Michael Massee, known for roles in The Amazing Spider-Man film series and whose name was, unfortunately, inextricably linked to the tragic accident that killed Brandon Lee during the filming of the 1994 film The Crow, died October 26 from undisclosed causes. He was 61. The news was first announced by French actor…

Sinister Six and The Amazing Spider-Man producer Matt Tolmach has hired David Manpearl to serve as EVP Production for his Matt Tolmach Productions banner. Tolmach, the former Sony Pictures co-president of production who departed that post in 2010 to segue into a first-look producing deal on the Culver lot, brings…

San Diego Comic-Con has become more than a place for film studios to vamp their upcoming superhero movies. Now, they use the geek frenzy to stake out release date turf. Days after Disney and Marvel declared release dates for a flurry of superhero films the studio isn’t even ready to identify yet, Columbia Pictures has…

BREAKING: Sony Pictures is nearing a deal with Drew Goddard to direct Sinister Six, the Amazing Spider-Man spinoff for the studio. Goddard wrote the script for this first of what Marvel and Sony hope will be a new film franchise that shapes up as an Avengers-like all-star team of bad guys. Avi Arad and Matt Tolmach…

Michael Lynton said last month that they intended to create "a bigger universe around Spider-Man" and today Sony Pictures  had a new webslinging big bang. Sony Pictures Entertainment, in association with Marvel Entertainment, announced it will make movies on Spidey villains Venom and The Sinister Six. Alex Kurtzman, Ro…

UPDATED: Despite shooting a handful of scenes as Mary Jane Watson in Sony’s The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Shailene Woodley will not be appearing in the superhero sequel after all, the studio confirms. The Mary Jane character – the most famous of Peter Parker’s comic book love interests – will instead be pushed to the…

Columbia‘s The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is already underway for a May 2, 2014 premiere with the original cast intact including Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker/Spider-Man and Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy. Now the studio has set two more pics in “our most important, most successful, and most beloved franchise”, Sony Worldwide…

The fiscal year ended March 31 marks Sony‘s first full fiscal year in the black since 2008. The company reported earnings today in Tokyo saying it had a net profit of $458M compared to a $4.6B loss the year prior. Sales were up 4.7% and overall were boosted by a drop in the yen and the success of the film division. Son…

Columbia Pictures’ The Amazing Spider-Man 2 has set Chris Cooper to play Norman Osborn, Deadline has confirmed. Father to Peter Parker’s pal Harry, Norman Osborn is the alter ego of the Spidey comics villain Green Goblin previously portrayed by Willem Dafoe in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man films. Cooper joins baddies Paul Gia…

Marc Webb‘s slinging more new additions to his Amazing Spider-Man 2 cast. Paul Giamatti is in talks to play comic book baddie The Rhino opposite returning stars Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone in the Spidey sequel, which is slated to begin filming in February. Also in talks is Felicity Jones, whose role has not yet…

Dane DeHaan has appeared in four films this year — Lincoln, Lawless, Jack & Diane and Chronicle — and will play Harry Osborn in Columbia’s sequel to The Amazing Spider-Man alongside Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Jamie Foxx and Shailene Woodley. Production starts early next year, ahead of a 3D release on May 2, 2014…

UPDATE, 12:50 PM: JFoxx might have given away his new role on his Twitter feed, posting, “Dressed up as Electro for Halloween last night. Costume fits well.” PREVIOUS, 12:28 PM: Discussions are in the early stages for Jamie Foxx to join Columbia Pictures’ next installment of The Amazing Spider-Man, which has director…