The director of Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark, which features music by U2, has stepped down following ongoing problems with the production.

Julie Taymor will be replaced by a new creative team, but will remain part of the production unit.

The musical has been hit by a series of delays caused by technical and financial problems, and will now not open until “an evening early in the summer”.

The production features a soundtrack by U2's Bono and The Edge, who said in a statement they had written new material.

Following Taymor's departure, Playwright and Spider-Man comic book writer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa has been brought on board to assist the production.

(by Jason Gregory)