Spider-Man Has Back Problems

skantman writes "Potentially sad news for Spiderfans. Tobey Maguire has back problems and may have to pull out of the Spider-Man sequel." Since the film was apparently slated to pay him 11M GBP, sucks to be him just as much as us if he doesn't play the part. CT Updated, thats 11M pounds, not USD.

Doesn't he do yoga and eat vegetarian?

[juanfe]

Sounds like a winning lifestyle endorsement to me...

Re:Doesn't he do yoga and eat vegetarian?

[Mr Guy]

His latest movie is Seabiscuit [imdb.com] in which he plays a jockey. Riding a horse, even just for a movie with a stuntman doing the real work, is dangerous and painful without years of practice.

Re:Doesn't he do yoga and eat vegetarian?

[Zarquon]

Hey.. it's often dangerous and painful _with_ years of practice.. :)

Re:Doesn't he do yoga and eat vegetarian?

[Karpe]

Oh yeah? And what about hanging from those buildings in spiderman? I bet that fucked up his back! :)

Re:Doesn't he do yoga and eat vegetarian?

[djrogers]

Dang it, havent they learned anything yet? Superheroes should STAY AWAY from horses!

Re:Doesn't he do yoga and eat vegetarian?

[l810c]

Meat and lack of yoga are good for the back.

Re:Doesn't he do yoga and eat vegetarian?

[billybob2001]

Could be the arachnoid mater explained under Spinal Meninges & Spinal Cord [umich.edu]

arachnoid mater is a thin membrane which is pressed against the inner surface of the dura mater by cerebrospinal fluid pressure; (Greek, arachnoids = spider ), the space deep to this layer (subarachnoid space) has a spider web-like appearance

--

I heard that there would be a live bush show on tv yesterday, but all I could find was a bad western.

Re:Doesn't he do yoga and eat vegetarian?

[Tribbin]

With great power comes great backpains...

That's 11m pounds

[WD_40]

Not dollars.

Re:That's 11m pounds

[Michael_Burton]

Hey, I'd probably sprain my back, carrying around a wallet that heavy.

Re:That's 11m pounds

[fobbman]

Eleven Million Pounds??? Damn, no wonder his back hurts! That's a lotta fat to get into that Spandex.

Painkillers

[forged]

For 11 million pounds (or even dollars) I would stuff myself with painkillers, keep my mouth shut about the pain and pocket the money ! What's the big deal ? =)

Bah!

[An Onerous Coward]

You're one of those people who said "for twenty-two-million, *I'd* get into the ring with Mike Tyson." The fact is, nobody would be willing to pay $22M to see you or me box with Mike Tyson, or even whatever greatly reduced sum his opponents are drawing these days.

Same goes for someone like Toby McGwire. I would be happy to do a movie for $11M pounds. I'd go through back pains, and possibly even severe risk to my future health, for that kind of money. But a big time actor knows what kind of money h

Correction

[cmburns69]

Now that I looked at the right place [exchangerate.com], the USD value of 11m GBP is $17,406,247.58.

His negotiated salary is probably about $17.5m when it was signed.

Now it REALLY sucks to be him if his back goes out.

An online Starcraft RPG? Only at [netnexus.com]

Re:That's 11m pounds

[Westley]

Where are you getting your exchange rates from? According to the currency converter I usually use [xe.com] it's just over 17 million USD...

uh oh...series syndrome

[VinniTheGeek]

Like Batman with multiple stars, we now get a chance at Spiderman. For the love of any god out there man, I hope his back heals soon.

Re:uh oh...series syndrome

[geekoid]

with any luck, they'll get George Clooney to play spiderman, and arnold to play green goblin!

man that would be great.

And by Great, I mean 'shut down the franchise'.

I joke.

$17 million

[wuchang]

That figure is wrong.....If he makes the film, he'll be making $17 million not $11 million

No Big Deal

[Drunken Coward]

The linked article says Jake Gyllenhaal [imdb.com] has been lined-up as a possible replacement. While he was previously typecast into creepy character roles (Donnie Darko and The Good Girl), he proved in Moonlight Mile that he is a thousand times the actor of Tobey Maguire. Not that I wish any suffering on Maguire, but I do believe the sequel would be better off without him.

