Welcome to Re-make Mondays, a weekly feature that takes a look at a remake/reboot currently being touted to hungry cinema audiences. I’ll feature the remake, and also what footage or content I can from the original, and then leave the helpless victim for you all to tear apart or cuddle up to in the comments. So, let’s get started:

Late in 2010 Sony announced that they were scrapping the planned fourth installment in Sam Raimi’s series of Spider-Man films (with Toby Maguire and that annoying red-head) and instead were going to reboot the entire series from scratch.

This all came as something of a surprise. First, because the Raimi series was still so recent, and thus not old enough to warrant a re-make, and second because the trilogy had done remarkably well at the box office, despite the critical failure of the third installment (I will go to my grave insisting Venom needed its own film, not a bit part).

Here’s the trailer for Sam Raimi’s 2002 Spider-Man:

Claiming artistic differences with Raimi’s planned Spider-Man 4, production was halted, the script scrapped and work began on a planned re-boot of the series, to be directed by Marc Webb and released a year later in 2012. British actor Andrew Garfield dons the red and blue rubber suit, while US favourite Emma Stone (from Easy A), plays girlfriend Gwen Stacy (yes, the red-head was so annoying they scrapped her role completely).

Sally Field and Martin Sheen play Peter Parker’s guardians, Aunt May and Uncle Ben, and Welshman Rhys Ifans, will play Dr. Curt Connors, who becomes the nefarious Lizard. (Fan Note: This is all that remains of the scrapped Sam Raimi fourquel, which also had Spidey facing the Lizard, with Dr. Connors being that Professor at college who gave him such a hard time in all three films).

Here’s the trailer for the upcoming 2012 re-boot, Amazing Spider-Man:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XayxMPrUP4

My Verdict:

There’s a lot to like here; some fresh, popular acting talent from both sides of the Atlantic (Emma Stone is so hot right now) alongside some venerable stalwarts of American cinema (Sally! Sheen!). The film-makers will be hoping to recapture that intense audience vibe of the first film as young Peter comes to grips with his new abilities, and already plans have been announced for a further two sequels – six months before the first one has even hit cinemas, which says a lot about the faith the studio has in the ol’ Webslinger.

The only question left on Spider-Fans’ lips is, “why?” Why is this series being re-booted? At this early stage it’s difficult to separate this new spin on the Web Spinner from the nefarious stench of Hollywood’s money hunger. That said, there’s plenty of time for Garfield to charm us as the new Spidey. Whether it’s an improvement is yet to be seen.

Judge for yourself:

Maguire as Spider-Man (l) vs. Garfield as The Amazing Spider-Man (r)