The Amazing Spider-Man 2

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (released as The Amazing Spider-Man 2: Rise of Electro in some markets) is a 2014 American superhero film featuring the Marvel Comics character Spider-Man, directed by Marc Webb and released by Columbia Pictures. It serves as a sequel to the 2012 film The Amazing Spider-Man and was announced in 2011. The studio hired James Vanderbilt to write the screenplay and Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci to rewrite it. Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Jamie Foxx, Dane DeHaan, Campbell Scott, Embeth Davidtz, Colm Feore, Paul Giamatti and Sally Field star.

Development of The Amazing Spider-Man 2 began after the success of The Amazing Spider-Man. DeHaan, Giamatti, Jones, and Cooper were cast between December 2012 and February 2013. Filming took place in New York from February to June 2013. The film was released in 2D, 3D, and IMAX 3D on May 2, 2014 in the United States. The film grossed more than $559 million worldwide. A sequel is set to be released in 2016, with Webb returning to direct.

Plot
Scientist Richard Parker records a video message to explain his disappearance. Later, he and his wife, Mary, are aboard a private jet hijacked by a man sent to assassinate Richard. With the pilot dead, the plane crashes.

In the present, Richard's son Peter continues to fight crime as Spider-Man. He pursues and apprehends Aleksei Sytsevich, who attempted to steal a truck containing plutonium vials. During the chase, Spider-Man rescues OsCorp Industries employee Max Dillon. While speaking by phone with Gwen Stacy, Peter sees a vision of her father, police captain George Stacy, reminding him to "leave Gwen out of it." Afterward, Peter meets with Gwen at their high school graduation ceremony, but insists he needs to keep his vow to her father and Gwen decides to end their relationship.

Peter's childhood friend Harry Osborn returns to Manhattan to see his terminally ill father Norman, CEO of OsCorp. Norman explains his illness is hereditary, and Harry is at the age where it first develops. Norman gives Harry a small device he claims contains his life's work. The next day, Norman dies and Harry is appointed the new OsCorp CEO. He humiliates the OsCorp board, which has been privy to Norman's secret biogenetic projects for foreign military powers.

Thinking that they have become friends, Max idolizes Spider-Man. While tending to some maintenance in an OsCorp laboratory, he loses his balance and falls into a tank of genetically modified electric eels. They attack him, and he mutates into a living electric generator. Meanwhile, Peter attempts to maintain a friendship with Gwen, but she reveals she may move to England for school. Before they can discuss it, Max wanders into Times Square and accidentally causes a blackout. Spider-Man attempts to calm him down, but the police fire at Max, making him lose his temper and attack. Spider-Man eventually stops him, and Max is taken to Ravencroft Institute.

The first symptoms of Harry's illness show, and he uses the device Norman gave him to deduce that Spider-Man's blood could help save him. He asks Peter, who has been selling photos of Spider-Man to the Daily Bugle, for help finding Spider-Man. Peter refuses, unsure of what effects the transfusion would have. The OsCorp board-members frame Harry for covering up Max's accident, and remove him as CEO. Harry's assistant, Felicia, informs him of equipment that could help him, so he makes a deal with Max (now calling himself Electro) to get him back inside the OsCorp building. There he finds a suit of armor and other equipment made by Norman, as well as venom from the now-destroyed genetically altered spiders. Instead of curing him, they transform him into a hideous, goblin-like creature.

Peter uses information left by his father to locate the video message in an abandoned subway station's hidden lab. Richard explains he had to leave because he refused to cooperate with Norman Osborn's biogenetic weaponization plans. Peter then hears a voicemail from Gwen, telling him she was offered the scholarship in England and is heading to the airport earlier than expected. He manages to catch her and professes his love for her, and they agree to go to England together. Electro causes another blackout, and Peter heads off to fight him. Gwen follows, and together they restore power and overload Electro's body, killing him. Afterward, the transformed Harry arrives equipped with Norman's armor and weaponry upon the Goblin glider. After seeing Gwen, Harry deduces Spider-Man's true identity and, swearing revenge for being refused the blood transfusion, kidnaps her. He fights Spider-Man at the top of a clock tower. Spider-Man subdues Harry, but despite his attempt to save Gwen, she is sent falling to her death by the collapsing gears.

Five months later, Peter has given up being Spider-Man and often visits Gwen's grave. Harry was sent to Ravencroft Institute for his crimes and is somewhat healing from his transformations claiming that "it comes and goes". His associate Gustav Fiers (the "man in the shadows" from the first film) breaks Sytsevich out of prison and equips him with an electromechanical suit of armor. Calling himself "The Rhino", he rampages through the streets. But a recording of Gwen's graduation speech inspires Peter to return as Spider-Man and fight him to an unknown conclusion.

Cast

 * Andrew Garfield as Spider-Man / Peter Parker: An orphaned teenage boy who received amazing spider-powers after being bitten by a genetically altered spider. Peter first uses his powers to try to hunt down the killer of his uncle in The Amazing Spider-Man but soon decides to use his powers to fight crime as the vigilante known as Spider-Man. Garfield explained that the suit that he would wear in the film would undergo a new design. Garfield hoped to bring back the theme of him being an orphan stating, "I wanna keep exploring that theme of being fatherless, being motherless, searching for purpose and finding a purpose within himself". He felt that it was a responsibility to take on the role and that he does not take it lightly.
 * Max Charles also reprises his role as Young Peter Parker.
 * Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy: A high school student and Peter's love interest. When asked about Peter and Gwen's relationship in the sequel, Stone said, "She saves him more than he saves her. She's incredibly helpful to Spider-Man... He's the muscle, she's the brains."
 * Jamie Foxx as Electro / Max Dillon: An electrical engineer who works for Oscorp Industries. Foxx described the character as "a nobody" who initially idolizes Spider-Man. He develops an obsession with Spider-Man after being saved by him and obtains his powers through an accident at Oscorp involving electric eels.
 * Dane DeHaan as Green Goblin / Harry Osborn: An old friend of Peter and son of Norman Osborn. He was sent away to boarding school around the same time Peter's parents disappeared, and meets him for the first time since then in the film. He eventually assumes the role of the Green Goblin.
 * Colm Feore as Donald Menken: A member of the Oscorp board, and Vice President.
 * Felicity Jones as Felicia: Harry's assistant.
 * Paul Giamatti as Rhino / Aleksei Sytsevich: Giamatti said of his character, "He’s a Russian mobster. Russians are always good villains. I have an ability to just destroy things,” he said. "My accent is pretty hammy. I loved doing it. It seemed to me like an opportunity to be as over-the-top hammy as possible. It was really fun."
 * Sally Field as Aunt May: Peter's aunt.
 * Campbell Scott as Richard Parker
 * Embeth Davidtz as Mary Parker
 * Marton Csokas as Dr. Ashley Kafka: The head of Ravencroft Institute.

Chris Cooper portrays Norman Osborn, the president of Oscorp and Harry Osborn's father, while B. J. Novak portrays Alistair Smythe. Denis Leary reprises his role as George Stacy from the first film. Spider-Man co-creator Stan Lee has a cameo appearance as a guest at Peter and Gwen's graduation ceremony. Michael Massee reprises his role as the Man in the Shadows from the first film, with the character now credited as "Gustav Fiers (The Gentleman)."

Development
The sequel's villain was teased in the 2012 film. Webb stated that the origin story would further unfold in the second installment. In June 2012, Webb said he was unsure whether he would return, though it was confirmed on September 28, 2012, that he would return to direct the sequel. He claimed he "wanted to create a universe that not only can withstand but anticipate future storylines" while also "working in and of itself for one movie." Andrew Garfield had also expressed hope to reprise his role, and in September 2012, it was confirmed that he would do so. Emma Stone was later confirmed to be reprising her role as Gwen Stacy, having signed a contract for two Amazing Spider-Man sequels. The original costume and mask from The Amazing Spider-Man was altered and has lens in the mask, making the eyes bigger. The web shooters were also modified.

Actor J. K. Simmons expressed interest in reprising his role as J. Jonah Jameson from Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy should the studio offer it to him. In October 2012 Electro was rumored as the next villain. Jamie Foxx was given the role. That December, Foxx confirmed that he was cast as the character, and during an interview with MTV, he explained that the redesign of the character would be more grounded along with details of his depiction. On December 3, 2012, Marc Webb revealed that Dane DeHaan was chosen to play Harry Osborn. Paul Giamatti was confirmed as a cast member in February 2013. Felicity Jones confirmed her involvement with the movie under an undisclosed role. Giamatti also indicated in an October 2013 interview that he would return in The Amazing Spider-Man 3 as well. On February 27, 2013, Chris Cooper was cast as Norman Osborn.

