The Amazing Spider-Man 2[6] (also released as The Amazing Spider-Man 2: Rise of Electro in some markets[7]) is the second installment in the Amazing Spider-Man film series, following on from 2012's The Amazing Spider-Man also directed by Marc Webb. Andrew Garfield returned as Peter Parker/Spider-Man, as well the other principle cast members from The Amazing Spider-Man. Jamie Foxx, Dane DeHaan and Paul Giamatti joined the cast as Max Dillon/Electro, Harry Osborn/Green Goblin and Aleksei Sytsevich/Rhino respectively. The film was released May 2, 2014.[1]
An R-rated version of the film, titled the Director's Cut, is set to be released on DVD and Blu-ray on the 19 August 2014, and online in digital HD on August 5, containing extended and deleted scenes that were not chosen for the theatrical cut.[8]
Synopsis
"In The Amazing Spider-Man™ 2, for Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield), life is busy – between taking out the bad guys as Spider-Man and spending time with the person he loves, Gwen (Emma Stone), high school graduation can’t come quickly enough. Peter hasn’t forgotten about the promise he made to Gwen’s father to protect her by staying away – but that’s a promise he just can’t keep. Things will change for Peter when a new villain, Electro (Jamie Foxx), emerges, an old friend, Harry Osborn (Dane DeHaan), returns, and Peter uncovers new clues about his past."[6]
Plot
In a flashback, Richard Parker records a video message in an attempt to explain himself of his experiments at Oscorp before his disappearance. Along with his wife Mary Parker, he boards a flight that is hijacked by a man sent to kill him. He thwarts the attempt on his life while trying to send the video to a secret location.
In the present day, Spider-Man is in pursuit of criminals carrying a truck full of dangerous chemicals called plutonium through the city. Whilst talking to Gwen Stacy on the phone, he sees a vision of her late father, Captain Stacy, and is reminded of the promise he made to stay away from Gwen. During the chase, he saves the life of a man named Max Dillon. Afterwards, Peter meets Gwen at their high school graduation ceremony where the two share a kiss. However, later in the evening, Peter tells Gwen about the visions he's been having and insists that he needs to keep his promise in which Gwen breaks up with Peter.
After years of being away from the city, Harry Osborn returns as the heir to Oscorp Industries and talks with his father, Norman, who is in very poor health. Norman explains to Harry that the illness is genetic and that Harry is at the age where it will begin to show. Before he dies, he gives Harry a small device which he claims contains his life's work. The next day, it is reported that Norman Osborn has passed away, making Harry Osborn CEO of Oscorp where Felica Hardy becomes his new assistant. Upon hearing the news, Peter Parker visits Harry and the two are reunited after ten years.
Max Dillon, now assuming that he and Spider-Man are best friends, attends work on his birthday as an electrician at Oscorp. Whilst tending to some dangerous maintenance, he loses his balance and falls into a tank of modified electric eels being used for experiments. As a result, he becomes a human mass of electricity. Meanwhile, Peter meets Gwen in attempt to maintain a friendship, and Gwen tells Peter that a job opportunity means she has to move to England. Before the two can discuss it, Max accidentally shuts off the power to Times Square whilst looking for electricity to power himself. Max is seen all over time square where he is actually seen. Spider-Man attempts to calm the situation down. Spider-Man then saves people from his destruction. As Electro is replaced by Spider-Man all over Times Square which Electro then thinks Spider-Man is nothing but selfish. But after the police try to shoot him, Max thinks that Spider-Man has betrayed him and attacks. Spider-Man eventually stops him and he is taken to Oscorp to be tested on.
Harry begins to show symptoms of his illness and uses the device his father gave him to deduce that Spider-Man's blood could help save him. He asks Peter for help finding him but Peter refuses, unsure of what effects the transfusion would have. Parker visits Harry again, this time as Spider-Man, but again refuses. Afterwards, Harry is framed by members of the Oscorp board for covering up the accident involving Max Dillon, now known as Electro. They removed from his position as CEO. Harry’s assistant, Felicia Hardy, informs Harry of equipment kept off the books that could help him, and Harry makes a deal with Electro to get him back in to the Oscorp building. Once in, he goes to the enhanced spiders DNA. Harry starts to heal but afterwards, he begins to die even quicker. He then despritly, crawls on the floor towards the suit of armour which heals the body. He then gets other equipment made by his father and bio-weapons found by Richard that they called "symbiotes".
