Hey True Believers, Harry Knowles here with some Marvel news to really marvel about. Now, it might be backwards as hell... how Sam Raimi's done this, but he seems intent on doing it. Sam is gonna bring the most beloved character in the history of SPIDER-MAN into the cinematic fold. That's right. As rumors of the second coming of the Green Goblin mount... From screen right enters... GWEN STACY!!!

When Avi Arad called me this morning to discuss the HULK sequel - he let slip that he was intent on calling me today anyway to drop this megabomb of coolnews. He knew that I would friggin love this like no tomorrow! For me, Gwen Stacy is the very embodiment of YOUNG LOVE. She is that teenage girl that dreamt of all those tomorrows that she'd never live. She was the damsel that wasn't saved. Right when Spidey was getting cocky about web-slinging and soul-saving... he lost another. This one, within his own soul. For serious comics fans, the Gwen Stacy story is sacred text. It is, along with the coming of Galactus - the single greatest Superhero arc of the Silver Age. And it was the exact opposite of that story. FF 48, 49 and 50 were about the story cosmic, this was about the story intimate.

As of about an hour ago, the contract was signed. Sam Raimi and Avi Arad have their sweetheart. They've cast young Bryce Howard, yes, Ron Howard's daughter - the one playing the title character in M Night's next film. Bryce is just about the hottest young emerging talent out there right now - and she is, like her father once was, a redhead... but like Ron - she's going b... no, not bald, but BLONDE - hopefully Platinum Blonde for the role of Gwen Stacy. Avi wouldn't tell me if Bryce was signed for one or two pictures. But the key for me was always Gwen's eyes. She had amazing, captivating grey-blue newsprint eyes. Here's the photo Avi sent me, with the note, "Of course she will be blonde..."

Sam's been stellar so far - and this is definitely the right step to head in. Now - if only he'd kill Mary Jane instead. Heh.