Caught in Critics' Web, Spider-Man Musical Finds New Writer

Playwright and comic book writer will reportedly rework the book for the Broadway musical

Forget "Doc Ock": the incident-plagued Spider-Man Broadway musical is getting itself a script doctor.

Playwright and comic book writer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa has been tapped to rework the book of "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark," Deadline Hollywood reported on Wednesday.

Though only in previews, "Turn Off the Dark" has already been panned by critics. In a New York Times review, theater critic Ben Brantley said of the show, it was "not only the most expensive musical ever to hit Broadway; it may also rank among the worst."

Aguirre-Sacasa has previously written the webslinger's adventures for Marvel Comics and has some success rewriting musicals. Last year, he reworked a production of the 1960s musical "It's a Bird...It's a Plane...It's Superman" in Dallas.

The news of the book rewrite comes just a week after the announcement that the opening of the $65 million musical would be delayed for the fourth time. Director Julie Taymor said that she and co-writer Glen Berger would work on story changes, while composers and U2 members Bono and the Edge would provide additional music for the show.

The musical spectacle has also come under fire over the last few months for a rash of technical difficulties, including an incident last week in which two actors were left suspended above the audience for minutes. After a series of injuries last year, the state Department of Labor last week issued the show a pair of safety violations.

A call to Aguirre-Sacasa's agent was not immediately returned.

Contact Us