ROTTEN TOMATOES: Dunst Spills the Beans on the "Spider-Man 3" Villains

Dunst Spills the Beans on the "Spider-Man 3" Villains

by Scott Weinberg | September 27, 2005

Hanh Nguyen over at Zap2it.com shares a great little scoop that he got from Kirsten Dunst during her "Elizabethtown" press junket. We all know that Thomas Haden Church and Topher Grace will be portraying the "Spider-Man 3" villains known as Venom and Sandman ... but which actor will be which evildoer?

"Although the Internet has been abuzz with the supposed identities of the two "Spider-Man 3" villains to be played by Thomas Haden Church and Topher Grace, Sony and Marvel have kept the names under wraps.

Now Mary Jane herself has confirmed Spidey's latest nemeses.

"We have really great people though as the villains in this film, Thomas Haden Church and Topher Grace -- Venom and Sandman," says Kirsten Dunst while promoting her film "Elizabethtown."

"Maybe I wasn't supposed to say that," she says, checking with her rep, who assures her the information has already been released.

The "Interview with the Vampire" actress is a little shaky on the information at first, saying that Church would play Venom and Grace would take on Sandman, before reversing her claim when a journalist expresses disbelief. "It's the other way around. You're right," she concedes.

Dunst can be forgiven since she has yet to receive a script for the film that will begin shooting in January.

"But I know the general story," she adds. "There's a lot that they're trying to fit into this one."

For more of the Spidey lowdown, check out the scoop over at Zap2it.com.

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(1-20 of 33 posts) | Reply

Paul_Is_Drunk writes:
on Sep 27 2005 03:22 AM

[b]Hmmm[/b]
Other information released recently had both actors playing the role of Chameleon. I wonder which information is correct. It doesn't even sound like Kristen knows exactly what is going on. I remain skeptical until the movie come closer to release...

(Reply to this)

Aoiboy writes:
on Sep 27 2005 03:28 AM

Well, yeah, Kirsten Dunst sounds so confused and shaky that I wouldn't be surprised if she said next "And I'm pretty excited about reprising my role as Louise Lane !!".

(Reply to this)

Evimeleth writes:
on Sep 27 2005 05:03 AM

Kirsten could be bluffing. She has that kind of naughty sense of humor. -___-'

(Reply to this)

stretchstrong writes:
on Sep 27 2005 09:22 AM

[b]Awesome[/b]
I love Venom, but I'm not sure Topher Grace is right for the part. Correct me if I'm wrong but Eddie Brock isn't as skinny/pathetic as Peter Parker.

(Reply to this)

PatrickBateman writes:
on Sep 27 2005 09:30 AM

In reply to this comment (#826200)
that's why Topher Grace is lifting weights 2 hours daily for the next 12 months.

(Reply to this)

sparetime writes:
on Sep 27 2005 09:44 AM

my thoughts on the spiderman trilogy? worse. worser. worsest? #III has a lot of work to do to save face after #II

(Reply to this)

The Cunning Linguist writes:
on Sep 27 2005 09:54 AM

These are both obvious casting miscues. I hope she's wrong. Both Venom and Sandman's alter egos are bruisers. Topher Grace is scawny and although Haden-Church is a big (tall) guy, he's not really stout.

(Reply to this)

stretchstrong writes:
on Sep 27 2005 10:28 AM

I think Haden-Church can pull off the role, Sandman is a bit dim witted and Church plays that part perfectly.

As for Grace, he's going to have to lift a lot of weights to put on the size needed to play Eddie Brock convincingly. Grace is so wrong for this part that it makes me doubt the validity of Dunst's claims.

(Reply to this)

spiedey writes:
on Sep 27 2005 12:09 PM

[b]You can't be serious![/b]
First of all, Venom's backstory is going to take forever to explain! You mean to tell me that they are going to introduce the alien costume, have it latch on Peter Parker and then onto Forman in a manner of 2 hrs? Yeah right, and then there's Sandman? I doubt Sony would let them make it into an epic. Right now there's no point of Venom fighting Spider-man in this "movie universe."
Kirsten's probably rusing people. Told to do it, she can't be that stupid! Topher's probably going to be hired to be the Hobgoblin by Osbourne. Probably lighting weights so that he can balance himself on the glider, like how Willem did.

(Reply to this)

PatrickBateman writes:
on Sep 27 2005 01:06 PM

In reply to this comment (#826206)
[b]wrong[/b]
The movie will probably be close to 3 hours since it is the 3rd movie and in the beginning Jameson could be shown going or in space already and bring back the symbiote plus there might be a Spider-man 4 which Venom can also be in since i doubt he will be defeated in Spider-man 3. and Willem Dafoe was scrawny as Green Goblin when he used the glider. Topher is lifting weights 2 hours daily for the next 12 months so he'll be physically fit as Venom. and yes, he does comedies but actors have something called versatility and can "act" or pull off a certain role...that's why they are called actors. with Tobey Maguire's previous movies (Pleasantville) you wouldn't think he'd be Spider-man but he pulled it off.

