Spider-Man in film

Spider-Man, a superhero character built by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko for comic books published by Marvel Comics, has appeared in film since CBS's 1977 television film pilot, for the program The Amazing Spider-Man. Marvel Comics pursued plans for a feature film in the 1980s in a tumultuous development process that involved multiple directors, writers, and financiers. After protracted litigation over the Spider-Man copyrights, Sony Pictures and its subsidiary Columbia gained the film rights for $7 million from Marvel in 1999.

Overview§

Spider-Man, a superhero character built by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko for comic books published by Marvel Comics, has appeared in film since CBS's 1977 television film pilot, for the program The Amazing Spider-Man. Marvel Comics pursued plans for a feature film in the 1980s in a tumultuous development process that involved multiple directors, writers, and financiers. After protracted litigation over the Spider-Man copyrights, Sony Pictures and its subsidiary Columbia gained the film rights for $7 million from Marvel in 1999. Beginning in the 2000s, Columbia developed a film trilogy starring Tobey Maguire as Spider-Man, which includes Spider-Man (2002), Spider-Man 2 (2004), and Spider-Man 3 (2007). The original film, in particular, greatly influenced Hollywood's conception of superheroes. A reboot series featuring Andrew Garfield as Spider-Man followed, consisting of The Amazing Spider-Man (2012) and The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014). Sony then licensed the rights to Marvel Studios in a renewed agreement, yielding a succession of films that incorporated the character into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The MCU features a version of Spider-Man played by Tom Holland, beginning with Captain America: Civil War (2016). The animated Spider-Verse centers on a cast of Spider-Men led by Miles Morales, the main protagonist voiced by Shameik Moore. Sony's Spider-Man Universe (SSU) operates with a loosely shared continuity to all existing Spider-Man film franchises but does not explicitly feature the character. Amateur films around Spider-Man explore a range of interpretations from ordinary people. The mainstream Spider-Man films have been highly successful and make up the second highest-grossing film franchise of all time, collectively grossing over $11 billion worldwide. Critical opinion of films skew positive, and they sometimes garner Academy Awards recognition for achievement in visual effects and animation.

TV films§

Spider-Man is the superhero persona of high school student Peter Parker, a character built by Marvel Comics writer-editor Stan Lee and Steve Ditko in 1962 to entice teenage readers. Marvel partnered with CBS to make a TV adaptation of the character in the 1970s. The Marvel–CBS partnership yielded three Spider-Man TV films starring Nicholas Hammond for the live-action program The Amazing Spider-Man, which aired sporadically for thirteen episodes. The first film, Spider-Man (1977), follows the character's quest to thwart an extortionist's plot to kill a group of civilians with a mind control device. Two sequels, Spider-Man Strikes Back (1979) and Spider-Man: The Dragon's Challenge (1981), were composites of individual episodes of The Amazing Spider-Man. Each film gained minor distribution in theaters outside of the United States. A Japanese Spider-Man adaptation was conceived in the same period. Part of a four-year licensing deal with Marvel, Toei Company developed a theatrical film, Spider-Man (1978), as a spinoff to the live-action tokusatsu series of the same name, commonly referred to by its Japanese pronunciation Supaidāman. The film's origin story is a substantial departure from the source material, portraying Spider-Man as the alter ego of a motorcyclist seeking to avenge his deceased father with powers inherited from Garia, the lone survivor of the extinct Spider Planet.

