Whither Spider-Man? After franchise director Sam Raimi's abrupt departure, Sony has intrigued and confused film fans by signing an unlikely replacement. Marc Webb — best known for directing the indie dramedy "(500) Days of Summer" — will helm the blockbuster series' next installment, a prequel focused on the private life of Spider-Man's alter-ego, Peter Parker. Can Webb, however aptly named, overcome his rep for whimsy and deliver another Spidey hit?
Webb will be a studio puppet: "I'm worried about this," sighs J. Pines at Brand New Cool. Sony hired Webb because he's "good enough to do the job" but not sufficiently high profile to "go against the studio's ideas." Equally troubling: A plot focused on Spider-Man's "private life"? We don't need to know "what's on his iPod" — and we don't need another "superhero movie that doesn't focus on the superhero part."
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