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Spider-Man 3 Villains: Sandman & Venom

datemenatalie writes "As posted on ComingSoon.net, "Kirsten Dunst confirmed rumors to Zap2it that Thomas Haden Church will play Sandman and Topher Grace is Venom in director Sam Raimi's Spider-Man 3." As written, ""We have really great people though as the villains in this film, Thomas Haden Church and Topher Grace -- Venom and Sandman," said Dunst, who plays Mary Jane Watson in the Spidey films. "Maybe I wasn't supposed to say that," she added before reversing her claim. "It's the other way around. You're right," she conceded to a journalist." Spider-Man 3 is set for release on May 4, 2007."

24 of 412 comments (clear)

  1. Venom by kevin_conaway · · Score: 5, Funny

    How can we have a villain who looks like he just hit puberty?

    "I'd take over the city right now...but I have to stop at CVS for Clearasil first"

  2. Bad news by bman08 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    It's when they start putting multiple big names in villain roles that these superhero franchises usually start to go straight to hell. Everybody wants screen time even at the expense of comprehensible storyline. Case in point, Batman and Robin, the worst movie ever made.

    1. Re:Bad news by WormholeFiend · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I guess the X-men movies are the exception?

    2. Re:Bad news by Daniel_Staal · · Score: 5, Insightful

      A supervillian can have superpowered henchmen. Henchmen are unlimited. (Provided they are used as background characters.)

      Actually, I think the orgnial point is a specific case of a general rule: A movie can have no more than two-three main characters, before it starts to suck. This is in essence based on the fact that it takes some screen time to devlop a character, and there is only so much time in a movie. So, any time you have more than two or three main characters you end up underdeveloping one or all of them. If you underdevelop one, they are no longer a main character. If you underdevelop all, your movie just became trash.

      --
      'Sensible' is a curse word.
    3. Re:Bad news by ReverendLoki · · Score: 4, Interesting
      It's when they start putting multiple big names in villain roles that these superhero franchises usually start to go straight to hell.

      I like to think that's why they cast the likes of Thomas Hayden Church and Topher Grace in these roles. Though both are well-recognized, neither really has the amount of star power where they could do any real damage. I mean, have you seen the typse of roles Thomas Hayden Church has taken lately? George of the Jungle 2? Rolling Kansas? And Topher Grace is still most recognized as the guy from That 70's Show.

      Not that I fully agree with the casting, but I do think they are pulling from the right echelon of actors - underappreciated veterans for whom a role like this can be a huge step for. I certainly wouldn't cast anyone along the likes of Schwarzeneger (too lazy to look up the spelling) or Jim Carey or Tommy Lee Jones.

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      09 F9 11 02 9D 74 E3 5B D8 41 56 C5 63 56 88 C0
  3. Old & incomplete news. by TripMaster+Monkey · · Score: 4, Informative


    Old news...Diggreported this two and a half weeks ago. Also, in addition to Venom and Sandman, the Hobgoblin will be played by James Franco (see Freeze Dried Movies for the scoop).

    James Franco as Hobgoblin looks to be a good call, and Thomas Hayden Church is a lock for Sandman, but Topher Grace as Venom??? Seriously...I think Grace is a decent enough actor, but can he pull off Eddie Brock? Personally, I think he would have been better cast as Cletus Kasady (aka Carnage).

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    ~ |rip/\/\aster /\/\onkey

  4. Geez.... by JoeLinux · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Topher Grace as Venom? He's so small/weak. The only thing that would be worse is if they cast his clone Tobey Mcquire as Spiderma....oh....wait.

    Seriously, I can see Topher being absolutely evil in the role of Venom, with just enough humor to be scary.

    I never understood what Sandman's story was...anyone care to enlighten me?

    1. Re:Geez.... by Chicane-UK · · Score: 5, Informative
      --
      "Hey! Unless this is a nude love-in, get the hell off my property!!"
    2. Re:Geez.... by wheany · · Score: 5, Funny

      He was bitten by radioactive sand. Although since genetic engineering is the current boogeyman in Spiderman, I suspect in the movie he will be bitten by genetically engineered sand.

    3. Re:Geez.... by GodHead · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Spiderman = Peter Parker = timid geeky nerd-type.

      Venom = Eddie Brock = Psycho ex journalist, built like a linebacker, competition-level power-lifter.

      Venom wasn't just some evil version of spiderman, he was better than spiderman - stronger, faster, able to beat his spidey-sense.