Feature film development§

After the success of Superman (1978), Marvel started a concerted effort to make feature film projects. They abandoned several early Spider-Man proposals, including a musical and another concept culminating in a battle against Nazis and a 100-foot robot. By 1982, Roger Corman, an experienced producer of low-budget B films, optioned the rights to develop an adaptation with Orion Pictures from Lee's film treatment. Lee's original treatment featured Doctor Octopus as the primary antagonist and a subplot of nuclear war with the Soviet Union. Though, Lee and Corman ended their collaboration when they could not agree on a budget. The Cannon Group executives Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus acquired the film rights to Spider-Man for $225,000 in 1985, with a provision that would restore ownership to Marvel should a film not be made within five years. They brought on Tobe Hooper to outline an origin story with screenwriter Leslie Stevens, the result being one depicting Spider-Man as a literal spider. Lee, upset with the changes, persuaded Cannon to discard the work and start anew. Joseph Zito replaced Hooper as director, and a script was concocted from a pitch developed by Ted Newsom and John Brancato. Cannon spent $2 million on a script and subsequent rewrites, but financial woes and disputes over the artistic direction frustrated the development in total. After Pathé Communications bought Cannon, Golan and Globus split, and the Spider-Man film rights transferred to Golan's 21st Century Film Corporation through a severance package, before being sold to Carolco Pictures for $5 million in 1988. Carolco hired James Cameron as director and screenwriter with a stipulation that granted him authority over the distribution of producing credits, similar to his contract for Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), another Carolco production. Cameron's scriptment, which was around 57 pages long, concentrated on Spider-Man as a morally ambiguous character. Carolco extended Cannon's original deal with Marvel to May 1996, but the total cost of production rose to $50 million from its initial $15 million budget, leading the company to abandon the project by 1992 in the meantime. Protracted litigation ensued over the disposition of the Spider-Man copyrights, with Golan suing Carolco in 1993 over the claim that it had violated his contractually guaranteed credit as producer in the Cannon–Marvel agreement. Carolco then sued Viacom and Sony subsidiary Columbia Pictures over the syndication and home video rights, which Golan had sold them in separate sales, and the two studios countersued in lawsuits that, also, disputed Marvel's ownership stakes. 20th Century Fox, though not a main party in the litigation, contested Cameron's participation with a claim of exclusivity on his services as a director. By the mid-1990s, Carolco, 21st Century, and Marvel filed for bankruptcy, complicating the dispute. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) bought all 21st Century-owned assets and Carolco's film rights during the proceedings, and instigated another lawsuit alleging fraud in the Cannon–Marvel deal. According to a 2002 report from the Los Angeles Times, legal inquiries found that Marvel's licensing agreements overlapped, sometimes on dubious terms. After Marvel reemerged from bankruptcy in 1998, the courts ruled that the rights sold to Golan had expired, reverting the rights to the company. The studios spent the after year settling the remaining lawsuits, owing in part to soaring attorney fees. Marvel settled with Sony in a merchandising joint venture that conveyed the rights to make film, television, and sequels to Sony and subsidiary Columbia for $7 million. At the same time, MGM compromised with Sony by surrendering its claim to the Spider-Man film rights in exchange for rights to Casino Royale (2006) and the global distribution rights to all subsequent James Bond films. Sony's ownership is perpetual provided that they release a new Spider-Man film at least once every five years.

Spider-Man (2002)§

Columbia started developing Spider-Man after their rights acquisition in 1999. Sam Raimi was not an immediate favorite to direct the film, but producers appointed him director because they were impressed with his enthusiasm. Screenwriter David Koepp was hired to write the Spider-Man script, expanding on ideas introduced in Cameron's treatment. The script was revised under Scott Rosenberg and again by Alvin Sargent to improve dialogue. Columbia signed Tobey Maguire to a three-picture, $3–4 million pay-or-play contract as Peter Parker in July 2000, which stipulated greater compensation for subsequent films. Maguire was Raimi's preferred choice based on his performance in The Cider House Rules (1999). Leonardo DiCaprio, Freddie Prinze Jr., Heath Ledger, Scott Speedman and Wes Bentley were among the actors Columbia considered to star. Spider-Man explores Peter's struggles adapting to his newfound superpowers, which he acquires from the bite of a genetically engineered spider. After the death of his uncle Ben (Cliff Robertson), Peter vows to contain crime in New York, climaxing in a confrontation with the Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe). Spider-Man was shot from January to June 2001, and released in May 2002 after Sony extended the post-production schedule. It emerged as the third highest-grossing film of 2002 with $825 million globally, and was nominated for Best Visual Effects and Best Sound at the 75th Academy Awards. Spider-Man was a catalyst in the rise of superhero film and greatly influenced Hollywood conception of superheroes.

