In 2012, Andrew Garfield entered the Marvel universe to play one of the franchise’s most celebrated heroes, Spider-Man. The British star, who infused a relatable dose of wit and emotion to his portrayal, ensured that his performance resulted in the film’s success at the box office. In 2014, he reunited with director Marc Webb for a sequel that unfortunately did do as well as the first film.
While looking back at the movie’s lukewarm box office response, it now seems that its fate was predestined. Apart from being sandwiched between two marquee 2014 films like Captain America: The Winter Solider and X-Men: Days Of Future Past, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 was also put under added pressure by Sony to create box office history, which in retrospect, would have been an impossible mountain to climb.
Did Sony’s Unrealistic Expectations For Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man Sequel Lead To Its Downfall?
Andrew Garfield’s interpretation of Peter Parker aka Spider-Man was a version that touched a chord with fans globally. The star’s innocent humor, swag, and emotion that went into the portrayal of the webbed superhero was a pivotal factor in the film becoming a box office hit. Expectedly, this success spurred Marvel, Sony, and director Marc Webb to create a sequel which came out in 2014.
But The Amazing Spider-Man 2 did not face the same fate as its predecessor. While Garfield’s performance was praised along with Jamie Foxx’s portrayal of Electro, there were criticisms regarding the narrative which was packed with too many plots and characters. As a result, the film only made over $700 million at the box office as opposed to the first movie which made over $758 million.
But looking back at a report in Variety before the release of the sequel, it was evident that Sony had extremely high expectations for the film, which in retrospect, seems to have been an unrealistic benchmark. The article stated that the think tank at the production house had reportedly set a box office goal of $1 billion for the film even before its release. Analyst Paul Dergarabedian expressed his opinion on this extremely ambitious thought process.
Summer movies have to go all in and hope that the audience follows. That seems like what Sony is trying to do. They have to bet big to win big, and have confidence in the movie. But the billion dollar club is very exclusive.
Part of the reasoning behind Sony aiming for these lofty heights was attributed to its attempt to resurrect its fortunes following a few prior failures through films like RoboCop and The Monument Men. Therefore, this bold prediction could have been a psychological play for audiences to back Garfield and the film to attain glory at the box office.
As it turned out, The Amazing Spider-Man 2’s release date may also not have worked out favorably for the film. Having just hit theaters after Captain America: The Winter Soldier, it was followed in a few weeks by X-Men: Days Of Future Past, both of which gained a lot of popularity and in turn, could have stolen Spider-Man’s thunder. The month was further crowded with the release of Godzilla, which added to Sony’s woes.
In addition, the studio’s massive prediction of the film’s ability to touch $1 billion could have been the final nail in the coffin which ironically had the reverse effect, with the movie being unable to even reach the box office collections of its predecessor.
Andrew Garfield Will Romance Florence Pugh In Their Latest Film
Following the acclaim he received for playing Spider-Man, Andrew Garfield went on to do some very interesting and challenging roles on stage and on the screen. In his latest film, We Live In Time, the Marvel alum will be sharing screen space with Oscar nominee Florence Pugh (via Variety) in what is being seen as a pairing to watch out for.
The film is a romantic comedy that follows the meet-cute of a chef and a divorcee that spans into a relationship over a decade, where their paths cross multiple times before finally leading to everlasting love. Produced by A24 and directed by John Crowley, the film’s trailer shows both actors sharing great chemistry while feeding off each other brilliantly through their humor.
The movie is expected to make its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September (via Deadline) and is also executive produced by Benedict Cumberbatch’s company SunnyMarch. With both Garfield and Pugh being held in high esteem by fans and critics alike, their collaboration will be eagerly anticipated when the film releases in theaters on October 11th.
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is streaming on Netflix.
