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In 2014, Sony’s The Amazing Spider-Man franchise was poised to create its cinematic universe, rivalling the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Yet, in 2015, the franchise ended abruptly, leaving fans without closure. This post explains why I decided to continue the story, building my cinematic universe around Andrew Garfield’s The Amazing Spider-Man, and shed light on the missteps that led to the franchise’s demise. Let’s dive into what happened behind the scenes, why Sony’s plans fell apart, and what I plan to do differently.
Sony rebooted Spider-Man with The Amazing Spider-Man in 2012, hoping to create a darker, more grounded take on Peter Parker’s journey. The film was commercially successful, though it faced mixed critical reception. While many people loved the new direction, a significant number of fans and critics alike found some key elements lacking. I think that a huge aspect of its mixed reception is that it simply arrived too soon following the conclusion of the beloved Tobey Maguire starring, Sam Raimi-directed trilogy. The timing made it harder for The Amazing Spider-Man to be judged on its own merits, inevitably being compared to the Raimi trilogy. Critics also felt that the film didn’t do enough to distinguish itself from the Raimi version, as it retreads a lot of the same ground and went over the beats of Peter’s origin story in a very similar way, never mind the fact that the origin story was already pretty fresh in the minds of the audience. There was also a subplot about Peter’s parents, which was teased but not fully explored in the first film. This left audiences wanting more and felt like a weak setup for future films rather than something organically built into the story. I remember a lot of feeling perplexed by the subplot of Peter’s parents, not because of their inclusion in the film, but how they were used – particularly Richard Parker. In the second movie, it is revealed that during Richard’s creation of genetically modified spiders, he had merged his DNA with that of the spiders, thus making Peter Parker the only person who could receive spider powers. This goes against the character of Peter Parker and Spider-Man. One of the most appealing things about Spider-Man is that it could be anyone behind the mask, and Peter is just an everyday guy who tries his very best and just wants to help people. Making becoming Spider-Man his destiny, was something that annoyed a lot of fans. While Andrew Garfield was praised for his portrayal of Spider-Man (with a more witty and modernized take), some felt his version of Peter Parker was too “cool”, (a criticism I never understood, I mean, it was 2012 for petes sake, times had changed!), compared to the traditionally nerdy and awkward Peter from the comics and Raimi’s films. Garfield’s chemistry with Emma Stone (Gwen Stacy) was universally praised, but some found his Peter Parker to be less relatable.
The studio quickly followed up with The Amazing Spider-Man 2 in 2014, which was meant to lay the groundwork for a larger Spider-Man cinematic universe.
One of the key issues that derailed the franchise was the bloated nature of The Amazing Spider-Man 2. The movie tried to juggle too many storylines, including the rise of Electro, Harry Osborn’s transformation into the Green Goblin, Peter’s strained relationship with Gwen, and the introduction of the mysterious Sinister Six. Not to mention the subplot of the Richard Parker story, the brief introduction of Felicia Hardy, and deleted scenes including Mary Jane Watson. The movie felt overcrowded, and many viewers criticized it for its lack of focus.
Despite the film’s mixed reviews, Sony pushed forward with plans for spin-offs and sequels. The studio was intent on building its Spider-Man Cinematic Universe (SMCU). In 2014, Sony announced a series of films: The Amazing Spider-Man 3, The Amazing Spider-Man 4, The Sinister Six, and Venom. Drew Goddard was set to direct The Sinister Six, while The Amazing Spider-Man 3 would see Peter grieving Gwen’s death and introducing new characters, such as the Black Cat. This is an idea I was excited about at the time until leaked Sony plans began to come to the fore…
In late 2014, Sony Pictures was rocked by a major scandal when hackers leaked a massive trove of internal emails and documents. These emails revealed several embarrassing details about Sony’s internal operations, including their chaotic plans for the Spider-Man franchise. Executives at Sony were shown to have wildly different ideas about where to take the story. Some of these ideas were frankly bizarre, such as introducing a subplot where Peter’s parents were still alive and involved in a larger conspiracy, or impressively stupid ideas for an Aunt May solo film, making her a spy during her younger days. I mean, what??
The leaks also revealed that Sony was growing increasingly desperate to keep up with the MCU. They explored teaming up with Marvel Studios, which later became a reality, but the leaked emails exposed how fractured their vision of their Spider-Man universe had become.
Following the negative reception of The Amazing Spider-Man 2 and the chaos caused by the email leaks, Sony decided to cancel The Amazing Spider-Man 3 and reboot the character once again—this time, in partnership with Marvel Studios. In 2015, the studios announced that Spider-Man would join the MCU, debuting in Captain America: Civil War in 2016. This effectively ended Andrew Garfield’s time as Spider-Man and scrapped all plans for the Sinister Six and other spin-offs.
Why I’m Continuing the Story: While the franchise may have been cancelled, I have a strong connection for this version of the character, and I always wanted to create a version of the failed cinematic universe where I had control, not Sony. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 indeed had its flaws, but the seeds for a larger, more intricate universe were there. In my version of this story, I want to correct some of the mistakes made by Sony, introduce characters like Otto Octavius and Kraven the Hunter, give them the development they deserve, and bring closure to the dangling plot threads left unresolved.
The demise of The Amazing Spider-Man franchise was the result of corporate mismanagement, an overabundance of ideas, and a lack of clear direction. Yet, I believe there’s still an opportunity to explore what could have been—a Spider-Man universe that dives deeper into the iconic characters and themes. With my continuation, I aim to craft a story that respects the past but moves forward with a cohesive vision.
Stay tuned to this blog to see updated plots each week, starting with the next movie in the franchise—The Sinister Six—following the events of The Amazing Spider-Man 2
