Andrew Garfield On TASM: "We Haven't Gone For Gritty"

Andrew Garfield On TASM: "We Haven't Gone For Gritty"

Marc Webb's new Spider-Man chats to Total Film about taking on the iconic role, and says that despite what many assumed from the trailer, we are not necessarily in for a darker take on the story..

By MarkCassidy - Feb 21, 2012 06:02 AM EST
Filed Under: Spider-Man
Source: Total Film Magazine

We have already heard quite a lot from Garfield, and most other people associated with Marc Webb's upcoming Spidey reboot. But here he addresses the tone of the movie, and suggests that despite our preconceptions that this would be a darker, grittier story akin to what Christopher Nolan did with his take on The Dark Knight, that's not strictly true. Spider-Man, he says, is nothing like Batman..



"We haven't gone for gritty, we've gone for grounded. If we try and make Batman, we'll fail. The new Batman is it's own thing - and also in terms of tone, Spider-Man is nothing like that character. Spider-Man is witty, Spider-Man is a kid, Spider-Man wants to have fun, he's a teenager and he needs to go through first love and piss around"


Garfield also reiterates his passion for the character, and sounds very determined to do Spidey justice: "I don't give a [frick] about making money and all that: I care about the character being served, being treated with respect"

Which is great of course, but we know there are those involved with the movie that DO give a [frick] about making money, and clearly expect it to since a sequel is already greenlit for a Summer 2014 release. As far as that goes Producer Matt Tolmach teases that this first film will introduce a few things that will go unanswered until the sequel..

"The movie's a full meal, but there are things and mysteries that won't get resolved until the next movie. I mean, there's too much to look at, in a good way!"


For more be sure to check out the new issue of Total Film, out now.









SPIDER-MAN: BRAND NEW DAY - J.K. Simmons Reportedly Set To Return As J. Jonah Jameson
Related:

SPIDER-MAN: BRAND NEW DAY - J.K. Simmons Reportedly Set To Return As J. Jonah Jameson

X-MEN: Mr. Sinister Is Still Believed To Be The Main Villain In Current Script For MCU Reboot
Recommended For You:

X-MEN: Mr. Sinister Is Still Believed To Be The Main Villain In Current Script For MCU Reboot

DISCLAIMER: As a user generated site and platform, ComicBookMovie.com is protected under the DMCA (Digital Millenium Copyright Act) and "Safe Harbor" provisions.

This post was submitted by a user who has agreed to our Terms of Service and Community Guidelines. ComicBookMovie.com will disable users who knowingly commit plagiarism, piracy, trademark or copyright infringement. Please CONTACT US for expeditious removal of copyrighted/trademarked content. CLICK HERE to learn more about our copyright and trademark policies.

Note that ComicBookMovie.com, and/or the user who contributed this post, may earn commissions or revenue through clicks or purchases made through any third-party links contained within the content above.

1 2
RexBlazer1
RexBlazer1 - 2/21/2012, 6:47 AM
Well, not every story has to be grim and gritty. It can still be good without those.
StrangerX
StrangerX - 2/21/2012, 6:52 AM
The tone seems just right.
DCnerd46
DCnerd46 - 2/21/2012, 6:55 AM
He's absolutely right. I think the Batman movies are forgetting that they're allowed to be dark, gritty, AND fun. But the aim to be both fun and grounded seems to be a perfect fit for Spidey.
comicbookjerk
comicbookjerk - 2/21/2012, 7:00 AM
I hated the idea of this movie until I seen the trailer in 3d now Im so friggin excited for it I can't stand it
Zelikee1
Zelikee1 - 2/21/2012, 7:05 AM
Every interview Andrew Garfield has just cements my belief that he is the right person to be playing Spider-man. He totally understands these characters. And what he just said up there, THAT was awesome.
plasticman
plasticman - 2/21/2012, 7:08 AM
Maybe Sinestro will be in the sequel...oh! wrong character!

As long as it isn't a teen love story in the way of Twilight then I am excited. I like actors like this that know that they want to do justice for the character. They tend to be the ones that we eventually associate the role with because they have provided the best preformances. For example: Christopher Reeves, Roberty Downey Jr, Bill Bixby, and Kevin Conroy to name a few.
ThaMessenger07
ThaMessenger07 - 2/21/2012, 7:08 AM
Yes Gusto, He means Drinking....
InFamouslyCool
InFamouslyCool - 2/21/2012, 7:19 AM
I prefer grim and gritty.
Rango
Rango - 2/21/2012, 7:27 AM
a Nolanised Spider-man....Its too dark and gritty from the trailers
prettynuclear2
prettynuclear2 - 2/21/2012, 7:43 AM
well tobey was a complete wimp in the other movies. why would they make him look cool.
cookfreeordie
cookfreeordie - 2/21/2012, 7:43 AM
@just1superguy

All you've proven to me is that Maguire was far to fat to be Spiderman.
MovieMann
MovieMann - 2/21/2012, 7:53 AM
looking at Just1Superguy's picture above, I just realized how much I don't like Tobey as Spiderman.
ThreeBigTacos
ThreeBigTacos - 2/21/2012, 7:56 AM
Just1Superguy: you do know that second poster isn't an official poster for TASM right?
Spidey91
Spidey91 - 2/21/2012, 7:57 AM
Spiderman is not "realistic": he crawls walls,has spider-sense and incredible agility,not to mention the hi-tech web-shooters.
but I think "grounded" means that the world around him reacts in a realistic way to his presence. for example,the police is going on a man-hunt for this guy,as you would expect,because the police sees him as a threat.
same with Batman in BB,the police was trying to capture him.
and same with the upcoming Man of Steel,with the military behind Superman's a** because he's a freakin' alien.
dahamma
dahamma - 2/21/2012, 8:00 AM
@Just1Superguy I agree with ya man. Raimi SPidey minus spiderman 3 was just flat out awesome. Im still skeptical about this new one, its more dark and...emo lol
Rorschachfan09
Rorschachfan09 - 2/21/2012, 8:03 AM
@just1superguy

You're kidding right? There were more quips and jokes in the 2 minute trailer for TASM than in the whole 3 Raimi films. All Maguire did for 3 movies was cry like a bitch. Raimis films were good (except SM3) but I remember watching them as a youngster thinking "Why isnt Spidey making jokes?" "Why isnt mary jane hot?" "Why is spidey crying all the god damn time?". Maguires Peter Parker was (dare I say it) 'emo' compared to Garfield.
PaulRom
PaulRom - 2/21/2012, 8:14 AM
"I don't give a [frick] about making money and all that: I care about the character being served, being treated with respect"
OK. Now I'm 100% confident that he'll be to Spidey what RDJ was to Iron Man, Hemsworth to Thor, Bale to Batman, etc.
MisterNiceGuy
MisterNiceGuy - 2/21/2012, 8:36 AM
@paulrom, you mean michael keaton right? ..
PaulRom
PaulRom - 2/21/2012, 8:49 AM
@MisterNiceGuy I personally prefer Bale (especially as Bruce Wayne), but Keaton did have a better Batvoice.
Chewtoy
Chewtoy - 2/21/2012, 9:05 AM
Whatever the actual tone of the film, the trailer could hardly have been more dark and gritty. It was a somber, joyless, depressing thing to me. I know some fans absolutely love that kind of thing, but it gave me serious doubts about this flick.
thewolfx
thewolfx - 2/21/2012, 9:17 AM
boy for a guy with so much passion for spdiey he sure let that shitty costume slip through the cracks ...


but hopefully what andrew says is true , even though his posters dont add up


InTylerWeTrust
InTylerWeTrust - 2/21/2012, 9:22 AM
I guess ignoring a lead actor's comments in order to continue with spewing stupid, predictable BS is the norm now. Should I be surprised?
NeoBaggins
NeoBaggins - 2/21/2012, 9:37 AM
"If we try and make Batman, we'll fail."-Garfield

I agree.
Toasty
Toasty - 2/21/2012, 9:57 AM
I don't mind them taking a different route than other movies as long as we don't get more of the campy out of place scenes like that "no bag, no gwen" rubbish.
breakUbatman
breakUbatman - 2/21/2012, 10:16 AM
So many of you guys have been blinded by an actors passion for a character again.

