Well just read this article on msn.

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ET: Tobey Maguire to suit up for more 'Spidey' movies

Entertainment Tonight

Actor Tobey Maguire will team up with director Sam Raimi once again for the fourth and fifth installments of the hugely successful 'Spider-Man' franchise, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

"The studio never considered any other actor. Tobey was our only choice and the only person we've discussed the role with," Columbia Pictures (Sony) studio spokesman Steve Elzer tells the industry publication.

In an effort to cut costs, Columbia may shoot the films back-to-back starting in fall 2009, Elzer is quoted as saying. "Spider-Man" is the studio's most successful movie franchise, with the first three films grossing $2.5 billion worldwide.

Laura Ziskin, who will produce with Avi Arad, had said she would like to aim for a May 2011 release for "Spider-Man 4," nine years after the original movie's debut, the Hollywood Reporter says.


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Surprised that Tobey is going to be back last reports said that Tobey wasn't quite sure if he was going to do another film. Wonder if Kirsten Dunst will be back.

Well, depending on who you are, this is either really good news or really bad news. I find myself somewhere in the middle.

I won't pretend that Spiderman 3 was a good movie. It wasn't. I believe that the moody Peter story and the introduction of Venom was horrid. Also, compared to the handling of Goblin (not the suit!) and Doc Ock, Sandman was a very bland villain. There was no reason to hate him or feel bad for him. He was just sort of there.

But I will defend the first and second film. For the most part, these were two of the better superhero films we have seen. I've read a lot of Spiderman comics over the years and I think what Raimi was doing was for the most part spot on to what Stan Lee envisioned in the 60's. I just think that in the 3rd film he went a little overboard on the campier stuff.

A new writer (Vanderbilt) might just give this series new life. And if Sony is willing to spend the money on a two part story, I have to say I'm intrigued by what Vanderbilt has written.

Spider-Man 3 was an alright movie but I agree that Sandman shouldn't have been in the film and they should have done a better job at handling Venom. The movie should have had just strictly Venom. I did like a bit how they handled Harry's story.

If I recall Raimi didn't want Venom in the 3rd one but fans wanted him in there so bad he caved in and put in him. I think it was just going to be The Sandman in 3rd film but it should have just been strictly Venom as I stated. When you have a film like Spider-Man having two villains in the show at once you got too much going on.

Hopefully they will handle 4 and 5 better. I wonder though if Christopher Young will be back to score 4 and 5.

I'm probably the ONLY person that thinks Spiderman 3 is the best of the three. It had the most fun, the most action, the best action, the most villains, the best drama, hell I even think Stan Lee's cameo and his delivery of that epitomal line that sums up Peter Parker is the best of Stan's cameos in all these wacky Marvel flicks.

What didn't I like about Spiderman 3? Nothing. As a movie it works very well for me and I often watch it now that it's making its rounds on HD/cable.

If I was a diehard comic book junkie/Spidey fan would I feel the same about it? Probably not. I would likely point out aaalll the various crimes/liberties the director and writers took with the characters, so I'm glad I can't include that in the arguement.

As for future Spidey movies, I think it's time for a reboot. Have the director of the Transporter direct it or something. I love what Raimi did with the last one, he seemed to infuse it the most with his particular brand of humor out of the three, but it's time for a fresh approach me thinks.

I just never bought Tobey M as Peter Parker. I would have watched even lamer Spidey stories on film if I had believed the character. Is that due to my having pre-concieved notions on how Spidey should have been portrayed or who should have played him? Most likely.

After seeing Topher Grace in the 3rd one, I actually realized he was exactly what film-Spidey should have been. He has that same quick and somewhat snarky personality that Maguire is missing. He seems like he's on effing downers or something.

I think the films are terribly overrated with the first being the best of the three. I guess being a hardcore Spider-man fan and collector of the comics hurt my ability to enjoy the films some but that shouldn't be an excuse. There's a good deal that the films get 'right' but there's too much in there that I dislike to regard the franchise as anything but a disappointment.

I don't think they're going to reboot and as long as Raimi's at the helm of the project I'm sure I won't be impressed by whatever choice they make. They ruined the symbiote saga, the character of Mary Jane and blew countless other opportunities for good drama. The only villains/story-arc that necessitate a 2-parter would include Carnage, the Sinister 6 and/or Maximum Cloneage (and that would absolutely suck balls). I'm sure we'll see Man-Wolf, Black Cat, and Lizard in there somewhere.

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hollywoodreporter.com

Spider-Man 4 lands Pulitzer pen.

Oct 31, 2008

Playwright David Lindsay-Abaire swings to sequel.

Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright David Lindsay-Abaire got out of a rabbit hole, only to be ensnared by a spider's web.

Lindsay-Abaire, who won a Pulitzer in 2007 for his drama "Rabbit Hole," is in final negotiations to write "Spider-Man 4" for Columbia.

