The script potential score of Spider-Man is 0.71, a blockbuster (predicted 340-415MM; actual 404MM)
The script of Spider-Man will appeal to 20.32 – 24.83 % of the population
97% events in Spider-Man are borrowed from 3 mythological tales
The script of Spider-Man will appeal to 20.32 – 24.83 % of the population
Any story is the quest to fulfil a human desire. We have identified universal quests for every human desire. These universal quests reveal the invisible plot structure of stories. An analysis of Blockbuster, Hit & Flop plots led to the discovery of Mythosis Code. The Code reveals the story principles shared by all Blockbusters. We use the Code to estimate and unlock a story’s Blockbuster potential.
All Blockbusters have at least 3 universal quests. Spider-Man has 3 universal quests of Honour, Accumulation & Preservation.
In Blockbusters, each universal quest is mirrored by ONLY ONE character. Peter mirrors the universal quest of Honour. Norman mirrors the quest of Preservation & MJ mirrors the quest of Accumulation. Harry doesn’t have a well-developed quest.
Every Blockbuster character borrows at least 35% of the universal quest. Peter’s character borrows 48% of the universal quest of Honour. Norman borrows 36% of the quest of Preservation. MJ’s character borrows 22% of the quest of Accumulation.
Blockbusters interweave different quests to create a tight plot structure. Interweaving occurs when events of 2 quests occur simultaneously in the story. Blockbusters have a quest interweaving threshold of 0.5. Spider-Man’s quest interweaving score is 0.67 and is above par. An example of interweaving of Peter’s & Norman’s quests:
Blockbusters have a script score of at least 0.64 whereas Spider-Man’s script score is 0.71. Based on the script score we estimate that the movie will appeal to 20.32 – 24.83 % of the population.
The plot structure of Spider-Man borrows deeply from 2 universal quests which compensates for the low borrowing of the 3rd universal quest. The 3 quests are interwoven on 5 occasions.
97% events in Spider-Man are borrowed from 3 mythological tales
At Mythosis, we have identified 32 mythological tales. Each mythological tale uniquely represents a human quest to fulfil a desire. These tales are the super set of thousands of tales across cultures.
We have codified the events of each mythological tale. Every tale has 5 major arcs. Each arc has a sequence of events. These events culminate into a major event. Here is the mapping of each character’s quest to the major events in their respective mythological tale.
Quest 1: Peter mirrors 48% of Hanuman’s quest for Honour (above threshold of 35%)
Peter’s desire for Honour stems from the need to be loyal to a clan or order. The tale of Hanuman from Hindu mythology is the universal quest for Honour.
Quest 2: MJ mirrors 22% of Valmiki’s quest for Accumulation (below threshold of 35%)
MJ’s desire for Accumulation stems from the need to collect & own. The tale of Valmiki from Hindu mythology has a robust expression in Dicken’s character of Scrooge which is the universal quest for Accumulation.
Quest 3: Norman mirrors 36% of Kans’ quest for Preservation (above threshold of 35%)
Norman’s desire for Preservation stems from the need to survive a threat. The tale of Kans from Hindu mythology is the universal quest for Preservation.
Tags:2002, Accumulation, Box office, Character development, Columbia Pictures, Hanuman, Honour, Kans, Laura Ziskin Productions, Marvel Enterprises, Movie Review, Mythology, Preservation, Sam Raimi, Script, Sony Pictures Releasing, Story plot, Valmiki
