Evan Rachel Wood Exits Forthcoming Spider-Man Musical

It looks like Peter Parker will need a new Mary Jane. Evan Rachel Wood, who it was previously announced had joined the cast of the forthcoming Broadway musical Spiderman: Turn Off the Dark, has now dropped out of the Julie Taymor-directed show. Spiderman, which was originally scheduled to open at the beginning of this year, has been troubled with numerous delays and as a result Wood has had to drop out due to a scheduling conflict. The musical, which has a score by U2's Bono and The Edge, has still not yet announced when it will finally open on Broadway.

Spiderman Musical Finally Officially Announces Postponement of Opening

Amidst all of the Spider-drama of late last year, the producers of the forthcoming musical Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark failed to actually confirm that the show would not start performances on February 25, 2010, as originally announced. Most people inferred that it wouldn't be opening that soon, given all of the Spiderman musical's financial trouble, but ticketholders were left to wonder whether or not they'd actually get to use their Spider-Man tickets at all. Finally today the producers of the big-budgeted Broadway show formally announced that Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark will not be opening in February, and that people who already purchased tickets can get a refund through Ticketmaster now if they so choose. However, the Spiderman production team does plan on announcing an actual opening date (most likely to be some time late this year) shortly, so ticket-holders also have the option of waiting until the revised performance schedule is announced, at which point they can simply exchange their current Spider-Man tickets for a suitable date.

Spider-Man's Fate May Be Decided Today

Rumors are flying this morning about the troubled musical Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark. The New York Times reported yesterday that director Julie Taymor, other members of the creative team, and the show's producers are scheduled to have an important meeting today to discuss the show's future. Today, the New York Post's Michael Riedel - a reporter who covers the Broadway beat and passes around the juiciest gossip on the Great White Way - has said that Spider-Man won't be postponed indefinitely as many have suggested over the last several months. Instead, it will just push back opening until the summer of 2010, when Taymor and company will finally have the highly complex show ready. This would mean that Spider-Man won't make the deadline for this year's Tony Awards, but then again most people probably won't need a Tony win as an incentive to see this much-buzzed-about musical with amazing aerial effects and songs by U2's Bono and The Edge.

Troubles in Spider-Land as Production on U2 Musical Halts

Rumors about Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark have been flying around New York City faster than the web-slinging hero himself. As production costs of the big-budget and technically complex Julie Taymor-directed musical, featuring a score by U2's Bono and The Edge, have skyrocketed, word on the street has been that the show may never open. The latest development is that production has halted, albeit temporarily, according to the musical's producers, due to cash flow troubles. They insist that Spiderman will still begin performances at the Hilton Theatre on Broadway in late February as planned. So far no one has been cast in the plum role of Peter Parker, but Evan Rachel Wood and Alan Cumming are already set to co-star.

Alan Cumming and Evan Rachel Wood Cast in Spider-Man Musical

Some of the initial casting for the forthcoming Broadway musical Spider-Man Turn Off the Dark has just been announced. Alan Cumming (Broadway revival of Cabaret, The Threepenny Opera, Design For Living) will play Spider-Man's nemesis, the Green Goblin, also known as Norman Osborn. As previously rumored, movie actress Evan Rachel Wood (Whatever Works, The Wrestler) will play Peter Parker's girlfriend Mary Jane. Spider-Man director Julie Taymor (The Lion King) worked previously with Wood in her film Across the Universe, and is currently working with Cumming on a film adaptation of William Shakespeare's play The Tempest. More casting information for Spider-Man Turn Off the Dark should be coming out soon. The musical, which will be scored by rock band U2, is scheduled to begin performances at Broadway's Hilton Theatre in February 2010.