Julie Taymor, ‘Spider-Man’ producers reach settlement

The warring parties in the “Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark” lawsuits -- one-time director Julie Taymor and the show’s producers -- have reached what appears to be a tentative settlement.

Judge Katherine B. Forrest issued an order Thursday reporting that the two parties have reached an agreement in principle, according to a court spokeswoman. The spokeswoman said she could not elaborate on the order.

An official spokesman for “Spider-Man” said there was no comment on the matter. A lawyer for Taymor did not respond to a request for comment.

As a result, the trial that had been expected to start next year in New York will likely not take place.

Taymor, ousted as director and creative force behind the famously troubled but popular adaptation of the comic book hero’s exploits, sued Michael Cohl and Jeremiah Harris in November 2011, claiming they violated her creative rights and owed her money for her work on the musical. Cohl and Harris countersued earlier this year, saying she did not fulfill her duties to the show.

“Spider-Man,” with music by Bono and the Edge of U2, had the longest preview period in Broadway history --182 performances -- during which several cast members were injured while performing complicated stunts. Taymor was officially fired in March 2011 before the show opened.

The show opened to largely negative reviews in June 2011, but is consistently among the top 10 grossing Broadway shows.

Check back with Culture Monster for more on the settlement story.