Sony announced at the start of July that The Amazing Spider-Man would be the first part of a trilogy. This was planned well before the box-office success of the film, which has already grossed over $500 million.
It was assumed that Marc Webb would be directing the next two parts as he did a great job with the first film and he has already started speaking about his plans for the sequel’s villain. Today though, The Hollywood Reporter is reporting that Columbia Pictures President Doug Belgrad has told them that there are some “obstacles” that they need to overcome if Webb is to return
When asked if Webb would be returning for the sequel Belgrad replied: “We’d really like him back, but there are obstacles. He has an obligation to Fox.” The obligation Belgrad speaks of would be the post-(500) Days Of Summer film, which Webb owes Fox as part of his deal for the 2009 film.
Stars Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone already have deals in place to secure their spots in the sequel, making Webb the only real unknown for the film, which is set to start production early in 2013.
Personally, I’m pretty upset about this. I think everyone assumed that with the success of the first film, there would be no question that Webb would be back for the second. Â If the director can’t work out a way to do both films under Columbia’s current schedule, I hope the studio will consider altering their plans.
I’m sure they could find a competent director to take over for Web, but the beauty of the first film was due largely to the Spider-Man universe that Webb created. He was able to intertwine the action scenes with the bits of Peter’s real life, which gave the film a heart and soul, not just a flashy exterior. It would be a real shame if he couldn’t return to direct the sequel.
Are you as upset by this news as I am? Let your thoughts be heard in the comments below.
