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Webb's Spider-Man Casts Second Villain & Peter Parker's Parents

by Ethan Anderton
December 3, 2010
Source: Heat Vision

With production looking to start later this month, the cast of Marc Webb's new Spider-Man has a few new additions. We've already gotten word of Rhys Ifans taking a villainous role as The Lizard, but apparently a second villain is being brought into the mix. Heat Vision reports the already villainous sounding actor Irrfan Kahn (Slumdog Millionaire, The Namesake) is negotiating to take the role of Van Atter, a villain that no fan seems to be aware of in the Spider-Man universe. And though we've already heard Martin Sheen and Sally Field are playing Uncle Ben and Aunt May, it looks like Peter Parker's parents will appear onscreen for the first time ever.

Campbell Scott ("Royal Pains") and Julianne Nicholson ("Law & Order: Criminal Intent") will play Richard and Mary Parker, the parents of our would-be wallcrawler who have sparsely been seen in any of the comic books. It's not specified whether the characters will only appear in flashbacks or if they're actually alive at the beginning of the movie during Parker's early childhood. I seriously doubt they'll be alive throughout the course of the film since much bigger names were cast for Uncle Ben and Aunt May. In addition, Annie Parisse ("Rubicon") is also negotiating to play Van Atter's wife. But who is this unknown villain anyway?

The best train of though so far comes from Bad Ass Digest who has theorized that Van Atter might be Proto-Goblin, a villain who only ever appeared in one Spider-Man comic book. Apparently the character appeared in a flashback issue as an employee who was tested on by Norman Osborne before the executive became the Goblin. This makes sense because apparently George Stacy (a role recently given to Denis Leary) plays a part in that story. In additon, another flashback issue revealed that Parker's parents were actually spies (which is kind of silly). If this is to be believed, it sounds like Webb is pulling from some really obscure comics for his Spider-Man and this might be quite an unprecedented origin story on screen. What do you guys think?

Related categories: Casting, Movie News, Opinions

Spider-what?

Was on board until this latest update, wtf is webb doing?
germs

I really don't know what to think of this movie. It seems to be all over the place, story and casting wise.
Kris

Did I read that right they're adding never before seen villain? o.o'' I'm not gonna jump on the wagon and say it's gonna fail but that seems kinda weird and quite out of place. Though, I never thought Julianne was that great of an actress in L&O. Hopefully, the villain will be something unique though.
ryderup

Hopefully it's not all over the place story wise. Hopefully it stays true to the comic... and not do it like Raimi. And hopefully this one will not ooze of Power Rangers.
DoomCanoe

wtf... WAY to much going on in this flick
A5J4DX

wtf
http://iconocritic.com peloquin

I'm a die hard Spiderman fan and I've never heard of Van Atter, not to mention that Spy-d's parents are not part of Parkers mythology so I don't know what Webb is doing. This update has me worried.
harm

Um wow. This just blew my mind. In a BAD way. Jeez. Gwen Stacy and her Dad? Cool. Dennis Leary? I'm down for it. Martin Sheen? WTF!? Villian? Sure. The lizard? Great. Isn't that why Sony fired Sam Raimi? Double WTF?! And now some never before seen villian? Really? Just cancel my plans to see this right now. Seriously Sony? Send this back to Marvel because you can't F*$K it up any worse!
DRM

Every piece of news about this movie is like a roller coaster ride, full of ups and downs and crazy turns. I reserve judgment on whoever Van Atter is, until we actually learn more about it. Though that does strike me as weird. Is Osborn even cast yet? I'm actually kind of glad they're bringing in Peter's parents onscreen even if just for a little while. The loss of his parents at a young age is something most people gloss over. Their SPY history in the main Marvel Universe is a "You either love it or hate it" kind of thing, but in the Ultimate universe they were scientists and developed the technology for the Venom-Suit. They could easily tie that all in with the Lizard formula, or even the creation of the Goblin formula if they do go a "proto-Goblin" route. It would all just be a string off of a single scientific breakthrough, one single mutagenic formula created by Peter's parents and further developed by Conners. ---
Dave Lister J.M.C.

This movie is going to be one huge slice of emo bullshit.
germs

It's been awhile since I read it, but in Ultimate Spider-man did Peter's parents have a hand in developing the venom symbiote? I do remember something like that happening with lots of flashbacks. So maybe they are heading in that direction...
N.

