James Cameron and Marc Webb Meet to Discuss Spider-Man Reboot
Posted 02.17.10 by BrentJS
Even though director James Cameron said only a month ago that he would not direct the rebooted Spider-Man movie because it would be "a little bit sloppy seconds," apparently he is willing to discuss the movie with the director ultimately chosen for the job, Marc Webb. According to MTV, Cameron's producing partner, Jon Landau, confirmed that the two directors met and that the topic of discussion was shooting the Spider-Man reboot in 3-D, a technique Cameron mastered in directing Avatar.
Last [week] we met [with Webb. He] wants to do the next one in 3-D, which they've announced that they want to do. So, we want to try to support that as much as possible.
What's interesting about this meeting is less the fact that Webb sought out Cameron for his 3-D knowledge than that Cameron has long been associated with Spider-Man as a movie property. Cameron drafted a script for a big-screen Spider-Man adaptation for Carolco back in 1991, more than a decade before Sam Raimi's Spider-Man broke box-office records and helped to entrench superhero movies as a summer box-office staple. Cameron's plans were crushed beneath the weight of legal actions over character rights and contract disputes. Carolco and Marvel Comics both declared bankruptcy in 1996 and the rights to Spider-Man, including Carmeron's script, went to MGM, who later traded them to Columbia Pictures for the exclusive rights to 007.
In light of Cameron's history with Spider-Man, it's easier to understand the underlying bitterness in his "sloppy seconds" remark, but it only makes his decision to meet with Webb all the more surprising. But, Landau said that Cameron agreed to the meeting because he "loved" Webb's latest movie, (500) Days of Summer, and because of their shared belief that the right way to release a movie in 3-D is to shoot it in 3-D, rather than to have it converted to 3-D in post-production.
Other movies are turning to [3-D] now, some of which I agree with, some of which I don't agree with. Clash of The Titans is coming out in 3-D; they're converting it very hastily into 3-D. I'm not in favor if that. If you want to shoot a 3-D movie, shoot it in 3-D.
The currently untitled Spider-Man reboot is being written by James Vanderbilt and produced by Avi Arad and Laura Ziskin for Columbia Pictures and Marvel Studios. Though no cast announcements have been made yet, Sony Pictures has already announced that the movie will be released in 3-D on July 3, 2012.