Columbia Pictures has released its first full-length trailer for The Amazing Spider-Man.
The plot and themes here are definitely darker than previous film adaptations, but Spider-Man’s corny wit has been retained, which was something I was worried about following initial news of the adaption.
We also get a glimpse of how Peter’s parents are worked into the plot, with, apparently, some dark secret in his father’s past – something Spider-Man will have to investigate while fighting off his late father’s colleague, who has turned himself reptilian.
It looks like the newspaper photographer sub-plot has been nixed altogether, which explains why there is no Jonah Jameson in the cast list. That rivalry has been replaced by Gwen Stacy’s father, George, played by Denis Leary, who seems perfect for the part of the disapproving cop father.
One of the things I’ve been curious about, and impatiently waiting to discover, is the effects they used for The Lizard. Here we see some good body shots, and bits of fight scenes, and an extreme close-up, which all look good, but there are no regular close-up facial shots, which is the aspect that worries me. With all the advanced tech we have today, I really hope the studio went with digital facial mo-cap for the lizard’s few scenes of dialogue. If it’s just Rhys Ifans in a rubber mask, I’ll really be disappointed.
We’ve also got a new, long-form synopsis:
One of the world’s most popular characters is back on the big screen as a new chapter in the Spider-Man legacy is revealed in “The Amazing Spider-Man.” Focusing on an untold story that tells a different side of the Peter Parker story, the new film stars Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans, Denis Leary, Campbell Scott, Irrfan Khan, with Martin Sheen and Sally Field. The film is directed by Marc Webb from a screenplay written by James Vanderbilt, based on the Marvel Comic Book by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. Laura Ziskin, Avi Arad, and Matt Tolmach are producing the film in association with Marvel Entertainment for Columbia Pictures, which will open in theaters everywhere in 3D on July 3, 2012.
“The Amazing Spider-Man” is the story of Peter Parker (Garfield), an outcast high schooler who was abandoned by his parents as a boy, leaving him to be raised by his Uncle Ben (Sheen) and Aunt May (Field). Like most teenagers, Peter is trying to figure out who he is and how he got to be the person he is today. Peter is also finding his way with his first high school crush, Gwen Stacy (Stone), and together, they struggle with love, commitment, and secrets. As Peter discovers a mysterious briefcase that belonged to his father, he begins a quest to understand his parents’ disappearance – leading him directly to Oscorp and the lab of Dr. Curt Connors (Ifans), his father’s former partner. As Spider-Man is set on a collision course with Connors’ alter-ego, The Lizard, Peter will make life-altering choices to use his powers and shape his destiny to become a hero.
The Amazing Spider-Man hits theaters on July 3, 2012. (the date in the title of the video above is for UK audiences).
