Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy is one of the most influential pieces of work that has gone into the superhero film genre. And it still holds its own among all the newer entries. The trilogy is still loved by fans, and for many, it is their favorite on-screen depiction of Spider-Man, and for a lot of people, Tobey Maguire is the best Spider-Man. So, when Spider-Man 4 was canceled in 2010 after originally being set to release in 2011, many fans were heartbroken. Despite there often being talk of the possibility of Spider-Man 4, it has seemed like Sam Raimi's Spider-Man would never get a definitive ending.
However, a lot has happened since the film was canceled. The MCU's meteoric rise has made superhero films more popular than ever. We have seen several actors reprise their roles as superheroes, including Tobey Maguire in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Marvel's Multiverse Saga has shown that anything is possible when it comes to variants and different universes. And Sam Raimi thinks anything is possible too. Now could be the perfect time for the long-awaited Spider-Man 4.
The Multiverse
The Multiverse Saga has opened up all kinds of opportunities in the MCU. We have seen different worlds and different versions of characters. But most importantly, for the possibility of Spider-Man 4, we have seen Tobey Maguire's Spider-Man in the MCU.
Spider-Man: No Way Home released in December 2021, and there was an outpour of happiness and excitement in cinemas all over the world as we saw three Spider-Man on screen together. The film grossed over $1.9 billion worldwide.
A big part of the film's success was due to Tobey Maguire returning as Spider-Man. It's clear that a lot of fans love the idea of Maguire coming back for Spider-Man 4, and he is open to the idea. Now that the shot callers within the MCU have seen how profitable it could be, and Maguire's Spider-Man is canon in the MCU, the possibility of another Raimi Spider-Man is stronger than ever.
Spider-Man 4 makes sense because of the financial success of Spider-Man: No Way Home and the demand from fans, but it also makes sense from a story point of view.
We never got a proper ending for Raimi's adaption, but now there is an opportunity to change that. In Spider-Man: No Way Home, Maguire is older and wiser and acts as a bit of a mentor for Tom Holland. This older version of Spider-Man is something that could work very well.
We have already seen an older version of Spider-Man work well in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. And Logan showed how interesting a story about an aging superhero could be. After a very successful first outing of Maguire's older Spidey, it seems like the perfect story for Spider-Man 4.
DC Has Shown It Could Work
While DC has gotten its fair share of things wrong over the years, it may have shown how Spider-Man 4 could work. We have seen Jared Leto play the Joker in the Snyderverse, while Joaquin Phoenix has played the role in the standalone film Joker. And more recently, we have seen Barry Keoghan take up the role in The Batman.
We have also seen multiple actors take on the role of Batman. Ben Affleck in the Snyderverse, who will appear in the upcoming film The Flash, as will Michael Keaton, who dons the famous cowl for the first time since 1992. And, of course, Robert Pattinson, who made his first appearance as Bats in Matt Reeve's The Batman.
James Gunn confirmed that the sequels for Joker and The Batman would be part of DC Elseworlds as he has his own plans for Batman in the DCU with The Brave and the Bold.
The MCU could look to do this when it comes to Spider-Man 4. Obviously, everything has been linked in the MCU since Iron Man, and now that Maguire's Spider-Man is officially part of the MCU Spider-Man 4 wouldn't be exactly like the DC Elseworlds projects. But DC Elseworlds shows that it is possible to have multiple people play the same character and not have it affect the main cinematic universe.
If the MCU were to make Spider-Man 4 as an almost standalone film, it would work. We already have the backstory, three previous films, and Maguire's recent appearance in Spider-Man: No Way Home. It wouldn't be the norm of the MCU to do something like this, but it would be fresh and new. Fans would appreciate a film solely based on one character instead of the usual vast universe that is always connected. This approach could also open up a lot of other opportunities for more unique films that aren't just part of a massive universe. And Spider-Man 4 is the perfect place to start.
It has been over a decade since Spider-Man 4 was canceled, but the strange cinematic world of superheroes is now in a position where it makes perfect sense for the film to be made. The MCU has all the evidence it needs to show them this film would work. Now it is up to them if they want to capitalize on it.