Months before Spider-Man 2 hits cinema screens, film-makers today confirmed that work is already beginning to create a third instalment of the action adventure.

John Travolta is taking a break from playing good guys on screen and is signing on to play the villain in The Punisher, a film based one of Marvel Comics’ most popular titles.

Spider-Man, with a record £80m (€128m) debut, has become the new superhero of film franchises - and may even give Star Wars a run for its money as the biggest hit of 2002.