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Credit: Sony / MarvelIs the world ready for a Spider-Man 4 with director Sam Raimi?
Related: ‘Spider-Man’ Star Opens up About Return of Sam Raimi in ‘Spider-Man 4’
The tale of Peter Parker’s Spider-Man and the essential message of “with great power comes great responsibility” is widely acknowledged. Throughout the years, numerous individuals have stepped into the iconic role of New York City’s Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man in various films, drawing inspiration from the Marvel Comics crafted by superhero visionaries Stan Lee and Steve Ditko.
Starting from Tobey Maguire’s portrayal in Sam Raimi’s 2002 Spider-Man to Andrew Garfield’s interpretation in 2012’s The Amazing Spider-Man, the most recent depiction of Peter Parker is brought to life by Tom Holland. He made his debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) with Captain America: Civil War (2016) and starred in Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017).
Related: Report: Disney Locked in Intense Battle With Sony Over ‘Spider-Man 4′
It was Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man franchise however, that truly started it all. Tobey Maguire plays the titular role of Spider-Man/Peter Parker, while Kirsten Dunst portrays Mary Jane Watson, Peter Parker’s romantic interest. James Franco embodied the character of Harry Osborn, Peter’s closest ally who later becomes his adversary.
Renowned for its action-packed scenes, memorable performances, and, importantly, a distinct brand of early 2000s nostalgic camp, the trilogy holds a special place in superhero cinema. Now, a fan-favorite star of the Sam Raimi Spider-Man trilogy is opening up about their desire to return to the Marvel series.
A Spider-Man Icon Returns?
Recently, Marie Claire spoke to Dunst on her return to cinema and her role in the 2024 movie Civil War, about an speculative universe where the United States of America is undergoing a civil war in the modern day.
During the interview, the Spider-Man star spoke up about “gender-specific ageism” in the industry. She was particularly candid about her desire to return to the superhero realm one day, giving an interesting (and practical) reason for her line of thinking.
When asked about returning to “superhero movie[s]”, Dunst replied honestly:
Yes. Because you get paid a lot of money, and I have two children, and I support my mother.
Dunst speaks with the pragmatism of a working mother, and makes it clear that she is the provider in her family, ready to work in Spider-Man (or adjacent) films again to make her living and care for her family.
Seeing as rumors of a fourth Sam Raimi Spider-Man movie have surfaced, with stars from the film series openly discussing its likelihood, it is possible that a return could be on the horizon for the beloved franchise. Seeing as Tobey Maguire was happy to don the webslinger’s suit again in No Way Home. it’s really just a matter of convincing Peter Parker himself to give the role another shot.
It definitely seems like Raimi will not have to try very hard to assemble his own team of Spider-Man trilogy “Avengers”, anyhow.
With the Marvel Studios’ Multiverse Saga in full swing and the rumored inclusion of a live-action Miles Morales in Tom Holland’s Spider-Man 4, there could very well be two “Spider-Man 4″ movies happening in the near future.
Would you be excited to see Kirsten Dunst return in a superhero movie, possibly Spider-Man 4? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
More on the Sam Raimi Spider-Man Trilogy
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 AKA Doc Ock.
The trilogy concluded 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).