This one likely will have to be filed in the "Wish List" bin, but it’s fun to dream about what could have been. On the heels of the news story that The LEGO Movie co-directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller are contemplating an animated Spider-Man movie comes news that two other powerhouse comic-book titans with direct Marvel ties almost produced a Web-slinging movie. Alas, it never happened. What went wrong?
The information is part of this ongoing (and never-ending) Sony Pictures email leak. ComicBookMovie cites a Brazilian Web site, overtice.com, so we’re not exactly getting this from the trades who have been poring over the numerous Sony emails. But the site quotes Captain America co-directors Anthony and Joe Russo as conversing with Sony Chair Amy Pascal about the future of the Spider-Man franchise. According to the emails, the directors lament that the conversations about getting Web head in Marvel's Captain America: Civil War -- which the Russos will direct – fell apart. But the brothers then went so far as to offer to Pascal that the Russos would produce Sony’s Spider-Man movies through their Bullitt production house. We can only assume this would help pull Spidey into the MCU.
MAKE THAT HAPPEN, SONY!
According to the report, the Russos admit to Amy Pascal that handing the rights to Spider-Man would require "a difficult conversation" with current producer Avi Arad, but that it would be a "conversation worth having." I could NOT agree more. The Russos showed with Captain America: The Winter Soldier that they have a firm grasp on the superhero genre – though, admittedly, Cap and Spidey are different entities. Maybe we should show some reservation that the Russos are the right folks to put their fingerprints on Spider-Man’s universe, but thanks to what we saw in Winter Soldier, we still think this is an incredible idea.
Do you know what else the Russos could bring to Spider-Man? Knowledge of and experience with proper world building. The directors have been privy to Marvel’s long-term planning. They are moving on to Civil War, and even are heavily rumored to take over the two-part Avengers movies based around the Infinity War. They could apply that knowledge to the Spider-Man franchise and instantly put Sony’s prized hero (and series) back on the fast track.
Overtice says that Pascal never replied to the Russo Brothers. The site also notes that Sony’s emails were down shortly after, so it’s POSSIBLE that this conversation might still take place. Spider-Man fans? Start praying now.
