The Amazing Spider-Man (2014 film)

The Amazing Spider-Man is a 2014 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Spider-Man, produced by Marvel Studios. It is a reboot of the Spider-Man film series following Sam Raimi's 2002–2007 Spider-Man trilogy. The film is directed by Greg Berlanti and stars Dylan O'Brien as Peter Parker / Spider-Man, alongside Sarah Fisher, Hugh Dancy, Liam Cunningham, Miles Heizer, Kathryn Hahn, Ray Wise, and Glenn Close. In the film, after Peter Parker is bitten by a genetically altered spider, he gains newfound, spider-like powers and ventures out to save the city from the machinations of a mysterious reptilian foe.

Development of the film began with the cancellation of Spider-Man 4 in 2010, ending director Sam Raimi's Spider-Man film series that originally featured Tobey Maguire as the titular superhero. That same year, Columbia Pictures ultimately decided to give the film rights back to Marvel. In 2011, Marvel Studios announced they would reboot the movie series into the MCU with a new cast. O'Brien was cast in 2012, and Berlanti was hired that same year to direct the film. New designs were introduced from the comics, such as artificial web-shooters. Principal photography started in June 2013 in New York City and concluded that October. Comic book storylines such as [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/If_This_Be_My_Destiny...! If This Be My Destiny...!], The Death of Jean DeWolff, and the first five issues of the Ultimate Spider-Man comics served as inspiration.

The Amazing Spider-Man premiered in Hollywood on July 2, 2014, and was released in the United States on July 11, 2014, as part of Phase Two of the MCU. The film grossed over $781 million worldwide, becoming the third-highest-grossing film of 2014. It received praise for its visual style, score, tone, direction, and Dylan O'Brien's performance. A sequel, The Amazing Spider-Man 2, was released on July 7, 2017. A third film, The Amazing Spider-Man 3, was released on July 2, 2019. A fourth film, The Amazing Spider-Man 4, is scheduled for release on November 5, 2021.

Plot
A young Peter Parker discovers that his father Richard Parker's study has been burglarized. Peter's parents gather hidden documents, take Peter to the home of his Aunt May and Uncle Ben, and then mysteriously depart.

Years later, a teenage Peter attends Midtown High School, where he is bullied by Flash Thompson, and his only friends are Gwen Stacy and Harry Osborn. At home, Peter finds his father's documents and learns that his father worked with fellow scientist Dr. Curt Connors at Oscorp in the field of cross-species genetics. He also discovers that his parents were killed in a plane crash, and that's why they never returned. Sneaking into Oscorp, Peter enters a lab containing genetically modified spiders, one of which bites him. He later discovers that he has developed spider-like abilities, such as super-strength, agility, and the ability to cling to walls.

After studying Richard's documents, Peter visits the one-armed Connors, reveals that he is Richard's son, and gives Connors his father's "decay rate algorithm", the missing piece in Connors' experiments on regenerating limbs. In school, during gym class, Peter notices Flash moving on Liz Allen, but it does not appear that she is interested. When he tries to push it more, Peter ends up throwing a basketball at Flash, resulting in a fight in which Peter dodges all punches and ends up breaking Flash's fist. His uncle changes work shifts to meet with the principal and asks Peter to walk May home for him that night. Peter forgets to do so, distracted while at Oscorp helping Connors regenerate the limb of a laboratory mouse. While heading home afterward, Peter notices a robbery taking place at a nearby deli. The owner of the deli tells Peter he could have easily stopped the robber, but Peter says he has his own worries. At home, Peter has an argument with Ben before storming out. While searching for Peter, a mugger assaults Ben, demanding money. Ben tries to fight back, but the mugger shoots him directly in the chest, killing him. The mugger escapes as Peter finds Ben dying on the sidewalk. Peter later learns that the killer is the same thief he failed to stop earlier.

The police find the killer hiding in an abandoned gym, and Peter uses his new abilities to bring him to justice. A luchador-wrestling poster inspires him to create a mask to hide his identity. He adds a spandex suit and builds a web-shooter. Later, at dinner with Gwen's family, he has a tense conversation with her father, police captain George Stacy, over the new masked vigilante's motives. After dinner, Peter reveals his identity to Gwen on the roof, and they kiss.

After seeing success with the mouse using lizard DNA, Connors tries the formula on himself. After passing out, he awakens to discover that his missing arm has regenerated. However, the formula has an unfortunate side effect, causing Connors to turn into a violent hybrid of lizard and man. He goes on a rampage, tossing cars over the side of the Williamsburg Bridge. Peter, now calling himself Spider-Man, snatches each falling car with his web-lines.

