Sony Confirms AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 3 (2016) And AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 4 (2018) Are Being Released

Sony has confirmed that they are setting release dates for Amazing Spider-Man 3 (June 10th 2016) and Amazing Spider-Man 4 (May 4th 2018). We've been hearing rumblings of Amazing Spider-Man 3 already on the books for the studio which could lead to Green Goblin alongside the Sinister Six. However, this is the first time hearing about further plans of a fourth film.

No word if they've signed director Marc Webb for the two sequels but it's very likely they've already made a deal. Andrew Garfield is expected to be locked in as Spidey and it's up in the air who else will be returning from Amazing Spider-Man 2. This seems like to combat previous talk that Sony's financial problems could lead the studio to sell the Spider-Man rights. Opening a small chance that Marvel/Disney could reclaim Spidey for the MCU.

Director Marc Webb Announces Dane DeHaan Is Harry Osborn In AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2

While a slew of actors had tested for the role director Marc Webb has confirmed via Twitter that he's cast Dane DeHaan (Lawless, Chronicle) as Harry Osborn in Amazing Spider-Man 2. Harry is the son of Oscorp head Norman Osborn (Green Goblin), the best friend of Peter Parker and boyfriend of Mary Jane Watson. Dane joins newcomers Shailene Woodley (Mary Jane Watson) and Jamie Foxx (Electro) in the sequel.

RUMOR: Damian Lewis To Play Norman Osborn/Green Goblin In SPIDER-MAN 2?

After it was revealed that Homeland actor Damian Lewis (Band of Brothers) had also been in talks with Sony for the role of baddie Electro in The Amazing Spider-Man 2. There are now rumblings online that Lewis could be looked at to play the villainous Norman Osborn/Green Goblin. Nothing concrete just yet but he'd be an excellent addition to the franchise. Plus, it could be interesting to see Jamie Foxx and Lewis playing off each other.

Emma Stone Wants Gwen Dead In AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2?

We got the official announcement that director Marc Webb and star Andrew Garfield would be returning for Amazing Spider-Man 2. While Emma Stone was still only in talks, which is sort of odd. The film is expected to begin production in early 2013 with a May 2nd 2014 release date set.  This would mean that Sony needs to lineup their actors soon so pre-production can begin.

The rumor at the moment is that Stone could be talking with the studio about Gwen's fate in the trilogy. In the comics Gwen is killed by The Green Goblin and changes Peter forever. Hints to this were shown in the first film with Norman Osborn and Oscorp having their seeds planted. Sony might be trying to delay the actress from exiting the franchise by keeping her alive until the third movie. Webb and Stone have given the impression that they want her out sooner rather than later. Obviously making room for a new actress playing Mary Jane Watson to join the franchise.

Director Marc Webb Confirmed For AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2

Variety finally has confirmed that director Marc Webb has signed on to direct Amazing Spider-Man 2. I'm sure Sony and Webb's agent have made a solid deal for Webb who wasn't contracted for the sequel when he originally took the job with the first movie. Fox had also been pursuing him to start their two-picture deal. Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone will be reprising their roles with a May 2nd 2014 release date. No word on the villain but rumors have The Jekyll and Green Goblin as possible baddies.

CAST EM': AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2

The reboot of the Spider-Man franchise has divided most fans as most either loved or loathed Marc Webb's take on the web-head. Audiences have spoken with their wallets shelling out over $743 million worldwide. Sony has already set a release date of May 2nd 2014 for Amazing Spider-Man 2. James Vanderbilt and Roberto Orci (Star Trek 1-2, Transformers) have been working on it's script with the cast signed on to return. Director Marc Webb is still trying to talk to Fox so the studio will allow him to make Spidey 2 first before being forced into other projects. Sony could end up finding another director to fill his shoes or (less likely) buy out Webb's contract with Fox if need him badly enough. Either way, the franchise will move forward and here are some of my thoughts on future casting additions.

JANE LEVY AS MARY JANE WATSON

MICHAEL SHEEN AS NORMAN OSBORN

ANTON YELCHIN AS HARRY OSBORN

DONALD GLOVER AS MILES MORALES/ROBBIE ROBERTSON

FRAN KRANZ AS ALISTAIR SMYTHE

JUNO TEMPLE AS FELICIA HARDY

Sony Uncertain If Marc Webb Will Direct 'AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2'

Doug Belgrad also spoke to THR about the return of director Marc Webb for The Amazing Spider-Man 2. It seems like his contract with Fox could conflict with the upcoming production for the sequel which already has a May 4th 2014 release date. James Vanderbilt and Roberto Orci (Star Trek 1-2) have already developed a script and is expected to begin production very soon. The studio will have to search for backup directors if they already haven't. Considering that Webb never signed a multiple picture deal he isn't contracted to stick around for sequels. Of course Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone will be returning with the villain still unknown.

