Confirmed: (500) Days of Summer’s Marc Webb to Direct Spider-Man Reboot

Last week we reported the big news that Sony had pulled the plug on Spider-Man 4 and had now planned to reboot the Marvel franchise with a new director and actors. There had been many red flags leading up to this which suggested not everything in production for Spider-Man 4 was running smoothly. In fact, we had reported just two weeks ago that Sony had postponed production when director Sam Raimi reportedly hated the script and refused to go any further with production. Rumors swirled as to who would play Spider-Man and just as important: who would direct. Tonight we are able to confirm (via Sony) that (500) Days of Summer director Marc Webb will be directing the reboot. Continue reading for more on this breaking news.

Here is the official press release from Sony regarding this news:

“At its core, Spider-Man is a small, intimate human story about an everyday teenager that takes place in an epic super-human world. The key for us as we sought a new director was to identify filmmakers who could give sharp focus to Peter Parker’s life. We wanted someone who could capture the awe of being in Peter’s shoes so the audience could experience his sense of discovery while giving real heart to the emotion, anxiety, and recklessness of that age and coupling all of that with the adrenaline of Spider-Man’s adventure. We believe Marc Webb is the perfect choice to bring us on that journey.” “Over the years, the Spider-Man comics have been told with bold and creative new writers and artists who have re-calibrated the way audiences see Peter Parker. Marc Webb will do for the new direction of the films what so many visionary storytellers have done with the comic books. He is an incredibly talented filmmaker and we look forward to working closely with him on this new adventure.”

Here is what director Marc Webb had to say:

“This is a dream come true and I couldn’t be more aware of the challenge, responsibility, or opportunity. Sam Raimi’s virtuoso rendering of Spider-Man is a humbling precedent to follow and build upon. The first three films are beloved for good reason. But I think the Spider-Man mythology transcends not only generations but directors as well. I am signing on not to ‘take over’ from Sam. That would be impossible. Not to mention arrogant. I’m here because there’s an opportunity for ideas, stories, and histories that will add a new dimension, canvas, and creative voice to Spider-Man.”

Spider-Man creator Stan Lee had this to say:

“I’m excited that Sony has chosen a director with a real penchant and understanding for the character. This is a brave, bold direction for the franchise, and I can’t wait to see what Marc comes up with next.”

I’m not sure just yet how I feel about Marc Webb directing a Spider-Man reboot. His claim to fame at this point in time is 2009′s (500) Days of Summer. Although that film was nominated for a Golden Globe for best picture (as well as being one of my favorite films of the year,) I just don’t see this being the guy to direct a big budget superhero movie. Earlier tonight, before this news was confirmed, many fellow movie news sites were reporting that Webb was set to direct a trilogy for Spider-Man, but currently the studio claims he is only set to direct one film.

What do you think of this news? If you are unfamiliar with Marc Webb you can check out his IMDB profile by clicking here.