Re:No Big Deal

[mariox19]

He played the lead in October Sky, didn't he? If that's the case, he would make an excellent replacement, though I still feel sorry for Tobey.

Re:No Big Deal

[Joe the Lesser]

Shows that change the actor of the progananist often flop. Has anyone bothered to see like the last two Batman movies?

I predict if Maguire can't do it, only more wet shirt shots of Dunst will save the movie.

Re:No Big Deal

[Anonymous Coward]

Like MASH. Like Bewitched. Like Bond. It can work if you replace the original with a better actor. Batman is a bad example because Michael Keaton just is Batman. It is not possible to get better. I don't get the sense that Tobey just is Spiderman. I thought he was only mediocre.

Re:No Big Deal

[pizzaman100]

Like Bewitched.

Both of those actors were dicks.

Re:No Big Deal

[donpardo]

There were 2 other Batman movies?

Re:No Big Deal

[RazzleFrog]

I totally agree. Jake Gyllenhaal is ten times the actor of Tobey Maguire. When my girlfriend and I watched Spiderman the first time it was right after watching the Good Girl and we immediately said that he would have been a better casting. I think having a slighlty darker Spiderman would improve the series.

Re:No Big Deal

[Jens_UK]

As Wes Bentley [imdb.com] was up for the role originally [upcomingmovies.com], this may be his shot. Based on his performance in American Beauty [imdb.com], it could be a darker, less happy-go-lucky Spiderman, which I would enjoy.

Re:No Big Deal

[gotroot801]

Two words that might cost Jake Gyllenhaal points: Bubble Boy [imdb.com].

Jake Gyllenhaal Creepy?

[Anonymous Coward]

Sometimes I doubt your commitment to Sparkle Motion

Re:No Big Deal

[Cruciform]

Interesting. Jake was said to be doing a cameo as Cletus Cassidy (sp?) in the movie, as a setup to possible Venom and Carnage action in #3.

I wonder what Brian Bosworth (Stone Cold, Blackout) is doing these days. He'd be the right age to play Eddie Brock and, if he's still in shape, the right build as well.

really?

[Lxy]

This part confused me:
"Tobey has experienced mild discomfort in his back, which is in the final stages of healing"

So, what's the problem? I know his back needs to be fully healed, but if it's in the final stages of healing, why not delay production until it's healed? All too often sequels have alternate actors playing the main characters, and I refuse to see such movies. If Tobey's not in the sequel, I probably won't see it.

Re:really?

[l810c]

Batman was, of course, the worse. I actually think Keaton was the best. They should have kept him.

Just a rumor

[bonch]

According to this [aintitcool.com], Tobey is fine and the sequel is a go. This was just a rumor going around. Why is Slashdot posting movie rumors? If we're gonna do that, at least keep up with the current Superman fiasco at Warner Bros....

Damn.

[Yoda2]

I have back problems too so I suppose I'm out of the running for his slot.

CGI to the rescue?

[Greedo]

Almost all of the cool Spidey stuff in the first movie was CGI anyway, so what is it exactly that Mr. Macguire can't do? Pose?

Do you really need that much back muscle to kiss a dripping wet Kirsten Dunst?

Re:CGI to the rescue?

[merlin_jim]

Do you really need that much back muscle to kiss a dripping wet Kirsten Dunst?

I don't think it's the back muscle that is strained by kissing a dripping wet Kirsten Dunst.

And I do think I could suck up a little back pain for the opportunity.

Re:CGI to the rescue?

[larien]

Dripping wet Kirsten Dunst... MMmmmmmm

Oops, wrong muscle...

Re:CGI to the rescue?

[operagost]

Sounds like you pulled it all right ...

Re:CGI to the rescue?

[Columbo]

After having seen Kirsten Dunst wet, I believe it is _HER_ that needs the back muscles. :)

Columbo

Re:CGI to the rescue?

