Spider-Man has always been a humorous character known as much for his wit as his abilities and personal motto. However, despite five films and two actors, the Spider-Man films didn’t capture this pivotal aspect of the character. When Marvel Cinematic Universe mastermind Kevin Feige announced future Spider-Man films would be co-handled by Marvel Studios, he made it very apparent that the character’s sense of humor would be a focal point for the films.
With the next Spider-Man film scheduled for a 2017 release, Marvel and Sony are rumored to be closing in on a director within the month. Yesterday, a purported shortlist of serious contenders for the director’s chair was released, featuring directors known for their comedies.
The list includes Jonathan Levine (50/50, Warm Bodies), Ted Melfi (St. Vincent), Jason Moore (Pitch Perfect), Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite, Nacho Libre), and John Francis Daley and Jonathan M. Goldstein (Horrible Bosses 2, Vacation). Of the rumored names, Daley and Goldstein are my personal favorites due to their script work on Horrible Bosses, Horrible Bosses 2, and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. However, the most interesting name is Hess, whose work post-Nacho Libre has been lacking. Neither of the rumored directors have much experience with action films, although Levine’s Warm Bodies did feature some minor action scenes.
It’s likely that a director will be announced around the same time the next Spider-Man/Peter Parker is cast, so expect a lot of Spider-Man-related news over the next month!
[via /Film]