Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy remains a memorable cinematic experience that delved into the backstory of Tobey Maguire’s Peter Parker. Released in 2002, Spider-Man achieved global financial and critical success, grossing $821.7 million against a $139 million budget. Raimi cashed in on this success with Spider-Man 2 (2004) and Spider-Man 3 (2007), respectively. However, while discussions of Spider-Man 4 were certainly had, the anticipated sequel never quite came to fruition. Instead, Maguire stepped aside as Sony rebooted the franchise with Andrew Garfield and Tom Holland each eventually protraying the sensational web-slinging hero.
Still, Spider-Man fans continue to speculate as to exactly why Maguire’s Spider-Man 4 movie never actually happened. With the rumored cameo hinting at Maguire's return to the character in Spider-Man: No Way Home, further discussion of Sam Raimi’s unmade Spider-Man 4 installment has reintroduced itself to the spotlight. With all of this in mind, let’s take a closer look at why the fourth Sony installment fell through.
Who Was Signed On For Spider-Man 4?
Despite lackluster reviews, Spider-Man 3 ultimately grossed a staggering $890.9 million worldwide, serving as the highest grossing film of the trilogy and the highest-grossing Spider-Man film at the time. Back then, a superhero film grossing nearly $1 billion was certainly a rarity. After the film’s release in May 2007, director Sam Raimi was reportedly in talks for Spider-Man 4 by October.
In a March 2009 interview with MTV, Raimi discussed the ongoing development for the fourth film. In that same interview, Raimi revealed that Tobey Maguire was also signed on for the upcoming project. However, Kirsten Dunst, who portrayed Mary Jane Watson in the first three films of the trilogy, had yet to sign on for the movie’s production. By August 2009, Variety reported that James Vanderbilt, who wrote the screenplay for Zodiac, had been recruited to writer Spider-Man 4.
Who Were The Possible Villains?
Over the course of the three films, devoted fans caught on to several cameo appearances of Dylan Baker’s Dr. Curt Connors. When the character officially showed up in Spider-Man 2 as one of Peter Parker’s teachers, superhero and comic book fans alike further fueled the rumor that the character would pose as a potential threat and villain in the series. As many fans are aware, Dr. Curt Connors eventually became The Lizard, a familiar, scaly nemesis of Spider-Man. In an interview with IGN, Barker himself expressed strong interest in suiting up for a possible fourth film.
Further down the line, several plans were revealed for Mysterio, one of Spidey’s memorable villains, to make a highly anticipated appearance in Spider-Man 4. Moreover, there were other reports that Vulture would have been the movie’s main villain, with John Malkovich heavily considered to play the infamous part. As fans are well aware, Mysterio eventually made his long-awaited appearance in Spider-Man: Far From Home, portrayed by Jake Gyllenhaal. Despite this critically praised appearance, the exhilarating character may very well have been introduced during Sam Raimi’s run.
Rumored Release Date
According to Raimi, shooting was planned for March 2010. Four years after the release of Spider-Man 3, an announced release date for May 2011 was on the horizon for Spider-Man 4. According to Variety, Sony expressed full trust in Sam Raimi’s successful franchise, especially with the inclusion of gifted writer James Vanderbilt. However, Deadline Hollywood eventually reported that, because of “story changes” and plot difficulties between writers, plans for the film apparently began to slow down. Difficulties further arose as the plan for Spider-Man 4 would ultimately create the path for Spider-Man 5 & 6, both of which Raimi was insistent upon.
Why Didn't Spider-Man 4 Happen?
The stage had ultimately been set for a fourth installment in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man franchise. Spider-Man 4’s script was fully completed with a release date set for May 2011, Raimi and Maguire were successfully signed on for the project and developmental writing for the following two films were put into place. With the strong anticipation for the film locked and loaded, Deadline reported in January 2010 that the film had been cancelled, and a 2012 franchise reboot was instead announced. In that same announcement, Deadline reported that Sam Raimi “pulled out” of Spider-Man 4 amidst complications with the film’s “creative integrity” and the stress to have the film ready for a specific summer release. Therefore, Sam Raimi, and effectively, Tobey Maguire, parted ways with Sony and the project.