Julie Taymor Replaced As Director of 'Spider-Man'

As expected, Julie Taymor has been replaced as the director of Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, but will remain a part of the troubled musical's creative team. The producers have selected Broadway veteran Phil McKinley, director of the Tony-winning play The Boy From Oz, as Taymor's successor.

Sources close to the production say that Taymor's refusal to take criticism of the show seriously had alienated her from the producers, who have insisted that she make changes and work with outside collaborators.

According to the Daily, Taymor ignored changes suggested by Bono, the co-writer of the musical's songs. Without Taymor in a central position, Bono and the Edge are said to be the new driving creative force behind the project, and are likely to push Spider-Man toward the style of a more conventional Broadway musical.

In addition to the arrival of McKinley as director, the producers have also brought on Paul Bogaev and Peter Helenski to rework the show's music and sound, respectively. The show no longer has an official opening date, though the producers have promised it to be sometime in early summer.