ROTTEN TOMATOES: James Vanderbilt Talks Spider-Man 4; Venom Spinoff in the Works? Comments

James Vanderbilt Talks Spider-Man 4; Venom Spinoff in the Works?

by Jeff Giles | February 04, 2008

Summary

The future of Sony's Spider-Man film franchise is cloudy -- for reasons including, but certainly not limited to, the writers' strike -- but at least one member of Spider-Man 4's creative partnership is firmly on board. Back to Article

(1-46 of 46 posts) | Reply

silkysmitty3 writes:
on Feb 04 2008 06:06 AM

sweet. they are going to ruin another movie. long live the pigs who don't give a **** abou t anything.

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MarkMortimer writes:
on Feb 04 2008 06:24 AM

I am not excited by this news. I would be even less excited if Topher (pinocchio) Grace portrayed Venom ever again.

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Xavier Telouran writes:
on Feb 04 2008 06:58 AM

So, are we just talking about a spinoff because we realize how sorely mistreated the character was in Spidey 3? Even so, how does a Venom stand-alone work w/o his nemesis? I realize there have been some big Venom non-Spidey related stories lately, but how do you reintroduce the character and his motives without having to undo the poor web already spun?

Still, it's a big first step admitting that Raimi's treatment of Brock/Venom was extremely sub-par. Now you just have to make the other 11 steps...

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TombstoneLawDog writes:
on Feb 04 2008 07:01 AM

Awesome! Let's talk spin-offs!

I've always wanted to see Gleek, that 'comic relief' monkey from the Wonder Twins, get his own chance to shine! If ever there was a character needing his own stage...

Hey, I'm just getting warmed up...

Let's do another take on 'young Lex Luthor', *WITHOUT* Superman! Talk about his motivation, and his childhood battles. Who needs an actual defining character (like Superman) to make sidekicks and villains relevant?! GIVE EVERY character from EVERY superhero movie a shot!

Oh boy, I really hope they make this Venom spin-off into a franchise where they COMPLETELY IGNORE Spider Man! Not only would that make a lot of sense (seeing as how Venom is nothing more than an evil 'caricature' OF Spiderman) but then they would be even LESS encumbered by any story continuity or logic! They could churn these out like cheap Alien re-treads! Freakin' awesome!***

***If you look really closely, you just may spot the sarcasm hiding in this post.

--I'm a little hopped up on caffeine and the Giants win, last night, so I admit this was a little over-the-top.

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AlbertBrodsky writes:
on Feb 04 2008 07:01 AM

Um... didn't that director I once really liked kill Venom at the end of the movie. It sure looked like it.

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jokerboy1991 writes:
on Feb 04 2008 07:18 AM

I wanna see one final spiderman with everyobe (Sam Raimi, Tobey Maguire, and Kirsten dunst - no more singing Ms. Dunst!). I wannt to see them make it right for the 3rd one. It could be a great movie with Vanderbilt (ZODIAC was great) writing, the biggest problem was S3 was the crappy dialogue. It also had bad acting (not there fault), stupid music, stupid eye lash, stupid dances, and much much more! I wonder what villians they would use though- Carnage(no), Electro, Mysterio (that could work), that bird man or what ever his name is.

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fullmetalnek writes:
on Feb 04 2008 07:27 AM

The Vulture, but he would suck as a main villian in a movie.

Sam Raimi should apologize for the third movie and then remake it!

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Weicher writes:
on Feb 04 2008 07:30 AM

I really didn't care for any Spidey film, except maybe the second. So... I guess they would rather let this franchise sleep in peace and find other (and more original) projects...

Spidey comic-books are not that good anyway, and never have been, except that Spidey-Kraven story-line in the late 80s, written by J.M. DeMatteis and pencilled by Mike Zeck. It's the only Spider-Man's story I would really like to see in the big screen.

But I guess it's too gritty and dark and psychological for children to see, so...

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Oblivioncry writes:
on Feb 04 2008 08:13 AM

not sam raimi but sony should apologize...they forced him into making the film bad...

