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Sam Raimi says Spider-Man 4 script due by summer
Sam Raimi, who will direct Spider-Man 4, told SCI FI Wire that the film's script, by David Lindsay-Abaire (Inkheart), should be ready by summer. "Right now, David Lindsay-Abaire is working on a draft of the new picture," Raimi said in an exclusive telephone interview on Monday. "And he's hard at work, and hopefully we'll see something in about three months."
Raimi said that the film has to make its previously announced May 6, 2011, release date. "We have to make the release date, and on all of these pictures, the Spider-Man films—and I'm sure it's the same as with many of the other bigger-budgeted films—they have release dates far in advance of a screenplay," he said. "So it's about getting it ready the best you can in time for the first day of production. That's what we've always done, and that's what we'll try to do again."
Tobey Maguire has reportedly signed on to reprise the title role. Raimi added that it's a bit early to discuss other casting, though he does plan to reassemble the core cast, which includes Kirsten Dunst as Mary Jane. "At this point I do, but it's really ... all going to be dependent upon the script, and I'll just have to wait and see," Raimi said. "I don't want to put the cart before the horse, but hopefully we can service the story in the screenplay, and whatever it demands, hopefully we'll be its eager servants."
Raimi also declined to discuss possible villains for the fourth installment in the Marvel Comics franchise, though early speculation has centered on everyone from Dylan Baker's Curt Connors/Lizard to Carnage and Electro and other bad guys drawn from Stan Lee's original comics.
"I'm not at liberty to discuss the villains yet," Raimi said. "I think I have to wait till the finished screenplay, and then it'd really be up to Sony Pictures and the producers to determine when they want to release that information. To them, it's usually a big, a big, big thing, a big moment where they want to present the villain with the proper respect or fear that he or she deserves."
By xGORDOx at 10:31 AM ON 03/31/09
Great, we are going to get more crybaby jazz-hands spiderman where he takes off his mask for most of the film.
By CFE at 1:24 PM ON 03/31/09
They REALLY SHOULD RECAST Spider-Man and Mary Jane. Tobey Maguire is ridiculously FAT. And Kirsten Dumpst is NOT HOT ENOUGH to be Mary Jane. Their "chemistry" with each other has run its course. Time to find some new blood.
By jbs780 at 2:07 PM ON 03/31/09
Disagree witcha CFE.
Interesting point by xGORDOx . The darn mask gets torn up in EVERY PICTURE!! Just once, can we have that NOT happen.
By thebonafortuna at 3:32 PM ON 03/31/09
Sam Raimi has proven he has no idea how to direct a blockbuster movie. Spider Man 1 was the only passable movie in a quality sense, and Spider Man 3 was an abomination.
The actors do need to be recast, absolutely. It has nothing to do with Tobey Maguire being fat - it has to do with the rotten after taste of Spider Man 3. Kirsten Dunst is serviceable, but a better MJ could certainly be found.
And to the mask point, that's something which has bugged the hell out of me since the second movie. Spidey loses his mask more often than he wears it - credibility was stretched to the max in SM2, and SM3 curbed credibility like Edward Norton in American History X. KEEP THE DAMN MASK ON.
Please, please hand this franchise to an entirely different set of people.
By suprememango at 6:12 PM ON 03/31/09
The original was good, 2 was better and 3 was atrocious. Maguire and Dunst are good actors but the plot for the third installment was just nonsensical. If they get a good script I believe they can pull another rabbit out of the hat and it is probably a little early for a total revamp. If they screw this one up, however...
By xGORDOx at 7:05 PM ON 03/31/09
Number 2 was the worst, there was more crying than The Notebook.
By Fanboy79 at 7:16 PM ON 03/31/09
I can't wait. I hope it has the Lizard and/or the Black Cat. I like Tobey as Spider-man well enough but I have and always will hate Kirsten Dunst. She is in no way hot enough to be MJ.
By juice71 at 10:20 AM ON 04/01/09
xGORDOx..The notebook? I will have to take your word on thatI like most men have not seen that one. 1 was awesome, 2 was great, 3 has happered by the studio ramming venom down Raimi's throat, and us, are to blame for that, though unlike most i didnt mind the movie for what it was.
As for the mask, what do you guys want it is not indestructable, though i dont like him removing it completely, being torn shows a bit of realism.
As for villians i would like to see Mysterio as the main atagonists, maybe a cameo villain like Rhino being caught in the beginning. Lizard would look too CG i think.
By xGORDOx at 10:36 AM ON 04/01/09
@ Juice
"I like most men have not seen that one."
Well, if you're married you have, lol.
I loved the action in SM2, but damn, every 10 minutes someone was crying. I've never read a spidey comic and stopped half way through and complained about how much crying was going on.
Seriously, play a drinking game. Make yourself a nice Rum and Coke or drink of choice and watch SM2. Everytime someone cries, drink.
You'll be loaded by the end and angry at the fact that everyone on that train saw spidey without his mask, yet no one, no one, reports his looks to the papers. Come on!
the first film had charm, the others had big budgets, crying and jazz hands. So lame.
The performances of the third film were seriously embarassing. During that dance scene there was an uncomfortable vibe in the theater as if everyone all at the same time had the thought, "wtf is this?"
By Darren at 9:10 PM ON 04/05/09
Raimi is the man for the job and so is Tobey. This thing about new blood is crap.
By Billy Pitzer at 4:26 AM ON 05/14/09
i love the spider-man serise. #3 was my most favorite, so far. but, i want there to be at least 6 movies, in all, and in #6, then there would be, carnage. if agreed, then, comment her, alright.
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Billy Pitzer:
i love the spider-man serise. #3 was my most favorite, so far. but, i want there to be at least 6 movies, in all,...More »