Spider-Man Musical Ensnared by Financial Woes

If somebody told you the story of Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark was a happy little tale… Just your average, comic-book-inspired Broadway musical… Not a care in the world… If somebody told you that, then, well, somebody lied.

The musical, scored by U2’s Bono and The Edge, was scheduled to debut Feb. 25 at the Hilton Theater. With an inexperienced producer at the helm, though, the first-ever Marvel musical, which held open casting calls last spring, ran into financial trouble. Now, with Disney (which recently acquired Marvel) stepping in to fill in the funding gaps, the $50 million production is on track to premiere in the fall of 2010.

Theater bosses are offering refunds to those who bought tickets in advance for the ill-fated February dates, but if fans want to wait until autumn for the show, exhanges are also an option.

It seems the Spider-Man franchise is all tangled up lately, with Spider-Man 4 director Sam Rami walking as the film gets recast..

One bit of good news, at least: Alan Cumming, who is slated to play the Green Goblin, and Evan Rachael Wood, who will portray Mary Jane, appear to be sticking with the musical.

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