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sharpless writes:
on Feb 04 2008 08:28 AM

In reply to this comment (#1552213)
For heaven's sake, man, do you know nothing about comic books? Killing people doesn't mean sh*t. He'll be back, if they want him to be. And I'm all for it, so long as Raimi is far away from Venom. Raimi clearly didn't respect the character enough, and he completely wasted him.

I'm all for a Venom movie, or a return in a Spiderman 4... again, so long as Raimi isn't directing or writing. Venom deserves a proper movie, and Spiderman 4 couldn't possibly be much worse than 3.

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AlbertBrodsky writes:
on Feb 04 2008 08:33 AM

When I watch Spiderman on DVD, I can tell evertime they use CGI instead of actual footage. I can't imagine how bad that movie would look in HD. I agree that the second one was the only really good one, but the first one has some good moments. Peter Parker's transformation was well done.
The black suit story was one of my favorites as a kid, it's too bad they ruined it. Maybe in 10 years they can try again with a whole new production, but for now it would be too soon.

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Marineboy writes:
on Feb 04 2008 09:25 AM

I think Raimi should leave on a (relative) high - move on to those Evil Dead remakes he's been promising...hmmmm...

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ThinPhantom writes:
on Feb 04 2008 09:33 AM

i think all comic book movies should cease production until studios realize that people want to see the characters treated with respect. i would also argue that with the exception of sin city, not one comic book movie has captured the visual impact or creativity that two dimensional drawings on paper have.

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DrnkonShdws writes:
on Feb 04 2008 10:10 AM

PLEASE GOD NO MORE TOPHER GRACE PLEASE!!!

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Oblivioncry writes:
on Feb 04 2008 10:16 AM

In reply to this comment (#1552498)
Batman Begins....

and give raimi some respect..spidey 2 is really good.

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mysteriousone writes:
on Feb 04 2008 10:38 AM

In reply to this comment (#1552241)
you are clearly not a spider-man fan. spider-man has one of the largest and most devoted fan following of any character. like any character he has had some ****ty stories, but many fantastic ones as well. i loved the first 2 spider-man movies and i feel a fourth is absolutely necessary to redeem the third. after that, i will be happy if they let the franchise end on a positive note.

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jokerboy1991 writes:
on Feb 04 2008 10:45 AM

Spiderman 1 was pretty good, the second spidey was GREAT, and ofcourse the third one well u guys all know. I would actually like to see them do CARNAGE ,but make it more serious. I would wanna see Sam Raimi come back with some seriousnes. I wouldn't really wanna see Dylan Baker become THE LIZARD. They need to do just one villian, either CARNAGE or MYSTERIO.

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CalvinandHobbes23 writes:
on Feb 04 2008 10:53 AM

they could make a venom movie and introduce carnage,

then maybe the two of them could battle it out in new york,
i'd go see that

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ThinPhantom writes:
on Feb 04 2008 10:59 AM

In reply to this comment (#1552556)
i give you batman begins. can't wait for the next one. but spidey 2 sucked imo.

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Oblivioncry writes:
on Feb 04 2008 11:15 AM

In reply to this comment (#1552681)
really? ^^ i thought so too when i watched it the first time, but after some months i watched it again, and it really was good, and aunt may wasnt really that annoying, i really loved the part where peter visits her while she is moving out or something with this boy helping her

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Elixor writes:
on Feb 04 2008 11:40 AM

In reply to this comment (#1552498)
ThinPhantom, I couldn't agree with you more. Sin City really is the only movie that truly captured the visuals of the source comic properly. Some say that the Crow also, but I never saw the comic (the movie was good).

A lot of the problem with making comic book movies is just that. You can't translate the visual feel properly to capture the effect of the comics. There's no live-action actor that can portray most 'superhero' comic book characters, and if you CGI all of them, it just looks too fake unless you're going to CGI the whole movie. The only medium that can work properly is traditional animation. The comics that are with more real-looking characters like Sin City, Hellblazer, Sandman, etc.. are the only ones that seem to have a chance of capturing the visual essence of their comics.

