The Spider-Man musical was a low point for the franchise, but it could have looked a lot different. In 2009, it was reported that Evan Rachel Wood and Alan Cumming were to star in the “Broadway mega-spectacle” Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark.
Variety reported that deals were wrapped for the pair in November 2009. While Wood was set to play Parker’s love interest, Mary Jane Watson, it’s reported that Cumming was on board to play Norman Osborn: the Spider-Man villain otherwise known as the Green Goblin. Julie Taymor, who wrote the musical, had worked with both actors before. Wood starred in Taymor’s musical Across the Universe Cumming played leading roles in Taymor’s adaptations of Shakespeare’s Titus and The Tempest.
With previews for the show eventually opening in 2010, Variety reported that Jim Sturgess, who starred alongside Wood in Across the Universe, was being considered as a Spider-Man actor. Somewhere along the way, however, the final line-up for the musical dramatically changed. Broadway stars Reeve Carney and Jennifer Damiano eventually originated the roles of Spider-Man and MJ, while stage veteran Patrick Page, who also originated the role of Hades in Hadestown, was the eventual choice for Norman Osborn.
As we all know, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark was far from a success. U2 frontman Bono along with The Edge wrote the music and lyrics for the short-lived Broadway musical.
The 2011 show, which took story elements from Sam Raimi’s first and second Spider-Man movies, is the most expensive Broadway production in history, with a budget of $75 million. It also became renowned for its countless issues, with several actors being injured performing stunts and opening night being repeatedly delayed. It closed after just three years.