By October 10, 2012, Shailene Woodley was in talks for the role of Mary Jane Watson. By March 14, 2013, Woodley had concluded filming her small role. Garfield recalled, "I think all of [those scenes] were in our backyards. We had two or three scenes with me talking over the fence, and there was one with us riding together on a motorcycle that we never got to shoot." By mid-June, Mary Jane was cut from the film, with director Webb explaining it as "a creative decision to streamline the story and focus on Peter and Gwen and their relationship."

Filming
On February 4, 2013, Marc Webb posted on his Twitter account that principal photography had begun and that the sequel was being shot on 35mm film in the anamorphic format, instead of being filmed digitally as the preceding film was. Sony revealed this would be the first Spider-Man film to be filmed entirely in New York State, including a car-chase scene that was filmed in Rochester because the speed laws are less restrictive in upstate New York. It became the largest film production ever in New York State. The decision to film in Williamsburg, Brooklyn near the Passover holiday caused some controversy, as critics believed that this was culturally insensitive, and would cause problems with parking. The filming company decided to work with the community and then agreed to adjust its production activities for Passover.

Emma Stone and Andrew Garfield were wearing graduation uniforms (their characters graduated from high school in the film). On June 25, Webb posted on his Twitter account that filming was completed.

Soundstage work was done at Grumman Studios and Gold Coast Studios, both in Bethpage, New York, and at the at Marcy Armory in Brooklyn.

Post-production
The film was mixed in Auro 11.1 and Dolby Atmos in the converted William Holden Theater. The mix for both was completed by Paul Massey and David Giammarco.

A mid-credit teaser scene from X-Men: Days of Future Past was added to the film after its London premiere, due to an existing deal between Webb and 20th Century Fox, in which Fox allowed Webb to direct the film if Sony would promote the X-Men film for free. The scene, set during the Vietnam War, sees Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence), a rogue mutant, trying to infiltrate a military camp led by William Stryker (Josh Helman) in an attempt to recruit fellow mutants Havok (Lucas Till) and Toad (Evan Jonigkeit). The scene's inclusion sparked confusion among some viewers in the United Kingdom, who thought it meant an X-Men–Spider-Man crossover film was being planned, based on how Marvel Studios and Disney use codas within the Marvel Cinematic Universe to promote future films.

Music
On July 20, 2013, Webb announced that Hans Zimmer would be composing the music for the film, replacing James Horner, the composer of the first film. On October 25, 2013, Pharrell Williams revealed to Billboard that he would co-compose the score with Zimmer. Webb and Zimmer formed a supergroup called The Magnificent Six with Williams, Johnny Marr, Michael Einziger and former Eurythmic David A. Stewart to create the music for the sequel. The soundtrack for the film was released on April 22, 2014 by Columbia Records and Madison Gate Records. Hans Zimmer described his work for this movie to be different from previous works that he did, thus revealing one of the themes for the movie, which was first heard on the website.

On March 31, 2014, a track called "It's on Again" was uploaded to Soundcloud. It features vocals by Kendrick Lamar and Alicia Keys. Via Twitter, Keys announced the song and credited Zimmer and Williams along with Lamar and herself for the song, and she included a hashtag saying "Spiderman", indicating the song is part of the soundtrack.

Marketing
On July 17, 2013, Sony released a clip from the film with the first released footage of Jamie Foxx as Electro to encourage attendance at their panel at the San Diego Comic-Con International. At the panel they premiered a four-minute trailer, which was not publicly released but eventually leaked on the internet. Viral marketing for the film included a version of the Daily Bugle on the blogging service Tumblr, which included references to Kate Cushing, Detective Stan Carter, the "Big Man", Izzy Bunsen, Joy Mercado, Donald Menken, the Vulture, Hydro-Man, Spencer Smythe, Ned Leeds, Anne Weying, J. Jonah Jameson, Shocker, Alistair Smythe, Doctor Octopus, Eddie Brock, The Enforcers and Puma. Marc Webb tweeted a photo of a message in Dwarven language revealing that the first trailer would debut prior to 3D screenings of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.

On December 8, 2013, it was announced that new footage from the film would be presented during New Year's Eve festivities at New York City's Times Square.

The film was further promoted during the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) "Earth Hour" campaign. The cast was present at the launch of the 2014 event in Singapore. Disney Consumer Products announced a merchandise product line for the film at the American International Toy Fair on February 17, 2014.

In March 2014, Gameloft and Marvel announced the launch of a mobile game of the same name for smartphones and tablets. It was released on consoles afterward. Kellogg's released an application featuring the film.

Evian serves as a promotional partner of the film. On April 1, 2014, the brand released an advertisement "The Amazing Baby & Me 2" featuring Spider-Man and a baby version of him, as a follow-up to their original "Baby & Me" campaign.