Two words - Hugh Jackman.

MisterNiceGuy
MisterNiceGuy - 2/21/2012, 10:37 AM
@paulrom, yea I'm just messin with ya. Bale was ok. I just feel he can be a bit of an overactor sometimes.
LoudNoises
LoudNoises - 2/21/2012, 10:55 AM
@just1superguy

The only parts that were funny that I remember in the first trilogy were the scenes with Bruce Cambell. The spiderman jokes were corney them too. But aren't they sort if supposed to be?
ManofSteelo
ManofSteelo - 2/21/2012, 11:39 AM
Hard to tell from just the trailer(s), obviously, but this movie looks pretty dark already, and probably closer to Nolan’s Batman stuff than to “grounded”. Raimi’s Spidey missed the mark because it was too much fantasy and not enough comic-book; TASM is dodgy b/c of the aforementioned apparent tone, and liberalities with characters and their connection to Peter (Gwen as MJ’s stand-in and Doc Connors as Peter / Spidey’s parallel, a la Norman / Gobby in Raimi’s joint). And Garfield supposedly studied spiders to prepare for the role? WTF?! Exactly when “apparently working hard” becomes “hardly working, apparently”. All he needed were some comics and a script. Sheesh.
AutobotCommander84
AutobotCommander84 - 2/21/2012, 12:09 PM
@Scorpion8125 Wow, you really are grif's son.
Loki9876
Loki9876 - 2/21/2012, 12:26 PM
i'm glad it isn't dark and gritty not everything needs to be dark and gritty most directors think that it must be dark to be a hit but that's not true for some movies it's good but not for all.
KnobGoblin
KnobGoblin - 2/21/2012, 1:04 PM
It's not gonna be "dark and gritty" like Batman, it's just not full of goofy crap like Raimi's movies were. I saw more classic Peter Parker banter in one two minute trailer than in all of Raimi's movies. It's ridiculous how some people try to make Raimi's movies out to be some kind of masterpieces. Speaking as a life long Spider-Man fan those movies left much to be desired just as Burton's highly flawed Batman movies did.
PeterParker1991
PeterParker1991 - 2/21/2012, 1:07 PM
Well said, Mr. Garfield. Good article.
thewonderer
thewonderer - 2/21/2012, 1:23 PM
@Misterniceguy

Keaton was shit

Bale is awesome. Best Wayne AND Batman. The voice is fine, you anal tards looking to find something wrong with the film will point out the one original thing Nolan trys to do with the character.
NewNameWhoDis
NewNameWhoDis - 2/21/2012, 2:29 PM
First of all, grounded doesn't mean "realistic". It means grounded. As in, yes, Spiderman is a completely sci-fi type character, but lets set that fictional character in as a real of a surrounding as we can. Get it? Its not tough. Its pretty simple.

And like I've said before, having crooks and criminals running around in the day time for all to see is unrealistic. Spiderman may need to suit up occasionally during the day, but not for 3 movies worth.

@just1superguy - All you proved is how much better his costume looks, how much more like Parker Garfield looks, and how much better these movies are shaping up to be. All the promotional material looks way more convincing for this movie. He doesn't look whiney, he looks conflicted. Like, oh, I don't know, a kid who has these incredible powers to deal with while also finishing high school, kissing the girl, and SAVING THE DAMN CITY!!! What do you want? Parker has ALWAYS been a conflicted character. He's not Cap who was a born hero and wants nothing more than to fight injustice. He's a teenager with powers. How would you, as a teenager, deal with these powers AND your life?

And the trailer had HELLA jokes and quips. He doesn't look TOO whiney.
1 2
View Recorder