Spiderman 4

Darth Mattitude · The Dark Admin

Spiderman 4

neuman · A List Star

sounds ok, it wont be hard to be better than 3, i was quite disappointed. at least spidy has always had PLENTY of villians for them to draw from

Darth Mattitude · The Dark Admin

Some news from Sam Raimi

ComingSoon.net/Superhero Hype! talked to "Spider-Man" franchise director Sam Raimi this week and got his thoughts on making more sequels.

"James Vanderbilt is writing the script and I'm excited to read it. I think it's going to be done in a few months," Raimi told us, adding, "I'm hoping it's as great as our discussions were about it and I'm hoping it feels right for me because I love Spider-Man. I'm hoping I'm well rested enough to embrace it and I'm hoping Sony wants me to do it. If all of those things come together, I would love to do it. There are a lot of unknowns about the future."

And how does he feel about re-casting key players if needed? "I'd hate to re-cast anybody in the future, I can't imagine that."

Man In Black · Anime Mod

More conjecture and gossip from Filmstalker:

At the moment there's no word of any of the returning cast or crew, nor is there any word of what the film will contain in terms of story and villains, and in fact there's not even word that the studio are going ahead with a fourth film, so what's the story?

Well there's an auction online that allows you to bid for a prize that includes a ton of prizes on the set of Spider-Man 4, including a walk on part in the film. What's more is that it looks like it is definitely official and is through the charity Stand Up to Cancer.

A worthwhile cause indeed, I've been involved in fund raising recently for cancer charities here in the UK as my mother has been diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer, however can they auction a prize that might not exist?

Well the prize has to exist, otherwise they couldn't sell it and the winner would have nothing but an empty wallet. Just see what they are offering over on ebay through Jo Blo:

'A visit to the set of Spider-Man 4 (one shooting day)
A meet and greet with the cast (1 hour)
A walk-on/ extra role in the film for the auction winner only
Trip to the New York premiere
Designer outfits to wear to premiere for winner and guest from top designers
Winner and guest may keep the outfits
Winner and Guest will walk the premieres red carpet'

Now that's a truly awesome prize, I might be tempted myself if the bid wasn't already at US $5,000!

However there is one get out clause:

'If experience cannot be fulfilled, Sony Pictures will provide alternative set visits/premieres based on the providers availability'

Then it's followed by the copyright of Spider-Man 4 Movie to Columbia Pictures for 2008.

So it certainly seems official doesn't it? Okay there is a get out clause which covers them should the film not actually get made, but to do something like this you would have to be pretty positive that the fourth film was going ahead in a short while, otherwise the resulting press could be disastrous for the company, the franchise and the charity.

Is Spider-Man 4 a go with or without the cast members or director?

-- Edited by Man In Black at 15:14, 2008-08-28

Man In Black · Anime Mod

Strange things are afoot regarding Spidey 4 so says Filmstalker:

Recently we heard that Spider-Man 4 set and premiere prizes were being auctioned for charity, and from Sony themselves, so you would be forgiven for believing that Spider-Man 4 was actually going ahead. Actually, let's be real here, they cannot auction that kind of thing for charity without the production going ahead.

So Spider-Man 4 is on, but who's on board? Well it seems a complete mixed bag of rumour and conjecture so far, and even Sam Raimi's latest words just the other day just seem to confuse even more.

Sam Raimi and Bryce Dallas Howard were commented over at MTV through Filmonic and from what they say you'd think that there were still doubts over whether the fourth film would happen. Here's what Bryce Dallas Howard said:

'You know, honestly, I would love to be apart of any continuation of the franchise. But, I also really understand that there's so many different story lines that the fans are really excited to see, and the studio, and the producers, and the filmmakers really need to appease everyone...Whether or not Gwen Stacy comes back, I mean, I wish it was up to me, but it's not. But yes, if they'd call me, I'd be there in a heart beat.'

Meanwhile Sam Raimi is keeping things close to his chest, but far from being tired of talking about it he's rather jovial about it all:

'Oh, I love 'Spider-Man,' definitely. I would love to play a part in 'Spider-Man 4,' he said chuckling. The part of director? Writer? Something else? 'No, I mean play the part of 'Spider-Man 4.' Are you kidding me? I'll wear the suit,'

So although he's joking about it, who really knows. We do know he's producing, and we know that together with the other producers they were looking for a writer, a writer they had found in James Vanderbilt. However is he going to get on board as anything but a producer?

Well he did say that if the script was personal to him then he might well, but if it isn't a film that personally connects to him then he wouldn't. He also said before they had a writer that:

'I don't know if I'll just be a producer on it but if I can work with the writer in such a way so that directing would be right for me, I don't know.'

Even before this he knew that there was going to be many more Spider-Man films, and he says that he'd still like the franchise to continue without him, and this was before he knew he was going to produce:

'Sony Pictures is going to be making many more 'Spider-Man' pictures...I just don't know what [my] future holds yet...If I can't find the right story that would work for me and that I could tell really well, I would like someone else to tell that story'

Sony and Marvel are adamant too, it'll happen. Marvel have been paid for Spider-Man 4 and the head of Sony was sure this franchise will never stop, I don't know how he feels now of course.