SPECULATION: 'AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2' Villain The Jackal? Plus Other Possible Villains

Sony had rebooted the Spider-Man with the Amazing Spider-Man heading to theaters next month. The studio has already tapped James Vanderbilt to start work on Amazing Spider-Man 2 and it's been given a release date of May 2nd 2014. It's possible the sequel's villain will be teased or introduced in The Amazing Spider-Man. I understand Spidey fans are anticipating the return of Norman Osborn and The Green Goblin but there are plenty of other villains to consider. Also, everyone knows that Gobby kills Gwen Stacy and the studio isn't likely willing to go that route so early. We should expect the studio to bring in unused villains for the next couple of films. I have my own theory that The Jackal is a very strong candidate.

JACKAL AND KAINE: In this new film there have been hints that Peter may or may not be a genetic experiment developed by his parents. Genetics has always been apart of the Spidey mythos but it could mean that the clone saga could rear it's head. The Jackal is the brains behind the secret program to clone Spider-Man which leads to the powerful villain Kaine. Oscorp has been thought to house a majority of these villains in the making for the new franchise. So it's possible a slew of unused villains could stream out of the company such as Smythe and The Jackal.

As the sequel is already heading into production we should assume the villain will be introduced in the first film. In the more recent trailer for Amazing Spider-Man there is shadowy figure that questions Connors in prison about Peter discovering the truth about his father. Many are assuming this is Norman Osborn because Oscorp is front and center in the film. However, this man seems a little too dishevelled to be the usually impressively dressed Norman. My theory is that he could be Dr. Miles Warren who becomes the Jackal leading to the ominous powerhouse Kaine. I also wouldn't count out this being Smythe as he's featured in the video game tie-in. Having Warren/Jackal as a straight up evil scientist and not "changed/conflicted" by an accident like all the previous villains would be something fresh. Not to mention he's a character I could believe killed Parker's parents. Perhaps, blackmailing them to work for him and his illegal cloning experiments or risk the safety of Peter.

One reason why this might not be Jackal is the death of Gwen Stacy. Green Goblin kills Gwen in the comics and if the Jackal is plausible that could mean that Parker could his cloning technology to bring Gwen back. If that's the case then Jackal wouldn't get involved until after the return of Green Goblin. That being said killing off Gwen (and keeping her dead) could ground this reboot similar to the death of Uncle Ben and Harry. Kaine could also come into play as a misunderstood villain and would eventually become one of Spidey's allies.

OTHER POSSIBLE VILLAINS

DR. MICHAEL MORBIUS: Raimi had talked to Empire magazine about bringing the living-vampire into his Spidey franchise during the early days of Spider-Man 4. He also went into more detail about his love of vampires when asked about Morbius by Fear during press for Drag Me To Hell. The only issue would be the Morbius rights might be attached to Blade which is now back with Marvel Studios. The character had originally been wanted for the Blade sequel and even had showed up at the end of the first film in a deleted scene.

“I like it in the Marvel comics when Spider-Man fights Morbius,” said Raimi. “He’s really cool. A vampire! I like that combination of superhero plus supernatural.”

"I Guess They're... umm, very appealing like the best of villains. They have some positive qualities, That is they can be very sexy and alluring, and umm they way in which they attack you is a very sensual it's almost something you desire. You know the bat, we're all scared of bats. Ew! so thats kind of cool. Some vampire stories go there some of them don't obviously. But umm, that why I like the fact that there's a cure against them in some of the lore like the garlic, or the cross. Thats really interesting, that there's a way to stop them. There's a whole story that can be made with all those elements so its got some real rules and laws. And then you could be turned into one of them, is interesting also. There's a lot of enticing qualities for a story teller and audience."

The main reason the Lizard ended up becoming the villain Amazing Spider-Man was the outcry from fans. Raimi had teased Dr. Connors for his last two films but ended up pursuing other villains for Spider-Man 4. The reboot went into development and the Lizard championed by the online community and Spider-Man fans alike. Depending on if Sony owns the rights to Morbius it would be a different type of villain than we've seen before as he's more of a horror creature than science experiment. While interesting his development into the living-vampire could have similar origins to The Lizard.

