Spider-Man will swing back into theaters, but not for another three years.
Speaking Thursday to theater owners from California and Nevada, Spider-Man producer Laura Ziskin said the fourth installment of the franchise is tentatively set to open in May 2011. There’s still no screenplay, but Ziskin said she and Sony Pictures are hopeful Spider-Man 4 could be ready by the target date.
Of course, the script isn’t the only hurdle the production faces: Neither director Sam Raimi nor star Tobey Maguire has committed to a fourth installment. Raimi has said he wants to see a screenplay first, while Maguire’s participation seems to hinge on Raimi’s decision.
It was reported last month that Sony had renewed the rights to the franchise, which has grossed $2.5 billion worldwide.
June 20th, 2008 at 7:44 pm
I sure how they are able to Maguire and Raimi back, not so sure how good the movie would be without them?
June 21st, 2008 at 7:21 am
Marvel have already staked out May 5, 2011 for the Captain America movie, I presume they don’t want their characters competing aginst each other.
June 21st, 2008 at 7:58 am
So they don’t have a script, a director or a cast, but they do have a release date? Sorted. I’m sure this will be a wonderful film and not in any way like the mess the thrid film was which also had a release date before a script.
I don’t see Raimi coming back for this, and to be honest, I’d much rather see him get a couple of million off a studio, have a laugh with Bruce Campbell for a few months and make Evil Dead 4. I still consider the apocalyptic ending of Army of Darkness the real one, and think there’s still one hell of a good movie left in that franchise.
June 21st, 2008 at 9:12 am
After the disaster that the third one was (though it did rake in the dough), I’d rather see some new talent in front of and behind the camera. The first two were great, but the last one not so much. Raimi blew it on 3 – he tried to cram too much in, ala Batman and Robin, with little to no development. At this point, the only cast member I care to see come back is JK Simmons.
June 21st, 2008 at 9:34 am
Trav: Agreed. JK Simmons can be JJJ ’til the end of time, but the rest of the cast and crew I would gladly see replaced with new blood. Well, maybe Bryce Dallas Howard back as Gwen Stacy… meow!
June 21st, 2008 at 10:46 am
I agree. I can do with a cast overhaul. I don’t mind McGuire but he’s no deal breaker for me. Denise Richards or some other actress who is actually HOT and not just wholesome should be cast as Mary Jane. Keep Bryce Dallas Howard since she really didn’t get to do much in the last movie. JK Simmons should definitely stay put.
And, no offense to the actress, but I never felt she was right for Aunt May was right. I think part of me expected her to look and sound exactly like the character from SPIDER-MAN AND HIS AMAZING FRIENDS.
June 21st, 2008 at 11:01 am
hotknife86 – denise richards? thank god that you are not in charge of this. good lord man. why would you even suggest someone who can’t act?
June 21st, 2008 at 11:03 am
Man I hope they don’t make this movie.
June 21st, 2008 at 11:04 am
Trav…I couldn’t AGREE with you more. In my opinion, the 3rd movie was horrible. Instead of Spiderman fighting both Sandman and Vemon (not to mention dealing with Harry Osborn and the whole love issue with MJ and Gwen Stacy), the movie should have just concentrated on the origin of Sandman and only introduced Venom, who would have been the villain in the 4th installment. Rami really blew it with pacing, anticipation and execution in this movie and for setting up the next one. Had Venom been the featured villain for Spiderman 4, THAT movie would have absolutely dominated the box office and broke even more records. Spiderman 3, like the 1st HULK achieved the numbers it did, because of the element of surprise, but once word-of-mouth got out that it was terrible, ticket sales dropped considerably. The Spiderman franchise had its peak with the disappointing Spiderman 3, from here on out…it’s all downhill.
June 21st, 2008 at 11:20 am
I wonder why Marvel let Sony renew the rights. Wouldn’t you want full control over your most recognizable character?
June 21st, 2008 at 11:24 am
I imagine their original agreement contains a clause giving Sony the right to renew within a certain period of time.
June 21st, 2008 at 11:38 am
I hope they recast Pete and Mary Jane.
I’ve said it before and will again…the Spider-Man franchise should take some advice the Bond films. Replace Pete when the current actor gets too old, keep JJ and Aunt May for as long as possible, and have each film tell a compelling and, for the most part, separate story.
June 21st, 2008 at 1:15 pm
the only good spiderman movie was the 2nd one the rest sucks
June 21st, 2008 at 2:25 pm
Josh- Remember, Universal re-upped The Hulk, and Marvel has full control of the property.
Sony probably has a distribution deal but Marvel Studios have the character rights.
June 21st, 2008 at 4:04 pm
I just want them to make a Spider-Man movie that’s not primarily a love story, and with a Peter Parker who’s down on his luck, but not a complete retard loser.
June 21st, 2008 at 8:46 pm
I really hope both Raimi and Maguire are done. They’ve had their bite at the apple, and instead of Sony throwing out cash desperately pleading for a last-gasp “Spider-Man 4″ to unleash on the world, I really hope the producers involved decide to use this opportunity to deliver a movie with a new vision and star that insures Spider-Man is a character with cinematic longevity more like James Bond than Indiana Jones.
