Over the last year we have gotten production shots and teaser images for next summer’s Amazing Spider-Man 2. This morning we finally got a full fledged trailer. As a Spider-Man super nerd, I’d like to break this down a bit and really look at what we’re being shown. Not only for this movie, but possibilities for future sequels.
Let’s start with what’s on the forefront of my mind, the rogues gallery of villains. We know of four villains that will definitely be getting screen time in the series. The Lizard appeared in the first film, and is currently locked up on Riker’s Island. If you recall, he was paid a visit by a shadowy figure in the film’s credits. This second movie will feature Rhino, Electro and the Green Goblin. I am guessing in that order. In this trailer we are teased with the Vulture’s wings and Doctor Octopus’s arms.
Paul Giamatti will be playing Aleksei Sytsevich, A.K.A. The Rhino. Believe it or not, it is rumored Paul pushed to get the roll because of his love of the character. In the trailer we see him having a few run ins with Spider-Man. My prediction is his first crime spree is foiled by Peter. Somehow he gets that mech suit covered in Russian symbols to seek revenge on Spider-Man. It is worth noting that he is the only villain that hasn’t been genetically altered. Because of this, I believe he is operating independent of Oscrop and Norman Osborn. I also believe this means after being defeated, Oscorp will approach him for an experiment to become something closer to the human and rhino hybrid. Most likely revealed in the fourth film of this series, but I will get to that in a minute.
The take on the Green Goblin is an interesting one. It seems as though they are going to jump straight to Harry as the Goblin, instead of Norman. The screenshot certainly looks like Harry. Maybe by the third movie they will have cured whatever it is that is killing Norman turning him into the goblin in the process. Either way, my money is on Harry the Goblin in this movie. Him and Peter don’t seem to be the chums they were in Sam Raimi’s movies.
I haven’t looked, but I am sure there is an uproar about the portrayal of the Green Goblin. For a lot of people, if it doesn’t look like the comic, it doesn’t work for them. Which is silly. If you haven’t, take a look at Sam Raimi’s tests he did for the Green Goblin. I do not see how this would have translated well to the big screen. Obviously neither did Raimi. I am hoping the Goblin story arc is a slow burn and he isn’t revealed until later in the movie.
Spider-Man does well in the comics at bouncing between multiple villains having slow burns over a long period of time. Not every villain needs a beginning, middle, and end to their story in one movie. Trying to do that with Electro, Rhino and the Goblin would be tough to pull off. I hope Rhino gets the least development and randomly shows up while Peter is swinging around. This might be more interesting and show the random onslaught of bad guys Spider-Man deals with every day.
If it’s not obvious enough, and the teases from the studio didn’t tip you off, I will… They are building up for a Sinister Six movie, rumored to be number four. I am predicting they spend movie number two with the villains addressed above. More of Goblin, Doc Ock, and Vulture in the third. I also think our dear Gwen will meet her fate in the third movie. All of these things culminating into a Sinister Six for the fourth. I also predict Connors A.K.A. The Lizard is conflicted and switches sides to help Peter.
In the trailer Peter also uncovers some more of the secrets about his father. It reminds me of the Ultimate Spider-Man comic, where Peter’s Dad and Eddie Brock’s Dad developed a suit to cure cancer. This was found to be more useful as a weapon and eventually is what Venom is made out of. Peter’s parents demise was due to the company Richard Parker worked for killing him to take his research. I like this direction, it ties Peter in with Norman even more so, making that dynamic all the more interesting.
I am getting very excited for this film. I was cautiously optimistic about the first one, and really enjoyed it. The movie definitely had a few blemishes, but as a whole it was great. And now that we are past the origin story business, we can get into what makes Spider-Man tick as a character. In the Raimi movies, which I still love two thirds of, Spider-Man doesn’t spend a lot of time in costume being Spider-Man. My favorite of the three (Spider-Man 2), he has denounced being a hero and spends the majority of the movie as Peter Parker. Don’t get me wrong, that is part of why I love it so much, but I want more wise cracking cocky Spider-Man.
I think this film will deliver. What do you think?