KRAVEN THE HUNTER: Besides the Lizard the most wanted classic villain fans have wanted to see is Kraven. Considering they've been using the Ultimate version of Spider-Man in the new film it's possible to a more plausible version as Kraven is a TV celebrity. The main trend of the villain selections (minus Venom) has been using classic villains Green Goblin, Doc Octopus and Sandman. If they wanted to bring the Sinister Six into the fray they'd have to bring Kraven into the franchise. Electro, Vulture, Shocker and Rhino (Paul Gimanti had lobbied for the role) could also be some classic villains to be considered.

DR. ALISTAIRE SMYTHE: An interesting aspect with Smythe is that he's established in the Amazing Spider-Man video game as an Oscorp employee. Apparently the game is tied with the new film so it could mean Smythe will be involved. Smythe is best known for development of many different generations of Spider Slayers. It doesn't seem like the best option but still it would be interesting to see a non-transformed threat and see more of a raobotic villain.

Abbie Cornish Up For 'ROBOCOP' Female Lead

Deadline reports Australian actress Abbie Cornish is in talks for a role alongside Joel Kinnaman, Gary Oldman and possibly Samuel L. Jackson in Robocop. Abbie would play the wife of the slain/resurrected cop that becomes Robocop, thinking she is widow. There had been early rumblings that Rebecca Hall was circling the role before landing a supporting part in Iron Man 3.

Samuel L. Jackson Joins 'ROBOCOP'

HeatVision reports that Samuel L. Jackson (Django Unchained, Avengers) will re-team with his True Romance co-star Gary Oldman by taking a role in Robocop. Joel Kinnaman is set to play Alex Murphy with Gary Oldman as the scientist who turns the dying officer into a crime-fighting cyborg. They say Jackson's will play a TV mogul that factors into this world. I assume he could be running a version of Omni Consumer Products (OCP) company who funds the Robocop program. Another possible idea is that he's playing a Dick Jones/Clarence type villain. I guess we'll find out for sure when the film is released on August 9th 2013.

SPECULATION: Black Cat To Appear In Amazing Spider-Man 2?

There is speculation that we could finally see Spidey get a crime fighting partner in Amazing Spider-Man 2. In the new film's video game the infamous Black Cat comes into play and seems to give the impression that she will make an appearance in future films. Sony had been calling the shots with what made it in this connected game so the chances are good. This has led to rumblings online that Black Cat could be making her way into the sequel.

One of the biggest problems with the Spider-Man film mythology is that Parker ends up getting his ass handed to him by every villain. It would be fresh to see him finally partner up with one of the few other heroes in the Spidey universe. Considering a decent amount of characters in this world are at Sony's disposal but have yet to be used in the movies. Now that Marvel Studios has created their own Marvel universe it would be nice to see Sony attempt this with their Spider-Man characters. The few other heroes include Scarlet Spider/Kaine (clones of Peter Parker), Morbius The Living Vampire (rights could be with Marvel), mercenary Silver Sable, along with anti-heroes Scream and Venom (getting spin-off film).

Black Cat is the secret identity of New York socialite Felicia Hardy, who just happens to be a friend of Peter Parker and moonlights as a cat bugler. While she turns out to be a villain at first her new interest in Spidey makes her change sides to win his heart. Considering the limited amount of Marvel heroines in these films it would be a welcomed change to the cliched damsel in distress.

This isn't hard to believe since the character Felicia Hardy had been wanted for Sam Raimi's axed Spider-Man 4. io9 had word actresses such as Rachel McAdams (Sherlock Holmes) and Romola Garai (Atonement, The Last Days of Mars) had been rumored for the role. Anne Hathaway had been cast in Spider-Man 4 as the daughter of The Vulture which might have been turned out her becoming Black Cat. Of course the film was scrapped and Anne ended up landing the role of Catwoman in the The Dark Knight Rises. Considering the ages of the new leads I'm sure if they do end up casting the role they might go a bit younger.

Alex Kurtzman And Roberto Orci Hired To Rewrite 'AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2'

Deadline reports that Sony Pictures have hired writers Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci to do some rewrites on The Amazing Spider-Man 2. Director Marc Webb is set to return for the sequel along with cast members Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone. James Vanderbilt (Zodiac), who wrote the first film had been writing the sequel but it looks like Sony wants more development on it. The screenwriting duo are best known for writing the two new Star Trek films along with actions films like The Island, Cowboys And Aliens and MI3. That said, they also contributed to trainwrecks like the first Transformers films. It will be interesting to see what direction the second film will go. Amazing Spider-Man 2 is expected to start shooting in the first quarter of 2013 with a May 2nd 2014 release date.