(Reply to this)

Sinizine writes:
on Sep 27 2005 01:19 PM

The Venom origin story was told in two 30 minute cartoons (less due to commercial breaks), so it can easily be done in a film.

(Reply to this)

Fangmeier69 writes:
on Sep 27 2005 01:48 PM

In reply to this comment (#826202)
[b]Getting better all the time[/b]
Nonsense. The first film was good, did it's job; the second one was one of the best superhero films ever made! And Columbia is commited to seven films too; excellent.

(Reply to this)

t-joint writes:
on Sep 27 2005 02:04 PM

In reply to this comment (#826207)
Since John Jameson's already been established, the animated version of the symbiont's arrival on Earth is just as good of an explanation as any, with a few touch ups here and there.

Hayden Church is PERFECT as Sandman, but I'm sorry, Grace as Venom makes me laugh! The guy could lift 24/7 for the rest of his life and STILL be no bigger than one of Brock's forearms. Eddie's a former Olympic level weightlifter (explaining those "roid rages") and he's massive. Topher...not so much. Although, noodleboy COULD be playing Carnage. Cletus is a skinny little twig, too. Now, I know there can't be a faithful Carnage story witout Venom, but maybe a combination of the two?

(Reply to this)

Azlam Orlandu writes:
on Sep 27 2005 02:19 PM

[b]Arrogance...[/b]
Save face after Spiderman 2? Spiderman 2 was one of the best damn sequels ever. Go to hell man.
-Az

(Reply to this)

straydog52ha writes:
on Sep 27 2005 02:35 PM

Ok, here is the story. Sandman is going be the main villain. Mary Jane's ex - fiance will go to out space and find the alien (venom). It will attach to spiderman and give him new powers to fight off sandman ( the main villian in 3) Later on peter will talk to his profesor (the lizard, who peter will become close friends with in this once) and discover what the alien is doing to him. the professor will remove the alien. the alien is Hate peter and latch himself onto tropher grace (eddie brooke,who just got fired from the paper and hates peter park for some reason) the alien and eddie will come together because they both hate spiderman at the end of the movie. Thus venom and lizard will be the main villians in spiderman 4. ( excuse my bad typing )

(Reply to this)

jaydurden writes:
on Sep 27 2005 03:18 PM

[b]just a thought....[/b]
I don't know much about spiderman but what if at the beginning of the movie, we see the guy who was suppose to marry mary jane (John Jameson) being really pissed, and remembering stuff that happened in space. He could remember how he found venom and then trapping spidey into putting it on...well it sound kinda lame but it would be a way to tell the whole story pretty quickly...another thought, everybody say that Grace has been putting on weight. don't you think it could be to play chameleon? I know it has been a rumor a while ago but the chameleon can only take the appearance of someone who's as tall and as skinny/big as him...this could explain why he's lifting weight, to look like peter parker at one point...well just a thought...

(Reply to this)

Banana Kid writes:
on Sep 27 2005 04:16 PM

I look forward to seeing how they do the effects for Sandman.

Also, the Ultimate origin for the Venom suit would work pretty well. It would give us the suit and some insight into Peter's parents. Which is something the first two gave us nothing of.

(Reply to this)

spiedey writes:
on Sep 27 2005 05:20 PM

[b]Granted[/b]
Yes, it took 2 30 minute cartoons to tell Venom's story. But they were committed to that one particular story. That is 45 minutes there. Plus you have to explain Eddie Brock's back story, that's IF they follow that script because you know, its the movies right?
Then you have the Sandman's back story, and knowing Raimi, the character is more important than the visual effects element. And you also have to devout time to Peter Parker and Mary Jane, then there's Harry Osbourne, he found his father's layer, etc, etc, etc.
They again Sony decided to make at least 7 of these like one guy said. Chameleon is a better choice for Forman. I still say Dunst N Raimi are pulling a fast one. Didn't Raimi said that he doesn't like the Venom character?

(Reply to this)

Sinizine writes:
on Sep 27 2005 05:51 PM

If this is a diversion, then who's to say the "I hate Venom" quote wasn't one as well? They can easily use the first part of the movie to parallel Spidey's fight with Sandman and Venom's origins. Sandman doesn't need an origin. He was a thug in the wrong place at the wrong time, simple as that. This is supposed to be the last one, so Harry's story will be closed They originally planned 6 but they want the storyline tied together in case the franchise goes the way of Batman.

As for Chameleon, it simply doesn't work in a movie. He works on the element of suprise, which you can work in a comic book, because you can introduce characters at any time. Do it in a movie and it becomes plainly obvious who the Chamelon is. Hmmm, I wonder if it's the two new cast members that are suddenly involved in the film.

(Reply to this)

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