We recently had the opportunity to watch the new Spider-Man movie now showing in may movie houses, now titled as The Amazing Spider-Man, because it’s a total reboot of the previous film versions. New cast, new director, new spider suit, new web shooters, a newly modified story or origin, etc.
This movie is now less blatantly comic bookish than Sam Raimi’s 2002 “Spider-Man.” This is now the latest arachnid in Marvel’s cinematic terrarium that fills in the back story of the pre-Spidey Peter Parker, placing heavy emphasis on his orphan status, and shows how he was hurriedly left by his parents to the care of his Uncle Ben and Aunt May.
Andrew Garfield plays a very different bright and nerdy Peter Parker. Tobey Maguire played the role too insularly and even though his dweebishness may have helped him connect with his fanboy audience, he wasn’t a terribly exciting presence even when he leapt into costumed action. Garfield, by contrast, is surly and rebellious and twitchy and this contrasts smartly with his high school sweetie Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone), who is all smiles and wiles.
When I first heard the rumor that Garfield has replaced Maguire as Spider-Man. These images came into mind because back then I have no idea which Garfield they were talking about.
Later on I found out its a newcomer. But I think I’ve seen that face before, from one of the movies that I downloaded from the Internet…Oopppsss, I mean watched at a cinema house. Ah yes, it’s Andrew Garfield from the movie “The Social Network” – playing the role of Eduardo Saverin, one of four co-founders of Facebook, along with Mark Zuckerberg, Dustin Moskovitz, and Chris Hughes. The movie tells the story of Harvard undergrad and computer programming genius, and eventually the youngest billionaire in history, Mark Zuckerburg, when he began working on Facebook, a global social network and a revolution in communication.
But right now were here to discuss the marketing strategies and how to make your presence felt, including online or all over the social networks like Facebook and Twitter.
Even before any movie is even started, there are already teasers being distributed thru the use of current films, like putting short video clips to act during the end credits of movies. Similar to what the Avengers movie did by putting short clips at the end of their other superhero movies like the Thor and Iron Man movies.
Marketing the superhero movie requires several mediums and investing on many marketing materials and advertising in the form of movie posters, comic books, games, toys or action figures, fan art design contests, and several other merchandize, releasing magazine articles, tie-ups with other agencies or products promoting their movie in tumblers, bucket or value meals, t-shirts and caps, guesting of the actors in TV shows, mall shows, and several other gimmicks just to disseminate the information and create excitement to the most number of people possible. It is important that these are both available in printed form, and also downloadable or viewable online to make it spread or go viral on the Internet.
These marketing materials add excitement and sort of a teaser for the movie fans to see a glimpse of what the movie may look like. It also sets the tone of the movie. Of course if you display a dark and shadowy poster, toy or magazine cover, then it already gives an idea that the movie is likewise of the same setting.
The Amazing Spider-Man is marketed as a dark movie, just like most superhero movie adaptations (whether it originated from comics or video games) are now mostly depicting a troubled and evil-infested dark future where the only people that could save the day are the superheroes with an equally shady past.
Here are some of the movie posters, magazine covers, and toys released to promote The Amazing Spiderman:
Magazines
Movie Posters
Toys/Action Figures
Video Games
Comic Books
The reboot brought back the idea of Spidey just inventing web shooters to produce his webs. The movie did not explained the science and technology behind the super-strong web and the ingenious mechanical shooters, and how it was possible for Peter to invent them, but it sure beats shooting them out of the wrists (or worst if from the ass just like a real spider) as seen on the previous movies.
Here are some concept art of the web shooters as imagined by by Ed Natividad.
The merchandize also adds a great deal to the earnings…and I believe its a big percentage because these merchandize can exists even after the movie has ended. Some of them become memorabilia, and in turn become collectors’ items when they become rare and hard to find especially when the production was only limited to a few number.
What remains true is that people will continue to patronize these marketing gimmicks, especially for the die-hard fans who constantly follow the evolution of their heroes from its very roots and origins until its latest developments and innovations.
I actually admire their creativity in coming up with these splendid ideas so keep them coming, and we’ll continue splurging…. until our pockets run dry, as long as we could still afford to smile even though there’s a big sigh.