Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man was the talk of the town when the movie hit the screens in 2012. His quirky, relatable take on the famous Marvel superhero was applauded by viewers around the globe. This big-screen success story revolved around his charming humor, emotional depth and brilliant wit.
The Unsuccessful Second Act
Fast forward to 2014, the much-anticipated sequel ‘The Amazing Spider-Man 2’ arrived. This time, Marc Webb took charge as the director. Garfield reprised his role, starring alongside Emma Stone. The sequel, unfortunately, did not taste the same success as the original.
Observers pointed out that too many characters and a complex story were the main culprits behind the disappointing performance. Even though Garfield’s act along with Jamie Foxx’s role got thumbs ups, the film still made less money than the first. Its box office earnings were $700 million, falling short of the first Spider-Man’s whopping $758 million.
Role of Sony’s Mile High Expectations
Before the sequel made it to theaters, Sony Pictures Entertainment, the movie’s production house, had sky-high expectations. As per reports, Sony had its heart set on ‘The Amazing Spider-Man 2’ earning one billion dollars at the box office. In hindsight, this seems like a far-fetched dream.
Experts theorize this high target was a desperate move to recover from past box office duds. Sony perhaps played this mind game to lure more viewers to the theater.
Poor Timing and Heavy Competition
Probably the crippling blow to ‘The Amazing Spider-Man 2’ was its disappointing release date. The movie hit the screens right after the popular ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’ and just before ‘X-Men: Days of Future Past’. Both these movies were fan favorites. Throw Godzilla into the mix, which also released that month, and you have a stiff competition.
This combination of a bustling movie month and Sony’s unreal expectations probably led to the sequel’s poor show.
What’s up with Garfield Now?
Despite the sequel not faring well, the appreciation for Garfield’s Spider-Man didn’t wane. His work as the iconic superhero was truly loved. He has since experimented with different roles. His newest movie ‘We Live In Time’ promises to be a departure from his previous roles. This movie, produced by A24 and directed by John Crowley, will feature him alongside Oscar nominee Florence Pugh.
‘We Live In Time’ is a feel-good romantic comedy that follows the love story of a cook and a divorcee over a decade. The movie trailer promises great on-screen chemistry between the lead actors.
Slated to premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival this September, the movie will hit the big screen on October 11th. As for ‘The Amazing Spider-Man 2′, it’s currently available for streaming on Netflix.
So what went wrong with ‘The Amazing Spider-Man 2′? A combination of complex narrative, too many characters, high expectations from Sony and stiff competition at release played spoil sport for this much anticipated sequel. But this didn’t dampen Garfield’s career and he continues to shine in diverse roles.
For more details, visit Project Casting Blog on https://www.projectcasting.com/blog/news/what-went-wrong-with-the-amazing-spider-man-2/