Their involvement gives me the impression that sequel will be bigger and more action packed than this first film. I have to believe that they'll continue giving us Spidey villains we haven't seen. Spencer Smythe and his robotic Spider-Slayers could very well be antagonists of the sequel. Considering the screenwriters background is in science fiction and robots focused films. The slayers were funded by J. Jonah Jameson and created by Smythe a robotic scientist. There were many different versions of the robots so it could be interesting to see these drones alongside another Spidey baddie perhaps Kraven or Green Goblin.

New Image From 'TOTAL RECALL' Featuring Colin Farrell And Jessica Biel

Sony Pickups White House Down From Screenwriter James Vanderbilt

It's been a very good day for screenwriter James Vanderbilt (Zodiac) as Variety reports. He was hired my MGM to do some rewrites on MGM's Robocop remake which Sony is distributing. Vanderbilt also sold his spec-script White House Down to Sony for an estimated $3 million. The action film is being compared to a mix of Die Hard meets Air Force One. Sony Pictures seems to be happy with James' work on their summer tentpoles Amazing Spider-Man and Total Recall. James is also currently working on Amazing Spider-Man 2 for the studio.

James Vanderbilt Hired To Do Rewrites On Robocop

James Vanderbilt (Zodiac) is gather quite a reputation after his commercial writing jobs with Sony on Sam Raimi's axed Spider-Man 4, Marc Webb's Amazing Spider-Man and Len Wiseman's Total Recall reboot. He also recently was tasked to start outlining Amazing Spider-Man 2. There is word from Variety that James has been hired by MGM to do some rewrites on Jose Padilha's Robocop remake which stars Joel Kinnaman (The Killing, Snabba Cash).

Amazing Spider-Man Gives Slight Hints To Sequel

The Spider-Man reboot seems to have it's share of secrets as it's a completely new take on the Spidey universe. In Amazing Spider-Man we get hints of the origins of Peter Parker's parents and their possible connection with Oscorp. There had been rumblings that the Parkers were spies for the government as seen in an issue of Marvel's What If line of comics. In the comic the pair were envisioned as SHIELD agents. At this point we have zero idea of who the Parkers were and what happened to them. FirstShowing was able to speak with direct Marc Webb about the project where he says the film while it's own thing does lay the ground work for the sequel.

Oscorp Technologies plays a rather large role in the film as it's where both Spider-Man and The Lizard are born. There had been speculation that Norman Osborn would be introduced in some way in the film. It seems like Webb is holding those reveals close to his chest but has stated the full story about the fate of the Parkers will be explored in the sequel. This brings back previous rumors that Green Goblin will be the villain of the sequel completing the Gwen Stacy saga.

What we do know is that Sony has already commissioned Amazing Spider-Man 2 to be outlined by James Vanderbilt last year. The studio also has set the release date for May 2nd 2014. Giving the impression the studio and Webb know where they want to go with the new franchise. One thing is that Webb's Spider-Man will first and foremost have a larger scope than the Raimi films. Something the Raimi films seemed to lack is a solid grounded world where these heroes and villains could inhabit. At times the Raimi films felt more like a live-action cartoon than a cinematic experience.

Sony Moving Forward With Amazing Spider-Man 2, James Vanderbilt Returns To Write Script

HeatVision reports that Sony is starting development on The Amazing Spider-Man 2 as they've just commissioned a script. They've hired James Vandebilt who worked on the first film to return and work on the sequel. Director Marc Webb and the cast including Andrew Garfield are likely to return for the sequel as well. Since studios setup trilogy contracts when it comes to possible franchises. It's a similar confidence that Warner Bros. had when they started work on Green Lantern 2 before the first film was finished. The Amazing Spider-Man is still currently shooting and won't be released until 2012.

RUMOR: Zooey Deschanel To Play Betty Brant?

Yet another one of my hopefuls for Spider-Man is linked for a supporting a role (previously John Slattery). Zooey Deschanel (Hitchhikers Guide, 500 Days of Summer, Your Highness) who I had pegged for the role of Betty Brant is in mind for the part. It's expected like Mary Jane she will evolve into a love interest in future films. In other news it has been confirmed the studio will not include MJ in the first film most likely to avoid a love triangle and keep budget costs down.

While some of the actors/characters haven't been officially confirmed the cast could look like this Andrew Garfield (Peter), Emma Stone (Gwen), Rhys Ifans (Dr. Connors/Lizard), Martin Sheen (Uncle Ben), Sally Field (Aunt May) and John Slattery (J. Joanh Jameson). With the possible addition of Zooey (Betty). The combination of the cast, director Marc Webb and script from James Vanderbilt (Zodiac) this film seems like it could rival Raimi's beyond previous expectations.