Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst made an appearance on the talk show “Friday Night With Jonathan Ross” to discuss the controversial changes in the Spider-Man movies. Maguire, a self-professed Spider-Man fan, expressed his love for the character and his knowledge of the first 150 comic book issues. However, he acknowledged that one doesn’t need to be familiar with the comics to enjoy the movies.
The discussion then shifted to the gap between Spider-Man 2 and Spider-Man 3, with Ross playfully suggesting that it felt like a long wait for the third movie. Maguire explained that the delay was caused by other projects he had to work on, and it was not weird for him or the production.
Maguire also addressed the physical transformation he went through for the role, mentioning how he got in shape for the first movie and eventually let himself go after. Ross jokingly praised Maguire’s physique in the first film but couldn’t resist teasing him about his post-filming donut-eating spree.
Ross then delved into the topic of their early acting careers, asking Dunst about her breakthrough role in “Interview with the Vampire.” Dunst modestly downplayed her performance, emphasizing that it wasn’t necessarily the best work she had done. Maguire shared that his first acting job was a cereal commercial when he was around four or five years old. He later achieved fame through independent films like “Ice Storm” and “Wonder Boys.”
The conversation took a lighthearted turn as Ross mentioned Maguire’s appearance in a McDonald’s advert, to which Maguire confirmed being a vegetarian now. Ross amusingly speculated whether Maguire’s experience with the McDonald’s campaign had influenced his dietary choices.
Moving back to Spider-Man, Ross brought up the changes made to the character for the film adaptation. The most controversial change mentioned was the web shooters. In the comics, Spider-Man invents the web shooters, but in the movies, the web is organic. Maguire highlighted the issue of plausibility and humorously questioned why Peter Parker wouldn’t invest his scientific genius in something more profitable than photography.
The conversation then turned to the new Spider-Man movie, Spider-Man 3, which Ross commended as the best of the trilogy. He teased that it features not one, but two villains, with a possible third included. Maguire and Dunst discussed the darker turn Peter Parker takes in the film due to the influence of the black suit, which heightens his anger and desire for revenge.
Ross also inquired about the romantic scenes in the Spider-Man movies, emphasizing their importance alongside the heroics. Dunst revealed that she was initially attracted to the project because of director Sam Raimi and Maguire’s involvement. She found the scenes beautiful and had a successful audition in Berlin.
Addressing the concerns of the fans, Ross acknowledged that Spider-Man aficionados can be quite protective of the character. The changes made from the comic books were mentioned, and Maguire expressed his awareness of the controversy surrounding the organic web shooters.
The interview concluded with discussions about the stunts in the film. Maguire mentioned that while some stunt work was done by him, a significant portion was handled by a stunt team and CGI. Ross playfully suggested that Dunst should do more of her own action scenes, but she preferred leaving it to the professionals.
Overall, the interview on “Friday Night With Jonathan Ross” provided insights into the behind-the-scenes aspects of the Spider-Man movies and allowed Maguire and Dunst to showcase their chemistry and enthusiasm for their roles. Spider-Man 3, according to Ross, offers an engaging storyline with compelling character development.
