When Andrew Garfield earned the rights to wear Spider-Man’s spandex in Marc Webb’s superhero series, it was the equivalent of a Lotto win for the unabashed Spidey fan. Garfield gushed to the media and to potential audiences that he grew up with Marvel’s sarcastic hero, and that he’d do right by his beloved crime-fighter. Garfield has played Spider-Man in two films to date. He’s expected back for at least one more, 2018’s The Amazing Spider-Man 3, though it’s possible the young actor is beginning to see the writing on the wall.
Andrew Garfield was in Toronto to help promote Ramin Bahrani’s 99 Homes, where he stars opposite Michael Shannon in a gripping real-estate drama. But during an interview with The Toronto Sun, he had to field Spidey questions… specifically, would he be part of Drew Goddard’s The Sinister Six movie, which plans to unite six Spider-Man baddies in a mysterious adventure. One might assume that a movie like that needs Spider-Man’s involvement. Andrew Garfield disagrees. He tells the outlet:
I know more than I’m allowed to say right now. I can say I’m really excited about Drew Goddard, who’s going to be writing and directing The Sinister Six movie. And whether I’m involved in that or not is kind of immaterial."
"Immaterial." Spider-Man is "immaterial" to a Sinister Six movie? I’d tend to disagree, unless the plot of this unusual film is something so far off book that we actually do NOT need a hero. Let’s run through a few options. We’re under the impression that Drew Goddard will be using toys in Marc Webb’s (and Sony’s) current sandbox. That the villains in question will include Dane DeHaan’s Green Goblin (who recruits the team at the end of The Amazing Spider-Man 2), Paul Giamatti’s Rhino (who might be detained, following the unfinished fight at the end of ASM 2), perhaps Jamie Foxx’s Electro, and the hinted-at but not-yet-cast Vulture and Doctor Octopus. Remember these guys?
So, this could be an "origin story," so to speak, for this massive villain team. We could spend the bulk of Drew Goddard’s The Sinister Six learning why these bad guys need to team up, and how they are going to forge their alliance. But won’t we spend the bulk of the movie wondering if and when Spider-Man will show up? Why build a Sinister Six if you aren’t going to let them go after – and be defeated by – Spider-Man?
Garfield wouldn’t explain more. Though when he was pressed on it, he did hint that Goddard’s The Cabin in the Woods was made more enjoyable because we knew next to nothing about it going in. And he’d like to preserve some of that mystery for The Sinister Six project for as long as possible. Good luck with that, sir.
