Sony Pictures Not Relying On Spider-Man Alone
Even as SPIDER-MAN III breaks records in Japan and South Korea, a few days before breaking records in the US and every other damn place, Sony Pictures Entertainment is hedging its bets. Someone at the studio may have noticed that huge movies that cost enormous amounts of money will either make enormous amounts of money (SPIDER-MAN) or lose them and take the studio down (WATERWORLD, HEAVEN’S GATE).
Enter Steven Zaillian. The Oscar-winning screenwriter has signed a multi-picture deal with Sony to develop small character-driven movies. Quoting the Hollywood Reporter: Zaillian, whose writing credits include “Schindler’s List,” “Gangs of New York,” “Awakenings,” “The Falcon and the Snowman” and the upcoming “American Gangster,” also wrote and directed “Searching for Bobby Fischer” and “A Civil Action.” Few special effects in that bunch! And they all could have been made with talented unknowns - inexpensive talented unknowns.
I only wish they’d gone with someone a little more fun.