3D Rumors for "Spider-Man 4" Raise Questions About the Future of Cinema

By: Paul Proulx Posted: April 23, 2009 Filed under: Unofficial Info

The only things more annoying than these sequels-of-remakes-of-comic-books-of-spin-offs-of-parodies-of-tv-shows are the people who whine about how Hollywood has run out of ideas. Because, obviously, they haven't!

When asked if the next installment of the Spider-Man franchise would be shot in 3D, Sony co-chairman Michael Lynton dropped a potential bomb and replied, "Could be..."

I don't find myself surprised by this in the least. In fact, I think I'd be hard-pressed to even care. Either rumored or confirmed, there are roughly 30-40 films in the near future to be shot and released in 3D - and they're nothing to kiss off. While both DreamWorks Animation and Disney/Pixar have confirmed that all of their future animated films will be 3D, there is a considerable amount of other highly anticipated fare that may be "comin' right at ya!"

Apart from new installments of Toy Story, Kung Fu Panda, Cars, Ice Age, Madagascar, and three Shrek-related outings (seriously), we've also started to see the next logical progression of live-action cinema, with upcoming 3D releases for Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland, Final Destination: Death Trip 3D, Piranha 3D, and Ghostbusters 3. But between those films and the ones that have already come out (Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D, My Bloody Valentine 3D), it's obvious that even with the recent advancements in 3D technology, the future of live-action cinema is still currently in its infancy. Ironically, half of these releases are just gimmicky horror showcases, hearkening back to the days of the '50s when that's all 3D releases were.

You may also notice, these films have something in common: literally every single one is either a sequel, remake, apaptation, etc. The point being, they're all ready-made franchises (i.e., sure-fire hits). It's almost as though 3D is still a bit of a risk and can only be applied to otherwise guaranteed successes in order to justify the additional costs.

And suddenly - almost furtively - James Cameron slips back into our lives like a slow moving ocean liner (or post-apocalyptic soldier sent to protect us - whichever you like) with Avatar - his futuristic, outer space 3D sci-fi epic. Not unlike Titanic, this is a film with a huge budget that could either hit or miss. Though, Amy Pascal - another co-chair at Sony - seems awfully confident:

I think [Avatar] could change the world. I think everyone is in anticipation thinking it's going to be like Star Wars. It's going to change the way you consume entertainment. I don't know that it will ever be the way you see dramas, but I can't say anymore that it won't be.

Well, there you have it: "consume entertainment" and "the way you see dramas" - apparently the two biggest points of interest in this groundbreaking revelation. And while I've purposely led myself down this path, I deem it unfair to rely on the cynicism that 3D is nothing more than a bedfellow of money, marketing, gimmickry, and "consumption" and "entertainment." Forty years ago, Spielberg and Scorsese were setting up film cameras. Today, kids are pointing and clicking. It's just where we're at. Whether or not 3D is simply a new innovation like sound or color, cinema is still a visual medium, dealing in light and movement - simple as that. Of course, whether or not 3D is a compliment to or a mockery of that, it may still be too early to tell. But just as soon as we start seeing low-budget, experimental stuff in our local art house theaters in the third dimension, we'll know it's something big.

[Source Forbes via Slashfilm]