A Spiderman Saga That's Perfect for the Big Screen

With "Spider-Man 3" and it's tedious Sandman subplot as such a disappointing conclusion the trilogy, one can only hope that the inevitable attempt to reboot franchise will be something truly spectacular- something amazing. In order to insure this eventual creation is a success, there are some mistakes that filmmakers should learn from not only the "Spider-Man" Trilogy, but also from other recent lackluster super hero films. The key to future success is, without a doubt, the selection of a better storyline.

One of my personal favorite Spidey Sagas was the 'Green Goblin Vs Hobgoblin' arc. To date, there have been two comic story arcs involving a face-off between the two premier goblin villains. In both cases, the premise was classic- it pit the two titular goblin villains against one another with Spider-Man caught in the middle. Now you might have to ask yourself which is the better arc to base the film upon. Your two choices are the 'Goblin Vs Goblin' arc found in Amazing Spider-Man #312 and the 'Goblins At The Gate' arc from Spectacular Spider-Man #259-#261.

While there is a small demographic that preferred the clash in Amazing Spider-Man #312, this is a slightly less appealing battle. While the fight itself is fantastic- the problem is that neither is the original bearer of the name. The Green Goblin happens to be Harry Osborn, son to the original. In the same fashion, the Hobgoblin is the second one.

What I am suggesting be the focus for this three-way clash, is the 'Goblins At The Gate' arc in Spectacular Spider-Man #259-#261. This 1998 saga excited fans and stirred up decade long debates over the better goblin. The driving plot was based on the fact that the second pair of goblins had each met their separate ends and now the originals had made a welcome return. It would be Norman Osborn pulling strings and masterminding the whole conflict with Roderick Kingsley.

The saga started with Norman Osborn making every effort to disassociate himself with the Green Goblin as well as vying for public favor. Rotting in jail, Roderick Kingsley decides to spread a rumor of evidence against Norman being in his possession. It doesn't take long before Osborn has Kingsley sprung from jail- so begins their heated conflict. With both the original goblins trying to stay one step ahead of each other in a series of deals and endeavors, things naturally turn to chaos with Spider-Man right in the middle.

A movie adaptation of the 'Goblins At The Gate' saga would not only draw in fans of these two classic Spider-Man villains, but also modern fans enticed by their modern characterizations. A full-out, climatic three-way battle between the Green Goblin, Hobgoblin, and Spider-Man would ignite audiences. In terms of casting, it wouldn't be too difficult to find better replacements for utter disappointments like Kirstin Dunst. The main five roles to be filled be Peter Parker, Norman Osborn, Roderick Kingsley, the fifth Green Goblin, and Mary Jane. Though her career is much more geared toward voice acting, Laura Baily would make a cute, supportive Mary Jane.

When it comes to casting Peter, you really have two character paths- charismatic loser and disconsolate loner. Someone like Topher Grace might fit the role of the charismatic loser. Should filmmakers be more interested in the portrayal of Peter Parker as an outcast or loner, Vincent Piazza of Boardwalk Empire fame would be more than suited for the role. The role of Norman Osborn's phony Green Goblin isn't too difficult to come up with. During the 'Goblins At The Gate' arc, Norman used the fifth Green Goblin in an attempt to disassociate himself with the villain. Who else but The Sopranos' Michael Imperioli could pull off this role?

While a young Michael Douglass would do wonders for either villain if portrayed similarly to Gordon Gekko- alas, this isn't possible. Instead a great choice for the Hobgoblin would be, Guy Pearce . He'd comfortably be able to assume a character with no moral code and a collected persona. As for the role of the original Green Goblin, I'd put my money on someone able to play the cold, shrewd mastermind like, Jonathon Frakes .

Some fans have been calling for a gritty reboot in the same vein as "Dark Knight." This would fail to entice most fans for one primary reason. While Batman's stands as a shadowed character teeming with bleak psychological themes- the Spider-Man universes exists on a different spectrum. Peter Parker isn't a suave millionaire playboy with a dark secret. He's a struggling photographer with a torn life and a sarcastic wit. Is it likely filmmakers will select a unique storyline like the two 'Goblin Versus Goblin' ones? Not nearly as probably as many fans would be comfortable with. It's more likely that they'll produce an archetypal storyline with darker themes in an attempt to cash-in on Batman's success. But, hey, we can dream- can't we?