SAN DIEGO (CAP) - Producers from Sony stunned the Comic-Con audience this week when they announced another "reboot" of the Spider-Man franchise, whose first reboot isn't even slated to appear in theaters until next summer.
"It's clearly time for a reinvention of this venerable character," said Sony Pictures Entertainment CEO Amy Pascal, making a surprise appearance at the popular convention. "Frankly, audiences have clearly tired of the incarnation of Spider-Man that will make its debut next July."
Pascal was referring to The Amazing Spider-Man, starring Andrew Garfield as the web-slinger, which will be released July 3, 2012. The trailer debuted at Comic-Con last week.
"At the beginning of the trailer I was like, yes! This is the greatest version of Spider-Man ever!" said Josh Carlisle, 21, who had traveled to San Diego from Freehold, N.J. for the event. "But by the end of it I was like, eh, I'm ready for something different."
Pascal said she expected the reboot of the reboot, tentatively titled Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man, to be ready in time for a summer 2014 release. She told the crowd she expected many of the classic elements to remain, including a red-and-blue costume with a spider on it. But she said other elements would be different; for instance Peter Parker will likely be black or Hispanic, and possibly gay, with "Flash" Thompson mentioned as a likely love interest.
"Also, Spider-Man's webbing will come out of his rear end, like an actual spider," said Pascal. "That's if we can do that and still get a PG-13 rating."
This announcement led to a three-hour panel discussion among fans as to whether the butt webbing should be organic, or the result of web-shooters that Peter Parker invents and sticks up his butt.
"Dude, you absolutely can't have organic butt webbing and still be true to the spirit of the comic books!" said Carlisle, prompting a group of fans in hastily scrawled NO ORGANIC BUTT WEBBING t-shirts to rattle their Mountain Dew cans in approval.
Spider-Man creator Stan Lee, 88, citing his guilt over Broadway producers taking his joking suggestion about a Spider-Man musical seriously, had no comment. "My splendiferous sarcasm has already caused enough consternation for the Merry Marvel Marchers," he said, adding, "Excelsior!" for no apparent reason.
For the most part, news of the reboot's reboot was met with enthusiasm. "This is the best thing to come out of Comic-Con since we got those Westboro Baptist Church protestors to dress like Wonder Woman," said Sarah Milbaum, who this year traded in her "Slave Leia" metal bikini for an exact replica of the pale green jacket, lavender skirt and thigh-high go-go boots worn by Gwen Stacy when she was killed by the Green Goblin in Spider-Man No. 121.
But the news of the reboot apparently came as a surprise to Garfield, who had just given an impassioned speech about his love for the Spider-Man character to Comic-Con attendees. "I thought I had an option for two more movies!" he barked at Pascal, who responded, "Who are you again?"
Despite the controversy, Pascal predicted that Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man was bound to be the studio's biggest hit in years, rivaling even the immensely popular 2010 Amanda Bynes vehicle, Fart Of The Matter.
"But we'll probably add some farting into the new Spider-Man, just in case," Pascal added.
- CAP News Staff