'Everybody has every intention of making a fourth, a fifth and a sixth and on and on.' ...There would be 'as many as we can make good stories for', he pledged.

So Marvel, Sony and Raimi are sure it's happening, we should have a writer on board who may well have finished the script, the question is what now? Villains? Stars?

On the question of villains, the rumours were rife but nothing's concrete. Black Cat, Lizard and Carnage have all been mentioned after having their characters set-up in some way in the previous film. However there's nothing concrete just yet.

Stars then? Well no luck on that front either, and it's worse than knowing if there's a director signed on or not. At first Tobey Maguire was suggesting he was going:

'This might be a good place to stop - I am not tied contractually to any more Spider-Man movies. I am not completely closed to the idea of another one if it made sense but I would say the odds were in favor of this being the last one.'

Then it seemed like he might be up for returning when other stars on the film suggested he would return if asked.

However, Kirsten Dunst may have blown her bridges and perhaps opened the door for Bryce Dallas Howard to return when she said:

'Audiences aren't stupid. It'd be a big flop without me, Tobey or Sam,'

Ouch, nothing like arrogance there, and especially when your career has been going so well since!

Yet after all the speculation and rumour there are few facts. Sony and Marvel are going ahead with it, they really are auctioning off some huge prizes associated with the production, Raimi is producing, and they had a writer on board at the time of the Writers strike.

Other than that it's speculation. We still don't know if the stars are returning and what villains will be in the film. I wonder if the script is going to be drastically rewritten now we've seen The Dark Knight take the whole superhero genre into darker and more realistic times?

Man In Black · Anime Mod

Filmstalker with another update:

Okay, first up there's no confirmation for this story other than the usual insider source, however the word is that both Sam Raimi and Tobey Maguire are signed up for Spider-Man 4 and 5, and that they both may be filmed back to back.

What's particularly interesting is, if it's true, there are no plans to make Spider-Man as dark as Batman has become and every other vaguely superhero film is going, not that it's a bad thing, but Spider-Man is going its own way.

The word is that Jamie Vanderbilt's script has Sam Raimi back and Tobey Maguire was hanging on for a better deal. Looks like they both got what they want, if the insider source from Deadline Hollywood Daily is to be believed.

The source goes onto say that Mary Jane is to return in the script and that Sony want Kirsten Dunst back in the role, well at least someone does.

There's another interesting comment in the story from the source, and again remember that this is a source and may not be true, although rumours like this that are so close to the truth are often true. The source also says that they are waiting to cast the villain but as soon as they announce the character we'll know who is going to be playing them does that mean that we've already seen the actor and the character?

Of course that could mean any of the characters we've seen setup to date, but we've definitely seen them before it would seem.

However it doesn't look like we'll be seeing anyone until around May 2011, which is when the release is due. Talking of releases, Sony are apparently even thinking of filming the fifth film back to back with the fourth.

Now that would make sense since it would mean they wouldn't have to renegotiate the contracts once again when they decide to do the next film and then get stung for even more cash required by Maguire and cast.

Meanwhile Sony really has hired two screenwriters to have a go at a film just about Venom. Oh dear, misguided. At least they may have gotten the Spider-Man franchise going in the right direction.

Update: This morning I roll out of bed to discover that it's all true, which is great news, apart from the Venom story. That's a terrible idea.

Man In Black · Anime Mod

JoBlo.com has this news tidbit:

Tobey Maguire has negotiated his deal to star in SPIDERMAN 4 & 5, scoring "family time" with his young daughter as part of his contract. He will be shooting the two movies back to back next year but insisted that he needs "early mornings" and "evenings off" to spend time with his now 22 month old daughter Ruby. The pay package will be $50 million for both films.

Well that's awesome. How many hours is Tobey going to be working each day then, to bank this ridiculous check? I can't wait to see the behind-the-scenes extras on these DVDs where Sam Raimi spends half a day setting up the shot and waiting for twilight to get the perfect ambience, and then when he shouts action, sees Maguire bent over shaking his head and tapping on his watch with his index finger saying 'uh, uh-uhh'. In fact, wait, so this whole movie is gonna be shot in the afternoon? What the hell? What if something in the script happens at night time? Do they have Storm from the X-Men on staff?

Totoro101 · Movie Executive Producer

If they want to pay that amount for his services then hed be crazy to turn it down! Good on Toby to want time to be with his daughter to,nothings more important then loved ones so its good for him to work but also have time for his child.I actually liked the third film,but hated the second,wondering who the main villains of the next movie will be,probably Lizard man,might see the Sandman return,and maybe Electro to.

Darth Mattitude · The Dark Admin

My moneys on The Lizard and the oft mooted Kraven The Hunter.