In this interview from the World Premiere of "Spider-Man 2," Gough and Millar discuss working on "Spider-Man 2," what's in store for the residents of "Smallville," and writing the "Iron Man" script for New Line Cinema.
INTERVIEW WITH AL GOUGH AND MILES MILLAR:
How’d you get hooked up with “Spider-Man 2”?
AL GOUGH: We actually were not part of the first "Spider-Man." They called us when they decided to do the second. We created "Smallville" and I think they really liked what we were doing on that show and we felt there was a relevance from what we’re doing on the show to what they’re doing in the movie, which is really focusing on the love story. And that’s how Sam [Raimi] sees these movies, they are really a love story between MJ and Peter. So I think sensibility-wise, we sort of had the same vibe. We got together with Sam and Laura Ziskin and Avi Arad, working out the story for “Spider-Man 2,” even before the first movie came out.
MILES MILLAR: It’s very daunting.
What will fans like the most about this movie?
AL GOUGH: I think they’re going to like the fact that you see Peter growing up, that you see him dealing with new issues, that you see him tackling responsibilities, and also that you see him battling Doc Ock who is just an unbelievably great villain.
What’s up with “Spider-Man 3?” Are you involved in that script?
AL GOUGH: No, “Spider-Man 3” we’re not involved in.
MILES MILLAR: We’re sort of superhero-ed out.
AL GOUGH: Yeah, we’re superhero-ed out at this point. After “Spider-Man 2,” we did “Iron Man” for New Line. And then we’re in season 4 of “Smallville,” so we’re done with the superheroes for the time being.
Wait a minute. “Iron Man?” You two wrote that script, what can we expect from that?
MILES MILLAR: A really cool reinvention of the [story]. It’s a very [interesting] character to sort of contemporize but I think we’ve all found a way to do it. It’s a very cool action adventure movie.
AL GOUGH: It’s actually very relevant given today’s times, which is interesting too. I mean, I think that’s the neat thing about comic book heroes. It’s finding their relevance in today’s world, which is something that we try to do with “Smallville” and obviously “Spider-Man” taps into that. We hope “Iron Man” will, as well.
Is Ray Park still in the running to play in the film?
MILES MILLAR: Oh no.
AL GOUGH: Not as far as we know.
[Edited to Add - Ray Park is rumored to be attached to star in "Iron Fist," not "Iron Man."]
Speaking of “Smallville,” are you actually casting Lois Lane?
AL GOUGH: We are casting as we speak.
Really? How close are you to finding the right person?
AL GOUGH: We’ve literally just started. We’re a little early in the process.
Is there a specific look you’re going for?
MILES MILLAR: I think someone with the right attitude, actually, a really funky contrast to Lana. Just a really cool, modern version of Lois Lane.
AL GOUGH: And again, this is the Lois before she’s a reporter and everything else, but you want to see the seeds of what she will become and the kind of relationship she’s going to have with Clark down the road.
“Smallville” has such a cult following, what can they expect from the next season? You left a lot of cliffhangers at the end of season three.
AL GOUGH: We did. Yes, we did. You can, obviously, [expect] Lois Lane. You can expect a lot more fun, it’s their senior year in high school. A new boyfriend for Lana, a new look for Lana. Lana’s going to, I think, again as the kids are growing up they are sort of finding a place in the world, and I think with Lana you’re going to see a whole new attitude with her, as well. Clark and Lex will continue down their separate paths, which will lead to more friction in that relationship. So it’s going to be a lot of fun.
ADDITIONAL "SPIDER-MAN 2" RESOURCES:
Interviews from the "Spider-Man 2" World Premiere - Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst & Sam Raimi / Cliff Robertson / Producer Avi Arad / JK Simmons / Musician Christopher Carrabba from Dashboard Confessional
"Spider-Man 2" Photos, Trailer, News and Credits
