EDITORIAL: What SONY Should Do Next With The Spider-Man Property

EDITORIAL: What SONY Should Do Next With The Spider-Man Property

With the recent fantastic news that Spider-Man, while still being under SONY's umbrella, will come to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, we set our sights on what SONY (and Marvel) should do with the character. Hit the jump to see what I think.

Editorial Opinion
By TheDarman - Feb 10, 2015 01:02 PM EST
Filed Under: Spider-Man

So, it's official. My favorite superhero is getting co-ownership from both Marvel and Sony. Marvel will provide the creative stigma and shot in the arm that Spider-Man needs while Sony will provide the financial resources Spider-Man needs to be able to grow outside of Marvel's crowded schedule. Of course, that is what I believe Sony should do, which leads me to number one.

1. Keep Focus on the Property That You Have



Look, it's cool that Spider-Man made his way into the powerhouse franchise. However, it doesn't change anything about who you got. Spider-Man is the only child that is able to visit the cousins every once in a while and the cousins can come visit him. Don't treat it as anything different. The great thing about Spider-Man is that he, for the most part, operates on his own. Sure, he has a bigger universe surrounding him now (which is cool) but Peter Parker will be alone. Don't force universal connections to the character. Have Sony focus on what is the equivalent of his solo comic book with the occassional crossover from characters like Daredevil. Marvel can take care of the big stuff.

2. Keep It Small(er)


Spider-Man's primary focus has always been on protecting his city. Since we're bringing the character back to his youth in high school (which I don't disagree with), Peter can't be dealing with massive world-level-extinction events. At least, not by himself. At first, keep it small. Spider-Man is  a crime fighter. Make a criminal underworld conspiracy that he gets tied up in. However, verge away from using any characters we've already seen. We don't want/need Sandman, Doctor Octopus, Venom, Lizard and Electro and we definitely don't need Green Goblin, at least not right away. My personal favorite Spider-Man villain that I'm honestly shocked we haven't seen yet is Mysterio. He would be a perfect villain for not only Spider-Man, but the Marvel Cinematic Universe introduction to Spider-Man.

3. Already Have Spider-Man Have Taken On Some of These Villains


Now, I'm not that huge against Sony doing a Sinister Six film. I think it is definitely unique for the property and provides Marvel's answer to Suicide Squad. In fact, do pretty much like that. Doctor Octopus is pretty well known and would provide a great uniting villain. The other villains can be villains we've seen before in Sandman and Rhino and then extend it to others we haven't seen yet. The idea of doing the film without Spider-Man, though, I think is stupid. The reason the team exists is to fight Spider-Man. Still, providing a movie about the villains coming to together to fight the hero instead of the other way around will provide a pretty healthy counterbalance to the Avengers. I would definitely advocate pursuing that option but a) with Spider-Man still in it and b) with no villain establishment other than Mysterio in the first film.

4. Build Up Characters


Don't just cut characters down before their prime. Green Goblin is the Joker to Spider-Man's Batman. It is necessary for any franchise to use him. However, Green Goblin is the type of character that truly deserves to be built up over the course of a few films. In the first film, for example, have Peter have two friends in Gwen Stacy and Harry Osborn. Show the intricacies of his relationship with the two of them as well as their respective parents. Building Norman Osborn over the course of, say, three films will allow for us to really get to know the guy behind the mask and what makes him tick. Building George Stacy up to his ultimate demise will allow Peter to be changed in a way we didn't see in The Amazing Spider-Man: with Stacy asking Peter to protect Gwen. Everything should be built up organically and not suddenly and shockingly. Take it slow. (Hell, have George Stacy be killed at the end of the Sinister Six film and lead into the second Spider-Man film with that. And have George Stacy be the main antagonist of the film before the ultimate battle with Spider-Man that gets Stacy killed.)

5. NO ORIGIN STORY


Honestly, I'm not to worried about this given that Spider-Man's first appearance will be in Captain America: Civil War (most likely), giving the character an out to the origin story we've all heard but it needs to be said. There is absolutely no reason why we should have to go through another origin story. Everyone knows how Peter becomes Spider-Man. It is the level of iconic that Bruce Wayne's origin is. Honestly, running parallel to what WB is doing with Batman is certainly not a bad way of handling a reboot, especially so soon after the last one (two years guys, two years). It's just unnecessary and will cause the audience to become bored with the new franchise before it really has hit its stride. Go forth. No one will miss the origin story.



So, those are the five things I think Sony should do to continue with their new franchise. Hit the ground running and keep up the momentum. Honestly, third chances like this are rare and, especially given how great an opportunity this is, it would suck if they [frick]ed it up. Just my thoughts but what are your's? Comment below and let me know!
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kong
kong - 2/10/2015, 2:54 PM
Teen Spidey or GTFO. And not Logan Lerman or Dylan O'Brien playing a teenager either!!!
JFerguson
JFerguson - 2/10/2015, 3:24 PM
@KingNTheKong
totally agreed. The Hollywood industry has tons of young and up-coming actors with raw talent at its disposal. The going-back-to-highschool honestly doesn't phase me, as long as the franchise comes out of the [frick]ing nightmare that it was in with Sony.
JFerguson
JFerguson - 2/10/2015, 3:30 PM
On the article, though, nice write-up. Mostly agree with you on #3 and 5.
The origin should be handled similar to TIH, where you know shit happened, but that shit already took place and all the characters are going through a phase where they're just like "WTF is UP!" and where their characters can develop more.

On #3, the only villain that should be established is Green Goblin. So basically, he was spidey's first supervillain back in the day, GG kills Gwen (only hinted at), GG retires and is Norman Osborn (no one knows though), and the characters just continue to discover shit, is how I see it.
Maculis
Maculis - 2/11/2015, 5:29 AM
The villain that should be established is Norman Osborn, not the green goblin. Norman is to Luthor what spidey is to superman. In fact you could begin to establish Norman as a suitable villain for the entire MCU.
spiderman620
spiderman620 - 2/11/2015, 7:03 AM
nice editorial, very well thought out. i actually agree with you on most of what you say, however i think you missed a couple of things. for example, the look of the film. would we go with the 616 universe or the ultimate's universe.....i for one prefer the 616. they are classic and as you mentioned...about as iconic as Batman, so you kinda have to go with that 616 look
spiderman620
spiderman620 - 2/11/2015, 7:04 AM
and with today's technology costume and make up wise, you could do it well
medv4380
medv4380 - 2/11/2015, 10:13 AM
I'm for them going the Death of Spiderman route. Merging it with Civil War, and the Ultimate version of the Clone Saga would be easy. It would explain why in the original you had a fake Thor, but not have the contradiction of no other fakes running around en mass. It opens up a Miles movie, and leaves a clone Peter, or two(Riley), or three(Kane) if you ever want to fall back. You could even have Doc Oc do it, and get Superior Spiderman by claiming he's a clone with Docs brain swapped in. Heck, it opens up the Ultimate Jessica Drew Character as well. It gives Peter a much more creeped out factor then just arresting Super Heroes to justify his flip flop without too much back story to convince the audience. It would be more that Tony's army of robots went all Ultron on everyone, and so now he's going Clone Army as the alternative, and clarifies Caps moral opposition to it as well. Peters death would get Cap to surrender, and it ends with his traditional Death.
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