Sounds good to me its the exact oppisote approach I thought they would take but it sounds like a good way to approach. They are probably trying to do what Chris Nolan did with Raj Agul in Batman because only true hardcore batman fans had heard of him before the movie. But I am for this new take on Spider-Man I was completely against it at first but I say give this young Director a chance you never know he might be on to something!
tir na nog

Campbell scott is a superb actor and benefit to any film,see Rodger Dodger with Jesse Eisenberg where he plays his train-wreck uncle. I'm starting to get interested in this film,the director is bringing his own take,which is kind of the point,right?
KING

NEXT!!!!!!!!
Jimmy Love

Well I guess Sony is pushing what they want onto this unknown director! Rami fought with them constantly trying to keep the integrity of spider man which it is apparent Sony doesn't care, they just want the newest iteration of spider man which was a big mistake. so like i have said make way for the SONY SPIDER!
TRUE BLUE SPIDER-MAN FAN

#7 not hardcore enough ....all these Referenses come from PETER PARKER : SPIDER-MAN -1 ( Negative one) ...so Van Adder , proto gobin , and peters spy parents are truly part of SPIDER-MAN 's continuty cause Norman Osborn uses a early formula on his employee turning him into a goblin type monster ... Noman tweeked the goblin formula and takes it, becoming Green Goblin....Proto goblin is basically a guinea pig, minor to the story ...as for Parker's parents ? they were agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. so maybe once Marvel gets the rights from Sony they can form a SPIDEY/ AVENGERS bond for future films .... this all may help to give us a reason to sit thru another origin story...NUFF SAID
dawko

I really dont know....it seems that this movie is gonna be mix of actors, mix of story.....what eventually will flow into mess. I doubt this is gonna beat any one of Raimi's trilogy
WingIt

Suck. ... though it can't be as bad as Spiderman 3.
tazz

@#7 peloquin u are not a hardcore spider-man fan first of u would know Spider-Man parents are Spies. it was mention in the comic "Flashback Untold Tales of Spider-Man#1". also did u never watched the 90's cartoon "Spider-Man: The Animated Series" the episode "Six Forgotten Warriors" it mention Peter parents are spies. heres the issues http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/9d/Richard_and_Mary_Parker_UToSM-1.jpg Van Atter is actually Nels Van Adder they just changed the name thats all anyway he becomes Proto-Goblin heres a image of the character and comic where Proto-Goblin appear. Van Atter (Nels Van Adder) http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/1/15776/901349-proto_large.jpg Spider-Man comic http://www.spiderfan.org/comics/images/flashback/sm_ppsm.jpg
!5AAK

Superman III or IV, sheesh, Sony stanking up the joint.
Marvel #1 Fan

Wow! I was actually worried about this Spider-Man franchise because I didn't think it would be able to beat the greatness that was the last trilogy (particularly the first movie). But now my mind is being put to ease. Anybody that isn't aware that Peter Parkers parents were "believed to be" spies doesn't know jack shit about Spider-man and proves that if those same people are the ones who said Spiderman 3 was shit, clearly your opinion is invalid. I praise Webb for getting more in depth with the storyline. It will probably fail in the box office because the general public are fucking morons who don't have the brain capacity to handle anything too complex, but I'm sure I will totally love it if he keeps up this great work and that's all that should count because I'm a real fan.

Nextevolution

You are a god damn idiot. Leaving to the side the embarrasment that was SM 3, Rami's casting was terrible, his dialogue was childish, the costuming... Oh god how bad. He should be arrested for the rape of one of our heros. Having read Spider-man for 30+ years I am disgusted with what has been done. And now giving the reigns to a director who has only viewed the world in the terms of music videos, and one romabtic comedy???? Are you kidding me? Pardon while I vomit. Piss off, hollywood. Although A Molina was not half bad, he still was forced to act with the insufferable T. Maguire.

Iggypop

is mark webb screwing this up? the movie is about 90 minutes or so... how can he put all of this in one movie... is he even going to put in the love story of richard and mary parker and how they taught peter about the birds and the bees? lol...
Hunkieboy88

the story line doesn't matter when Stan Lee the creator of the whole spiderman world is still alive and he do whatever the fck he wants with spiderman. there is no right way and there is no wrong way to preceive spiderman. there's been many different takes of spiderman in comics. different approaches of telling the spidey story. the movie is doing the same as the comic. so stop tripping if it'll be good or bad. it'll be great overall bc as a comic book reader myself. i want to see something i've seen on paper comic come to life. thats a gift from spiderman fans to another spider man fan.