[legLess]

Those are interesting comparisons, but you're basically arguing about chocolate and vanilla. Spidey and Daredevil are very, very different characters. A young boy growing up on the East Side won't relate very well to a rich lawyer with an ass-kicking girlfriend, but he will relate to Spidey: too tortured to have a girlfriend, the only super-hero who goes to a landromat.

Kingpin was a much more interesting villain than the Goblin, who was basically just a cackling idiot.

I can't argue with that, thou

Re:CGI to the rescue?

[Sabalon]

Spiderman droned on about responsibility coming with power

Wasn't that part of the whole basis of spider man?

He decided one night not to stop a theif even though he had the power to, and that guy ended up killing his uncle.

Re:CGI to the rescue?

[Sabalon]

How could I? I haven't seen the movie yet. :)

Besides, Spidey started in what - 1963 - what's the statute of limitations on spoiler warnings :)

Yeah that does stink

[Gerrioholic99]

Let's see I think 11 Million Pounds should be enough to cover my docotr bill for my back problems.... wait, no 11 millions pounds and I still have back problems -- stinks to be TM

Slight problem with scale

[binaryDigit]

sucks to be him just as much as us

No, I'd say that it sucks 2357142 times more (He loses $16.5 mil vs $7 for a movie ticket).

Re:Slight problem with scale

[binaryDigit]

Christ, what is the world coming to when you have to pay extra money to NOT see commercials?

Reminds me of that scene in the Cheech and Chong movie when they are in France (Coriscan Brothers?) and they stop in a park with a Bistro nearby, they jump out of their panel van and start playing loud obnoxious music. Instead of playing for tips though, the owners of the bistros and cafes pay them to leave.

ah, doesn't suck so bad to be him

[caveat]

Since the film was apparently slated to pay him 11M, sucks to be him just as much as us if he doesn't play the part.

Yeah, I'm sure he's *completely* broke after the first Spider-Man...I don't recall it doing hrribly well or anything :P

Re:ah, doesn't suck so bad to be him

[91degrees]

Didn't it officially make a loss? Most films do, after all.

Re:ah, doesn't suck so bad to be him

[mgs1000]

That's just what they tell the writers who earn a percentage of the profits.

Re:ah, doesn't suck so bad to be him

[BigBir3d]

It made money [boxofficemojo.com]. And that is before video game and DVD sales.

Not Entirely Out

[Grip3n]

Note that the article states Toby might not be up to performing "difficult" stunts - which is just fine. We're not going to be able to tell if that's Toby or someone else under that suite with the mask on. Realistically, his back problems, which by the way are in "in the final stages of healing" according to the article, should not pose such a threat as to completely disabling him from acting altogether. If you want to make a bet, Toby is going to be in the sequel.

Who said he's wearing a suit?

[oneiros27]

From my memory of the first one, he wasn't wearing the suit for all of the stunts. I don't know what they consider to be 'difficult', but it's entirely possible that there might be parts of the movie in which the character Peter Parker would have to use his abilities when he's not wearing the disguise.

What next?

[Hektor_Troy]

Aqua Man drowning in his tub?

Replacement

[brood]

The guy they've got up to replace him is Kirsten Dunst's current boyfriend [imdb.com]. You might know him as the star of that movie Bubble Boy [imdb.com].

Re:Replacement

[13Echo]

He was also the star of Donnie Darko, also listed on his IMDB profile.

If you haven't seen Donnie Darko, *go out and rent it today*! It is probably one of the best films of 2002. He does a superb job in it, and it is probably one of the most intellectually stimulating small/med. budget films that you'll see of late. The storyline is superb, even with the occasional bit of teenage-grade humor that reflects growing up in the '80s.

Materialist scum

[psicE]

How about, sucks to be him not because he's going to lose $11 million in potential earnings, but because he has back problems, and loses an opportunity to do what he likes best? He already got paid a shitload of money for the first movie. Spider-Man 2 or not, he's still one of the richest people in the country. And as soon as his back heals, he'll be right back on the silver screen, doing stunts and earning money galore.

God. I feel bad for him because as an actor, he undoubtedly loves his work, and it's unfair that he loses such a great opportunity to use his talent. I don't feel bad for him because he's only a multi-millionaire instead of a multi-multi-millionaire.

