Evan Rachel Wood Bows Out of SPIDER-MAN

Variety has confirmed that Evan Rachel Wood, who had been set to star as Mary Jane Watson in the much delayed Broadway production of SPIDER-MAN: Turn Off The Dark, has bowed out of the production altogether. A statement out from the producers claims that her departure is due to a "scheduling conflict" but that a search is "underway to find a new Mary Jane to join the rest of the cast in the production."

SPIDER-MAN was scheduled to begin previews on February 25, 2010. Financial troubles and a makeover of the producing team has delayed the opening to an undetermined date in the fall of 2010. Newly appointed lead producer Michael Cohl is rapidly getting funds in place to proceed.

Julie Taymore, who staged The Lion King, is still on board as director, while Alan Cumming similarly remains attached as The Green Goblin.  The production's home will remain at the Hilton Theatre.

Michael Cohl is joined by Jeremiah J. Harris HELLO Entertainment/David Garfinkle, Marvel Entertainment/David Maisel, and Sony Pictures Entertainment on the producing team. It seems Disney may now be an added player.

After an exhaustive search that included a casting call tour spanning six cities and thousands of candidates, the producers and creative team selected Reeve Carney to play the role of Peter Parker, The Amazing Spider-Man. 

Reeve is the lead singer of Carney, the hot up and coming rock band whose newest single "Love Me Chase Me" was just released. The band's first full length album, entitled Mr. Green, will be released in early 2010 on Interscope Records. Reeve's acting credits include Julie Taymor's upcoming film version of The Tempest and the film version of the acclaimed novel Snow Falling on Cedars.

Bono and The Edge, who have written the music and lyrics for the production said, "Our ambition was to find a Peter Parker who could really act and sing, but who still brings a kind of performance that could be new to Broadway audiences. We wanted something a little more authentically rock and roll. Reeve is everything we could have hoped for: an amazing voice and a truly charismatic presence."

Drawing from over 40 years of Marvel comic books for inspiration, SPIDER-MAN spins a new take on the mythic tale of a young man propelled from a modest rowhouse in Queens to the sky-scraping spire of the Chrysler Building, the bustling offices of the Daily Bugle, through the dizzying canyons of Manhattan, to new vistas never before seen. The musical follows the story of teenager Peter Parker, whose unremarkable life is turned upside-down literally when he's bitten by a genetically altered spider and wakes up the next morning clinging to his bedroom ceiling. This bullied science-geek suddenly endowed with astonishing powers soon learns, however, that with great power comes great responsibility as villains test not only his physical strength but also his strength of character. Spider-Man's battles will hurtle the audience through an origin story both recognizable and unexpected yielding new characters as well as familiar faces until a final surprising confrontation casts a startling new light on this hero's journey.

SPIDER-MAN features music and lyrics by 22-time Grammy® Award-winners Bono and The Edge of U2 with direction by Tony® Award-winner Julie Taymor (The Tempest, Across The Universe, The Lion King). SPIDER-MAN is written by Julie Taymor and Glen Berger (Underneath The Lintel). The principal creative and design team for SPIDER-MAN includes Daniel Ezralow, Choreographer (Across the Universe, The Green Bird); George Tsypin, Sets (The Magic Flute, The Little Mermaid); Eiko Ishioka, Costumes (Academy Award® for Bram Stoker's Dracula, Tony Award® nomination for M. Butterfly, the opening ceremonies for the Beijing Olympics); Donald Holder, Lighting (Tony® Awards for The Lion King, South Pacific); Jonathan Deans, Sound (Fosse, The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil, Young Frankenstein); and Teese Gohl, Musical Supervisor (Across the Universe, Frida). Additional members of the SPIDER-MAN creative team will be announced at a later date.

Tickets for SPIDER-MAN Turn Off The Dark are being refunded to those who purchased for a winter opening and do not wish to switch dates to the fall through Ticketmaster.com, by calling 1-800-745-3000, or at all Ticketmaster outlets.