After breaking a number of box-office records in Europe and Asia, Spider-Man 3 from Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures/Columbia Pictures is now thrilling audiences in North America with a ton of swinging visual effects and CG animation by Sony Pictures Imageworks, with help from Furious FX, Digital Domain, New Deal Studios, Evil Eye Pictures, Caf’ FX, Digital Dreams, Giant Killer Robots, Tweak Films and Pixel Liberation Front.
Director Sam Raimi returns to the helm for a third round with our friendly, neighborhood web slinger as Topher Grace, Thomas Haden Church and Bryce Dallas Howard join returning cast members Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst and James Franco. Based on the Marvel Comics series created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, Spider-Man 3 finds Peter Parker finally striking a balance between his devotion to M.J. and his duties as a superhero when his suit begins to change, giving him enhanced powers and a swollen ego. As he struggles with alterations in his own personality, he must also thwart the evil plans of Sandman and Venom, two of the most powerful members of the property’s rogue’s gallery.
Having raked in more than $29 million during its first day in overseas markets, this third installment is on track to out-gross its two blockbuster predecessors. The movie has to be a major success to offset its reported $200 million production budget. And while it may possibly be the last Spidey outing with the current cast and director, Marvel and Sony are likely to keep the franchise running as long as it keeps serving as a money mint. The licensing and merchandising business alone is reason enough to keep the sequels coming.
The only other wide release brave enough to take on Spider-Man is, ironically, a movie starring former Hulk star Eric Bana. In Warner Bros.’ Lucky You, Bana plays a hotshot Vegas poker player who raises the stakes in his personal life when he meets a young singer played by Drew Barrymore.
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