The second trailer for The Amazing Spider-Man hit in the early hours of the morning and everyone's talking about it. It's curious that Sony/Columbia chose to unleash the trailer on the internet rather than have it debut during the Superbowl. Then again, with the anticipation this movie already has, they probably felt it wasn't necessary to pay millions for a time slot.
While Sony has released an official synopsis of the movie that lays out what the story will be about, there are still some key points unveiled in the trailer. Watching the trailer a few times, it clearly shows us how this film will differ from the previous Spider-Man movies.
== TEASER ==Captain George Stacy is Anti-Spider-Man
In the comics, Captain Stacy was a fan of Spider-Man. He eventually discovers that Spider-Man is Peter Parker, the boy dating his daughter, Gwen. Despite the dangers of that relationship, he still approved of Spider-Man's actions.
It's a different story in the movie, at least in the beginning. He describes Spider-Man as wearing "a mask like an outlaw." He even later publicly issues an arrest warrant for "the masked vigilante known as Spider-Man." This is a big departure from the other films as this angle wasn't fully explored.
Flash Thompson is still a Bully
Ah, the glory days of high school. No high school is complete without its share of bullies, unfortunately.
As Peter is deep in thought, he is brought back to reality when he receives a basketball to the back of the head courtesy of Flash Thompson. Thankfully I've never been hit by a basketball in the head but I imagine it wouldn't be fun. It looks like this must happen after he gains his spider-powers since he finally gives him a piece of his mind. But if you look carefully, you'll notice Peter has a different hood (how many hoodies does he own?) and Flash has a different top on as well.
Peter's Dad Was a Geneticist
We know from the first trailer that Richard Parker was involved with genetics before his disappearance. His involvement at Oscorp allows for Peter to gain some of his research in becoming Spider-Man. We know Peter finds his old satchel which most likely has the design or formula for the web shooters and web fluid. Peter is a smart kid but to be able to create those as well as his advanced costume is a bit much to accept.
If Richard Parker was an employee of Oscorp, does that mean he and Mary weren't SHIELD agents? That's the assumption as to why they 'disappeared' when Peter was young, forcing him to be raised by Uncle Ben and Aunt May. It is possible he was still an agent in the research department and maybe he was supposed to try to infiltrate Oscorp or worked there before being recruited into SHIELD.
Peter is Really Smart
Peter Parker is supposed to a really smart guy. That's something that was often overlooked over the years. He is able to come up with and solve a crazy formula that impressed Dr. Curt Connors.
What is this equation for? We know Connors turns into the Lizard. This must be what he and Richard were working on. Peter must have come up with the finishing touch that allows Curt to become the Lizard. Peter later tells Gwen that it's his fault, he created the Lizard.
The Lizard Unleashed
The Lizard almost seems like an odd choice for the main villain of the movie. He is a classic villain. The idea of a man-sized lizard goes along with the old urban myth of giant-sized alligators living in the sewers after being flushed down the toilet.
We do get some glimpses of the Lizard in action and he doesn't look too bad (way better than Green Goblin's armor in the other first Spider-Man movie). The idea of a man mutating himself almost makes more sense than a guy gaining superpowers, wearing a goblin suit of armor and being able to fly around on an experimental glider.
Web Shooters
The missing web shooters in the first movies was a decision some loved and others hated. If Peter gains spider-powers, being able to shoot webs naturally makes sense. We can accept that a young Peter Parker was intelligent enough to design and build them himself, while still in high school in the comics but when thrown on the big screen, it could be a stretch. It's likely that some of the idea behind them was thanks to his dad and that mysterious satchel.
What about that red light? When shooting webs, you see a little cloud of smoke pop out, as if it's from a pressurized device built into the shooters. There's also a red light that goes off. You would think that the light would give away his presence if he was deep in the shadows but then again, Spider-Man is able to move like lightning. It could be that the light tells him how much webbing he has left. It could start going off when he's getting low or gets brighter when he's swinging on "empty."
Spider-Man Captured
You can't have a Spider-Man movie without him losing his mask. We know Captain Stacy is out to get him. We see several police officers in heavy gear surround him. Spider-Man is captured, handcuffed and has his mask removed. It's then that Spider-Man breaks out of the cuffs and jumps around, escaping from the police. It's possible he moved around so fast and because of the dark, no one gets a good look at his face. Perhaps this is when Captain Stacy finds out Spider-Man is really his daughter's boyfriend.
Peter's Dad Helped Create Spider-Man
Because his dad was involved with genetics, it's almost fate that Peter becomes Spider-Man. In a flashback scene, we see a spider in a jar. Peter's dad was apparently very secretive and Connors mentions they were going to "change the lives of millions." Connors also says something about a "new species in New York" and it can be aggressive if threatened. As he says this, we see glimpses of the Lizard but it would make more sense if there was a new spider species in New York rather than a lizard.
We later see Peter deep in a lab as Connor's voice says, "If you want the truth Peter, come and get it." Could it be possible that Richard Parker might have experimented on his own son? When Connors says that line, it's almost as if he is aware Peter is Spider-Man. Peter's dad experimenting on him is unlikely and could be too much. It's better if Peter is working at the lab and is accidentally bitten by a crazy mutated spider.
Gwen Discovers Peter's Secret?
There is a scene that looks like the Peter and Gwen are on a rooftop. They kiss and then Peter jumps off the roof, not in costume. Gwen then says, "I'm in trouble." This would be from the fact that her boyfriend is Spider-Man and her father has issued an arrest warrant for the vigilante. The two are later seen together with Peter in costume. This could be from Spider-Man saving Gwen but she appears to be looking him with something more than simple gratitude for saving her life.
What About Uncle Ben?
Will Uncle Ben get killed in this movie? Is he the inspiration for Peter to become a hero? When Spider-Man is stopping a car thief, he cracks a joke. He doesn't come across as witty as he is in the comics but if his uncle was recently killed, I don't know if he'd be making jokes right away. Without his death, would Peter really learn about great power and great responsibility? Sorry Uncle Ben, you need to die.
It could be his part in helping to create the Lizard that motivates him to be a hero. This probably wouldn't be the case unless Connors is transformed earlier in the movie. Spider-Man has to be active as a "vigilante" in order to get Captain Stacy's attention.
Will we have another trailer before the movie is released? Will any more information be unveiled? We'll have to keep our eyes peeled to see if anything else is revealed about the movie.
Here's the trailer if you need to see it again.