Ah, Emma Stone. If you read my review for the phenomenal Easy A or my write up for last year's hit Zombieland, you can tell I have what some would call a crush on Emma Stone. It isn't just her rasping drawl, her beautiful smile, or those green eyes that pull you in; the thing that enchants me about the starlet is her endearing personality that shines through in each role she chooses. Well, consider me "stoked" (am I a surfer now?) that Stone will be starring in one of my favorite superhero franchises. While some may pin Stone to play the role of Mary-Jane Watson because of the frequency she has red hair in her roles, she was actually cast as Gwen Stacy. Fans may recall this blonde character in Spider-Man 3 played by the gorgeous Bryce Dallas Howard.
The news of a Spidey reboot was bittersweet for me. I loved Spider-Man and Spider-Man 2, and was disappointed with the Spider-Man 3. I didn't hate it, I was just disappointed. Venom? It could have been so glorious, but yet it flaked so badly. While I was sad to see the fourth Spidey movie from Raimi fall through the cracks, I was eager to see what was going to be in store for audiences with a new creative team and a fresh look into the life of the web-slinger. The first great news surrounding the project came when Marc Webb was hired to direct, then Andrew Garfield was cast as Peter Parker, now Emma Stone is joining the roster? I would regard this as a fantastic start to the new franchise.
Director Marc Webb commented on the addition of Stone:
“The chemistry between Andrew and Emma was stunning and made Emma the clear choice. At the heart of the story of Peter Parker is not only the amazing Spider-Man, but also an ordinary teenager who is wondering what he has to do to get the girl. Andrew and Emma will bring everything audiences expect to these roles, but also make them their own. Much to my surprise, it was fun to find out that our choice for Gwen (Emma) is also a natural blonde.”
The official press release states that Stone will play the female lead meaning that Gwen Stacy will be Peter Parker's squeeze in the movie and not MJ like Raimi's trilogy. I think this is a good route to take, creating a whole new Spider-Man universe complete with all new plot elements. While watching Spider-Man 3, I always hoped Peter would end up with Gwen Stacy, but then he ruins it all by moonlighting as a member of an emo jazz band. Consider the reboot a chance for me to live out that fantasy. Speaking of fantasies, did I mention that Emma Stone is playing this role?
*
