Shailene Woodley reportedly in talks to play Mary Jane for 'Spider-Man' sequel
Will Electro be the bad guy this time?
Shailene Woodley, seen here at the MTV Movie Awards this summer, may be joining the cast of 'The Amazing Spider-Man 2'
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Shailene Woodley's work in "The Descendants" was a revelation, and a major announcement for her as a talent to watch. Since then, she has not been in overkill media hype mode, which is nice. She went back to the TV show she stars in and she has, no doubt, been reading and meeting people and looking for the next thing she'd do.
Playing Mary Jane Watson in "The Amazing Spider-Man 2" sounds like a pretty good gig.
Variety is reporting that Woodley is in early talks to play the part, and she would be joining returning stars Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone, no doubt complicating the easy chemistry they displayed in the first film. Woodley seems much younger than Garfield, but I'm sure they've put them together at this point if they're getting close to hiring her, and returning director Marc Webb must be happy with what he's seen.
The trade's Jeff Sneider also says that Electro is rumored to be either the primary villain in the movie or one of several. I'm on the record as not being the biggest fan of the first film, but I think there were things there worth building on, and it all ultimately depends on what story new writers Kurtzman and Orci choose to tell.
More than anything, I want people to start taking chances with formula as they make these new superhero films. We've seen a lot of the same, and I think filmmakers have gotten pretty good overall at pulling off the sort of moments and imagery that need to exist to make these films really special. Now it's time for people to start breaking rules and trying adventurous things within the safety of a studio franchise. I think the audience needs it if they're going to keep turning out for the films, and I think it's a natural evolution. For a long time, it seemed like even telling the most rudimentary comic book story well was a skill set that Hollywood couldn't master. Technology certainly played a part in getting it right, but it's also a matter of filmmakers getting savvier about the broader superhero genre.
We'll see how the rest of the cast looks fairly soon, I'm guessing, as Sony needs to make their choices now so the film can get underway.
After all, "The Amazing Spider-Man 2" is set for release on May 2, 2014.
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Login or create a HitFix account Login Signupjeves23
October 10, 2012 at 5:54PM EST Reply to CommentI'm not familiar with this girl - haven't seen the Descendants(yet), but I am curious about what the next film will bring to the table after the competent but largely forgettable "Amazing Spider-Man".
I agree that now that Hollywood has pretty much mastered the superhero film, it is time for something different, something unexpected, which is why I wish that a Wachowski-helmed Justice League film (calling back to your interview piece with them), where they get full control, could be a reality.
Film Freak
October 10, 2012 at 6:10PM EST Reply to CommentThey look like twins (Woodley and Garfield).
Film Freak
October 10, 2012 at 6:10PM EST Reply to CommentThey look like twins (Garfield and Woodley).
Film Freak
October 10, 2012 at 6:11PM EST Reply to CommentThey look like twins.
Stormshadow4life
October 10, 2012 at 6:38PM EST Reply to CommentShe was very good in The Descendants, but I don't see her as MJ. For one, isn't she a lot younger than Andrew? Maybe it's because I've only seen her play a teen (and yeah, Andrew plays a teen Peter Parker, but he's obviously an adult)...but something feels off with her.
Not sure who I'd want for the role right now..
oh, and apparently they look like twins... ;)
mike Who looks like what?
October 10, 2012 at 9:17PM EST:P
TimB
October 10, 2012 at 6:40PM EST Reply to CommentI was not at all a fan of the first film, but I loved the two leads and I look forward to the introduction of MJ presenting some interesting rifts in the relationship between Gwen and Peter.
I've always been an Electro fan, and I think its easy to move beyond the simple "hurling lightning bolts" visage of him and turn him into a really credible threat. James Cameron's "Carlton Strand" had a good bit of Electro in him, and Cameron introduced the idea of Electro being able to use his powers to do things like download hard-drive information directly to his brain, or wipe out the country's credit history, etc. I think there's some good material to work with...
..and if they ARE going the MJ route, it seems pretty obvious where they'll be going with inevitable "Amazing Spider-man 3." Bye bye, Emma. :-/
DefRef Yeah, but Emma knows and only signed on with the promise they respect the source material and kill her in the end.
October 10, 2012 at 7:21PM ESTShawn
October 10, 2012 at 8:56PM EST Reply to CommentSPOILERS...DONT READ IF YOU HAVENT SEEN THE FIRST FILM!!!!!!!
If Electro is the main villain, I feel like the thing Drew was most afraid of may come to fruition. And I don't like the sound of it either. I feel like this kind of sounds like they going to ignore everything that happened in the first film. What about Norman Osbourne? Will he be in the shadows like the first film? I am going to be very dissapointed if the person that was in Dr. Connor's cell was Electro or Peter's Dad.
