Sony Announces Spiderman and Men In Black

Sony’s latest franchise installments for Spiderman and Men in Black have seen some exposure this morning with news of start up dates from coming soon. The untitled Spiderman Reboot will begin in December in Los Angeles, with MIB the third set to roll in New York in September.

In the case of Spiderman with have the recast actor Andrew Garlfield and director Marc Webb replacing the out going Tobey Maguire and Sam Raimi as Spidey goes back to school leaving a trail of sticky translucent goo no doubt as he struggles with school, girls and mutant powers. This reinvention will hit screens in July 3, 2012.

But for the Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones and director Barry Sonnenfeld it is a case of Groundhog Day as the three unite for a third outing, this time with Josh Brolin and Jermaine Clement along for the hunt that premiere’s May 25, 2012.

Well Earth is just plain unlucky. After surviving total destruction from those cheeky little green blighter's from outer space, it appears they could be coming back for more. Fourteen years after the original rumour’s are rife that Independence Day II is been circled for production.

IESB have reported that Fox, recently plush thanks to the astronomical box office receipts gained with Avatar, are seriously considering the idea of a sequel. The production is being rumoured even though Emmerich and Dean Devlin have not hard-lined any particular story lines or direction to which to take from the original. Sounds good so far.

Will Smith is the other consideration, with him, the project is a money spinner, in all its 3d, Imax glory. Without him, its surely a non starter. Would Big Willie return? Well he is eyeing up his next project, both of which are fantasy, and one of which is a franchise in Men in Black. If he is considering a return to black, surely he is open to anything.

Whether this rumour manifests into reality, is anyone’s guess. But we want first dibs on the sequels title, here is some of our favourites: ID2: Fresh Justice. ID2: We have a stick with a nail in it and we're not afraid to use it. Or the abbreviated ID2: FFS.

MATT RICHARDSON

Will Smith Mulls Next Role

Will Smith has been vacant from our screens of late, ever since his turn in the poignant drama Seven Pounds in 2008; he has stayed behind the lens producing The Karate Kid,  which stars his son Jaden. But now according to Variety, he has whittled the projects that will see his on-screen return to two choices: Sony’s Men in Black III or Twentieth Century Fox’s fantasy adventure ‘The City That Sailed’.

The choice is not straightforward with both projects sharing prior investment by Smith. Overbrook Entertainment, Smith’s own production company, was the first to get hold of and develop ‘The City That Sailed’ before bringing to Fox.

Penned by Gattaca’s Andrew Nicol, ‘The City That Sailed’ follows the story of a New York magician whose young daughter is relocated to London with her mother after the family splits. Yearning to reunite with her father, the daughter discovers magic candles that can make her wishes come true. Subsequently the island of Manhattan detaches from the US and starts floating closer to England, bringing her dad back to her.

There’s currently no director attached, however if Smith signs, Fox will look to shoot as soon as possible.

Alternatively Smith can head back to the lucrative Men in Black franchise which Sony are looking to push forward. The franchise suffered with the 2002 sequel leaving a trail of disappointed fans yearning for a return to the standards of the original.

Despite its popularity it still managed to churn out $441.8 million globally, providing Sony with a viable franchise to reinvest in. After eight years and the sequel a distant memory, Sony believe the time to launch the third installment is now.

MATT RICHARDSON