RIALTO CHATTER: Wood Still '100% Committed' To 'SPIDER-MAN', Carney Rumored As Cast In Lead

The New York Post's Michael Riedel reported last week in his 'On Broadway' column in the The New York Post that 'SPIDER-MAN' had "lost the girl" as actress Evan Rachel Wood's agents considered the project "dead" and that "she's available for other work."

Today in The New York Daily News, her personal rep is reported as saying that the actress is "100% committed - she didn't pull out." The News also reports that Alan Cumming is still set to play the Green Goblin, and that sources say that the webslinger himself has finally been cast with newcomer Reeve Carney nabbing the role.

Carney's name has been whispered about for several months as the top contender within theatre circles. Carney is a cast member of Julie Taymor's upcoming film version of William Shakespeare's The Tempest, he'll be paying Ferdinand and also has his own self titled band. He played the role of "Spider-Man" in the recent invitation only presentation of the musical and earned high marks from all involved. To read the scoop in The Daily News click here.

Evan Rachel Wood was always considered set to star as Mary Jane Watson, Peter Parker's girlfriend in 'SPIDER-MAN, Turn Off The Dark' as she worked on the role from the very first workshops of the project.

Michael Riedel reported in his Broadway Matinee column in the The New York Post that 'SPIDER-MAN' had hit a snag on the road to Broadway. Late yesterday, HELLO Entertainment, one of the producers of "SPIDER-MAN, Turn Off The Dark" offered the following statement to MTV News:

"HELLO Entertainment is aware of the speculation about the future of Spider-Man on Broadway and is RE-CONFIRMING that the plan is to resume production shortly and preview on February 25th, 2010 at the Hilton Theatre when cash flow issues have been resolved."

As we reported earlier last week, the upcoming Broadway musical "SPIDER-MAN, Turn Off the Dark" has become caught up in the web of it's massive budget. On August 6th, Variety revealed that "the extensive work being done to prepare for the technically demanding show, both in the shop constructing the physical production and in the theater where "SPIDER-MAN" is due to open, is said to have stopped this week." No date for resuming any production work has been announced at this time.

Evan's film credits include Whatever Works, Across The Universe (directed by Julie Taymor), The Wrestler, Little Secrets, Thirteen (Golden Globe nom) and Running With Scissors. She recently received the Young Hollywood Superstar Award. Her many television appearances include "Once and Again" (Young Artist Award - Best Ensemble in a TV Series) and "American Gothic." She recently appeared on stage in Romeo and Juliet at Theatre in the Park in Raleigh, NC. SPIDER-MAN would mark her New York stage debut. Wood makes her True Blood debut in the August 30th episode of the HBO hit.

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. 

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).

SPIDER-MAN is produced by HELLO Entertainment/David Garfinkle, Martin McCallum, Marvel Entertainment/David Maisel, Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Jeremiah Harris, in association with Omneity Entertainment/Richard Weinberg, Jeffrey B. Hecktman, the Mayerson/Gould/Hauser/Tysoe Group, Patricia Lambrecht and Jam Theatricals/S2BN Entertainment.

SPIDER-MAN will now begin preview performances Thursday, February 25, 2010 at the Hilton Theatre with a new official opening date to be announced shortly. (The opening date was previously February 18, 2010). Tickets for the eagerly anticipated SPIDER-MAN Turn Off The Dark are now on sale exclusively for American Express® cardmembers at Ticketmaster.com, by calling 1-800-745-3000, or at all Ticketmaster outlets. 

Photo Credit: Fernando Leon/Retna Ltd.