Mild discomfort

[Jarlsberg]

The article says Maguire is experiencing a mild discomfort in his back after doing two physically intensive movies. Really - if I were him, mild discomfort wouldn't stop me from doing the movie. :)

Replacement AHHH!

[quantaman]

According to Variety.com [variety.com], The Good Girl star Jake Gyllenhaal has been lined-up as a possible reserve.

So I figurred I'm already there I might as well click the link see if I recognize the replacement actor. Behold my suprise whent the page loaded and I saw George Bush staring back at me!

What the big deal?

[srboneidle]

I quite like it when they change the actor in series of movies - it adds a bit of variety. It doesn't detract from the movie itself (if the actors chosen are up to the challenge of course).

Take James Bond - does it really matter that Sean Connery doesn't play the lead in all of them? Some of the 'James Bonds' have been better than others, but still fun nonetheless.

Having said that though, I wouldn't want to lose £11 million either...

Re:What the big deal?

[TrollBridge]

Of course, it could fail miserably as well.

Hell, just look at Batman after Michael Keaton! I believe I have proven my point (though the departure of Tim Burton from the series also contributed to the downfall of the Batman movie franchise).

Re:What the big deal?

[davmct]

But this freakish casting is exactly what killed the Batman series...

Re:What the big deal?

[cgenman]

I wish people would stop saying that.

Has anyone even watched what the director did to the colors, the theme, the riddler? Batman went from a deep, dark, brooding near killer to a vehicle to sell breakfast cereal and toys due to pressure from Kenner and parents groups. Keaton left, but so did Burton, Elfman, and a host of other talents who contributed greatly to the overall feel of the first two movies.

Batman was too popular to not get sunk by special interests. Keaton jumping ship didn't really matter: Clooney played a wonderful batman in "From Dusk till Dawn," and Kilmer fit the strong silent persona rather well. But the movie they were starring in, and in fact the role they were written, had intentionally lost the edge which made the series popular in the first place... Companies didn't like parents having to explain to children why catwoman was electrocuting the bad guy with a tazer while putting her tongue down his throat on the cover of batman cereal.

Star Wars suffered the same fate. What made it great was the collaboration of people working to it's strengths, but once it became legend external considerations (such as enormous egos) got in the way of quality filmmaking.

Tobey Maguire may pull out of Spider-Man

[joel8x]

"Tobey Maguire may pull out of Spider-Man" - Thats the title of the linked article. Am I the only one who thinks that sounds funny?

I gotta grow up.

Re:Tobey Maguire may pull out of Spider-Man

[sharkey]

Am I the only one who thinks that sounds funny?

Sounds like an Eddie Murphy bit: "Your Friendly Neighborhood Corn-Holer".

he doesn't have to do his own stunts

[Xpilot]

Doesn't Spider-Man wear a MASK? A stunt double doesn't even need to look like him! What's the problem here?

Re:he doesn't have to do his own stunts

[drinkypoo]

Did you see the first movie? For that matter, have you ever read the comic book, preferrably the old one, for any length of time? Petey's always getting caught without his suit and busting one or two amazing spider-moves in order to get out of some situation without anyone knowing he's spider-man.

It's endlessly amusing to me how comic books went from portraying super people dealing with mundanes, to super people having super-ultra-mega-power battles with one another. Power cosmic, ho!

DareDevil to the rescue???

[TopShelf]

Gee, what about Ben Affleck???

/me ducks

Publicity stunt...?

[Glove d'OJ]

I wonder if this is actual "news" or simply a poorly-disguised press release. If it is the latter, then I think that they succeded at generating a "buzz" around the upcoming Spiderman movie.

(fly-pun not intended, but I am claiming it.)

Corrections (Reuters, Hollywood Reporter, AICN)

[iRobogeek]

First off, it's $17M. ;-) And there's updated info and clarification at Yahoo/Reuters [yahoo.com], AICN [aintitcool.com], and Yahoo/Hollywood Reporter [yahoo.com]. Don't panic or freak out. This looks like a rumor that got out of control, and is now being actively denied by the powers-that-be.

Perhaps...

