'The Amazing Spider-Man' Director Marc Webb Talks Reboots, Music, 3D and Norman Osborn

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by Drew Taylor
July 2, 2012 1:05 PM
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We had heard that previous test screening versions of "Amazing Spider-Man" were much more pop music-filled and wondered if the plan was to ever push that stuff further. In fact, at one point, the movie ended not with a stirring swell of the film's score but with a Rolling Stones song. (There is a notable use of a Coldplay song in the final version.) "Those initial screenings the score's not done," Webb said, before correcting us on which Rolling Stones song it was. "It was 'Street Fighting Man' initially. But then James Horner wrote this theme that I thought was really fun and extraordinary." His first film, "(500) Days of Summer," was almost wall-to-wall pop music. But Webb said he had to be very careful. "You know, '(500) Days of Summer' was about a kid who was obsessed with pop culture and he views the world through this eye of music and it was really important to the language of the film because these songs told components of his emotional journey." Not the case with the young web-slinger, though. "Peter Parker was a different thing. And when I got James Horner onboard, I thought I'm going to lean into that as much as humanly possible. I wanted to have a theme that you could play on one hand on a piano that's recognizable and repeatable." Then he hummed the theme. Yes, it was incredible.

Of course, with a big franchise like this, the question is always – is he already working on the sequel? (Writers have been set and a release date tentatively punched into the calendar.) He told us that he's still working on his post-apocalyptic adventure "Age of Rage" ("We're working on that right now… I really like that idea") but all eyes are pointed towards "Amazing Spider-Man 2" (or whatever it ends up being called). "I've had conversations," Webb said coyly. "I'm so focused on finishing the process. I love this process and I think Andrew and Emma are some of the most talented actors and it's a joy to work and watch them and it's been fantastic. But it's like asking a woman who's just given birth if they want to get pregnant again. I'm still nursing the baby!" And has he cast Norman Osborn, the Spider-Man villain who hovers over all of "The Amazing Spider-Man" without ever showing up? "Not yet, no," Webb admitted, before he exclaimed: "That's a very good way of asking that question. I'm impressed!"

"The Amazing Spider-Man" opens on July 3rd.