Spider-Man confronts the Lizard in the sewers and his mask is ripped off of him. Spider-Man realizes that the Lizard is really Connors. The Lizard follows Peter to school the next day, where they battle again. Peter learns that the Lizard's next target is Oscorp. Police start a manhunt for both Spider-Man and the Lizard. The police corner and capture Spider-Man by tasing him. They take off his mask and Captain Stacy discovers that Spider-Man is really Peter. Gwen infiltrates Oscorp to create a cure, where she finds Connor's wife and son, Martha and Billy. Spider-Man then eventually injects the Lizard with the antidote, but not before the Lizard mortally wounds Captain Stacy. Before his death, Captain Stacy tells Peter that he was wrong about him, and that the city needs him. However, knowing that Spider-Man will always have enemies and that Peter is Spider-Man, requests Peter promise to leave Gwen out of both of his lives, in order to keep her safe. Peter initially does so, but later at school, suggests to Gwen that he may see her after all.

Cast

 * Dylan O'Brien as Peter Parker / Spider-Man
 * Sarah Fisher as Gwen Stacy
 * Hugh Dancy as Curtis Connors / The Lizard
 * Liam Cunningham as George Stacy
 * Miles Heizer as Harry Osborn
 * Kathryn Hahn as Martha Connors
 * Ray Wise as Benjamin Parker
 * Glenn Close as May Parker
 * Loren Dean as Richard Parker

Will Poulter portrays Flash Thompson, Midtown High's football star who typically picks on Parker. Rhona Mitra portrays Peter's mother, Mary Parker. Jacob Rodier plays Billy Connors, the son of Dr. Connors. Leif Gantvoort plays the burglar who robs the convenience store and then kills Uncle Ben. Barbara Dunkelman portrays Liz Allen. Maia Mitchell's brief role is credited as Sally Avril. C. Thomas Howell's character is credited as "Jack's Father" at the end of the film (Jack being a boy that Spider-Man rescues on the Williamsburg Bridge) but he is referred to as Troy by one of his fellow construction workers in the film itself.

Faculty at Parker's high school include: Terry Bozeman as Principal Andrew Davis; Gary Anthony Williams as Hugh Del, Peter's science teacher; Daniel Henney as Mr. Flannigan, the school's counselor; Noah Taylor as Mr. Murch, the gym teacher. Spider-Man co-creator Stan Lee has a cameo appearance as a librarian during Spider-Man's battle with The Lizard at Midtown High.

Development
Following the release of Spider-Man 3, Sony Pictures Entertainment had announced a May 5, 2011, release date for Sam Raimi's next film in the earlier series. By this time, screenwriters James Vanderbilt, David Lindsay-Abaire, and Gary Ross had all written rejected versions of a script and Laura Ziskin's husband Alvin Sargent, who wrote the second and third films, was working on yet another attempt. Raimi wanted John Malkovich to play his next villain. However, on January 11, 2010, Raimi admitted that he could not meet the scheduled release date and retain creative integrity. Columbia Pictures initially announced they would reboot the series with a new cast and crew. However, Sony ultimately decided to give the film rights back to Marvel a few months later.

In December 2011, Marvel Studios announced that a reboot of the Spider-Man film series was in development. The writers of The Spectacular Spider-Man TV series were hired to write the script, which was turned in and approved in January 2012. In March 2012, Marvel Studios announced that Greg Berlanti would direct the reboot. Robert Zemeckis, Edgar Wright, and Joe Johnston were initially considered to be the director. It was rumored that Steven Spielberg turned down the offer to direct it.

For Spider-Man's origin, Berlanti took inspiration from the first few issues of the Ultimate Spider-Man comics as they were modernized versions of the origin. The [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/If_This_Be_My_Destiny...! If This Be My Destiny...!]storyline served as inspiration for certain scenes, such as the iconic lifting scene from The Amazing Spider-Man #33 that was recreated during Spider-Man's final battle with the Lizard. The Death of Jean DeWolff served as a minor influence. The Lizard's first appearance in Amazing Spider-Man #6 also served as inspiration.

Casting
In July 2012, The Hollywood Reporter said the actors who met with Berlanti to be considered for the lead role included Jamie Bell, Alden Ehrenreich, Frank Dillane, Dylan O'Brien, and Josh Hutcherson. In August 2012, the Los Angeles Times reported that the shortlist had expanded to include Aaron Johnson and Anton Yelchin. At least Bell, Ehrenreich, O'Brien, Yelchin, Logan Lerman, and Michael Angarano had screen tests. On September 1, 2012, the choice of O'Brien was confirmed.