[KoolDude]

...he was bitten by a black widow spider [yahoo.com]. :)

From the site:

Symptoms...
...
Muscle pain and cramps, especially of the shoulders, back, thighs, abdomen, or chest
...

"Mr. Maguire has mild back problems"

[jayhawk88]

Translation from Hollywood-ese: "We know we just stuck it to you for $11 large, but our client has his $10,000 a day Fabrege Egg habit to support, so we thought we'd try and up the price by another $3 million. OK?"

Of all the submissions slashdot receives...

[Call Me Black Cloud]

...this is selected? It's not even news (he "may" pull out but he hasn't...whoopee...it's vapor news) but even more so, why is this slashdot newsworthy?

Well, since we're all here anyway, as a service to slashdot's heterosexual male readers I present Mary Jane (safe for work):

one [girl.com.au]

two [hissandpop.com]

three [comicscontinuum.com]

And what was with that ending?

[paiute]

I mean, come on - any half-decent supervillian is going to know they are friends and kidnap her anyway. So he might as well be banging her four times (once per set of legs) to Sunday. You know, keep your friends close and your beautiful supermodel nemesis even closer.

Yeah, but....

[EHUDs_Rhino]

I have back problems. I injured my back about a year ago carrying something heavy. It hurts a lot.

But if you think I'd let that come between me and Kirsten Dunst, you're an idiot.

Poor baby!

[Junks Jerzey]

sucks to be him just as much as us if he doesn't play the part.

Yeah, it's not like he doesn't have 10+ million in the bank right now...oh, wait, he does. Never mind.

Tobey you bastard

[Winterblink]

Some people will do anything to get a backrub by Kirsten Dunst

Too Bad!

[Mysticalfruit]

Firstly: For 17 Million bucks, he can suck it up and take one for the team...

Secondly: Good thing spiderman wears a mask... Hey Tobey, if you read Slashdot... they're called "stunt doubles"

Oh, come on.

[dmorin]

Brandon Lee was frickin *dead* and he still finished The Crow.

Christopher Reeve walked in that commercial.

Sounds like CGI time to me. That is, where a regular stuntman won't serve the same purpose.

couple of notes

[geekoid]

1)this is an article for variety, not /.
2)You can't use CGI for close ups.
3)In the first movie he was upside down for some shots. try that with back pain.
4)some shots can take hours. Imagine walking into the same room, over and over again, all day long. Now add sharp back pains. now you have back spasms.
5)Would you really want to put more strain on your back then you haad to if it meant you may not be able to do what you love doing for the rest of your life?

Rumour debunked?

[Markgor]

Apparently, Harry Knowles of Ain't It Cool "reports" that the rumour is simply a rumour [aint-it-cool-news.com].

Me me me!

[retro128]

I'll take his place for $5M. I know it's a sacrifice, but what a deal for the studio! *ahem* "With great power comes great responsibility"

Thank you, thank you very much.

Damn

[_ph1ux_]

What has happened to all our "Super Heroes"?

First Superman gets paralyzed - now Spidey throws a disc!!!

Whats next - Wonder Woman gets Breast Cancer!?!?

This looks like a job for ...

[bryanp]

... stunt doubles, CGI and demerol.

What? You were expecting Superman?

Re:£ NE $

[jmauro]

$17.2 million. In US currency.

Re:£ NE $

[SScorpio]

Currently ~$17,191,872.77 USD The current exchange rate is 1 GBP = 1.56290 USD. Odd that the Canandian Dollar recently rose in value to 1.48 CND = 1 USD. I was 1.54-1.56 = 1 for a long time.

Re:£ NE $

[cperciva]

Odd that the Canandian Dollar recently rose in value to 1.48 CND = 1 USD

Not really. Canada:
1. Is running a budget surplus,
2. Has the strongest economy in the G8, and
3. Isn't going to war with Iraq.

Re:Please say it ain't so!!

[Rude Turnip]

*cough*organicwebshootersnotincomic*cough*

Re:Please say it ain't so!!

[samhalliday]

and was it not a nuclear power plant he went to in the comic, and got bitten by a nuked-spider; in the film the class went to a superspider-making factory

which leaves wide-open the possibility of new spidermen since not only did the spider run away... but they also know how to make the same spider again

other than that, i agree... it was pretty true to the cominc, relatively speaking of course (cartoon example: He-Man... uuughh!)

