The Amazing Spider-Man untitled sequel will be helmed by Marc Webb and star Andrew Garfield, it was announced by Sony Pictures on Friday.
Garfield’s return is no surprise considering he plays the central character to the Spider-Man story. The last thing Sony wants to do is recast their lead role after only one film.
Webb’s return is somewhat surprising as Sony’s president publicly stated this past July that there were “obstacles” to it happening. Webb’s The Amazing Spider-Man was a box office success with $751 million in worldwide business, so it was in Sony’s best interest to get Webb back for the sequel – and they did.
Emma Stone, who played Gwen Stacy in The Amazing Spider-Man, is currently in negotiations to join the sequel and will likely be added to the cast. The announcement made no mention of Rhys Ifans, who played Dr. Curt Connors/The Lizard in The Amazing Spider-Man, as returning. His potential involvement in the sequel was hinted at during the post-credits sequence.
Production on The Amazing Spider-Man 2 will get underway in early 2013 to hit the May 2, 2014 release date. Expect additional casting announcements to slowly come out over the next few months.