I like a few of the comic book movies like Spiderman 2, Batman Begins, Superman Returns, The Hulk, because they generally don't change and ruin the characters they're portraying, but they still don't look like or capture the visual feel of the comics. Most of the Marvel movies that have been coming out are just terrible at portraying their characters (Fantastic Four, X-Men, Daredevil, on and on). Spawn was also really bad, but I thought that they somehow managed to captured the Violator reasonably well.

Obviously this isn't a problem for most people as these movies continue to do really well.

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duckmanx88 writes:
on Feb 04 2008 12:07 PM

they ruined the venom character for me. and i love him in all his little crossovers with the juggernaut and the punisher and of course in Maximum Carnage. but sony destroyed any chances of him becoming his own franchise when they chose the wrong actor and decided that spidey 3 needed mroe singing and dancing. we need to pretend that spiderman 3 was never made and pray that sam takes a look at spiderman 2 and go from there.

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Zeppelin047 writes:
on Feb 04 2008 12:57 PM

Spiderman 1, cool and fun, Spiderman 2, a great movie and one of the better comic based movies out there, Spiderman 3 was simply stupid...but still cool at some parts. If they made a Spiderman 4 they definitly need to stick to one villian and go more in depth with the emotional side of that character and his motives...much like Doc Oc in S2. This will most definitly lead to a better movie.

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punktuate writes:
on Feb 04 2008 01:01 PM

hey not to be the devil's advocate but the stay dead in the marvel universe is gwen stacy and cap americas side kick bucky but if anyone had actually read the venom comics that **** was tight yo could do your own movie series with him he was actually kind of a bad guy for the gist of the comics if you could have him pull that where he's kind of like the punisher and yes get topher grace back i personally thought it was better than having a ridiculously large potographer?!?!?! who is buff as hell taking photos cmon thats lame so get that 70's show back dude and just do it gansta you need to have him do the major thing i was pissed off about spiderman3 about is that venom wasn't talking as they were one "usssss" we need that where he talks to himself that will make the movie off the hook thats my thoughts remember sam raimi wanted another freelance photograher someone that was about the same siza as tobey macguire that was smart screw him being huge buff dude just have a good actor like topher and hell have him do a crossover like robert downey jr is doing in the hulk do that and it would be sic

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CenoBiteMe2000 writes:
on Feb 04 2008 01:05 PM

The Superman, Batman, X-Men and Spider-Man brands will always be moneymakers, regardless of how badly film adaptations turn out. I can't say the same for Hulk, Iron Man, and even Captain America (sadly). Honestly, I think Spider-Man would have worked better as a TV show (a la Smallville/The Flash); with a 15-20 episode seasons, there's lots of room to work in a character introduction (Season 1) and introduce classic villains (Season 2-3).

Of course, you'd probably Jump the Shark by the time Venom, Ben Reilly or a Secret Wars plotline was introduced, but the concept would work, be more cost-effective, and give everyone their "Spidey" fix. And you couldn't complain about miscasting, as the actors/characters would have adequate time to develop.

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ThinPhantom writes:
on Feb 04 2008 01:32 PM

In reply to this comment (#1552692)
i know i am in the minority, but i personally enjoyed spiderman 1 much more than 2. 2 just got too "hollywood" for me. peter's inner struggle to cope with his powers and feelings just wreaked of stinky melodrama. it ended with a bang, but that was about it. some would say that's what made the movie great, but i would say, "not in my comic book."

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Warheart1188 writes:
on Feb 04 2008 02:22 PM

The biggest problem with Spidey 3 was the story-telling. They tried to fit too much story into Sandman and Venom along with Peter's troubles with MJ, his work (Brock), Gwen Stacy-MJ love triangle; it was too much for one movie. If they had just used Venom, maybe they would've had something or if they had just used Sandman. I think if they introduced Eddie Brock earlier in the series, his backstory and his delayed transformation into Venom would've came sooner in part 3 instead of having Venom show up in the last half hour of the film and then killing him off. But they still have an opportunity to have Carnage because Dr. Connors still has a piece of the symbiote. Maybe they could redeem themselves for part 3 with a new movie focusing on only one villain, possibly Carnage but I don't see them bringing in another symbiote-villain so soon after Venom.

