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The two feature films director Debra Granik has made are markedly similar in many ways. There's "Winter's Bone," a likely Oscar contender this year, that follows a 17-year-old Ozark Mountain girl who has to track down her meth-dealing father to protect the lives of her depressed mother and her siblings. And then there's "Down to the Bone," released in 2004, that follows a working class, cocaine-using mother of two who checks into rehab and has to try to resist the temptations of drugs and deal with an affair she's having with her nurse.

So when The Los Angeles Times reported that Granik's next planned film is a reboot of "Pippi Longstocking" (pictured), were were just a wee bit surprised. But as the Times goes on to point out, the transition makes perfect sense. Longstocking is one of "fiction's original tomboys," and the choice to make a film about her continues Granik's streak of creating strong female heroines who rise above the tropes of typical Hollywood roles for women.

Still, Granik isn't the first director to follow up one film with another that's drastically different in both tone and theme. After the jump, see five other directors who've done just that -- to varying results.

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Tags 500 days of summer, Cop Out, darren aronofsky, Debra Granik, four christmases, kevin smith, lord of the rings, Marc Webb, Pippi Longstocking, red state, Seth Gordon, spider-man, The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters, The Lovely Bones, The Wolverine, winter's bone

The cast for director Marc Webb's "Spider-Man" reboot is starting to come together in earnest. We already knew that Andrew Garfield ("The Social Network") would play Peter Parker and his red-tights-clad, web-spinning alter-ego Spider-Man, that Emma Stone ("Zombieland") had been tapped for the role of his love interest Gwen Stacy (and not Mary Jane Watson), and that Rhys Ifans ("Notting Hill") would provide the film's scaly, tongue-flicking villainy as Dr. Curt Connors, a.k.a. the Lizard.

Now comes word that Martin Sheen is in final negotiations to play Peter's ill-fated wisdom-spewing Uncle Ben and Sally Field is in early talks for the role of the Aunt May. Read more...

Tags Andrew Garfield, emma stone, Marc Webb, Martin Sheen, Rhys Ifans, sally field, spider-man

FROM SPLASH PAGE: Rhys Ifans was announced as playing the villain in director Marc Webb's "Spider-Man" just days ago, with the identity of his character unknown at the time. But this is the Internet, people — news travels fast.

According to The Wrap, Ifans will slither his way into the scales of The Lizard, the friendly neighborhood wallcrawler's science teacher turned reptilian nemesis. In signing on as Dr. Curt Connors, Ifans joins a growing cast that includes Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker and Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy.

The Lizard has yet to be featured in a live-action "Spider-Man" movie, though this isn't the first time Curt Connors has appeared on the big screen. The tragic scientist was previously played by Dylan Baker in all three movies of the Sam Raimi and Tobey Maguire trilogy, with some reports suggesting that Baker would finally get his due as a villain in "Spider-Man 4." That movie never came to pass, but it appears that The Lizard is getting a chance nonetheless. Read more...

Tags Marc Webb, Rhys Ifans, spider-man

FROM MTV SPLASH PAGE: After rumors that ranged from Michael Fassbender to Philip Seymour Hoffman, it appears that the villain in director Marc Webb's "Spider-Man" reboot has finally been found in the form of Rhys Ifans.

Deadline reports the breaking news that Sony Pictures Entertainment has offered the lead villain role in "Spider-Man" to the Welsh actor. If he accepts the offer, Ifans will join a growing cast list that already includes Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker and Emma Stone as his ill-fated first love Gwen Stacy.

It's currently unknown which villain Ifans would play in the "Spider-Man" reboot. Based on his body type and the characters he's known to play, not to mention the involvement of Stone as Gwen Stacy, it's not far-fetched to imagine that Ifans is playing Green Goblin. But the character was famously played by Willem Dafoe in the original Sam Raimi-directed "Spider-Man" film, and it's possible that Sony will want to move away from that series as they reboot the franchise. Read more...

Is Rhys Infans the right man to play the villain in the "Spider-Man" reboot? And which villain would you like to see him play? Let us know in the comments!

Tags Andrew Garfield, emma stone, Marc Webb, rhys infans, spider-man

FROM SPLASH PAGE: The new, live-action "Spider-Man" movie will hit theaters July 3, 2012, filmed in 3-D and directed by "500 Days of Summer" filmmaker Marc Webb.

Sony made the release date official today, and added that the film will debut in 3-D when it premieres. Production on the project, which has yet to name an actor for the lead role, is expected to begin later this year. The studio announcement also indicated that the film's title hasn't been finalized yet — though we're pretty sure the name "Spider-Man" will be in there somewhere.