Marvel then held auditions for the role of the young Peter, who needed to resemble O'Brien. Berlanti said, "I think we saw the origin of Spider-Man before but not the origin of Peter Parker." Berlanti felt that when you try to build the film you must build the protagonist from the ground up. That's why he wanted Parker to begin as a child.

It was reported originally that the film would feature both Mary Jane Watson and Gwen Stacy as love interests, but the website The Wrap later reported that only Gwen Stacy would appear. In October 2012, the list of candidates included Lily Collins, Ophelia Lovibond, and Imogen Poots, with Teresa Palmer, Emma Roberts, and Mary Elizabeth Winstead cited by The Hollywood Reporter as "potentially in the mix". In November 2012, Variety reported that the shortlist had expanded to include Fisher and Mia Wasikowska. The shortlist was reported to then include Dianna Agron, Georgina Haig, and Dominique McElligott. On November 5, 2012, the choice of Fisher was confirmed. Berlanti noted that the chemistry between Fisher and O'Brien made her the clear choice. That chemistry inspired their off-screen romance.

On November 11, 2012, Hugh Dancy was confirmed to be the unnamed villain, and two days later his character was revealed to be Dr. Curt Connors / The Lizard. In December, Ray Wise was reported to be Uncle Ben while Glenn Close was in negotiations to play Aunt May. That same month, Liam Cunningham was reported to accept the role of George Stacy. In January 2013, Loren Dean and Julianne Nicholson were in negotiations to play Peter's parents. Mitra then replaced Nicholson.

Filming
Principal photography began on June 17, 2013, in New York City. Forest Hills High School was used for Midtown High School. 20 Ingram Street in Forest Hills, Queens was used for Uncle Ben and Aunt May's house as it was the same address as their house in the comics. The Oscorp Tower was digitally inserted at what would become the location of the residential skyscraper 220 Central Park South. A web-swinging stunt sequence takes place along the Riverside Drive Viaduct in Harlem.

The Amazing Spider-Man was shot in 3D using the Arri Alexa camera, which cinematographer Robert Richardson previously used for Hugo.

Effects
Berlanti wanted a new 3D experience for Spider-Man: "Because we're shooting in 3D, I wanted to conceive of certain things very specifically for 3D. There's an experimental component to 3D that's fascinating and we're experimenting with generating that point of view – so you feel what Peter Parker feels, you feel what Spider-Man feels when he's jumping over buildings and over the streets."

The Vancouver branch of Sony Pictures Imageworks was responsible for the digital touch-up. The group improved the sewer and high school battle scene with many of Spider-Man's poses and environments that were used in the film. The comic book was cited as a basic source for Spider-Man's poses.[119] The visual designers helped bring the Lizard to life by first building a digital version of a production design Marquette. Many of the staff were involved with the process. They also started by thinking about lizard biology and how his muscles would work. A large man referred to as "Big John" stood in as the character during shooting, performing much of the interaction with other characters. The computer-generated Lizard replaced him in post-production. The creators would then fuse the design of the Lizard with the actor Hugh Dancy. Ifans then used motion capture for the Lizard's speaking parts, which Webb found challenging to incorporate into the character's final version.

Music
The film's original score was composed by Mark Mothersbaugh. The soundtrack was released by Hollywood Records on June 27, 2014.

Theatrical
The Amazing Spider-Man held its world premiere at the TCL Chinese Theater in Hollywood on June 18, 2014, and was released in the United Kingdom on June 25. It opened in additional international markets on June 26, with 23,400 screens (277 of which were IMAX) in 56 markets for its opening weekend. The film was released in the United States on June 27, in 4,348 theaters (392 were IMAX and IMAX 3D, and 601 were premium large-format), including 3D screenings. The Amazing Spider-Man is part of Phase Two of the MCU.

Home media
The Amazing Spider-Man was released on digital download by Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment on September 30, 2014, and on Blu-ray, Blu-ray 3D, and DVD on October 21, 2014. The digital and Blu-ray releases include behind-the-scenes featurettes, deleted scenes, and a blooper reel. The physical releases in its first week of sales were the top home media release, according to NPD VideoScan data.

The film was released on Ultra HD Blu-ray on October 17, 2017.

Box office
Coming soon

Critical reception
Film review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reports an approval rating of 79% based on 267 reviews, with an average rating of 7.27/10. Metacritic assigned the film a weighted average score of 72 out of 100, based on 47 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".