These Spider-Man movies keep getting more and more crowded. It’s not enough that we’ve got The Amazing Spider-Man 2 with the hero facing the Rhino, Electro and the Green Goblin. It’s not enough that at some point he’ll have to cope with the Sinister Six and Venom, who will be so prominent as to get their own movies. It’s not enough he’ll have to juggle the affections of Gwen Stacy and Mary Jane Watson, the latter of whom was cut from the second film but is surely set to appear in a third. And it’s not enough that The Lizard from the first film still threatens Peter – unless, in true superhero movie fashion, no one ever brings that up again.
Now Spidey’s going to have to cope with Fancy Dan and the Enforcers. Are you a hardcore Spidey fan? If so, you’ve enjoyed the rifling through back issues that the current team has done, seeking those deep cuts in characters that Sam Raimi didn’t even acknowledge. In the latest update on the Daily Bugle Tumblr, an article talks about Fancy Dan Brito, opening up a whole can of worms. The article discusses an influx of Russian gangs running loose in New York City (and not much else; some weak journalism there, bro). These gangsters have infiltrated the New York City crime scene and are now stealing advanced technology and weaponry, which might be for the cause of whatever villains are beginning to form in the depths of OsCorp.
In the comics, Fancy Dan led the Enforcers, rogues for hire (often in the employ of Norman Osborn) who sought to take over the city’s gang infrastructure. They have a rich history of fighting Spider-Man, Daredevil, and several other ground-level heroes, mysteriously returning to the shadows after each brawl. In a wrinkle that could only exist in comic book films, Fancy Dan himself is secretly Frederick Foswell, a Daily Bugle employee who is credited with writing this tiny article. In the piece, he quotes his alter ego Fancy Dan, thereby perpetuating his own myth. Perhaps a hint that there could be a bit more comedy in this film, though knowing the creative team, it’s probably being played straight. Snore.
Provided the Enforcers even have a semi-unimportant role in the next film, stuff is getting crowded. In addition to the three villains Spidey is facing, he also has to develop what we would assume is a meaningful relationship with either Norman or Harry Osborn, or both. There’s also the question as to whom Felicity Jones or Sarah Gadon are playing. And we still haven’t even seen the Daily Bugle on film, but given that they operate online in this promotional material, they do exist: Peter’s gotta earn a cheap buck somehow. Is J. Jonah Jameson overseeing this online approach? It’s not a guarantee that a crowded movie will be a problem, but they did cut Shailene Woodley from the film because it was getting too loaded. You’d hope they wouldn’t cut a human element like a potential new romance just to spotlight characters like the Enforcers. Maybe Marc Webb just always wanted to do a movie with a character named Fancy Dan.