KlarkKent
October 10, 2012 at 9:03PM EST Reply to CommentDefinitely doesn't look the same age as Garfield. Mainly because he looks far too old to be playing a high schooler. That was part of what bugged me about the first one. (I could easily say the same thing about Emma Stone, obviously, but with her being the best thing about the film, I found it easier to forgive.) I don't know anything about her as I haven't seen The Descendents yet, but we'll just have to see if the new one is better than the first.
BigAl6ft6
October 10, 2012 at 9:06PM EST Reply to CommentWoodley is a solid actress ("WHY DID YOU HAVE TO TELL ME IN THE FUCKING POOL?!!") and ain't gonna take much movie magic to turn her into the MJ-va-va-va-voom knockout, y'know what I mean? Frankly, I would just love to see Stone, Garfield & Woodley in a scene just because I think they're all solid actors.
Mojo CoCo
October 10, 2012 at 11:22PM EST Reply to CommentOh hell no. This girl was only decent in the descendants because that is the only damn character she can play. She is an absolutely horrible actress and somehow managed to make her character (the star of the show) the least likeable person in any scene she was in.
filmboy
October 11, 2012 at 12:09AM EST Reply to CommentWhy MJ? And more importantly, why now? I can admit I have not seen The Amazing Spiderman, but from what I have read and heard it seems that Garfield and Stone have a good chemistry as Peter and Gwen. Why throw MJ into the mix now to create unnecessary tension and manufactured drama to Peter and Gwen's budding romance?
Rather, why not use the second film to further explore and perhaps grow the relationship between Peter and Gwen. Explore how their relationship changes once they are out of high school and out in the world on their own. Examine the tension that comes from Peter's other identity as Spiderman and the strain his heroic activites place on his relationship with Gwen.
You see in thr Raimi's films MJ did not know Peter was Spiderman until the end of the second film. Here Gwen knows pretty much right away. I don't feel Raimi ever adequately explored how a romantic relationship would work when the other person knew Peter was Spiderman.
There is no need for a love triangle here. Give Gwen her due before adding MJ to the mix. Wait until Gwen's story plays out to its logical end and then introduce MJ as a shoulder to cry on, only to have Peter reject her as he is overwhelmed by guilt and anger.
As far as Electro, eh. Could take him or leave him. I think it would be wise for all involved to start to flesh out Osburn and use him as a shadowy figure in the background, involved but not out in full just yet. I like the idea of Osburn playing the role of, for lack of a better term, the big bad.
Time will tell of course and I will reserve judgement until I see the finished product. But right now it seems like they want to just throw characters into the mix with the sole purpose of adding drama and unnecessary complications to Peter and Gwen.
October 11, 2012 at 1:47AM ESTGoin the Gwen route and using this girl as MJ is only going to cause backlash bc she isn't nearly as charismatic as Stone.
BigAl6ft6 Reply to comment...
October 11, 2012 at 3:33AM ESTBigAl6ft6 ...and so I reply to the comment. Derp. But, anyway, I think introducing MJ now as less of a love triangle but more of the party girl, and keep the love between Pete & Gwen strong, so that when Gwen gets tossed off the bridge (by the Green Goblin the third movie) therefore it makes the shoulder-to-cry-on have a bit more impact just cuz she's been there since movie 2.
October 11, 2012 at 3:35AM ESTAlso we can get a "face it tiger, you just hit the jackpot." on it's own. But, anyway, yeah, I always got the feeling they're holding back on Gobby / "The night Gwen Stacy Died" until movie #3, which would make the most sense.
filmboy BIGAL, I understand your point. It is better to introduce MJ in film two so that when Gwen meets her end in 3, MJ has already been in the picture for awhile. However, I think by inrroducing MJ in the sequel takes away from the relationship between Peter and Gwen. It would be like if Raimi threw Gwen into the mix in Spiderman 2. It just is a bad idea.
October 11, 2012 at 10:25AM ESTI do think they will eventually have to include MJ. She is one of the more iconic characters in the Spiderman universe. However, they do not need to rush to do so. Let Gwen have another film all by herself first, then introduce MJ.
I worry that the sequel to this film is going to try too hard to fit too many characters into the film that the story will suffer for it. Sometimes less is more.
October 11, 2012 at 4:10PM ESTkaybrooke17 This new series of Spiderman is following the comic books. In the comic books Peter meets MJ and also Gwen is supposed to die in this coming film and that's why he gets with MJ. Gwen Stacy did appear in one of the old spiderman movies, but it was a very small part.
November 5, 2012 at 8:18PM ESTCinemaPsycho
October 11, 2012 at 2:07AM EST Reply to CommentYeah, guys are never attracted to women younger than they are, so that'll be a huge problem.
beef supreme
October 11, 2012 at 3:57PM EST Reply to CommentKurtzman and Orci? The two luckiest no-talent hacks in town? This is destined to be crap.