Some of the most exciting moments from the recent San Diego Comic-Con were the presentation and interviews for whatâs sure to be next summerâs most exciting movie, Spider-Man 3.
For ComingSoon.netâs Superhero Hype!, it felt like a true rock star moment, as the dozens of other journalists rushed out of the press room to catch the presentation, and we were asked to hold back to talk to one of the cast. Since SHH! started as one of the first Spider-Man movie fansites (as Spider-Man Hype!), it made sense that weâd be given a chance to talk to some of the cast, but my first and only pick was Thomas Haden Church, who I talked to a few times two years ago while he was doing the rounds for Alexander Payneâs âSideways,â which brought Church a lot of attention and awards.
Back then, no one could possibly imagine that Church would be heading into one of the biggest movies of next year, and Sam Raimi could not have picked a better actor to play the part of Flint Marko AKA The Sandman. After the interview, I was snuck down a back elevator to the main presentation hall where we got to see a bit of rough footage of Churchâs CGI counterpart in action, and if thereâs anyone who might be able to overshadow the fan favorite Venom, itâs Church.
Superhero Hype!: So how has it been for you going from the world of Alexander Payne to something as enormous as âSpider-Man 3â?
Thomas Haden Church: Sam was the one who brought me in. He and I came very close to working together a number of years ago on a movie called âThe GiftâââŹÂŚ I mean, very close. Sam really wanted me to do this role, and it just didnât work out for whatever reason. Thank God he didnât forget me. Because of âSideways,â they saw me accepting an award and called the next day and said, âWould you come in and talk to us about Spider-Man 3?â They had nothing. They had no script. They just knew the guy that [he] was going to be in the movie, and thatâs where it started. We just started talking about it, and Iâm glad they asked me to be a part of it.
SHH!: You have a background in humor and weâve known you for so long for thatââŹÂŚ
Church: Yeah, I know. The last couple times out there itâs fairly humorless. Thereâs not too much comedy in this TV thing I just had come out, âBroken Trailâ [on AMC] and Sandman is nowhere near a barrel of monkeys. Heâs not a laugh-meister.
SHH!: Were you able to bring any of that humor to this part and did Sam want you to?
Church: No, itâs a very dramatic character. Heâs definitely not the comic relief in âSpider-Man 3.â
SHH!: Sandman is not the most fleshed-out character in the comics (no pun intended), but do we get more into the back story of the character and what makes him tick?
Church: Yeah, I think so. I canât be specific about what it is, but I will say that heâs definitely a guy who has a purpose in the movie, and that purpose is absolutely in conflict with Spider-Manâs better intentions. I wouldnât be a villain in the movie if it were otherwise.
SHH!: So itâs not the typical âSandman robs a bank and Spider-Man stops himâ type thing?
Church: No. Like I said, there are some larger life issues at play. Heâs really got a lot of stuff to work out and like I said, itâs not in Spider-Manâs best interest.
SHH!: Is this your first real experience with CGI and green screen experience?
Church: Iâve done other movies. Itâs been a number of years ago now, but âGeorge of the Jungle,â we had some extensive blue screen/green screen work, but that really is probably the only one.
SHH!: Whatâs involved with becoming The Sandman? Did they put you in the green suit or some sort of performance capture apparatus?
Church: No, no, no. Youâre just super-imposed. In the old days, it was all matte photography, but now itâs how they incorporate you into the CG action. No, itâs usually just me however I am.
SHH!: But they didnât throw a bucket of sand on you just for effect?
Church: (laughs) No, no, it wasnât that amateurish or deliberate.
SHH!: Itâs odd because you donât really think about when heâs just in regular form in the comics that heâs still made in sand, so do you at least have sand pasted onto your face to give that effect?
Church: No, itâs a little more complicated than that. âSand pasted to my face.â Thatâs funny.
SHH!: That would be the low budget version of the movie. I havenât talked to you since before âSidewaysâ came out, so how has this ride been since then?
Church: Itâs been terrific. Itâs been going on for awhile now because I did âSpider-Manâ and I did âBroken Trailâ and been involved in some animated pictures, and now that âSpider-Manâ is, for the most part done, Iâm looking for whatever the next thing is going to be. But itâs been great. Thereâs definitely a before and after scenario with âSidewaysâ in my professional life.
SHH!: Iâve noticed that a lot of actors after they get nominated for Oscars, theyâll follow that up with a big budget genre flick. Is it just coincidence, or are you actively looking for more Alexander Payne-type stuff?
Church: Yeah, Iâm always interested in that, but honestly, I just want to play characters. I want to play interesting, well-written, provocative guys. Itâs not really about, âOh, I had to be in âSpider-Man 3,'â it was the guy. Even in the midst of âSpider-Man,â I did a miniseries for AMC, but it was the guy, and it was Robert Duvall and it was a Western. But it was really the guy in that movie and being able to act opposite Robert Duvall and work with Walter Hill. I donât get hung up on, âOh, now I need to go do a Victorian, wintry, character-driven romance.â Itâs not about that. Itâs just about whatever the guy is.
SHH!: Whatâs coming your way now? Are more people trying to write more âSidewaysâ-like characters or movies for you, because Jack was a one-of-a-kind character.
Church: Thereâs no uniformity to it. Thereâs definitely been a scattershot of opportunity, but nobodyâs really like, âOh, this guy is like Jack in âSideways,â letâs get Church,â itâs not like that. Because I have tried to be fairly scrutinizing with the roles that Iâve chosen or the roles that have chosen me. Like I said, I just want it to be good. I want to be proud of it ten years from now.
Spider-Man 3 comes out on May 4, 2007âŚin case you didnât know.
Source: Edward Douglas