The Amazing Spider-Man 2 opened across America this weekend to some middling reviews but great box office numbers and fan reaction, once more supporting Sony’s position that this reboot was a good idea. One of the best parts of this set of Spider-Man movies, however? The bubbly, hilarious cast of Emma Stone, Andrew Garfield, Jaimie Foxx, Dane DeHaan, and all the others involved. Stone and Garfield in particular (who are dating in real life) have been having an absolute blast on this press tour. Check out some highlights below:
Bryan Singer, director of X-Men, X2, and the soon-to-be-released X-Men: Days of Future Past, has stepped off the publicity trail after allegations surfaced that he sexually abused a 17-year-old boy.
While calling the accusations “a sick twisted shakedown,” it has been decided that he halt promoting the film, and has suspended all work on the sequel X-Men: Apocalypse until further notice.
The public is split on whether or not to support the movie– some say they will not see his work since this news broke, others say that nothing has been proven, and that it takes more than one man to make a movie. Either way, the future of the X-Men on the screen will probably be affected by this through box office numbers or a change in creative control.
Female fans of comic book movies have been under pressure for a long time; there’s yet to be a (serious) female solo film from any of the major movie houses, despite the fact that 40% of megablockbuster The Avengers‘ audience was female. If they do get their own films, they are disrespected or oversexualised, bogged down with bad plots and worse writing. Yet despite these facts, female fans do exist, holding out hope for a comic book adaptation that doesn’t demean their onscreen idols, but rather holds them up to the same standards that men are held to.
Female fans unite! Jordan (center, dressed as Hawkeye), and me (right, as Black Widow) at San Diego Comic Con 2012.
I interviewed a close friend, superhero lover, and feminist, Jordan, about these very topics. Jordan was immersed in comic books by her father at a young age and grew up watching DC cartoons, including Teen Titans and Justice League. Recently, however, she’s turned her favor towards Marvel. “They have more interesting stories; more complex characters, especially women. So far, DC has a lot of angst– a lot of men whose parents die and they have to come back for justice… DC does television better, but Oliver Queen” (Arrow) “is basically another Bruce Wayne.”
Be that as it may, isn’t DC home to one of the most iconic female characters of all time: Wonder Woman?
Jordan agrees: Wonder Woman is a great character, and with Gal Gadot set to play her in the upcoming Batman vs. Superman film due out in 2015, will probably be a big hit. “Still,” she says, “she’s not the main focus; she’s a side character. The movie is called Batman vs. Superman, even though no one really cares about Superman… Take him out and put in more Wonder Woman!”
That’s not the only female superhero that Jordan thinks should make the leap to more screen time. “The X-men are full of great female characters. Wolverine now has two spinoff movies… why not give one to a character like Storm, or Rogue?” Why not, indeed? Scarlett Johansson’s turn as Black Widow in The Avengers has redefined the female superhero… and she did it without any powers. What could a fully-powered heroine do to the silver screen?
Still, these movies are only dreams stuck “in development” for the moment. We may be on the brink of a turn, but we have yet to reach it. In the meantime, what adaptations would Jordan recommend for the near future?
“Definitely Guardians of the Galaxy. It could be a huge flop, but it could also be great. It’s new and so different from what Marvel’s been putting out lately.”
