There is perhaps no movie in the pantheon of Spider-Man movies more divisive among the fans than The Amazing Spider-Man. While many love Andrew Garfield’s portrayal of Peter Parker, the plot, and the Spider-Man costume, The Amazing Spider-Man didn’t please fans in the same way.
However, as the years have gone by, there has been something of a renaissance of interest in Andrew Garfield’s version of Spider-Man. Many are now re-watching and re-evaluating their opinions of those Garfield films, discovering new and fun details that may have been missed the first time around.
The Movie Almost Didn’t Happen
The original plan for the franchise following the events of Sam Rami’s Spider-Man 3 was to continue the franchise with leads Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Stewart returning to reprise their roles. Spider-Man 3, while not being a critical or fan favorite, was a hugely successful movie, grossing over $900 million at the box. It made sense for Sony to continue the franchise with the same creative team and cast.
However, despite rumors surrounding the plot and possible villains, such as Vulture and Mysterio appearing, Rami’s Spider-Man 4 was eventually canceled following behind-the-scenes clashes with the studio. In January 2010, only days after Rami’s movie was officially dead in the water, Sony announced that Marc Webb (500 Days of Summer) would direct an entirely new take on the character.
David Fincher Was Rumored to Direct
Before Marc Webb was brought on as the director, there were other names on Sony’s director shortlist. The most surprising of these rumored directors was David Fincher (Gone Girl). Fincher was also in the running to direct the original Spider-Man movie before Sam Rami was brought on board but ultimately passed on the project.
In a strange twist of fate, Fincher would end up connected to the movie in an unusual way as his The Social Network star Andrew Garfield would ultimately don the infamous red and blue spandex.
Many Actors Were Considered For The Role Of Peter Parker
As is always the case whenever a casting call goes out for a sought-after role like Spider-Man there is bound to be huge interest. That was certainly true when casting for The Amazing Spider-Man begin.
Many of the big-name teen stars of the late 2000s and early 2010s were in the running to play Peter Parker, including Taylor Lautner, Anton Yelchin, and most famously, Josh Hutcherson, whose audition tape can still be found online. Ultimately, the role went to unknown actor Andrew Garfield, and the rest is history.
Alternative Versions Of The Suit
One of the most maligned things about The Amazing Spider-Man is the suit that Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man wears throughout. The muted colors, the texture of the suit, and non-expressive eyes were among the loudest complaints when the suit was first revealed. However, we could have gotten an entirely different Spider-Man suit design based on concept art for the movie.
Designs by artists Eddie Yang and Jerad S. Marantz highlight alternative versions of the webhead we could have gotten. Yang’s designs are bold, mixing elements of Spider-Man 2099 with the red and blue colors of the original, while Marantz’s concept art is close to the Ben Reilly comic book suit.
Mirror’s Edge Connection
When the first teaser trailer for The Amazing Spider-Man dropped in July 2011 at San Diego Comic-Con, many people noticed the clear similarities between the teaser and the 2008 video game Mirror’s Edge. It similarly used first-person close-ups to immerse players in the parkour action of the game.
Whether the teaser was a blatant rip-off, a loving homage, or an honest misunderstanding, remains unknown, but seeing a side-by-side comparison of the two, it’s impossible to not see the similarities.
Donald Glover Cameo & The Origin of Miles Morales
When the announcement was made that Sony was rebooting the Spider-Man franchise with a new Peter Parker, many fans touted Donald Glover as a possible Peter Parker. Glover himself referenced the campaign in the premiere episode of the second season of Community when his character can be seen wearing Spider-Man pajamas.
Glover does make a cameo appearance in The Amazing Spider-Man as a poster on Peter’s wall. What’s most noteworthy about the campaign to get Glover to cast in The Amazing Spider-Man is that it gave comic writer Brian Michael Bendis the idea to create a new version of the character, and Miles Morales was born.
Hitchcock Reference
Another blink and miss it easter egg in The Amazing Spider-Man is the Alfred Hitchcock Rear Window movie poster visible in Peter’s bedroom. Many connections can be made between the central characters of the two movies, such as the fact that they are both photographers and are both regular people trying to do the right thing.
Peter, much like James Steward’s character in Rear Window, is not a policeman but seeks to do the right thing against insurmountable odds and in the face of danger.
The Daily Bugle References
While the iconic J. Jonah Jameson doesn’t appear in The Amazing Spider-Man, or the sequel The Amazing Spider-Man 2, his infamous tabloid newspaper and news outlet The Daily Bugle does make several appearances throughout the movie and featured in the online marketing for the movie, posting news to YouTube and Tumblr.
Newspaper copies of the Daily Bugle can be seen throughout the movie, hinting at Peter’s future job as a freelance photographer. While J. Jonah Jameson did not appear in the series, he would later make a surprise return in Spider-Man: Far From Home, portrayed once more by J.K. Simmons.
The Movie Almost Had A Crossover With The Avengers
Long-time Spider-Man producer Avi Arad stated during the press tour for The Amazing Spider-Man that the Oscorp tower featured in The Amazing Spider-Man almost featured as part of the New York City skyline in Marvel Studios’ The Avengers. Ultimately the plan was scrapped because the Oscorp tower wasn’t designed in time to be incorporated.
Whether this would have led to more collaboration between the two studios with the character of Spider-Man is unknown. Spider-Man would eventually come home to Marvel Studios after the cancellation of The Amazing Spider-Man 3, with Tom Holland cast in the role in Captain America: Civil War.
The Second Best Spider-Man Movie (At The Time)
Despite its tentative status among the fan base, The Amazing Spider-Man was received relatively well upon its release. Famed U.S. film critic Robert Ebert gave the film three and a half stars out of five and called it the second-best Spider-Man movie of all time, beating out Rami’s original Spider-Man and its threequel, but losing the top spot to the frequently praised Spider-Man 2.
Ebert praised the film’s leads in particular, as well as its action, stating that the action set-pieces “are easier to follow in space and time”, no doubt a reference to the sometimes frantic pace of action in the original Rami trilogy.