Overview

Growing up, Spider-Man was always a massive part of my life. Whether it was a distraction from problems at home, or an escape into a world greater than myself, he was there with me every step of the way – not as a flawless idol, but as someone I could directly relate to. Peter Parker is endearing because he isn’t perfect – he gives up, he falls short, he collapses under pressure. Rather than an icon, he’s there to reassure the world that they are not alone in their struggles…he is reacting, failing, and prevailing just like anyone else. With this film, we want to dive into his natural human flaws: What defines a man who is crushed by his own mind? We pulled from hundreds of different comic books from over the years, whether it was written by Stan Lee, or Gerry Conway, or Tom DeFalco, or any other legendary writer to take on the character, all in an effort to craft a story that honors the character in the best way that we can.

We decided to primarily take inspiration from ‘Spider-Man: Blue’ (along with many other stories during that era such as ‘Death & Destiny’ or Gerry Conway’s run) and ‘The Kid Who Collects Spider-Man’, two grounded stories that focus on the melancholic life of the character. Our approach is very character driven, with necessary action, but not an over-saturation of it. At the core, it is very much a story about normal human beings burdened by elements of fantasy, much like Sam Raimi’s ‘Spider-Man 2’, my personal favorite film of all time.

The Suit:

With the help of a talented crew, we have been given the opportunity to bring our ideal Spider-Man costume to life. Designed by Tiago Datrinti, the suit is a modernized version of John Romita Sr, Ross Andru, and Gil Kane’s original artwork, with a custom logo created by Evan Jackson.

Following the initial design, it was projected by Lorenzo Di Sante, who modified the concept into a 3D landscape and illustrated its translation into live-action.

After the 3D projections, @comicsuitfactory began practical realizations of the face shell & logo, in addition to group consultations for exchanges of ideas and plans.

Finally, the team at The Amazing Spider-Lab began crafting the full costume. The result became my favorite Spider-Man costume ever made, and I could not be more proud of the work they did.

Budget:

Cast:

Warden Wayne will be portraying Spider-Man in this film. I have known him for nearly four years now, and with our shared creative mindset, the development of the project has been absolutely seamless. We have helped each other grow as creators, and over the years, I have watched his progression as a dedicated, talented actor who will do justice to this character. 

Harry Osborn will play a major role in the film, and he will be portrayed by Sean Wythe – one of the most dedicated, determined, and talented actors I know. Sean has been a massive part of this project — not only in his ability to tirelessly work on his performance, but also in his contributions to the film itself. He is responsible for the ‘Lotus’ title, and his constructive criticism on the script has led it to become the best it can be. While he will not become the Green Goblin in this story, you will see how he deals with the death of his father, Norman Osborn, and how it ties directly into the central themes that we chose.

Illuminating the conflicts of the film will be Mary Jane Watson, played by Moriah Brooklyn. Her passion, energy, and charisma brought something to the role that I have never seen before in an adaptation, and the moment I saw her, I knew I was looking at someone who could truly do justice to this massively important character. We are all excited to work with her this summer, and show you a version of MJ that we feel has been overlooked outside of comics!

Tuyen Powell will be portraying Gwen Stacy in this film – the person who taught Peter Parker the meaning of love. While we can’t give many details on her role in the narrative, I can say that Tuyen’s passion for comics seriously revealed itself through her audition. Each line was delivered with the perfect level of subtlety that we were looking for, and the energy surrounding her illustrates exactly who Gwen Stacy is. We can’t wait to work with her when production begins!

Max Fox is Tim Harrison – the emotional core of the entire storyline. Faced with the curse of terminal illness, Tim lives his final days with hope and optimism, effortlessly modeling himself off of the icon that he views Spider-Man to be. I wanted Max in this project since the day we announced it – not only does he carry a strong presence with his acting, but he also loves the comic books about as much as the character he’s playing! We have faith that he will nail the role, and deliver the exact portrayal that we are envisioning!

Milestone Goals:

$5,000: A linear study focused on Spider-Man, but limited by a smaller cast. No action — only a simple drama driven by Peter’s internal struggle as he faces his own flaws.

$10,000: A look into the mind of Peter Parker on a larger scale. This would allow us to bring a key character from the world of Spider-Man into the story, who would reflect the themes and enhance its meaning with a clear contrast to Peter’s conflicts. This would also allow for small CGI sequences, creating a more atmospheric New York environment.

$15,000: This would allow us to adapt a more fulfilling supporting cast from the full script, all building into the themes of the story and elevating it to a new level. With multiple CGI sequences, we will be able to bring a whole new perspective, with a longer runtime and a more impactful conclusion.

$20,000: This is the full version of the film that we have wanted to enliven for years. While it’s an ambitious goal, it would allow us to adapt all of our ideas, with a grand opening sequence, complex characters with their own struggles & flaws, and a satisfying conclusion that embraces the messages of Spider-Man.

$20,000 +: The sky is the limit. Anything in addition to the initial budget will allow us to flesh out the quality & length of the film like we had never thought possible, and achieve ideas that were previously only a hopeless dream.

~ GJK