Spider-Man 2 (2004)§

A sequel to Spider-Man was announced by Columbia in April 2002. The studio re-hired most of the filmmaking crew responsible for the creation of the original film. The completed script coalesced from a draft conceived by Koepp, Alfred Gough, and Miles Millar, with Sargent credited as the lead screenwriter. Maguire gained an upfront salary of $17 million after months of negotiations for a new contract. The actor complained of persistent pain in his back sustained while shooting Seabiscuit (2003), and Columbia fired him as they considered his behavior disruptive. The studio reversed its decision when Ronald Meyer, the then-president of Vivendi Universal and Maguire's father-in-law, intervened. The Spider-Man 2 plot was partially inspired by the "Spider-Man No More!" story arc in The Amazing Spider-Man comics. Peter's powers become impotent as a result of strife in his daily life, forcing him to repudiate his duties as Spider-Man. Meanwhile, his mentor Dr. Otto Octavius (Alfred Molina) conducts a nuclear experiment that corrupts the tentacled contraption fused to his spine and then his mind, transforming him into Doctor Octopus, a mad scientist committed to creating a fusion reactor to destroy New York. Filming occurred in 2003, and Spider-Man 2 premiered in theaters in June 2004. The film won Best Visual Effects at the 77th Academy Awards.

Spider-Man 3 (2007)§

Because the studio wanted to commence soon on a sequel, Raimi and his brother Ivan spent around two months preparing a treatment while Spider-Man 2 ran in theaters. Sargent returned to write a screenplay after the direction of the Raimi treatment. The filmmakers were interested in resolving the character arcs with a tale of redemption and forgiveness. They also developed the script with an emphasis on Peter's evolving relationship with Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst). Spider-Man 3 sees Peter facing multiple threats, including Flint Marko / Sandman (Thomas Haden Church), an extraterrestrial symbiote that nearly consumes him, and Edward "Eddie" Brock Jr. / Venom (Topher Grace). Filming took place from January to July 2006, and the film was released in May 2007. Despite ending the theatrical run grossing $890.9 million, Spider-Man 3 drew mixed reviews in the media.

Cancellation of Spider-Man 4§

Media coverage of Spider-Man 4 gives contradictory accounts around the project's development. One report disseminated by Deadline Hollywood said Sony was prioritizing the sequel to shoot back-to-back with a fifth film. Though, Raimi maintained in a 2009 interview that the studio only pursued Spider-Man 4 and had no definitive proposals for further sequels. Even so, Sony recruited screenwriter James Vanderbilt to write scripts for a fourth, fifth, and sixth Spider-Man film in October 2007 and August 2009 after initial reports claimed the studio was negotiating with Koepp. The Spider-Man 4 script was rewritten by David Lindsay-Abaire and Gary Ross in November 2008 and October 2009. Raimi had been unhappy with Spider-Man 3 and wanted to build a satisfying narrative to conclude the franchise, but found himself at odds with Sony because he was unable to rectify problems in the story within the allotted time. The problems were such that the release was postponed several times to accommodate changes in the writing. Ultimately, Raimi withdrew as Spider-Man 4 director, prompting Sony to cancel the film in January 2010 and start development of a reboot. The media has since publicized information around plot, characters, and casting from interviews conducted with filmmakers involved in the project.

The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)§

Columbia committed to a Spider-Man reboot with Marvel Studios, envisioning an origin story that would showcase Peter's civilian life. They hired Marc Webb as director from a shortlist of filmmakers including David Fincher and Wes Anderson. Sargent, Vanderbilt, and Steve Kloves made the finished script. Casting reflected specifications for mostly unknown actors. Andrew Garfield joined as Peter Parker in July 2010, signing a three-picture deal with a starting salary of $500,000. Webb said he was convinced by Garfield's screen test of a cutscene eating a burger. The filmmakers felt it was important Peter's perception as an outcast be adapted to a modern context. The Amazing Spider-Man features Peter confronting the Lizard, the monstrous form of Curt Connors (Rhys Ifans), an Oscorp scientist who previously had a partnership with Peter's deceased father. It was shot from December 2010 to April 2011, and was released in the United States in July 2012. The Amazing Spider-Man finished as the seventh highest-grossing film of 2012, amassing $758 million at the box office.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014)§

Webb and Garfield were confirmed in the press to be returning for The Amazing Spider-Man 2 in September 2012. Vanderbilt was brought back to outline a draft, while scriptwriting responsibilities were assigned to Jeff Pinkner, Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman. Filmmakers redesigned the Spider-Man costume to more closely resemble both comic book suits and the suit in the Raimi films. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 depicts Peter's quest to protect Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone), resulting in battles with the electricity-manipulating Electro (Jamie Foxx) and a vengeful Harry Osborn (Dane DeHaan). Filming lasted around 100 days, followed by the theatrical rollout in May 2014. The Amazing Spider-Man 2, while profitable, failed to replicate the success of The Amazing Spider-Man.

