Breaking news about the Spider-Man reboot coming straight from Sony indicates the movie will be released July 3rd, 2012 in 3D (it’s the 3Dpocalypse).

Sony previously said it would recast the next Spidey pic and replace Tobey Maguire in the title role. Helmer Sam Raimi also is being replaced, with “(500) Days of Summer” director Marc Webb set to lens a screenplay being penned by James Vanderbilt (“Zodiac“). Source [THR]

It should be interesting to see how this reboot will pan out, with rumors swirling of a much younger Peter Parker being cast. Tthis could be a Spider-Man geared towards a younger audience which may upset the die hard fans of the original Raimi trilogy.

Do you think the Spider-Man reboot will benefit from 3D?

Ever thought it might be cool to see the Stay Puft Marshmellow Man from Ghostbusters stomp through New York in 3D? Or how about the massive alien ships from District 9? Maybe you’ve always wanted to feel what it was like to be Spider-Man swinging from the rooftops? Well your wish just might be coming true, popular films in the Sony catalogue are looking to get a 3D makeover. Read the full story

It’s also somewhat of a Sony 3D shuffle. Scott Stewart’s Priest is being moved from August 20th, 2009 to January 14th, 2010 for 3D conversion, crime thriller The Roommate from September to February and Underworld 4 from next January to September 2011 so it can be shot in 3D and also (possibly) star Kate Beckinsale. [Dread Central]

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It is a small wonder Hollywood’s never been able to fully tackle the Christian mythos. Sure, there are countless renderings of the Jesus Christ and Moses stories, but other than that? Not much credible product to speak of (The Prophecy’s not that credible), despite an abundance of source material.

From John Milton’s epic poem Paradise Lost to the Book of Revelations to Glen Duncan’s 2002 novel I, Lucifer (which has been shopped around for what feels like longer than 8 years), there’s plenty going on, whether it be the fall of Lucifer, the end of the world or a second chance for the devil to redeem himself.

Yet, despite all of this, the best there is looks something like Scott Stewart’s Legion: a ham-fisted, heavy handed horror-drama featuring angels or demons and, as always, humans.

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Much speculation has been circulating around Hollywood as to who would be directing Sony’s Spider-Man reboot. Names ranging everywhere from James Cameron to Michael Bay have been rumored for the last few weeks. Well, according to a report on Vulture, (500) Days of Summer director Marc Webb has apparently signed on to do not one, but three upcoming Spider-Man films. Now if memory serves me correctly, Marc Webb was the choice everyone was hoping for, so it looks like Sony is listening to people (at least in some fashion). According to a quote given by Claude Brodesser-Akner:

Sony will imminently announce a deal with “(500) Days of Summer” director Marc Webb to direct not one, but three ‘Spider-Man’ movies in a rebooted franchise that will focus far more on the private life of Peter Parker.

UPDATE: The official press release is below.

CULVER CITY, Calif., January , 2010 – Marc Webb, the director of the Golden Globe nominated Best Picture (500) Days of Summer, will direct the next chapter in the Spider-Man franchise, set to hit theaters summer 2012, it was jointly announced today by Columbia Pictures and Marvel Studios.

Written by James Vanderbilt, Webb will work closely with producers Avi Arad and Laura Ziskin in developing the project, which will begin production later this year.

Commenting on the announcement, Amy Pascal, co-chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Matt Tolmach, president of Columbia Pictures, said, “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.”

Arad and Ziskin added jointly, “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.”

Webb said, “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.”

Stan Lee, co-creator of Spider-Man, added, “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.”

Added Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige, “The idea of re-imagining the on-screen story for one of the world’s most iconic superheros is sure to deliver an exciting new dimension to Spider-Man fans everywhere. There are volumes of comics and material available to inspire fresh and compelling takes on Peter Parker and his journey as Spidey and we look forward to seeing this come alive onscreen.”

Marc Webb has won acclaim with his film debut (500) Days of Summer. He has several MTV VMAs™ including 2009’s Best Director award for Green Day’s “21 Guns,” 2006 Best Rock Video for AFI’s “Miss Murder,” and Best Group Video for The All-American Rejects’ “Move Along.” The Music Video Production Association honored him in 2006 as the Director of the Year for his work with Weezer, AAR, and My Chemical Romance.

In addition to two Golden Globe nominations including Best Picture (musical or comedy), his first feature film, (500) Days of Summer, starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel, has been nominated for three Independent Spirit Awards, including Best Feature. Webb was also awarded the Spotlight Award, which honors outstanding directorial debuts, by the National Board of Review.

Heat Vision also has a news about the (smaller) budget for the movie and what they are going for in terms of casting. Check it out below:

The plan for the movie is to be in the $80 million range and feature a cast of relative unknowns (so you can quash those Rob Pattinson or Gordon-Levitt rumors at this point). And the story will be pared down to center on a high school kid who is dealing with the knowledge that his uncle died even though the teen had the power to stop it.

The touchstone for the new movie will not be the 1960s comics, which were the inspiration behind the movies by Raimi, who grew on up on them, but rather this past decade’s “Ultimate Spider-Man” comics by Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Bagley where the villain-fighting took a back seat to the high school angst.

I don’t have much to say. I was hoping like everyone else for Webb to get the franchise and I only he hope he makes the best of a bad situation. I have a feeling that Marc Webb will create a Spidey film that will make both Sony and the fans happy. My greatest hope is that he consults in some way with Raimi to find out what he did right and play off that.

Do you think Marc Webb is the right choice for Spidey?

A few weeks ago we reported that Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 4 was being delayed indefinitely due to an incomplete script, then there was news that it may not be true and the project was moving forward. It looks like the initial report was right as insider Nikke Finke came across this report that was sent to the special effects crew for the fourth Spidey. Check it out below: Read the full story

According to a report from IESB the next Spider-Man film which is running under the title Spider-M4N has been delayed indefinitely. IESB states:

An inside source working on the project tells IESB that there are some major issues director Sam Raimi is dealing with that include an incomplete script. And why is the script incomplete? Looks like Raimi and the studio heads at Sony Pictures can’t agree upon a villain for the film.

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According to The LA Times the rights to The Terminator franchise which are currently owned by the now bankrupt Halcyon Holding Group controlled by Derek Anderson and Victor Kubicek are up for sale again. Since Terminator is Halycon’s biggest asset it is clear this is being done to cover their debt now that they are in chapter 11. The rights are on sale for $60 million which is over twice the amount that Anderson and Kubicek payed for the original rights in 2007. This will create a bidding war among studios since The Terminator is still a hot item. It is unclear at this point however how this will effect the timing of another sequel.

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Sony has unveiled the trailer for the concert film Michael Jackson’s This Is It that was produced after the singers death.

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Terry Gilliam’s The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus looks to have finally found a U.S. distributor. The film has already acquired overseas distribution, but since the Cannes film festival it has been a mystery on which studio would be brave enough to release Gilliam’s surreal film. That mystery may finally have been solved. According to Variety, Sony is moments away from picking up distribution. Sony would release the film in the U.S. through Sony Pictures Classics, most likely sometime this year.

As a Gilliam fan, this is extremely exciting news. While this doesn’t have much commercial appeal, keep in mind this is a Gilliam film, it will undoubtedly find an audience whether it be during it’s theatrical run or on DVD. Sony Classics Pictures generally makes wise choices when it comes to distributing quality films, so this is another indicator that this could be a return to form for Gilliam.

Are you still excited for The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus?