Raimi Looks Forward To Teenage Spider-Man And Middle-Age Ash
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Sam Raimi, the director of the original "Spider-Man" movie trilogy, is giving a passing grade to Marvel and Sony for sending the next cinematic rendition of the web-slinger back to high school.
"It's cool that we'll get to see another incarnation," Raimi said in an interview Saturday at Comic-Con. "I think it's a good choice for Marvel to go with high school Peter Parker. It's really interesting. That's where I loved it the most, when he's in high school, struggling to keep his grades up and being bullied by Flash Thompson. It's filled with angst."
Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures announced last month that 19-year-old actor Tom Holland would be taking over the role of Peter Parker in the next Spidey film, set to be directed by Jon Watts and hit theaters July 28, 2017.
Raimi is attending Comic-Con to hype "Ash vs. Evil Dead," an upcoming Starz series starring Bruce Campbell. The campy horror show, which premieres Oct. 31, is set after Raimi's original "Evil Dead" movie trilogy and features Campbell's chainsaw-wielding, trash-talking Ash battling bloody things that go bump in the night.
The "Evil Dead" writer-director, who is serving as executive producer on the 10-part series and is directing the first episode, is pumped for fans of the cult classic to witness Ash's return.
"The situation with this character is so interesting and different," said Raimi. "It's 30 years later. He's not in the cabin anymore. He's not back in time. He's in 2015. Ash is now a middle-aged man who has to fight the Evil Dead."
Besides showing off the latest chapter of the "Evil Dead" series, the Comic-Con veteran is most excited about the rise of attendees sporting costumes at this year's four-day celebration of pop culture.
"I love these people who are really into their makeup and wardrobe," he said. "All they want to do is pose for a picture in character. They're like the best actors in the world. All they really want is the true art of becoming a character. It's not for money or recognition. They just love the art. I love them."
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