Spider-Man: Lotus Explained
After garnering a following on social media for five years, building a monumental crowdfunding campaign, employing the talent of aspiring actors, and creating near studio-quality CGI effects Spider-Man: Lotus was on its way to becoming a true spectacle. Directed by first-time filmmakers Warden Wayne and Gavin J. Konop, Spider-Man: Lotus was going to be a fan film completely outside the realm of Sony and Marvel Studios.
Driven by their mutual love of Spider-Man and what the character represents in the public eye, they sought to create a down-to-earth story inspired by Spider-Man: Blue, Death & Destiny, The Kid Who Collects Spider-Man, and the hundreds of other tales that make the webhead so relatable.
With an estimated run-time of 90 minutes, a brief appearance by the Green Goblin, and story notes from The Death of Gwen Stacy, Wayne and Konop sought to bring a melancholy angle to the character that has been so often missed within large-studio pictures.
It’s unclear when production began on Spider-Man: Lotus but it’s safe to say a fair amount of work was poured into the project. With an outstanding amount of CGI effects completed and having presented a full-length three-minute trailer, Spider-Man: Lotus was moving full steam ahead. In a YouTube live stream co-director, Gavin J. Konop let fans know that a rough cut of the film was finished sometime in June and VFX was still underway.
The full trailer for Spider-Man: Lotus reached 2.5 million views on YouTube, incredible numbers for a fan film to say the least. All of this great momentum came to a halt though when news regarding racist remarks from the co-directors broke. Direct messages from Spider-Man: Lotus leading actor Wayne Warden and director Gavin J. Konop were revealed, which exhibited racist slurs against Black people. Homophobic messages and voice memos from Konop have also been leaked online.
Since news broke across social media, both Wayne Warden and Gavin J. Konop issued respective apologies. Warden made his statement on the matter available to read on his Twitter account, while Konop issued his on YouTube. As of publishing this piece, both are still available to view. There was a myriad of other messages that “leaked” which insulted director Jon Watts (director of Marvel Studios’ Spider-Man trilogy) but in all likelihood, these messages were fabricated by an individual to stir controversy.
Understandably, fans of the project are saddened and hurt by the actions of the filmmakers. The VFX team for Spider-Man: Lotus left the project to separate themselves from the actions of the filmmakers. In a video highlighting their work for the project, the team exclaimed that they never sensed any of this wrong behavior while collaborating.
Some of the fans of the project seem to be taking the earnest apology well while holding the creators accountable for their actions. Spider-Man: Lotus VFX artist Max Aurnhammer had this to say about his departure from the project:
…What happened with Lotus is extremely sad, and we absolutely do not condone anything that was said by Gavin or Warden in those leaked dms. This video is meant to be a celebration of my talented VFX team who worked their asses off on the film and were worried that their work wouldn’t see the light of day. As far as I know, the film is still coming out, but we quit.
Regardless, this event will stain the legacy of the film forever. As the film industry is growing and evolving to be more inclusive it’s important to create an atmosphere of decency, transparency, and understanding. Every cast and crew member deserves respect and when someone makes a mistake, it’s vital they’re met with consequences for their actions.
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What Is Spider-Man: Lotus About?
Directed by Warden Wayne and Gavin J. Konop, Spider-Man: Lotus is a psychological study of Peter Parker, as he’s confronted by the guilt of his past. Following the tragic death of his former girlfriend – seemingly caused by his own attempt to save her – Peter Parker lingers in his guilt of the past, questioning whether the curse of his alter ego should be buried for good.
When he’s met by the news that a terminally ill child has requested to meet Spider-Man, Peter contemplates the decision to comfort him in his final days. The film stars Warden Wayne, Sean Wythe, Moriah Brooklyn, Tuyen Powell, and Max Fox.
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Is Spider-Man: Lotus Coming Out?
Yes! Director Gavin J. Konop when addressing the controversy regarding Spider-Man: Lotus committing to releasing the film. The film was initially slated to release by the end of Summer 2022 but since a large portion of the VFX crew parted ways with the project, it’s hard to say when the official release date may be.
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What Is The Budget For Spider-Man: Lotus
The budget for Spider-Man: Lotus is reportedly $112,079. The money for the project was raised by GJK on the crowd backing platform Indiegogo. According to the Spider-Man: Lotus Indiegogo campaign, here’s the budget breakdown of the film:
- Production Expenses – 30%
- Crew – 20%
- Travel – 15%
- Post-Production – 15%
- Talent – 20%
How Much Did Spider-Man: Lotus Raise?
Director Gavin J. Konop and team reportedly raised $112,079 on Indiegogo for Spider-Man: Lotus. 2,759 backers backed the project for special incentives that tie into the film. Some of the incentives included a name in the film’s credits, a credit on IMDb, a digital copy of the film and script, a live-stream shoutout, a digital copy of the film’s score, a personalized message, a Blu-ray copy of the film, Spider-Man: Lotus t-shirt, signed poster, signed script, and more.
Will You Watch Spider-Man: Lotus?
Will you be watching Spider-Man: Lotus? What do you think of the controversy surrounding this film about our favorite web slinger?
