This winter’s much-anticipated musical Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, may soon be completely scrapped due to financial problems, according to the New York Post’s Michael Riedel. Riedel is reporting that cast members, including Evan Rachel Wood and Alan Cumming, have been released from their contracts. This comes after one of its producers, Hello Entertainment, admitted earlier this month that the production had been put on hold because of “unexpected cash-flow problems.” In a statement, a spokesperson for the production says: “Hello Entertainment is aware of the speculation about the future of Spider-Man on Broadway and is re-confirming that the plan is to resume production shortly and preview on February 25th, 2010 at the Hilton Theatre when cash flow issues have been resolved.” Across the Universe director Julie Taymor is attached to the musical, whose score was written by U2’s Bono and the Edge. No casting had been announced for the lead role.
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Comments (1-15) of 23 Add your comment
As this had train wreck written all over it, not exactly unhappy to hear about this. Guess it’s better it get killed now rather than before it hits the stage and costs investors more.
I’m “not exactly happy” at the amount of jobs this will cost my friends in the business. I’m not sure exactly how a score by Bono and The Edge for a show directed by Jule Taymor sounds at all like a train wreck, but I hope you hit your unfounded cynicism quota for the day.
BURN!
Not exactly a huge surprise. Broadway is suffering as it is and I doubt there is a huge overlap btwn Comic Books fans and Musical Theater fans…
You’d be surprised.
Ditto that. Besides, I’m pretty sure the insane popularity of the Spider-Man films pretty much shoots this out of the realm of simply “comic books” fans.
I agree with Brody and XSE Drake. I love musicals and I went to comic-con. Was really looking forward to Spidey on Broadway. Oh well…
YAY.
I love Spider-Man.
I love Julie Taymor.
I love U2.
But this thing was shaping up to be a modern version of “It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane…It’s Superman”
Bleh.
Though I don’t bemoan the potential loss of the show, I would love to hear the music Bono and the Edge were working on.
Julie Taymor and Spider-Man just don’t seem like a good match. A Spider-Man musical would have to be more tongue in cheek than what she seems to do. She’s very good, but a little too pretentious for something like this.
Much anticipated by who?
By people who know anything about this.
Maybe they should cast this with Broadway actors instead of Hollywood celebs. Just that one change would free up a whole lot of money, and there are tons of talented actors looking for work in New York. (I happen to know a few of them!)
technically, Alan Cumming is a Broadway actor.
Wow, i had fifty bucks on it closing three days after opening night. Hmmm.
I would see it if I lived in NY
ummm Brody…. Alan Cumming IS a Broadway actor. He does movies and stage work. Hello ever heard of Cabaret and his incredible performance as the emcee!!!!
Agree with using Broadway actors, i was planning to see it opening night, so hope it gets back on!!
I’m sorry, I want Broadway people to work too but this seemed like a bad idea… from… the… start… Maybe we can have a musical from an original idea now? Oh, and if someone could stop the “Catch Me if You Can” musical ASAP, it’d be appreciated…
Hey, I am sorry as I appreciate the need for actors and crew to work in these times. But Broadway has seen a lot of shows that seemed sure fire but didn’t click (Pirate Queen being the most recent example) and if this was going to fail, better it happen in the early going rather than be ripped by critics and public.
This WILL go on and it WILL be a SENSATION. Too much talent and HEART involved. It’s easy to be cynical and hope things fail…wait and see…It’ll take NY then the world by storm. BET ON IT.
Must admit, I was curious to see how this would shape up on stage, the wirework and whatnot, but I’m not too upset that it’s on the outs.
Does anyone know how long Alan Cummingsand Rachel Wood are contracted to star in Spiderman?