Peter uses information left behind by his father to locate the video message Richard left. In it, Richard explains that he had to leave New York because he wasn't willing to go along with Norman Osborn's plans to use what they had created for biological weapons with his research. Peter then receives a voicemail message from Gwen, telling him that she was offered the job in England and was heading to the airport to fly there earlier than expected because of an earlier class. Peter manages to catch her and professes his love for her, and the two agree to go to England together. They are interrupted by a blackout caused by Electro. Peter takes Gwen down where the police are and Gwen helps him with his web-shooters to go against Electro. Peter heads off to fight with Electro having the upper-hand. As Electro has Spider-Man in the air and is electrocuting him, Gwen comes in a police car and hits Electro, against Peter's demands, saying that it was her choice to help him. The two plan to defeat Electro by overloading his electricity supply. Just after they do so, Harry Osborn arrives, now as the Green Goblin, and figures out Spider-Man’s identity and that he wants revenge for being refused the life saving blood transfusion. Goblin takes Gwen and drops her where Spider-Man catches her. The two fight at the top of a clock tower, and Spider-Man manages to subdue the Goblin. However, during the fight, Gwen falls and is supported by a web connected to one of the gears. The gears gives way and Gwen again falls. Goblin is then defeated and Peter tries to save Gwen using his web. As Peter webs to catch her, she hits her head on the floor dying from the impact.
Five months pass and Spider-Man is nowhere to be seen in New York, as Peter spends every day at Gwen's grave. Meanwhile, Harry Osborn is visited by Gustav Fiers who tells him that they have found a man suitable of operating a large suit of armour developed by Oscorp. The man is Alexsei Sytsevich - the criminal stopped by Spider-Man at the start of the film. He attacks the city streets in the suit, going by the name The Rhino. Peter is inspired by a recording of Gwen's graduation speech and makes his return as Spider-Man to fight Rhino.
Production history
Previously, The Amazing Spider-Man director Marc Webb has said that he was unsure that he would return to direct its sequel, but it has been confirmed that he will.[9] Columbia Pictures has also announced that James Vanderbilt will be penning the sequel.[10]
Columbia Pictures has confirmed that Marc Webb will be directing the Amazing Spider-Man sequel.[11]Star Trek writers Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, and Fringe writer Jeff Pinkner wrote the screenplay, based in part on a draft from The Amazing Spider-Man scribe, James Vanderbilt.
In an interview, Webb has said that the film's script is completed and that shooting would begin in January of 2013.[12][13] However, later, Webb stated that filming would begin in the upcoming February instead and would take place in London.[14] When the filming began, Webb released a small TASM 2-related pictures each day on Twitter. One picture in particular led to the speculations of famous Spider-Man villain Venom being in the movie and being portrayed by Dane DeHaan, the actor playing Harry Osborn.[15] Even DeHaan once tweeted something that caused fans to debate whether or not he will play the villain.[16]
Cast
- Andrew Garfield as Spider-Man/Peter Parker
- Max Charles as Young Peter Parker
- Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy
- Jamie Foxx as Electro/Max Dillon
- Dane DeHaan as Green Goblin/Harry Osborn
- Colm Feore as Donald Menken
- Felicity Jones as Felicia Hardy
- Paul Giamatti as Rhino/Aleksei Sytsevich
- Sally Field as Aunt May
- Embeth Davidtz as Mary Parker
- Campbell Scott as Richard Parker
- Marton Csokas as Dr. Kafka
- B.J. Novak as Alistair Smythe
- Sarah Gadon as Kari
- Michael Massee as Gustav Fiers
- Jorge Vega as Jorge
- Kari Coleman as Helen Stacy
- Skyler Gisondo as Howard Stacy
- Charlie DePew as Philip Stacy
- Stan Lee as Graduation Guest
News
- A hint toward The Amazing Spider-Man 2's villain was revealed within the first movie's post-credits scene, when a mysterious man spoke with Curt Connors in a mental asylum.[17]
- Actor J.K. Simmons has said that he is willing to play J. Jonah Jameson (chief editor of the Daily Bugle) in the second film if the studio lets him. However, nothing has been said of the issue from Webb or the studio.[18] It may be a good choice, as Simmons has played (and was well-awarded for playing) Jameson in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy. Webb has commented on the issue, saying that anything can happen.[19]
- It was once unclear whether or not Garfield was to return as Spider-Man,[20] but it has been confirmed that he will.[21]
- Stan Lee says he wishes to have a bigger cameo in this film than he did in the first, even telling Webb that he would like to have a bigger role in the plot, saying, "[My cameo] was alright, but it wasn't big enough. You refer to it as a cameo. Couldn't we think of it as a leading role? ... Now, I'll admit, I was great doing that little thing and walking away and stamping the books. People haven't stopped talking about it. But, I think in the next one, maybe we ought to go a little deeper and probe the real me. ... People are still talking about that cameo and saying, 'Why wasn't it longer?' Why couldn't I have stamped more books?"[22] However, it is likely that Lee was joking about the leading role talk, but he will still probably remain a spot in the movie as a cameo appearance.
