The Girl in the Spider's Web (film)

The Girl in the Spider's Web is a 2018 action-thriller film[7][8] directed by Fede Álvarez and written by Álvarez, Steven Knight, and Jay Basu, and based on the 2015 novel of the same name by David Lagercrantz, which in turn is based on characters in the Millennium book series by Stieg Larsson. The film acts as a sequel to David Fincher's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. It stars Claire Foy in the role of Lisbeth Salander and follows Salander as she battles against a mysterious notorious organization, the Spiders, who seek world dominance. Sverrir Gudnason, Lakeith Stanfield, Sylvia Hoeks, and Stephen Merchant also appear in the film.

The Girl in the Spider's Web
Theatrical release poster
Directed byFede Álvarez
Produced by
Written by
Based onThe Girl in the Spider's Web
by David Lagercrantz
Characters by
Stieg Larsson
Starring
Music byRoque Baños
CinematographyPedro Luque
Edited byTatiana S. Riegel
Production
companies
Distributed bySony Pictures Releasing[1]
Release date
  • October 24, 2018 (2018-10-24) (Rome)
  • October 26, 2018 (2018-10-26) (Sweden)
  • November 9, 2018 (2018-11-09) (United States and Canada)
  • November 21, 2018 (2018-11-21) (United Kingdom)
  • November 22, 2018 (2018-11-22) (Germany)
Running time
117 minutes[3]
Country
LanguageEnglish
Budget$43 million[5]
Box office$35.2 million[6]

The Girl in the Spider's Web had its world premiere at the Rome Film Festival on October 24, 2018, and was theatrically released by Sony Pictures Releasing in Sweden on October 26, 2018, and in the United States on November 9, 2018. A box-office bomb, the film grossed $35.2 million worldwide and received mixed reviews from critics, although Foy's performance was praised.[9]

Plot

In Stockholm, Sweden, computer programmer Frans Balder hires vigilante hacker Lisbeth Salander to retrieve Firefall, a program he developed for the National Security Agency that can access the world's nuclear codes. Balder believes it too dangerous to exist. Lisbeth successfully retrieves Firefall from the NSA's servers, but she is unable to unlock it. Her actions attract the attention of NSA agent Edwin Needham.

Mercenaries led by Jan Holtser steal the program from Lisbeth and attempt to kill her, though she survives. When she misses a scheduled rendezvous with Balder, he mistakenly believes Lisbeth has kept Firefall for herself and contacts Gabrielle Grane, the deputy director of the Swedish Security Service. Grane moves Balder and his young son, August, to a safe house. Meanwhile, Needham tracks the unauthorized login to Stockholm and arrives there seeking Lisbeth and Firefall.

Lisbeth and her hacker friend, Plague, contact Lisbeth's former lover, investigative journalist Mikael Blomkvist, for help identifying her assailants. Blomkvist learns Holtser previously worked for Lisbeth's late father, crime lord Alexander Zalachenko, and is now affiliated with an elusive international crime syndicate known as the "Spiders". Lisbeth puts surveillance on Balder's safe house, and when it is attacked, she intervenes, attempting to protect Balder and his son. She is intercepted by Holtser, who kills Balder and frames Lisbeth, then kidnaps August. Lizbeth pursues them and rescues August. Lisbeth also learns the Spiders' leader is her sister, Camilla Salander, whom Lisbeth believed was dead. As children, Lisbeth escaped their abusive father, leaving Camilla behind after she hesitated to leave. After years of physical and sexual abuse, Camilla faked her suicide and went underground to form the Spiders.

Lisbeth takes August to another safe house, where she confirms only he can unlock Firefall. Elsewhere, Needham locates Lisbeth's girlfriend, Sofia, and persuades her to arrange a meeting between them, intending to lure Lisbeth into a trap. Lisbeth evades him, and Needham is later arrested by Grane. Lisbeth helps him escape in exchange for him safely escorting August to San Francisco to reunite him with his mother; she begrudgingly agrees to later give him Firefall.

