News of casting announcements, plot details, and various other rumours about Sony’s still untitled Spider-Man reboot, have been trickling in for sometime now, and show no signs of stopping, as news recently broke that a fairly well known actor is in final negotiations to play Spidey’s Uncle Ben.
In the comics, Peter Parker; the high-school kid that develops super-powers after being bitten by a radioactive spider; was raised by his elderly Aunt May, and Uncle Ben; who unknowingly convinces Pete to use his new found powers for good when he utters the immortal dying line “with great power, comes great responsibility”; a line that’s shortly to be uttered by none other than Martin Sheen.
Known to the younger generation as either the father of Two and a Half Men’s Charlie Sheen and Mighty Ducks’ Emilio Estevez, or the West Wing president, Martin Sheen’s impressive portfolio includes appearances in Apocalypse Now, the original Wall Street, and The Departed, and no-one can deny that not only does he clearly have the look of a respectably aging uncle, but that he is more than capable of giving a short yet intrinsically important performance, as the man who raised a hero.
Just as important is Ben’s wife, and Peter’s Aunt, May; as after the death of Ben she becomes Peter’s only living relative, and a source of constant comfort and grounding reality for him; a role that Mrs. Doubtfire’s Sally Field has recently entered negotiations to fulfill.
Topping up the cast (aside from Never Let Me Go‘s Andrew Garfield as the web-slinging hero) is Emma Stone (Zombieland); who will be playing Peter’s first love, Gwen Stacy (a surprising role as it means there will be no appearance from Mary Jane; Spidey’s most well known girlfriend; in the movie); and Rhys Ifans (Mr Nice), as Curt Connors; the doctor who eventually turns into a crazed lizard-hybrid, and causes a bit of bother for your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.
Marc Webb (500 Days of Summer) will be directing Spidey’s next outing; which will be filmed on a considerably smaller scale, and budget, than Sam Raimi’s (The Evil Dead) outings (but still released in 3D), but is due to begin filming next month, and is slated for release on July 3rd 2012.
