Spider-Man: Reboot This...

by Virginia Merante

Last week, one of the first pictures from the new Spider-Man was released with Andrew Garfield as our beloved main man. Of course, I clicked on the link to get a good look and found I had the same reaction as I did when Garfield was first cast.

No.

Just…no.

Those who know me (I’m new to the PopCultureDivas, so I expect not many), know I am a huge Harry Potter freak. What most don’t know is I’m also a SUCKER for superheroes. Ironman, Batman, The Hulk, G-Force (Not the fluffy animals, the early emo cartoon from way back when), Kickass-or should I say-HIT GIRL! Oh yeah, I get all giddy inside as I watch them, but only one is my all-time favorite.

My love for Spider-Man started when I was a little girl watching the cartoon. As I got older, I moved on from the TV out into the wild, spending my time in the woods or playing with Barbie’s. The most I remembered was Spidey swinging through the city on his web, shot aimlessly to the sky. Still, when Spider-Man was released in 2002 featuring Tobey Maguire as the man himself, my inner child jumped to life and made a bee-line to the theaters. I even squealed as Spidey, finally confident of his ability, flung himself through the air. It was thrilling and perfect and wonderful.

My hero was gloriously back in brilliant blue and red. I had no idea who Tobey Maguire was at the time, but by the end of the movie he was no more and no less than Spider-Man to me. With the second sequel in 2004, with its amazing train sequence, and third in 2007 with Spider-Man dressed in black, I was absolutely on the edge of my seat waiting for number four. Then bomb was dropped in January 2010.

The news could not be more devastating to us Spider-Man fans. ‘We’ (the legions upon legions of faithful followers) were good and dug into the series, waiting for the next installment only to have the rug pulled out from under our feet. Not only did the director Sam Raimi withdraw from the franchise because of ‘creative differences’, but Tobey, Kristen, my neighbor James (he’s only fifteen minutes away. Close enough.), were gone too. It couldn’t be. I refused to believe it. There had to be some sort of agreement sooner or later. Just had to, right?


Wrong. Wrong…wrong. WRONG! Not only was there no reconciliation anywhere in sight, but we our worst nightmares were about to be realized. A reboot.

I don’t think I had ever heard the term before regarding a movie, but I knew instantly it was a bad, BAD, horrific word, and boy oh boy was I right. The whole series was to be reshot from the beginning and Tobey Maguire was officially Spider-Man no more.

Wait… WHAT?

It’s not like these films were from the 80’s, or (better yet) the 70’s, or even the 60’s and just screaming to be rejuvenated. No, no, no. Spider-Man was released just a few years ago. That baby’s not even ten years old yet. No reboots were needed, thank you very much. But unfortunately, the Spider-Man-powers-that-be, men with invisible faces and black as coal suits to match their dead-heartless souls, have gone and made the reboot regardless of my feelings on the subject. We should all be seeing the new version hit the theaters July 2012.

Will I see it?

*BIG SIGH*

Yeah…I probably will.

It is Spider-Man after all, and though I am a Tobey Maguire loyalist and PROMISE I will not like the reboot as much as Tobey’s originals, I cannot simply turn my back on Spidey all together. He is my childhood hero. How can I abandon him for good?

Plus, Emma Stone is in it. I can at least use her as an excuse to see the movie. I like Emma. She is pretty and funny, so I can only imagine what her personality will bring to the story. (And maybe, she will be the best part of the movie, and it will BOMB and the all powerful bobble heads, I mean-studio heads will realize their mistake and bring the whole original crew back on board and give us fans what we really want: Spider-Man 4. Muahahahahahaha!)

*Deep breath*

Till then, I will wait more than patiently for next July and only half-heartedly anticipate Spiderman-Garfield style (seriously, his tights aren’t going to be yellow with orange stripes, are they?) In the meantime, I will take in the original’s on DVD with the hopes that Garfield can capture at least a tiny bit of the magic Tobey brought to the big screen, even though I know there is NO CHANCE. No chance in hell.

Viva Tobey Maguire!


Many Thanks to Jo for inviting to be apart of ThePopcultureDivas. It’s such an honor. Please take a few minutes to check out my website G. MARIE MERANTE. From there you can follow me on Twitter and check out my blog! Bless!