The Spiders trick August by calling him from his father's cellphone, then track him to Lisbeth's safe house. Camilla and the Spiders take August to her base of operations, the sisters' childhood home. Grane had hired the Spiders to retrieve Firefall for her and informed them of Balder's location, but Camilla kills Grane, instead.

Using a tracker hidden on August, Lisbeth, Blomkvist, Plague, and Needham locate him. Lisbeth breaks in to give Plague remote computer access to the building's surveillance system. She is caught and taken to where August is being held. She learns that Blomkvist has also been captured. When Camilla threatens to torture him, Lisbeth tells August to trust her and to reveal the Firefall password. Camilla tries suffocating Lisbeth while describing their father's abuse.

Armed with a .50 BMG sniper rifle and remotely guided by Plague via computer, Needham fires through brick walls, eliminating Camilla's henchmen, saving August and Blomkvist. Camilla escapes with the laptop containing Firefall, and Lisbeth pursues her. Holtser, injected with a poison that induces blindness, stumbles through some woods onto a road, where he is fatally hit by Camilla's fleeing car. The vehicle crashes into the trees. Camilla, injured, escapes into the woods. Lisbeth pursues her to a nearby clifftop, where Camilla tearfully asks why she never returned for her; Lisbeth says Camilla chose to remain with their father rather than escape with her. Camilla, heavily bleeding, drops the laptop computer and steps off the cliff to her death before Lisbeth can stop her.

Needham attempts to access Firefall, only to discover Lisbeth has destroyed it. August is reunited with his mother in the United States. Blomkvist writes an investigative article about the Spider's Web to be published in Millennium, but then deletes it. Lisbeth destroys her childhood home as closure, then rides away on her motorcycle.

Cast
  • Claire Foy is Lisbeth Salander, a computer hacker who has survived severe emotional and sexual abuse.
    • Beau Gadsdon is Young Lisbeth Salander.
  • Sverrir Gudnason as Mikael Blomkvist, a journalist for Millennium and lover/partner of Lisbeth.
  • Lakeith Stanfield is Edwin Needham, an NSA security expert who is tracking Salander.
  • Sylvia Hoeks is Camilla Salander, Lisbeth's estranged sister, who is the head of a major crime syndicate.
    • Carlotta von Falkenhayn is Young Camilla Salander.
  • Stephen Merchant is Frans Balder, a terminated employee of the NSA who developed a program called Firefall, which accesses the world's nuclear codes. He requests Salander's help in destroying his program, which he believes to be too powerful for any player.
  • Vicky Krieps is Erika Berger, the publisher of Millennium'.
  • Claes Bang is Jan Holster, Camilla's accomplice.
  • Christopher Convery is August Balder, Frans' son.
  • Synnøve Macody Lund is Gabriella Grane, the deputy director of the Swedish Security Service.
  • Cameron Britton is Plague, a close associate of Lisbeth's, and a computer expert to whom she reaches out when she needs assistance.
  • Andreja Pejić is Sofia, Lisbeth's lover/partner.
  • Mikael Persbrandt is Alexander Zalachenko, Lisbeth and Camilla Salander's father.
  • Volker Bruch is Peter Ahlgren.

Production

In November 2015, The Hollywood Reporter announced that Sony Pictures Entertainment was planning to develop a new film series based on the Millennium novels, starting from the book The Girl in the Spider's Web by David Lagercrantz.[10] Rooney Mara and Daniel Craig, who portrayed Salander and Blomkvist, respectively, in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, would not be back for the film. New actors would be cast, and David Fincher would also not return as director, though he later received an executive producer credit.[10] Steven Knight was announced to be in talks to adapt the novel, while the producers would be Scott Rudin, Amy Pascal, and Elizabeth Cantillon, along with Yellow Bird's Berna Levin, Søren Stærmose, and Ole Sondberg.[10] TheWrap reported that Alicia Vikander was being considered for the role of Salander.[11] However, while promoting Carol, Mara stated that she was still signed for the sequel: "As far as I know I'm doing it until someone tells me otherwise".[12]

