After numerous delays, the official opening of U2’s Spider-Man musical has been delayed for a fifth time and will now premiere on March 15, producers for the show announced yesterday. The delay will allow for “more time to fine-tune aspects of the show, including the new ending,” producers told The New York Times, which also reports that U2 producer Steve Lillywhite has been called in to work on the show’s music.
Spider-Man, which has cost $65 million to produce, is the most expensive Broadway show ever and the tricky production is the main factor for the delayed opening. “[It was] ten times more complicated to tech than anything else,” producer Michael Cohl said. “We simply need more time to fully execute the creative team’s vision before freezing the show.”
The production has also been plagued by cast injuries. Actress Natalie Mendoza, who played the character Arachne, suffered a concussion during a performance in November and announced she was leaving the show in December. Despite the troubles, ticket sales have remained strong.
U2 and producers are also tweaking the music for Spider-Man, after it received damning reviews from critics. Lillywhite is working with Bono and the Edge on the show’s score, although a spokesperson denies he is writing new songs with the two. Lillywhite is also producing the original cast album for the play.