Re:Please say it ain't so!!

[operagost]

I didn't understand that change myself. It killed his geek factor. The fact that he built his own webshooter in the comics showed he was smart and creative instead of just nerdily unpopular.

Re:Please say it ain't so!!

[rworne]

And now there's no reason for the "low on web fluid" plots.

All he has to do now is massage his spidey-prostate and he's good to go.

Re:Please say it ain't so!!

[drinkypoo]

I think they were trying to move away from the "this is completely unplausible" factor. I mean the movie already requires a gigantic suspension of disbelief, now we have to believe that this kid is going to whip up a neat little gadget the military would just pop a fucking boner over so high-pressure that it would detonate in their metaphorical pants. And he does this what, in a week or two in his bedroom? My asssssss. That seemed goofy to me even when I was a kid.

Re:Please say it ain't so!!

[hazem]

Stan Lee (Spiderman Creator) was interviewed last year on NPR's Fresh Air.

I don't remember the details, but Terri Gross asked him about changes in the movie, and this was one he brought up. I think in the end, he decided it didn't bother him very much. He figured that it would take up too much screen-time to go through the whole process of him inventing his web-shooters.

The interview can be heard at:
http://freshair.npr.org/guest_info_fa.jhtml?name=2 002/stanlee [npr.org]

(I see a space in the "2002" of the URL above when I preview this - is this a slashdot problem?)

Re:Please say it ain't so!!

[Anonymous Coward]

Then they come out with The Hulk. True, the web shooters were dropped because they weren't plausible during this time and age. But the parent/parent was talking about "true to comics" in which Peter made the shooters.

They chose to steer away from the shooters not thinking about anotomy (spider's that is). They should have made him shoot webs from his ass... then he would have been stuck wearing those red ass-flap long johns.

Re:Please say it ain't so!!

[HouseOfMisterE]

The movie may have conveyed (to you) the tone of the comic, but it was far from faithful.

The biggest variance from established continuity is the organic web shooters. Peter Parker was a science whiz and created mechanical web shooters in the comic. I read that Sam Raimi (the director) didn't think that the movie viewers would buy the fact that Parker could be smart enough to make mechanical web shooters. Nevermind the fact that the movie viewers were expected to buy the fact that an irradiated spider co

Re:correction

[TopShelf]

No wonder his back is sore, carrying all that loot!

Re:correction

[lubricated]

It doesn't suck to be him. It sucks to be me. I would love to be him. So he doesn't get 11 million pounds today, big fucking deal. I won't get 11 million pounds ever.

Re:Isn't that......

[rmadmin]

what stunt doubles are for?

Isn't that what CGI is for?

Re:Isn't that......

[Dman33]

Right, but who gets to kiss Kirsten then????

Time to find that old "Stunt Doubling for Dummies" book...

Re:not compared to superman he doesnt

[RLiegh]

That may be bad taste but I'm tired of all those stories about how brave Christopher Reeve is for being crippled. As far as I know he doesnt have any choice in the matter.

Reeve doesn't get publicity for being handi-capable. He gets publicity for doing something, instead of sitting in the corner whinging.

And that he does have a choice in.

Re:Same thing happenned to Barry Gibb

[cant_get_a_good_nick]

I saw BB King recently, a killer concert, but he sat all the way through. He can walk, just can't stand for extended periods of time.

Re:Same thing happenned to Barry Gibb

[mu_wtfo]

BB King - Love that man. It's true, he sits on a stool the entire show, with Lucille on his lap. Let me tell ya - that makes things *really* easy for the guys who run the followspots. Set it and forget it! Willie Nelson, too, although I suspect that in his case, it's because he's too stoned to safely move, so he just stands still.
(note to mods - this is only a little offtopic - it still deals with how physical infirmity can affect a performance)

Re:First Superman, now Spiderman...

[cant_get_a_good_nick]

Ok, you better not tell me that Batman has cancer or anything...

Holy inflamed prostate, Batman!!!