      Worst. Casting. Ever.

      --
      Just wait till some crappy band steals your nic.
  5. In related news... by wo1verin3 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Sony pictures has hired a band of rogue ninjas to kill Kirsten Dunst.

  6. Mighty Morphin' Evil Duo by wheany · · Score: 5, Funny

    Set renderfarm to kill.

  7. Red by cool_number_9 · · Score: 5, Funny

    With Topher Grace as Venom, I'd expect Kurtwood Smith to show up and tell Venom to behave or he'll be wearing Red's foot up his ass.

  8. Before reversing her claim... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Thomas Haden Church and Topher Grace -- Venom and Sandman," said Dunst, who plays Mary Jane Watson in the Spidey films. "Maybe I wasn't supposed to say that," she added before reversing her claim.

    If you read carefully, you will realize that what she really means is that she will be playing Sandman, Thomas Haden will be playing Venom, and Topher will be playing Mary Jane. I might just pay for this one as they will finally have a sexy Mary Jane. Dunst just never did it for me.

  9. Mary Jane Watson by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful
    Dunst, who plays Mary Jane Watson in the Spidey films

    It should say: Dunst who plays Kirsten Dunst in every film that she has ever done.

    She's perky but that's not acting.

  10. And with that... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    ....they kill the entire franchise.

    Stuffing 2 or 3 villians in with no time to develop the characters, especially the Venom character is the dumbest idea ever. Didn't they watch the Batman movies after the first one?

    1. Re:And with that... by Valiss · · Score: 4, Funny

      Didn't they watch the Batman movies after the first one?


      Did anyone?

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      -Valiss
  11. Topher Who? All I care about is Campbell. by Errandboy+of+Doom · · Score: 5, Funny
  12. You think casting is a problem by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Venom was the creation of the costume/alien that Spider-Man picked up during the Secret Wars which, likely, never happens in Raimi's Spider-Man universe. So keeping faithful to the origin in casting is useless when the origin is going to be altered.

  13. Clearly, you don't get the joke. by otis+wildflower · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Does anyone remember the Spiderman vs. Seabiscuit fiasco?

    Topher Grace was (strongly rumored) to replace Tobey Maguire for Spiderman 2, due to injuries Maguire suffered during the shooting of Seabiscuit.

    There were a few refs to it on That '70s Show as well.

    (hey, I don't do unemployment that well :p)

  14. Kirsten Dunst by Conspiracy_Of_Doves · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Anyone ever get the feeling that Kirsten doesn't really "get" Spider Man or comic books in general?

    http://www.penny-arcade.com/view.php?date=2004-07- 16

  15. Sounds like they're doing Ultimate Venom by Sandman1971 · · Score: 5, Informative

    In Ultimate Spiderman, Venom was a symbiote suit built by Peter Parker and Eddie Brock's fathers as a cancer fighting suit (no I'm not making this up). Both Peter and Eddie are smart in this universe. Unlike the traditional Marvel universe where Brock was a beefed up photographer. Sounds like they might be using the origin from Ultimate Spiderman instead. In this one, Brock is just as small as Parker (but doesn't dress as a science nerd, but as a grunge rocker). That would sorta fit in casting Topher Grace for the role.

    --
    It's better to burn out than to fade away
  16. It doesn't mean Venom will have a big role... by wickedj · · Score: 4, Interesting

    If we look at Spidey 2, we saw hints at the new Goblin and Lizard Man but they didn't have big roles in the movie. Most of the conflict came from Doc Oc. Perhaps in 3, Sandman will be the big opponent while Venom might show up as an introductory role. Venom is a hugely popular villain/hero in the Marvel universe with a complete and interesting back story. It would be nigh impossible to have both villains in the movie without subtracting from the plot/quality. If I were Raimi, I would set it up that Spidey uses the symbiote against Sandman, realizes the suit is bad, gets rid of it (with or without F4's help) and we end with Eddie Brock finding it, setting up the next film (and a possible spinoff).

    I'm actually surprised that there has been no mention of the new Goblin or Lizard Man especially after being set up by Spidey 2. In any case, just because it's said that Topher Grace is in the movie, it doesn't mean he will have a huge role (yet).

  17. Re:Venom AND Sandman? by rackhamh · · Score: 4, Funny

    Both villans are great ... Plus they're both great villians

    Yes, but what I want to know is, are the villians great?