The film partnered with NBCUniversal for advertising. Spots for the film appeared on Bravo, E!, USA, Syfy, Telemundo and mun2 and a customized page was created on Fandango.

The release of the film in the United Kingdom was pushed forward to April 16, 2014, two days ahead of its original April 18 date. Deadline reported that, in addition to the production budget, the film's marketing budget was $180–190 million.

In May 2014, Marvel announced that Spider-Man's costume from the film would be available within Marvel: Avengers Alliance.

Critical response
On Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 based on reviews from critics, the film has a score of 53 based on 49 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews". CinemaScore polls conducted during the opening weekend revealed the average grade cinemagoers gave the film was B+ on an A+ to F scale. The main criticisms of the film were that it had too many villains, characters were underdeveloped, and it was overlong. However, the special effects, chemistry between Stone and Garfield, and DeHaan's performance were met with praise.

Tim Robey of The Telegraph said, "Marc Webb's Spider-Man sequel is overstuffed with high-voltage villains, but the sparks between Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone save the day". Simon Reynolds of Digital Spy said, "Peter's past, present and future all intertwine in a sequel that offers bang for your buck. That said you can't help feel the franchise bean counters at work here thanks to all the ominous foreshadowing and unresolved character arcs. Too many cooks and all that..." Leslie Felperin of The Hollywood Reporter said, "The eponymous hero hits his super-heroic stride here, as does Andrew Garfield in the role, especially when Spider-Man's alter ego Peter Parker learns there's always some fine print in a contract with this many benefits. The plot gets itself tangled up in multiple villain strands, but in the main, this installment is emotionally weightier and more satisfying than its predecessor." Guy Lodge of Variety said, "Redundancy remains a problem, but this overlong superhero sequel gets by on sound, fury and star chemistry." Richard Roeper gave the film a B+, stating that "It's about 20 minutes too long and it's overstuffed with too many characters and too many subplots, but there's enough good stuff in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 to ward optimism about the next chapter of the franchise."

Box office
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 grossed $8.7 million on its early Thursday night showings. It finished its opening weekend in first place with an estimated $92 million, $30 million more than the opening weekend gross of the first film. As of May 16, 2014, the film has grossed a worldwide total of $559 million. Brooks Barnes of The New York Times said, "Revenue climbed primarily because studios crammed an unusually large number of big-budget releases into theaters, but these giants also cannibalized one another, leading to a series of megaflops, led by “The Lone Ranger.”"

Outside North America, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 opened on April 16, 2014 to $2.73 million in UK and to $190,000 in Belgium, while opening to $1.44 million in Australia and $1.11 million in Germany. The film's release in India is the biggest opening weekend of all time for a Hollywood title. In China, the film was played on 11,002 screens, which is the biggest release of any film in history. On its opening day in Hong Kong, the film earned $1.23 million, the highest opening gross in the territory ever.

Home media
Fans who saw the movie have started petitions on different petition websites to include a "Director's Cut" in the home video release for cutting out scenes from the film's marketing, including scenes featuring Martin Sheen reprising his role as Uncle Ben and Chris Zylka reprising his role as Flash Thompson, among others.

Sequels and spinoffs
On June 17, 2013, Sony announced two more planned sequels to follow The Amazing Spider-Man 2, with the third film getting the release date of June 10, 2016, and the fourth film on May 4, 2018. On October 2, 2013, The Hollywood Reporter reported that Kurtzman, Orci and Pinkner would return to write the third film. In December 2013, Garfield revealed that he is signed for three films, but is not sure of his involvement for the fourth film. That same month, Sony announced two planned spinoffs of the film series featuring Venom and the Sinister Six, with Kurtzman directing Venom and co-writing along with Orci and Ed Solomon, and Drew Goddard writing The Sinister Six and possibly directing. In February 2014, Sony announced that Webb will return to direct the third film. In March 2014, Webb stated that he would not be directing the fourth film, but would like to remain as a consultant for the series. On March 31, 2014, Woodley said she was unsure she wanted to be in the third film as Mary Jane, due to commitments with the Divergent film trilogy. In April 2014, it was announced that Goddard would also direct the Sinister Six film, and that Venom and the Sinister Six films may release before the fourth Amazing Spider-Man film, with Spider-Man potentially appearing in both spin-offs. On May 8, 2014, Webb told Entertainment Weekly that the third film's story will focus on Peter's recovering on Gwen's death.