Raimi, Maguire Reportedly Returning For 'Spidey 4' (And 5?)

Undeniably, this is big news. Not because we think it could save a franchise that got off track the last time around but simply because it's improbably that, ten years after they started, Sam Raimi and Tobey Maguire would want to return to Spider-Man. Apparently, that's the deal, or so says Nikki Finke. Over at Deadline Hollywood, Finke says Sony has the go-ahead from both actor and director for Spider-Man 4, and Sony doesn't want to recast Mary Jane, even though...well...let's just say Kirsten Dunst doesn't exactly make or break this movie. The other big news is that Sony may want Spidey 4 and 5 shot back-to-back. I would have to believe five would be it for the current incarnation of Peter Parker. Raimi is actively pursuing other things at this point and by the time a fifth movie is released, Maguire will be closing in on 40. No foolin'. Spider-Man 4 would open in 2011 at the earliest, so even if the next one follows a year later, Tobey will be 37 years old. That's fine if you're Batman or Superman, but it's hard to buy Spider-Man at that age. And it's equally hard to believe Maguire would want to start his second decade in the suit. Finke has some speculation about possible villains. Hopefully screenwriter James Vanderbilt (Zodiac) will forego the multiple villains that plagued Spidey 3 and get back to a simpler arc. That doesn't mean an easier story, just one that moves one direction instead of three or four. Get more of the scoop at Deadline Hollywood, and look for the first batch of production photos in about 14 months.

Comments

[Robbie]

I don't know what the rights issues are, but I'd like to see The Kingpin in a Spider-Man movie. A lot of superhero movies have featured non-super powered antagonists (such as SUPERMAN III) and it can make for a more creative story - after all, when you have a non-super powered villain, you can't go with the easy option of rooftop battles or CGI fights in the skies of New York. If a non-super powered villain like The Kingpin appeared in a Spider-Man movie, the movie would have to come up with other ways of creating tension because The Kingpin is rarely about physicality and more about brains.

Dr. Doom was also a Spider-Man villain early on, he fought Spidey almost as many times as he fought the Fantastic Four. Again, he'd be about brains, not brawn and super powers. I know that won't happen, though. They'll go with 100 other Spidey villains before they go with Dr. Doom (and even then, not sure if the Spider-Man franchise has the rights to the movie version of Doom).

[Kevin]

It's not about having rights to movie version. If it's in the Marvel Universe, especially in a Spidey story arc, they can use it. They might not get the same actor for whatever reason, but I don't like the guy who played Doom anyway. that whiny nasally voice coming out of Doom was awful.

[Robbie]

Hi Kevin

How do the movie rights work now? I know that Fox had the rights to both Kingpin and Dr. Doom and that Sony has the rights to Spider-Man. I did hear there may have been changes with regards to Marvel's characters - do you know if individual superhero movies have the rights to use ANY Marvel character?

Also, I agree with you about Doom. If Doom ever appears in a future Marvel movie, I'd prefer to see the role recast.