Making of Spider Man 3 - Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, Topher Grace, Bryce Dallas Howard

Spider-Man 3 is a 2007 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Spider-Man. Produced by Columbia Pictures, Marvel Entertainment, and Laura Ziskin Productions, and distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing, it was directed by Sam Raimi from a screenplay he co-wrote with his brother Ivan and Alvin Sargent. It is the final installment in Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy (2002–2007), and the sequel to Spider-Man (2002) and Spider-Man 2 (2004). The film stars Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker / Spider-Man, alongside Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, Thomas Haden Church, Topher Grace, Bryce Dallas Howard, James Cromwell, Rosemary Harris, and J. K. Simmons. It also marks the final acting appearance of Cliff Robertson before his retirement from acting in the same year and his subsequent death in 2011. Set a year after the events of Spider-Man 2, the film follows Peter Parker (Maguire) as he prepares for his future with Mary Jane Watson (Dunst), while facing multiple threats: Flint Marko (Church), Uncle Ben's true killer who becomes the Sandman after a freak accident; Harry Osborn (Franco), his former best friend who is now aware of Peter's identity and seeks to avenge his father; an extraterrestrial symbiote that increases his abilities but amplifies his anger and other negative traits; and Eddie Brock (Grace), a rival photographer who becomes the symbiote's second host Venom. Development of Spider-Man 3 began immediately after the successful release of Spider-Man 2 for a 2007 release. During preproduction, Raimi wanted two villains, Harry Osborn and Sandman. At the request of producer Avi Arad, he added Venom to the list, and the producers also requested the addition of Gwen Stacy. Principal photography for the film began in January 2006 and took place in Los Angeles and Cleveland before moving to New York City from May until July 2006. Additional pick-up shots were made after August and the film wrapped in October 2006. During post-production, Sony Pictures Imageworks created over 900 visual effects shots. Composer Danny Elfman, who had scored the previous installments, decided not to return due to creative differences and conflicts with Raimi during production of the previous film, so Christopher Young composed the score in Elfman's absence. With an estimated production budget of $258–350 million, the film was the most expensive film ever made at the time of its release. Cast Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker / Spider-Man: A superhero, a brilliant physics student at Columbia University, and photographer for the Daily Bugle. As he grows arrogant with the city starting to embrace him for the first time in his career, an alien symbiote attaches itself to Peter's costume and influences his behavior for the worse. Maguire said he relished the opportunity to play a less timid Peter in this film.[10] Kirsten Dunst as Mary Jane Watson: Peter Parker's girlfriend and a Broadway actress, whom he has loved since childhood. Mary Jane has a string of bad luck in the film, reminiscent of Peter's misfortune in Spider-Man 2, struggling in her career because of negative reviews and losing her boyfriend when the symbiote takes him over.[10] Mary Jane was not originally planned to be kidnapped during the climax by the villains as Raimi initially felt this would become repetitive throughout the entire trilogy; this decision was changed late in production.[11] James Franco as Harry Osborn / New Goblin: The son of Norman Osborn, and Peter Parker's best friend, who believes Spider-Man killed his father. After learning Peter is Spider-Man and that Norman was the Green Goblin, Harry picks up where his father left and becomes the New Goblin to battle his former friend.[10] Thomas Haden Church as Flint Marko / Sandman: A small-time thug with an ex-wife and sick daughter, for whom he steals money to help get the treatment to cure her. He transforms into the Sandman following a freak accident and incurs Peter's wrath when Peter learns he was his Uncle Ben's killer. Church was approached for Sandman because of his award-winning performance in the film Sideways,[12] and accepted the role despite Topher Grace as Edward "Eddie" Brock Jr. / Venom: Bryce Dallas Howard as Gwen Stacy: James Cromwell as Captain George Stacy: Gwen's father and a New York City Police Department captain. Rosemary Harris as May Parker: J. K. Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson