Credit: Marvel Studios / Sony PicturesWhat might happen in a Sam Raimi-directed Spider-Man 4?
Related: Report: Disney Locked in Intense Battle With Sony Over ‘Spider-Man 4′
The story of Peter Parker’s Spider-Man and the vital lesson of “great power comes great responsibility” is widely recognized. Over the years, numerous individuals have taken up this iconic role of New York City’s Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man in various films, drawing inspiration from the Marvel Comics created by superhero legends Stan Lee and Steve Ditko.
From Tobey Maguire’s portrayal in Sam Raimi’s 2002 Spider-Man to Andrew Garfield’s rendition in 2012’s The Amazing Spider-Man, the latest iteration of Peter Parker is played by Tom Holland, who debuted in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) with Captain America: Civil War (2016) and headlined Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017).
Following the events of the MCU’s Spider-Man: Far From Home and the world-altering consequences of Doctor Strange’s Multiverse-spanning spell in Spider-Man: No Way Home, Tom Holland’s Spidey has (deliberately) faded into obscurity. With the success of Sony Pictures Animation’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and sequel Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse, it seems that the Spider-Man IP owners could be ready to expand the possibilities of the franchise even further, possibly moving forward without Tom Holland at the helm of the webslinger’s adventures in the MCU.
Related: Report: Disney Will Finally Introduce Fan-Favorite Spider-Man to MCU in ‘Spider-Man 4’
Will Sam Raimi Make Spider-Man 4?
It’s not the first time that Sandman/Flint Marko, the doting father-turned accidental sand-creature antagonist from Spider-Man 3 (2007) by director Sam Raimi, has spoken out about the possibility of a Raimi series return.
Speaking to ComicBook.com, Church opened up even more about the likelihood of a Raimi-directed sequel to Spider-Man 3, speaking to ComicBook.com‘s Chris Killian about the possibility of Sandman in Avengers: Secret Wars, AKA Avengers 6:
But Sandman, there’s been some rumors that they might ask me to do another Spider-Man, and I’d do it tomorrow. You know, they’ve never asked me to show up in another movie, another Marvel film.
Church continues, noting that he has hope for a future Spider-Man 4 — he definitely thinks Raimi is “gonna do another Spider-Man with Tobey [Maguire]”, adding that there was definitely an option for his return when Spider-Man 4 was originally planned:
But, you know, I think Sam [Raimi] is gonna do another Spider-Man with Tobey [Maguire], and that’s the one that … They had an option for me to do Spiderman 4 when there was going to be a Spiderman 4. They had an option on me to come back. So if it happens, that would be fantastic. I’m getting a little old.
Seeing as The Walt Disney Company-owned MCU is set to see a joint Sony venture in Tom Holland’s Spider-Man 4, which will reportedly see a live-action Miles Morales joining the fray and the culmination of the Multiverse Saga’s street-level Wilson Fisk/Kingpin (Vincent D’Onofrio) storyline, Marvel is certainly going to be cautious about flooding the market with too much Spidey.
Whether Sony and/or Marvel Studios see Raimi’s Spider-Man 4 as a good idea, however, is anyone’s guess.
Do you think a Sam Raimi Spider-Man 4 could (or should) happen? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
More on the Sam Raimi Spider-Man Trilogy
On top of the titular role of Spider-Man/Peter Parker played by Tobey Maguire, director Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man. Kirsten Dunst depicted Mary Jane Watson, Peter Parker’s enduring romantic interest, as James Franco embodied the role of Harry Osborn, Peter’s closest ally who later becomes his adversary. Willem Dafoe delivered a striking performance as Norman Osborn, also known as the Green Goblin, Spider-Man’s initial formidable opponent. In the sequel, Spider-Man 2 (2004), the original cast reprised their roles, with Alfred Molina joining as Dr. Otto Octavius, a brilliant scientist transformed into the villainous Doctor Octopus.
The trilogy reached its conclusion with Spider-Man 3 (2007), where Peter confronts the dark side of himself empowered by the symbiote, leading to clashes with Venom (Topher Grace), an intimidating adversary formed by the fusion of the alien symbiote and Eddie Brock, alongside the tragic Sandman/Flint Marko (Thomas Haden Church) and the formidable New Goblin (James Franco).
Renowned for its action-packed scenes, memorable performances, and most importantly, a particular brand of early 2000s nostalgic camp, the trilogy holds a special place in superhero cinema. A fourth movie has reportedly been floated, with stars commenting on its possibility, but without any official confirmation.