain that Rhys Ifans will be playing in Sony/Columbia’s SPIDER-MAN reboot is Dr. Curt Connors — The Lizard.
Dylan Baker played Dr. Connors in SPIDER-MAN 2 and 3, as a sympathetic professor to Peter Parker, presumably before his experiments to regrow his missing arm.
In the original comics, Spider-Man discovers the Lizard in Florida when Peter Parker goes to investigate the case for The Daily Bugle. He uses Connors’ notes to affect an at least temporary cure for the condition, though he would sometime relapse back into his bipedal reptile form.

rhys_ifans
Rhys Ifans

Amazing Spider-Man #6
Amazing Spider-Man #6

Spider-Man Casting: Ryhs Ifans

rhys_ifansAccording to The Hollywood Reporter, Welsh actor Rhys Ifans (HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS) will play the un-named villain, opposite Andrew Garfield (Peter Parker) and Emma Stone (Gwen Stacy), in the as-yet-untitled Spider-Man reboot.
 The annoumcement came from Amy Pascal, co-chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment and Matt Tolmach, president of Columbia Pictures.
 Tolmach is quoted as saying the following:

 “We have been very fortunate to attract some of the best actors working today to play the villains in the SPIDER-MAN movies, and it is exciting to see that trend continue with Rhys Ifans. After seeing his performance in our upcoming film ANONYMOUS, we’re in awe of his talent and think he’s the perfect choice to take on this role.”

The new movie, to be directed by Marc Webb from a script by James Vanderbilt and produced by Avi Arad and Laura Ziskin,  is set to begin production in December, with a July 3rd, 2012 release in mind.

Emma Stone to play Gwen Stacy

emma_stone_ZombielandUPDATED: According to Sony Pictures Studio,  Emma Stone (ZOMBIELAND) has been cast in the  the role of Gwen Stacy, not  Mary Jane Watson in the Spider-Man reboot.
 
Deadline.com and other online sources previously indicated that Stone had been cast as Peter Parker’s (Andrew Garfield) later girlfriend and future wife Mary Jane, rather than the (in the comics) ill-fated Gwen Stacy, his first major love interest. 
Betty Brant (JJJ’s secretary) and schoolmate Liz Allen also had an interest in Peter Parker.

For a bookworm, young Peter did pretty well with the ladies...
For a bookworm, young Peter did pretty well with the ladies...

Mary Jane Cast in Spider-man Reboot?

emma_stone_ZombielandAccording to Deadline,  Columbia is offering Emma Stone (ZOMBIELAND) the role of Mary Jane Watson in the Spider-Man reboot.
 
Peter Parker’s first major girlfriend, Gwen Stacy, will also be in the film.  Dianna Agron (GLEE), Dominique McElligott (MOON),  Georgina Haig (ROADKILL) and Mia Wasikowska (ALICE IN WONDERLAND) are said to be under consideration for the role.

Garfield Preps For Spider-Man Reboot

andrew-garfield_Spider-manThe Associated Press asked Andrew Garfield (NEVER LET ME GO) at the Toronto International Film Festival about his preparations to play the part of Peter Parker/Spider-Man in the Sony-Columbia reboot of the Marvel Comics film franchise, which is set to begin shooting this December.

“We’re just talking about where we want to go with it and what kind of body shape it should be. What the skill set should be… I know I’m going to be doing a lot of flexibility training and a lot of strength training, because I have to swing and stuff. I’m just guessing, but it’s all kind of early stages.”

However, in terms of character, he says he’s been preparing most of his life. “Since I was 4 years old”, says Garfield, now 27.

” He was just this skinny boy. He was a skinny boy who felt stronger on the inside than he looked on the outside, and I related to it immediately, and it stayed with me as I grew up.
Every single generation of the comic, the cartoons and the movies, it all means a great deal to me. It was always something that gave me hope as a skinny little kid whose sense of injustice about the world didn’t match his sense of strength about his body. I found it so inspiring and uplifting and reassuring. To be a part of that mythology and that legacy is a true honor.”

Read the full interview at YahooNews