“Spider-Man is the ultimate summer movie-going experience, and we’re thrilled the filmmakers are presenting the next installment in 3D," said Jeff Blake, Chairman of Sony Pictures Worldwide Marketing & Distribution, in the statement. "Spider-Man is one of the most popular characters in the world, and we know audiences are eager and excited to discover Marc’s fantastic vision for Peter Parker and the franchise.”

Continue reading 'Spider-Man' Movie Gets Release Date And 3D Treatment

Tags Marc Webb, spider-man

FROM SPLASH PAGE: It's starting to look like we've been way ahead of the news when it came to both the "Spider-Man" director and source material for Sony's upcoming reboot of the blockbuster movie franchise.

Webb is indeed looking to Brian Bendis' and Mark Bagley's "Ultimate Spider-Man" comics as inspiration for the new film franchise, according to an anonymous "scoop" on The Hollywood Reporter — but if you've been reading Splash Page lately, you not only knew that already, you heard it from Webb himself two days ago!

On Sunday night (less than 48 hours before he was announced as the new "Spider-Man" director), Webb deftly evaded many of our questions regarding the "Spider-Man" franchise — but did name-drop the "Ultimate Spider-Man" series as the source of some of his favorite Spidey stories.

Continue reading Will 'Ultimate Spider-Man' Comics Inspire Marc Webb's 'Spider-Man' Movie?

Tags Marc Webb, spider-man

FROM MTV.COM: Spider-Man is caught up in a whole new kind of web — this one with an extra "B" — which could signify that his über-successful superhero franchise is back on track.

Marc Webb, the 34-year-old music-video director who recently made his feature-film debut with "(500) Days of Summer," was officially announced Tuesday (January 19) as the new name behind one of Hollywood's biggest franchises. Webb takes over for Sam Raimi, who recently abandoned plans to return with stars Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst for a fourth film about the web-slinger.

Continue reading 'Spider-Man' Reboot To Be Directed By Marc Webb

Tags Marc Webb, spider-man, Video

FROM SPLASH PAGE: We crossed one name off the list of potential "Spider-Man" directors this weekend, but what about the rumored favorite for the gig, "500 Days of Summer" filmmaker Marc Webb?

MTV News caught up with Webb on the Golden Globe Awards red carpet to get his thoughts on the rumors pegging him as Sony's most-wanted man behind the camera when Peter Parker returns to the big screen in 2012.

"Of course," Webb told MTV News when asked if he was a fan of Spider-Man. "Stan Lee, big fan ... love the 'Ultimate [Spider-Man]' stuff."

Continue reading EXCLUSIVE: Rumored 'Spider-Man' Director Marc Webb 'Loves The Ultimate Stuff'

Tags Golden Globe Awards, Marc Webb, spider-man, Video

Ginormous red carpets are kind of like a round of speed dating. That is if the pool of your potential dates are those that keep US Weekly in business. Heather Graham gives you a once over and then makes a face as if she ate some sour milk as she saunters past. George Lucas pauses, thinks it over, and decides nah, why make me the happiest lad on the carpet (and I actually liked Jar Jar)? On your end, it's a series of split second bizarre calculations your mind is not meant to make. For instance Kenneth Branagh and Joseph Gordon-Levitt walk up to you at the same time but you can only talk to one (some skilled practitioners of the red carpet arts would say grab both but perhaps I'm not there yet), right? What do you do?

Yesterday was my second Globes red carpet. When we arrived I was thrilled to see we had a lovely position next to the giant "Extra" platform (we'll see in the weeks to come if some of that Mario Lopez je ne sais quoi rubbed off on me) and a USA Today reporter who literally almost poked Penelope Cruz's eye out with her umbrella. Read more...

Tags anna kendrick, avatar, Courtney Cox, david arquette, george clooney, joseph gordon-levitt, Marc Webb, olivia wilde, quentin tarantino, sandra bullock, scream, sigourney weaver, spider-man, Tron Legacy

FROM SPLASH PAGE: It looks like we were relatively spot-on with our picks for a "Spider-Man" director, as three of our five suggestions are now being rumored as top contenders to bring your friendly neighborhood webslinger back to the big screen. However, one of them — "500 Days of Summer" director Marc Webb — looks to be the favorite.

According to Deadline Hollywood, Sony's current director wishlist includes Webb, James Cameron ("Avatar"), David Fincher ("Zodiac"), and Wes Anderson ("Rushmore"). The site claims that Webb has already met with producers and studio execs about the "Spider-Man" reboot, and the plan is to get the film into production this year for a 2012 release. The long production time will allow the studio to film in 3-D.

Continue reading Has 'Spider-Man' Found A Director?

Tags Marc Webb, spider-man