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MarkusCominToGETCHA writes:
on Feb 04 2008 02:30 PM

Maximum Carnage: The Movie?
if the script is based on the awesomely bad *** SNES title count me in!

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Sprizmo writes:
on Feb 04 2008 02:52 PM

Remember many years ago when James Cameron was in talks to do the Spider Man movies? That dude should have crawled out of his cave and signed on, because if he could do for Spidey what he did for Aliens (and I refer to the intensity and attention to detail) he would've rocked the cineplexes.

I wish Sam Raimi would focus on other franchises, like the Evil Deads. Funny horror is a hard commodity to come by nowadays, and Bruce Campbell needs to be in a spotlight again before he gets too old.

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Cowboyninja writes:
on Feb 04 2008 04:35 PM

Dear Hollywood,

Stop peeing on my favorite comic book heroes.

Sincerely,
Me

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twinsfan2715 writes:
on Feb 04 2008 04:43 PM

In reply to this comment (#1552212)
not at all, i thought it was hilarious... and true.

i find it odd how they can even THINK about doing a venom spin-off without spider-man. i find it odd they're thinking about making a venom spin-off period. true he's a really cool villain and he didn't get his due in S-M3, but how? why? the symbiote was destroyed and eddie brock was killed at the end of S-M3. this is definitely one of the dumber ideas i've heard come out of hollywood

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twinsfan2715 writes:
on Feb 04 2008 05:00 PM

In reply to this comment (#1552939)
what the hell did you just say

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Product_of_You writes:
on Feb 04 2008 06:22 PM

Topher Grace is and was so wrong for Venom; I've yet to talk to a Spider-Man fan that doesn't agree.

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cuteview writes:
on Feb 04 2008 06:34 PM

S-M1; lame, S-M2; good, S-M3; SUCKED!

The script was stupid and as useless as tits on a Wild Hog...

Venom would have been a great villain in S-M3 if it was just him...no Sandman, no dumb-a$$ Harry or stupid-a$$, Gwen.

MJ should have been killed off, or at least replaced with a better looking actress, Kristen looks like a drag-queen with fake red hair...always bitchin', singin' or plain a$$ lookin' stupid, same facial expressions...have you seen Bring It On...just add Spider-Man in that movie and I think it would have been a better script for S-M3...

GOD! she is one FUGLY actress...

OH! and don't get me started with old a$$ Aunt May, she should have been killed off with Uncle Ben...

Sony just wait 10 years and redo the movies over...

Hollywood is re-making everything...I just can't wait til they re-make...wait for it... "Harry and the Hendersons."

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AFuneralMaker writes:
on Feb 04 2008 07:00 PM

For anyone who trully knows anything about the original Spider-Man comics...Spider-Man has always been one of the more cheesy comic book heroes and like some other comics didn't really AIM to make social commentary unless you want to say that the geeky kid in class will accomplish more in life than the bullies, but that would be an absurd argument. But being the Spidey has always been...at least to those true to the original Stan Lee work...a quirky character and Raimi is the king of cheese, however he put so much stuff into the third film due to pressure by Sony execs who wanted to see Venom because they knew how much money that would make. Raimi had to elaborate one so many characters in a short amount of time and wrap up the stories before he left the series behind...but now that he may come back he could easily fix his work and slow it down and give the series the logical closing point under his name.

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damvbat writes:
on Feb 04 2008 07:35 PM

uhhh what ever

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RuinerxxSINCITY writes:
on Feb 04 2008 07:53 PM

I hate to admit it but I use to be a comic nerd. The only way they will make Venom work is if they actually start giving a crap about the character. SM3 while far from being a terrible film was an insult to a person who favorite comic character was Venom. Seeing Brock been torn in half over morality and trying to protect innocents while still dishing out serious usually fatal pain to his adversaries. Regardless Carnage needs to be used if they bring back Venom simply because an outside homicidal threat is what brings out the best in Brock's personality. Here's one vote to using the Maxium Carnage storyline!

