Columbia Pictures has released a number of new videos in promotion of the upcoming super hero adventure film.
The series of videos depict Doctor Curt Connors, the scientist who turns himself into a man-sized reptile – called ‘The Lizard’ – while attempting to use reptile DNA to grow back his lost arm. In the comics, Spider-Man fights him on several occasions, where he appears as a brute, mindless fighter in scales and a tattered lab coat. In some versions, his transformation is temporary but addictive, like a Jekyll and Hyde situation.
The clips are in-cannon video blogs from Oscorp research project 00, which appears to have something to do with Spider DNA, judging from the images released along with the videos.
Here are the most interesting of the series (the others seem to be error messages or something):
And here are the neat images released along with the videos. The first is a pair of creepy research slides for Project 00:
Then an annotated clipping from The Daily Bugle about Oscorp’s dubious philanthropy.
Finally, a note from Mary Parker to Richard Parker, asking him to stop working all the time.
Frankly, I really admire this trend of creating original material for promos, rather than just making new trailers leading up to the movie. It’s a lot more interesting, and doesn’t cost much on their end to have the actors say a few extra lines in-character to make it work.
I just wish they’d stop calling them ‘viral’ campaigns. It just shows that they don’t really understand how social media works.
Here’s the theatrical trailer for the film:
and the official synopsis:
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 July 3rd, 2012.
