The last time that director Sam Raimi and actors Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst worked on a movie together was in 2007 for Spider-Man 3. The film marked the conclusion of the Spider-Man trilogy that began in 2002, despite initial plans to bring Raimi, Maguire, and Dunst back for Spider-Man 4. Instead of going forward with that project, Sony rebooted the franchise in 2012 with The Amazing Spider-Man as Andrew Garfield took over the title role from Maguire.
So why are we still talking about Spider-Man 4 a whopping 17 years after Spider-Man 3? Because in 2021, Spider-Man: No Way Home brought back both Maguire and Garfield opposite their MCU counterpart, Tom Holland, for a smash hit at the box office. Ever since then, fans have tried to will Spider-Man 4 and The Amazing Spider-Man 3 into existence to continue Maguire and Garfield’s respective Spidey franchises. That’s why we’re sharing everything you need to know about about Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 4.
Is Spider-Man 4 actually happening?
The short answer is no — at least, not yet. CBR recently asked Raimi if he had heard about the rumors that he was returning for Spider-Man 4 alongside Maguire and Dunst. And it’s not good news if you’ve been holding out hope for the film.
“I did read [those rumors], but I’m not actually working on it yet,” said Raimi. “I mean, Marvel and Columbia are so successful with current Spider-Man [movies], and the track there, and I don’t know that they’re going to go back to me and say, ‘Well, folks, we can also tell that story!’”
“I haven’t talked to Tobey about [a fourth movie with me], but maybe Marvel has or Columbia Pictures,” continued Raimi. “I just worked with Marvel on a movie called Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. So, I’m on great terms with them. I’m sure I would hear about [Spider-Man 4] if it was in the works.”
Do Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst want to return to the Spidey franchise?
As related via Marvel’s official site, Maguire has remained open to returning as Spider-Man again.
“I love these films, and I love all of the different series,” related Maguire. “If these guys called me and said, ‘Would you show up tonight to hang out and goof around?’ or ‘Would you show up to do this movie or read a scene or do a Spider-Man thing?’, it would be a ‘yes!’ Because why wouldn’t I want to do that?”
While promoting her movie Civil War, Dunst told GQ that she was not asked to return for No Way Home, but she is also up for reprising her role as Mary Jane Watson in the future.
“It would be funny to be like, OK, let’s take Tobey [Maguire] and I and do it in a weird indie way where it’s like a different kind of superhero film,” said Dunst. “Like how they did that movie Chronicle. It could be cool.”
Does Kirsten Dunst want to come back?
However, in an interview on IndieWire published on April 12, 2024, Dunst questioned the need for Spider-Man 4.
“It would depend,” said Dunst when asked if she wanted to return for another Spidey sequel. “I don’t know. Honestly, do we need it? … “I don’t think we need that. I don’t know. It was so long ago. I just don’t know how they would, what the story would be. I don’t know. It seems like … I don’t know! It would really depend on the script, and also, I don’t know, you’re really putting yourself out there in a way that … let’s maybe leave things when they were good. You know what I mean?”
What were Raimi’s original plans for Spider-Man 4?
When Raimi developed his original story for Spider-Man 4, it would have introduced two key characters from the comics: Black Cat (pictured above in Sony’s Spider-Man 2 video game) and the Vulture.
Anne Hathaway was reportedly Raimi’s choice for Black Cat, and she went on to play Catwoman in The Dark Knight Rises. John Malkovich was Raimi’s top pick for the Vulture, a character who was ultimately played by Michael Keaton in Spider-Man: Homecoming.
Presumably, Spider-Man 4 would take a different shape if Raimi returned to it after nearly two decades. Spider-Man: No Way Home kept things vague about what happened to Maguire’s Peter Parker since Spider-Man 3. But Peter specifically said that he and Mary Jane made things work, which confirms that they’re still together. That would probably be the starting point for that sequel if it ever gets made. But for now, Spider-Man 4 isn’t happening.
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