In November 2016, Variety reported that Sony was in negotiations with Fede Álvarez to direct the film, with Eli Bush as an additional producer.[13] In March 2017, it was announced that the film would feature an entirely new cast, with production set to begin in September 2017.[14] In May 2017, it was reported that Claire Foy was the frontrunner to play Salander, and, in September 2017, Foy was officially cast in the film.[15][16] Sylvia Hoeks joined the cast in October 2017.[17] The rest of the cast was announced over the next five months.[18][19][20][21][22][23][24]

Principal photography began in January 2018 in Berlin,[18][25] Leipzig Airport then moved to Hamburg February 2–4, for filming at the Kattwyk Bridge;[26] and ended in April 2018, in Stockholm.[27][28]

Release

The Girl in the Spider's Web was released in the United States on November 9, 2018 by Sony.[23] It was originally scheduled for October 5, 2018, but was moved in March 2017.[14] The first trailer was released on June 7, 2018.[29] The film premiered at the Rome Film Festival on October 24, 2018.[30]

Reception

Box office

The Girl in the Spider's Web has grossed $14.8 million in the United States and Canada, and $20.2 million in other territories, for a total worldwide gross of $35 million, against a production budget of $43 million.[6] Having failed to recover its production budget, it emerged a box-office bomb.[31]

In the United States and Canada, The Girl in the Spider's Web was released alongside The Grinch and Overlord, and was projected to gross $10–15 million from 2,929 theaters in its opening weekend.[32] It made $3 million on its first day, including $635,000 from Thursday night previews. It went on to debut to $8 million, down from the $12.8 million opening of the first film and finishing fifth at the box office.[33] The film fell 68% in its second weekend to $2.8 million, finishing ninth.[34]

Critical response

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 39% based on 233 reviews, and an average rating of 5.06/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "The Girl in the Spider's Web focuses on the action elements of its source material for a less complex – and only sporadically effective – franchise reboot."[35] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 43 out of 100, based on 42 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[36] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B" on an A+ to F scale, while PostTrak reported filmgoers gave it a 75% positive score.[33]