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DAXyvik writes:
on Feb 05 2008 05:52 AM

While I myself am a major fan of the Maximum Carnage storyline, I think that would be putting too many people into one movie, in addition to the problem of having a new spider-man. It would be spidey 3 all over again.

What the Venom spin-off needs is Venom vs Carnage and focus on the intense hatred of the two characters for each other. Venom hates Carnage more than he hates Spider-Man, and he has his own problems to face, as mentioned, his morals and protecting innocents while being a deadly person.

AND it should not under any circumstances be Topher. Heck, I'd bill Vin Diesel as Venom. Yes, I know people tend to universally hate ol' Vin, but he fits the bill of Venom quite perfectly: very buff, very bad attitude. With a little coaching he can act well enough for a Venom portrayal, we'd just need to find a good serial killer for mr. kassidy.

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deneco4 writes:
on Feb 05 2008 08:34 AM

sorry but...all the GOOD writers aren't striking. I say fire them all and get some fresh blood, hollywood needs a revamp.

Id be happy to see any movie that had Venom in it for more than 10 minutes. Also, if Topher Grace is playing him, I won't see it. Hes a dork and a bad actor and he ruined Venom. Just ruined it.

Greedy ****s need to be thankful they have the PRIVILAGE to ****ing have so many people who watch and support their movies. Instead they just want more money.

(Reply to this)

I Am Remote writes:
on Feb 05 2008 10:28 AM

ThinPhantom hit it on the head. I disliked SinCity, but it worked and was faithful, and I will argue that nothing beats Batman Begins. Other than that, these movies suck. All of them. I'm hoping "the Incredible Hulk" will get in Begins' corner and inspire some more reboots (not right away, let's give these characters and stories a break). X-Men, Spider-Man and Superman need them desperately.

(Reply to this)

silkyj writes:
on Feb 05 2008 11:17 AM

vin diesel or johnny mesner (tears of the sun, anacondas 2). Id think maybe they could make the new venom Eddie Brock Sr (since topher 120lbs grace was eddie brock jr in the movie) if they try to bring venom back in the spiderman series.

Id say go with mesner tho cause i cant see a shaved head venom.

(Reply to this)

mysteriousone writes:
on Feb 05 2008 11:45 AM

In reply to this comment (#1555085)
you suck! i mean seriously get off batman begins dick already!

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BrianInSD writes:
on Feb 05 2008 01:38 PM

If Venom is even HALF as good as that Catwoman spin-off, I'm there!

(Reply to this)

Larry Tate writes:
on Feb 08 2008 06:04 AM

In reply to this comment (#1554880)
You don't have any idea what your talking about do you deneco4? Do you actually know what the strike is about? Do you know what a guild or union is? Do you know how Hollywood works? If you do then why are you writing this nonsense.

(Reply to this)

RosebudIsASled! writes:
on Feb 09 2008 06:33 PM

Oh come on people! The whole trilogy was great even if they messed with venom a little. They won't, "Ruin another movie."

(Reply to this)

DarKnight 92 writes:
on Oct 16 2008 07:32 AM

In reply to this comment (#1565499)
I'm so glad that their is someone else who doesn't hate the films just because they didn't like the way venom was done. I like Venom alot, he was actually my favourite villain gowing up.But I realize that he doesn't really do much. He just looks cool and is stronger then spiderman. So in a way if they had him in the movie for longer people might of gotten tired of watching him. I know that hes most peoples favourite character but all he is is a bigger stronger version of spiderman. I actually think Carnage is better then Venom because hes different then spiderman and has different powers. So I don't really care about the way Venom was done and I cant wait to see Spiderman 4 and 5 which comes out only a year after the 4. Which is awsome. Oh and my thoughts on Venom spinoff. Put carnage in it and Venom and carnage fight each other. Which I think is really the only way they can do it. Plus it is a good idea because Venoms so similer to spiderman if you give him a seperate movie it's not like seeing the same people fight each other. Uno like with the same powers. I dont think there is a single comic book fan out there who wouldn't want to see Venom and Carnage fight each other. And Uno what else would be cool throw in Spiderman for like a Cameo and have all three fight.

(Reply to this)

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