Cancellation§

The Amazing Spider-Man's success spawned immediate discussion of an expanded Spider-Man film universe. Sony commissioned a third and fourth sequel for releases in 2016 and 2018; they secured Webb's commitment as director only for the former. Eventually, several spinoff projects took precedence, because of the relative failure of The Amazing Spider-Man 2, and sequel development collapsed when Sony entered a new licensing agreement with Marvel and parent company Walt Disney Studios.

Licensing agreement with Marvel Studios§

Marvel had been seeking to incorporate Spider-Man into their multimedia franchise, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), as early as 2014. They were pursuing control of the film rights thanks to their recent box office success by this point. Studio president Kevin Feige suggested retroactively integrating The Amazing Spider-Man franchise into the MCU to Amy Pascal, then-Sony co-chairman, to improve the prospects of associated films. At the same time, Pascal and producer Avi Arad had attempted to set up continuity by authorizing use of the design of The Amazing Spider-Man's Oscorp Tower for The Avengers (2012), but the approval process occurred too late into the production of The Avengers. Another idea brought forward was a crossover film combining The Amazing Spider-Man universe with that of the Raimi trilogy. An anonymous group hacked Sony's computer networks and leaked confidential information, among them emails of discussions between Sony and Marvel pertaining to the licensing of Spider-Man for the MCU film Captain America: Civil War (2016) in December 2014. Negotiations over the copyrights stalled until Sony and Disney brokered an agreement in February 2015. It reinstated the conditions of their preexisting arrangement, with a clause that entitled Marvel the right to reduce their annual royalty payments to Sony based on the performance of their films. Conversely, Sony retained full creative control of the MCU Spider-Man films. The studios once more renegotiated in 2019, briefly resulting in the dissolution of their partnership. Sony sought to maintain their original agreement, which conferred merchandising rights and 5% of first-dollar gross to Disney. On the other hand, Disney demanded that future Spider-Man films made by Feige be funded equally in a cooperative venture, increasing their share of profits. Negotiations resumed after public backlash, and the studios reached a new deal that September, the terms of which guaranteed a third Spider-Man film and a related MCU project.

Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)§

Work on a MCU Spider-Man production started in February 2015. Ted Melfi, Jonathan Levine, and Jon Watts were among the filmmakers executives considered to direct Spider-Man: Homecoming, with Watts ultimately signed as director in June 2015. Watts came to Marvel's attention for his work in the independent thriller Cop Car (2015). The studios hired a succession of writers to make the script for Homecoming. Some 1,500 actors were scouted for the role of Peter Parker / Spider-Man. Six of the actors auditioned in screen tests with Robert Downey Jr. in character as Iron Man / Tony Stark, which the producers viewed to observe their onscreen chemistry. The filmmakers held further auditions when Tom Holland and Charlie Rowe were picked as the finalists. Holland was cast as Peter in June 2015, signing a six-picture deal to appear in three Spider-Man films and three other MCU films. Homecoming details Peter's transformation into Spider-Man, in what the filmmakers described as a coming-of-age story. Shooting took place from June to October 2016, and the film was released in July 2017.

Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)§

Studio executives were already contemplating sequels to Homecoming before the original film's release. The filmmakers developed Spider-Man: Far From Home as the final film of the third phase of the MCU's Infinity Saga. Watts and screenwriters Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers were confirmed to be returning for the film in mid 2017. Watts was especially interested in resolving the narratives around the Spider-Man characters from Avengers: Endgame (2019) because they gained an ambiguous resolution. In Far From Home, Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) recruits Peter to help Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal) defeat the Elementals. Filming occurred from July to October 2018, and the theatrical release was scheduled in July 2019. Far From Home became the first Spider-Man film to gross $1 billion at the box office.

Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)§

A third entry in the MCU Spider-Man franchise started development shortly after Sony and Marvel's contract was effective. Watts continued his duties as director, while McKenna and Sommers returned to write the screenplay of what would become Spider-Man: No Way Home. The writers conceived a multiverse story from an idea inspired by the fantasy drama It's a Wonderful Life (1946), wherein Peter convinces Dr. Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) to reverse the events leading to the exposure of his identity as Spider-Man with a spell. The film connects Sony's Spider-Man universes to the MCU and features several of the associated characters, including Maguire and Garfield's Spider-Men. No Way Home's production lasted from October 2020 to March 2021, and the film debuted in theaters in December 2021. By the end of the global rollout, it became the highest-grossing film of 2021 with a box office take of $1.910 billion.