New Looks at Upcoming Amazing Spider-Man 2 Movie

Seems like there's been a lot leaked this week about 'Amazing Spider-Man 2'.  It had previously been announced that Jamie Foxx will play the villain Electro and Paul Giamatti will portray The Rhino.  Now we're seeing that Peter Parker will don a new and improved costume, one closer to the comic version than in the previous film.

New costume on the left

Note in particular the eyes on the costume.  I think with the first film being an origin, the costume was meant to look more homemade and amateurish.  Presumably in the sequel Spider-Man will be an established hero who's had a little more time to work on his outfit.  I love the new look, a lot closer to the comic version.  Definitely more of a "friendly neighborhood Spider-Man", one who looks like he could crack a joke as he's cracking bad guys' bones rather than looking angry and angsty.

Shailene Woodley with red hair for her role as Mary Jane Watson

Also released this week were some off-set photos of Shailene Woodley with red hair for her portrayal of Mary Jane Watson.  Woodley had previously garnered attention for her role in 'The Descendants'.  I know what you're thinking, "I thought Mary Jane was supposed to be some model knockout!".  Relax, the paps just caught Shailene on an off day.  She cleans up quite nicely:

But you can get an idea of how she'll look in the movie.  I just wonder what they'll do with her character. Will Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy break up so soon after the first film?  Will something happen to Gwen?!  We'll have to wait and see.

Also confirmed for the cast, is British actress Felicity Jones.  At this point it's only speculation as to which role she'll play, but rumor has it she'll play Felicia Hardy, friend of Peter's who eventually becomes the Black Cat.  Whether the Cat will show up in the movie or just Felicia is also up in the air.  As a villain/anti-hero/ love interest of Spidey, adding her to the mix in this film could make for a little too much of a tangled web.

Felicity Jones as Felicia Hardy?

The Black Cat

Also joining the cast as a new character is Dane DeHann, who was excellent as the main character in 'Chronicle'.  He'll play the role of Harry Osborn, who had been portrayed in the original franchise by James Franco.  We know he eventually becomes a villain, but was first Peter's friend.  I can't imagine he'll be anything more than that in this film. 

Dane DeHann as Harry Osborn

With all of these new characters being introduced as well as Jamie Foxx and Paul Giamatti, already announced as the villains, it's clear the producers are already setting up for a third film.  

I like the casting choices, love the new costume.  It'll be interesting to hear what the real plot of this film will be as production moves further along towards its release in 2014.  I just hope we don't end up with a jumbled mess of tangential plotlines and too many villains like the third Raimi film.  

My Two Biggest Suspension of Disbelief Issues in Amazing Spider-Man (Spoiler Free)

Just saw 'Amazing Spider-Man'.  A perfectly cromulent summer popcorn flick.  I'm not going to get into a big comparison between this and Sam Raimi's first Spider-Man movie.  All I'll say on that front is that CGI action scenes have come a long way in 10 short years.  Those fight scenes were great.  I also wanted to say that Emma Stone has never looked hotter.  Something about the fact that Gwen Stacy was always wearing knee-high socks/boots in every scene just did it for me... but I digress...

(Probably the poorest example from the film, but the only photo example I could find)

There were only two things in the movie that really took me out of the experience and ruined my suspension of disbelief:

1.  Peter Parker uses 'Bing' as his search engine.

Never in a million years will I accept the fact that anyone under the age of 35, much less a science nerd, would use Bing as a search engine.  I know it's a minor thing, and they probably got a lot of money for the product placement, but it was just totally unrealistic.  And I know how ridiculous that sounds for a super hero movie.

2.  Peter talks to Gwen on his cell phone whilst in a sewer with perfect reception.

There are some rooms in my own house where I can't get decent cell phone reception.  Yet I'm supposed to believe that Ol' Web Head can get 5 bars in an underground concrete tunnel?  Ridiculous.  

Other random thoughts:

-  Lizard looked fine on film, not cartoony or anything.  But he did look waaaaaaay more like Killer Croc from DC comics than Lizard from Marvel. 

- I liked that they eschewed the organic web-shooters in favor of the mechanical versions.  More true to the comics.  But, I kept waiting for a mid-swing empty web cartridge that never came.

- I'd love to see high schoolers portrayed by actors under the age of 25 sometime. 

 - Sally Field was fine as Aunt May.  But it bugged me way more than it should have that she didn't have white/gray hair.

Overall I suppose I mostly had a bit of deja vu watching this movie.  It was understandably similar to the first Raimi Spider-Man, but had enough differences to make it seem fresh.  Less campy than the earlier takes, although the Stan Lee cameo was in there.  Definitely had some major plot holes in the sense of dropped plot points. I guess I want to say it felt like I had just seen this movie.  10 years was probably too soon to reboot.  But hey, you've gotta do what you've gotta do to hang onto those valuable character rights.



What did you guys think?