The 100th issue of any comic book series usually is commemorated with a double-sized issue or a centerfold illustration that can be folded out into a cool, collectible poster. Marc Webb doesn’t have a comic book, though he’s shooting one of the most anticipated comic-book adaptations in recent memory: The Amazing Spider Man 2. And to commemorate his 100th day of shooting on the sequel, Webb does what he has been doing all production long. He Vimeo’d an amazing behind-the-scenes video of a motion shot that frames Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) on a high perch, overlooking the city he has sworn to protect.
Parker looks so troubled in the 3-second clip, slouching his shoulders and dropping his head into his hand as Webb’s cameras pan over the (safely harnessed) actor from above and on all sides. Could he still be lamenting the loss of Capt. Stacy (Denis Leary) from the original film? Or did Peter go back on his death-bed promise to keep Gwen safe … with disastrous results? We continue to speculate that the casting of Chris Cooper as Norman Osborn – and the Green Goblin – spells disaster for Emma Stone’s Gwen Stacey. Does this pivotal shot show us Parker’s mournful reaction to a failure to save his true love from a tall bridge?
The clips also demonstrates something that I loved about Webb’s first movie (and that I continue to see in elements he has shared so far for ASM 2). He conveys a sense of space, of a city’s sprawl, while also placing Peter in a small corner of it – as if to suggest, “This little person must find the courage to rise to extreme heights to defend this city and its residents.” One of my favorite shots from Webb’s first Spider-Man has Peter in costume standing on a rooftop overlooking the expanse of Manhattan … and you wonder how one man can stop all of the crime in such a vast area. The sentiment is echoed in a photo Webb Tweeted a few days ago. It’s breathtaking.
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 rolls along with its production, aiming for a May 2, 2014 release date. We expect Team Spidey to be at Comic-Con in July with plenty to share regarding the new Spider-Man movie. And maybe, just maybe, a trailer will arrive soon, reminding folks that Web Head kicks off the summer blockbuster season next year. Be ready.