June 21st, 2008 at 9:56 pm
It sucks they renewed. I wanted Marvel to get the rights back. They’re currently batting a thousand, with both Iron Man and Hulk being excellent films.
June 21st, 2008 at 11:14 pm
I REALLY hope Marvel is smart about release dates. Regardless of anything else, they should have Captain America released either on Memorial Day weekend, 4th of July weekend. It would make it promoting the film much easier.
June 22nd, 2008 at 8:44 am
3 wasnt soo bad guys cmon. Ive enjoyed them all. Lets give raimi another chance.
June 22nd, 2008 at 10:01 am
It’s too bad that Marvel won’t have more control over these later “Spidey” films…after the third one, I think that would be for the best.
June 22nd, 2008 at 11:59 am
Don’t blame the third film disaster on Raimi. Avi Arad pushed for Venom to be included in the film. Raimi kicked and screamed but ultimately Arad got his way.
June 22nd, 2008 at 3:02 pm
Dombrowski is right. If you followed the development of the film, Raimi really fought against having Venom in there but there is only so much you can do when you’re hired to do a job and the guys cutting your paycheck give you the ultimatum.
Everyone was screaming for Venom to be in a film and the suits being ever mindful of what they could milk out of the fanboys for merchandising and free word-of-mouth, pulled the strings.
June 22nd, 2008 at 5:13 pm
hopefully black cat and firestar will be in the next film, and there will be lots of good fight scenes, and less of the villain angst.. keep the villains villainous!
June 22nd, 2008 at 7:24 pm
by 2011 it will be ten years since the making of 1, how will they play peter and mary jane off as kids just out of school when dunst will be what 30 by that time and maguire?? You could tell that they lost effort at the end of 3 with that power ranger ending, rebot 4 or don’t make it at all, and if 4 is being made by the same people at least try to make it half serious like the second one which was very good. 3 could have been so much more
June 23rd, 2008 at 4:44 am
Honestly, I really don’t think that cutting Venom out of the film would have helped. I mean, come on. He was in the film for a total of twenty minutes, only about seven of them onscreen. Removing him would have affected only the ending really. It wouldn’t have saved that disappointment.
June 23rd, 2008 at 7:40 am
I agree that Raimi is not the one to blame for the Spider-Man movies turning into the first Batman movie franchise. (The first two being great, then spiraling into rubber nipple territory). It would seem that when the studios see the money being made, they hand creative control over to marketing boards and producers in the hopes of maximizing profits or something, essentially tying the hands of the director. From what I recall, Raimi wanted Sandman and Black Cat to be the only villains for the third film, with Black Cat doubling as the third wheel in the romantic triangle subplot instead of Gwen Stacey.
However, the powers that be could not wait to rake in the cash on the Venom action figures with the Venom Arctic-Blast figure and the Venom-Cycle or whatever. So instead of givng a whole movie to him and the lame-o, emo-Spidey (I personally would prefer no movie with venom, but cannot deny his popularity), they go for the quick cash grab and drive away the creative force that made the first two so good.
June 23rd, 2008 at 7:55 am
the first two were great in my opinion and the third one was a massive dissapointment, but i still feel it gets way to much flack then it deserves. i still enjoyed ot more then hulk (not the new awesome one), daredevil, both fantastic four movies,and x-men 3. people comparing it to batman & robin is ridiculous. spider-man 3 was a sappy mess, but batman & robin was in a league of its own. batman forever was also horrible. that being said, i don’t a reboot is necessary, just a redirection. a new fresh story, with some new fresh ideas would be fine. tobey is a fine spider-man and a great peter parker, maybe they could do better, but if they keep him i am fine with it. kirsten has to go period. as for raimi, now that they have a fantastic writer in james vanderbilt creating a fresh script with a more serious take, i am fine with raimi coming back. i have love for the man as he brought my favorite character to the big screen in 2 fantastic outings before he dropped the ball with the third. i can’t wait for the next movie to hopefully redeem the third one and whoever said it is all downhill from here has no idea what they are talking about. if batman can bounce back after batman & robin, then the infinitely more popular (you know it is true) will bounce back even stronger, even if money wise the next one takes a little dip at first til word of mouth redeems it.
June 23rd, 2008 at 9:06 am
Messi: We got someone who apparently can act but I don’t think she’s at all right for MJ. Anna Paquin is an accomplished Rogue but Rogue SUCKED in all three films. Re-read the message. I said “someone LIKE” Denise Richards. To each his own,but at least someone like Denise Richards at least looks the part. With a character like Mary Jane, looks are pretty darn important. I personally think Richards is just fine as an actress, no worse than Dunst and a lot easier on the eyes.
June 23rd, 2008 at 2:57 pm
I sure wouldn’t mind a new Mary Jane..
i mean, isn’t she supposed to be a hot model? Kirsten Dunst is hardly that
June 24th, 2008 at 7:51 am
C’mon guys. Your being a bit cruel here. True, Kirsten Dunst isn’t the ideal Mary-Jane Watson for the big screen but she made the most of the role.
June 25th, 2008 at 10:18 am
Spider-Man 3 was the best of the series. Raimi and the cast were perfect. I think the last Hulk was the worst of the Marvel films.
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