Sam Raimi and Tobey Maguire are back as director and star, respectively, as are series producers Laura Ziskin and Avi Arad. Kirsten Dunst also is expected to return for the latest movie featuring the Marvel Comics character.

Plot details are under lock and key.

Columbia always has gone off the beaten path during the development process when hiring writers for the "Spider-Man" movies. Alvin Sargent, a veteran scribe best known for 1973's "Paper Moon" and 1980's "Ordinary People," served as a writer on the second and third films. Michael Chabon, another Pulitzer winner, also worked on "Spider-Man 2."

James Vanderbilt previously wrote a draft of "Spider-Man 4."

Lindsay-Abaire's "Rabbit Hole," which starred Cynthia Nixon and Tyne Daly, hit the Broadway stage in 2006 and won four Tonys, including best play. The writer also is known for the play "Fuddy Meers."

Lindsay-Abaire has said in interviews that his plays tend to be "peopled with outsiders in search of clarity," which would put his work on sympathetic terms with Peter Parker, who in his classic incarnation is the perpetual outsider.

The choice of scribe also signals that that filmmakers are intent to focus on character, something that critics said got lost in the third installment.

Gersh-repped Lindsay-Abaire, now writing the book and lyrics for the Broadway musical adaptation of "Shrek," has dipped his toe in Tinseltown before, with his adaptation of "Inkheart" due in January. He is also adapting "Rabbit" for 20th Century Fox and Nicole Kidman.

Columbia had no comment.
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Sam Raimi spoke with MTV a few weeks ago and things are looking up for Spider-Man IV

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Sam Raimi Talks ‘Spider-Man’ Sequel Double-Shoot, Futures of Kirsten Dunst & The Lizard
Published by Larry Carroll on Thursday, October 16, 2008 at 12:22 pm.

Although things weren’t looking too good for awhile, “Spider-Man” has overcome adversities tougher than a Green Goblin-Doc Ock team-up, and now once again has Tobey Maguire and Sam Raimi in his corner. But what about Kirsten Dunst?

“Kirsten, I’d love to work with her again,” Raimi explained to us this week, making it sound as if current plans to include Dunst for “Spider-Man 4” and “Spider-Man 5” are still up in the air, despite recent statements that she wants to remain with the franchise. “I hope she’ll be written into it. I couldn’t imagine making one without her, and I think she’s an important part of the movies.”

Nevertheless, Raimi admitted that the very nature of an episodic series requires that characters come and go. “I wish I could work with James Franco again,” said the man who directed the first three hit movies. “But his character died in the last one; same with Uncle Ben. Fortunately, we’ve been able to bring back all the dead characters [like Willem Dafoe as Norman Osborn or Cliff Robertson as Ben Parker]. I can’t let them go, in each and every picture; but it gets harder and harder.”

Now things are about to get hard yet again for Raimi, as he’s making plans to continue the cinematic tale of Peter Parker. “I’m really excited about Spider-Man, and I’m hoping to direct it,” he cautioned. “I don’t have a script yet, but production would start probably by March of 2010, I’m guessing. It sounds like a long time away, but we need a script first, and a lot of pre-production has to take place.”

The filmmaking legend also revealed to us that there is a lot of truth behind rumors that he might shoot the next two “Spider-Man” films at the same time. “That had been talked about,” he said, deferring to the head of his studio. “It’s Amy Pascal’s decision. I don’t think it has been decided yet, and she’s the one that’s really going to make that decision; I’m really curious myself.”

By his own admission, “Spider-Man 3” was an exhaustive film to shoot, but Raimi is confident he can handle the double duty. “It would be a real endurance test, probably only Peter Jackson knows how hard something like that would be,” he marveled, hinting that “4” and “5” would be very closely linked in storyline. “If Tobey and me, and all the producers, like the story for two pictures and Amy wanted to do it, then we would do it. It just hasn’t been written yet.”

Finally, Raimi offered comment on the wishes of fans (and yours truly) to finally let Dylan Baker’s storyline come to fruition. “He’s a great actor, and I think one day The Lizard’s story will be told,” he teased, referring to Baker’s Curt Connors character. “I don’t know if it will be this one or not. I just don’t know. I’m definitely hoping to work with Dylan in the picture. I just don’t know who the villain is yet.”

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I will be happy if they do have just The Lizard as the main villain for Spider-Man 4 and a good solid story/script. I'd love to see Dr. Connors, Peter's long time friend, teacher and mentor get turned into a Lizard and attack him.

I can't remember but didn't Connors end up finding out Parker is Spider-Man? I also wonder if they'll ask Elfman to shoot the film, wish he would come back.

Sam Raimi spoke with Sony just recently and things are looking down for Spider-Man IV.
Slashfilm

Fear not, though, the progenitor of the modern comic book franchise will be made even better with a "gritty" and "contemporary" reboot. Maybe 3D too? Gee golly I sure hope so!
Slashfilm