- It is also possible Lee may make an appearance as the fictional character by the name of simply Stan, similar to what he did in the first film.
- Spider-Man universe villain Electro was once only rumored to appear,[23] but he's now been confirmed. Two actors were in talks to play him, Homeland actor Damian Lewis[24] and Ray actor Jamie Foxx,[25] but Foxx gained the role.[26]
- After not being chosen for the role of Electro, Lewis was in talks to play Norman Osborn for the film,[27] but the role was taken by actor Chris Cooper as of February 27, 2013.
- Foxx has stated to Entertainment Tonight that he likes Electro as a character and is excited to portray him.[28]
- Foxx also said that the costume for TASM 2's Electro will not be green and yellow (Electro's most well-known color scheme in comics) due to the look being too silly to use in a darker-toned film series.[29] Instead, the film's costume will be more influenced by the "Ultimate Marvel" version of Electro, which does not don the green and yellow either.
- Electro's suit has been revealed to "be black," according to Foxx. This will represent the Ultimate Electro more than the classic in the film.[30]
- Electro's origin story has been revealed by Foxx himself, and it appears that it will differ from the Electro fans knew from the classic comic books.[31]
- Lee and Webb stated that Spidey may take on new Web-Shooters in the film.[32] Additionally, Spider-Man's suit will change almost completely to make it look more similar to the original version; Webb has said that the studio may even make the eyes bigger.[33]
- Multiple actors for the role of Harry Osborn were being considered,[36] and the role was confirmed to be played by Chronicle actor Dane DeHaan.[37]
- Actor Martin Sheen, who played Ben Parker in the first film, has confirmed he will return for the second.[38] However, it is unknown whether or not he will return in the film in a flashback, since he was murdered in the first.
- It was first rumored,[39] but then confirmed that the character Mary Jane Watson will be played by actress Shailene Woodley in both sequels.[40][41] Additionally, Kirsten Dunst (former Mary Jane actor in the original three Spider-Man films) has stated her approval for the actress.[42]
- After short talks,[43] actor Paul Giamatti will be playing the villain Rhino in the sequel; the same character that was featured in the video game.[44][45][46]
- Famous Spider-Man villain "Venom" (the symbiote in TASM universe) is hinted to appear in the film by a picture Webb tweeted on Twitter. It is also hinted that Dane DeHaan, the same actor playing Harry Osborn, will play the villain.[47] [48]
- On February 15, 2013, Marc Webb released posted a video that shows a brief glimpse at what may be Spider-Man's black costume from the comics.[49]
- Actor Colm Feore (featured in another Marvel Entertainment film Thor) has been confirmed to portray a role in the film,[50] but the role itself is unknown. He has been rumored to play Norman Osborn, Harry Osborn's father and CEO and founder of Oscorp Industries.
- Actress Felicity Jones is to have a role in the film, but it is currently unknown who she will play. It is rumored by many that she will play Felicia Hardy as the "Black Cat," especially due to her name being so similar to the character's. Additionally, Anne Hathaway (villain Black Cat actor in the fourh Spider-Man film) unlike her comic counterpart who became the Black Cat, Raimi's Felicia was to become the The Vulturess.
- Actor Brian Haley is said to play Phil Watson, Mary Jane Watson's father, in the film by IMDb,[51] however, the actor nor the role is confirmed.
- Electro's appearance was finally revealed by Webb, as he is seen walking like a zombie through Times Square.[52]
Videos
International Trailers
International TV Spots
Clips
Interviews
Interviews
Promotional
Comic-Con
Gallery
Promotional
Stills
Behind the Scenes
Trivia
- The film's working titles were London Calling and Untitled Columbia Pictures Project.
- This was the last film of Marc Webb's The Amazing Spider-Man series as Marvel Studios & Sony Pictures decide to reboot the franchise by setting it into Marvel Cinematic Universe with Tom Holland taking over the role as Peter Parker / Spider-Man with his first appearance will be Captain America: Civil War.