References
  1. "Film releases". Variety Insight. Retrieved June 8, 2018.
  2. McClintock, Pamela (October 2, 2018). "New Regency Teams With Sony on 'Girl in the Spider's Web,' 'Little Women'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 25, 2018.
  3. "The Girl in the Spider's Web". Regal Entertainment Group. Retrieved October 7, 2018.
  4. "The Girl in the Spider's Web (2018)". AllMovie. Retrieved November 3, 2018.
  5. Peele, Anna (October 17, 2018). "New 'Girl': Claire Foy Opens Up on Politics, Fears and Her Dark Journey From The Queen to Lisbeth Salander". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 17, 2018.
  6. "The Girl in the Spider's Web (2018)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved March 24, 2019.
  7. "The Girl in the Spider's Web (2018) - Fede Álvarez". AllMovie.
  8. "'The Girl in the Spider's Web': Film Review - Rome 2018". The Hollywood Reporter.
  9. Geisinger, Gabriella (November 5, 2018). "The Girl in the Spider's Web reviews: What do critics say about new Dragon Tattoo film?". Daily Express. Retrieved November 5, 2018.
  10. Siegel, Tatiana; Kit, Borys (November 4, 2015). "'Girl With the Dragon Tattoo' Follow-up in Works With Steven Knight in Talks to Adapt (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved November 5, 2015.
  11. Sneider, Jeff (November 4, 2015). "Alicia Vikander Early Favorite to Replace Rooney Mara in 'Girl With the Dragon Tattoo' Sequel (Exclusive)". TheWrap. Retrieved November 5, 2015.
  12. "Rooney Mara: I'm Still Signed to Star in The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo Sequel". E! Online. November 13, 2015. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
  13. Kroll, Justin (November 2, 2016). "Sony's 'Girl With the Dragon Tattoo' Sequel May Have Found Its Director (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved November 3, 2016.
  14. Hipes, Patrick (March 13, 2017). "'The Girl In The Spider's Web' With New Cast Gets 2018 Release Date". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved March 13, 2017.
  15. Kroll, Justin (May 15, 2017). "'Girl With the Dragon Tattoo' Sequel: 'The Crown's' Claire Foy Frontrunner for Lisbeth Salander". Variety. Retrieved September 17, 2017.
  16. McNary, Dave (September 15, 2017). "'Crown's' Claire Foy to Officially Star in 'Girl With the Dragon Tattoo' Sequel". Variety. Retrieved September 17, 2017.
  17. Kroll, Justin (October 20, 2017). "Blade Runner Breakout Sylvia Hoeks Joins Girl With the Dragon Tattoo Sequel". Variety. Retrieved October 21, 2017.
  18. Kroll, Justin (November 17, 2017). "Dragon Tattoo Sequel Taps The Square Star Claes Bang as Villain". Variety. Retrieved November 27, 2017.
  19. Kroll, Justin (November 29, 2017). "Mindhunter's Cameron Britton Joins Dragon Tattoo Sequel". Variety. Retrieved December 6, 2017.
  20. Kroll, Justin (December 6, 2017). "Dragon Tattoo Sequel Casts Borg/McEnroe Star in Daniel Craig's Previous Role". Variety. Retrieved December 6, 2017.
  21. "'Get Out' Actor Lakeith Stanfield Joins 'Girl in the Spider's Web'". hollywoodreporter.com.
  22. Vlessing, Etan (February 6, 2018). "Stephen Merchant Joins 'Dragon Tattoo' Sequel 'Girl in the Spider's Web'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 22, 2018.
  23. Kroll, Justin (February 8, 2018). "'Phantom Thread' Star Vicky Krieps Joins 'Dragon Tattoo' Sequel (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved February 17, 2018.
  24. N'Duka, Amanda (March 14, 2018). "Sope Aluko Cast In 'Venom'; Andreja Pejić Joins 'The Girl In The Spider's Web'; James Trevena-Brown In 'Charlie Says'". deadline.com.
  25. "Claire Foy wins her second SAG Award for The Crown". The New Indian Express. January 22, 2018. Retrieved February 17, 2018.
  26. "Lisbeth Salander – Dreh im Hamburger Hafen".
  27. "THE GIRL IN THE SPIDER'S WEB – Stockholm Photo Call". April 14, 2018. Retrieved April 15, 2018.
  28. Flint, Hanna (April 16, 2018). "Claire Foy reveals Lisbeth Salander hair transformation as 'The Girl in the Spider's Web' wraps". Yahoo!. Retrieved August 22, 2018.
  29. Evans, Greg (June 7, 2018). "'The Girl In The Spider's Web' Trailer: First Look At Claire Foy's Lisbeth Salander Of The Stieg Larsson Series".
  30. "Rome Film Festival: 'Girl in the Spider's Web' World Premiere Among Full Lineup Highlights". The Hollywood Reporter.
  31. Clark, Travis (December 29, 2018). "13 of the biggest movie flops of 2018 that failed dramatically at the box office". Business Insider. Retrieved February 9, 2019.
  32. Rubin, Rebecca (November 6, 2018). "'The Grinch' to Steal Box Office Crown With $55 Million-Plus Debut". Variety. Retrieved November 6, 2018.
  33. D'Alessandro, Anthony (November 11, 2018). "'The Grinch' Who Stole Business: Dr. Seuss Pic Opening To $66M As 'Overlord' & 'Spider's Web' Wither – Sunday Update". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Business Media. Retrieved November 11, 2018.
  34. D'Alessandro, Anthony (November 18, 2018). "'Crimes Of Grindelwald' Falls Short Stateside With $62M+ Debut, WB Celebrates Global Win As 'Fantastic Beasts' Series Hits $1B-Plus". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  35. "The Girl in the Spider's Web (2018)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
  36. "The Girl in the Spider's Web Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
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