List of Rumored Spider-Man Directors Released
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]
[Tribeca] The Adderall Diaries and the Problem with the Brilliant Male Writer Cliche
I think it was Harlan Ellison who said that most people believe they're a better writer and a better fuck than everyone else. That succinctly describes the absurd narcissism at the heart of the male writer trope: he's ruggedly masculine and yet aesthetically sensitive, he's smart in a way that's worldly rather than academic—brilliant, really—he constantly struggles with writer's block until a divine spark of inspiration leads to the rapid production of undeniable genius, and everyone wants to have sex with him because he's really good at it—no, the best, actually.
The brilliant male writer cliche is ridiculous yet persistent, and these tropes make the adaptation of The Adderall Diaries starring James Franco feel so uninspired. I haven't read Stephen Elliott's memoir of the same name, though excerpts from the book strike such a different tone from the film. It's not just because the story's been moved from San Francisco to New York. While the source material seems like a genuine exploration of strained father-son relationships and the ways people remember and misremember, writer/director Pamela Romanowsky's movie comes across as sycophantic genuflection to the idea of the brilliant male writer.
[Trailer] Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
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After all of the wait, speculation, leaks, and rumors, we finally have the first official glimpse at Zack Snyder's upcoming Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. In typical Snyder fashion, the footage is tonally dark with the narrative voiceover questioning Superman's intentions. Juxtaposed against the Superman clips is Ben Affleck as Bruce Wayne looking at his Batman costume with Alfred telling him, "That's how it starts: the fever, the rage, the feeling of powerlessness that turns good men cruel."
The trailer doesn't capture what makes the Marvel Cinematic Universe feel so full and interconnected. Granted, this is Warner Bros. and DC's first real attempt (Green Lantern notwithstanding) at creating a unified universe, but it just feels like a Superman film with Batman in it, or vice versa. There's also the question of Batman's status quo in this film and whether or not that will confuse casual fans who may not realize the Batman in Dawn of Justice isn't the same Batman in the The Dark Knight Trilogy.
It will be interesting to see if Snyder will be able to balance enough screen time for not only Batman and Superman, but also the debuting Wonder Woman in the film. Just based on the trailer alone, the film feels too cramped as is, but WB and DC have the highest respect and faith in Snyder... for better or worse.
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice will be in theaters in 2016.