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Arad On 'Spider-Man'
If you assumed that Marvel Comics has little control over what we'll see in Sony's eventual blockbuster Spider-Man film similar to the way that the other big comic company has little control over the filmic versions of their major properties ... well, you know how the saying goes when you assume something. "We have story and outline approval, and the script cannot be different from what was approved," Marvel honcho Avi Arad informed Michael Fleming of Variety. "We have a say over how the characters will look, access to dailies in a timely fashion, and we either exec produce or produce. Legally, we have a lot of checks and balances, but the way we work with studios is very collaborative."
Arad insists that Marvel is slow to use this veto power, however. But that doesn't mean they won't use it. For example, when a Spidey draft had the webslinger cause the death of a villain, Marvel nixed that plot twist. "That we wouldn't allow," Arad told the trade. "Spider-Man never kills anybody." David Koepp (Snake Eyes) is currently drafting the Spider-Man script from a treatment written by James Cameron, according to previous reports. There's no director attached to the project as yet.
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'Hulk' On Fasttrack
After years of delay, the Incredible Hulk movie project is not only back on course as previously reported, it's being put on the fasttrack, according to Michael Fleming of Variety. Screenwriter Michael France, whose Fantastic Four script won glowing praise from a Cinescape Online tipster, is currently developing a Hulk script for producer Gale Anne Hurd.
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Gosnell To Helm 'Fantastic'?
It may seem like an unorthodox choice, but Never Been Kissed helmer Raja Gosnell is apparently the frontrunner for the Fantastic Four director's chair. Michael Fleming of Variety reports that Marvel is courting Gosnell for the film, which will be produced by Chris Columbus and Michael Barnathan from a script by Batman scribe Sam Hamm. Previous reports have indicated that Fox hopes to have FF before cameras by late 2000 for a Summer 2001 release.
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Walker Penning 'Surfer'
Se7en scribe Andrew Kevin Walker has been hired to write the script for the Silver Surfer movie, according to Michael Fleming of Variety. Produced by Bernd Eichinger for Fox with sights set to begin production sometime in 2001 according to previous reports, the story will follow the Surfer's attempt to defend Earth from the evil planet-devouring menace Galactus.
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More Marvel Movies
Think you've read a lot about Marvel comics being adapted into film today? There's more. Here are a few more of the projects we may see sometime in the future from Marvel, courtesy of Variety columnist Michael Fleming's interview
