'Spider-Man 4' to Start Shooting Next Year?
Filed under: RumorMonger, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Remakes and Sequels
The last we heard about the webbed wonder, Eugene Novikov posted that the Pulitzer Prize-winning David Lindsay-Abaire (pen behind Robots and Inkheart) was getting ready to take his stab at Spider-Man 4. Now MTV reports that the film will start shooting in 2010 -- so, at the very least, another year from now.It seems that they ran into J.K. Simmons at Sundance, and he said that he'll continue his gig as J. Jonah Jameson in the next instalment, and that he "saw Sam [Raimi] at his Christmas party." I guess that statement is referring to how he found himself involved in the film -- unless Spidey takes on Santa in number 4? Red v. Red, the final showdown?
Considering this news, it certainly seems like the planned May 2011 release can happen, which will mean that each Spidey instalment adds a year (two years between 1 and 2, and three years between 2 and 3). Now, four years is a really long time, so I wonder if there will be a reboot of sorts -- not exactly throwing out the storyline and going wild and fresh a la Batman, but finding a fresh spin to win back the disappointed fans after the last outing. Letting the dust settle before moving on could help, but on the flip side -- will it be too much time to wait? Do you think a four-year hiatus will be the thing to bring Spider-Man back to form, or will no one be lured to the web come 2011?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
1-19-2009 @ 9:37AM
Jennifer said...
A reboot sounds nice cause I would LOVE to totally ignore the existence of the 3rd Spidey. I mean could they possibly be anymore emo? Even my kid commented that all Spidey did was cry. That really says something if a young child notices things like that!
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1-24-2009 @ 11:17PM
who? said...
Um... ya... The "emo" only added to the character of peter/spider-man. You would be completely insane to ignore the 3rd movie. The movie was all about the inner struggle of a hero and mostly about characterization. Plus it was, in my opinion, one of the best spider-man movies so far. Hopefully they just keep getting better. We don't need to start over, we need a continuation of the story!
1-19-2009 @ 9:55AM
Scott K. said...
Reboot or continuation. 3 years, 4 years, 5 years. None of that matters. If it's a good movie, I will watch.
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1-19-2009 @ 10:25AM
Kurt said...
"Ram Raimi"? Has J.K. Simmons got a gig playing Scooby-Doo that we haven't heard about?
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1-19-2009 @ 11:25AM
Bill said...
I do not believe a reboot is really necessary. Spidey three was perhaps underwhelming, but it was not a trainwreck. That said, what is left for the Peter / M.J. story arch? How long can they drag out Peter Parker worrying about this relationship, creating scenarios for her or him to be jealous, and so forth? It feels like they need to find a new center for the Spider-man films. I like Kirsten Dunst, but I think a new love interest is in order, and I think she is tired of screaming for help at the end of each movie anyway.
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1-19-2009 @ 12:58PM
Keith said...
I think a reboot might be a good idea seeing as the third movie was...terrible by Spider-Man standards. They didn't mention who Venom was, they just assumed we all knew. That was bad. Sandman was horrible. I think if a fourth was to happen, Vulture would have to make an appearence just to show Parker that not villains are middleaged and psychotic...no?
1-19-2009 @ 1:05PM
Bill said...
Well, I am not strongly opposed to a reboot. If they want to cast other actors (except for J.K. Simons. He's awsome as Jameson) and start with a story that isn't all about a Peter and M.J. romance I would be on board.
1-19-2009 @ 2:40PM
Jim said...
Well let's hope that Spidey 4 is better, because I nearly died of boredom watching Spider-Man3. I've only seen people walk out of two movies; one was Emmerich's Godzilla and the other was Spider-Man 3.
Seriously, what was Sam Raimi thinking? It's as if he handed the directing reins over to Joel Schumacher to ghost direct and we got an unofficial sequel to Batman and Robin.
1-20-2009 @ 10:25AM
Bill said...
I guess every filmmaker has an Ed Wood film in them. After the reviews I waited until Spider-man 3 came out on video. If I had gone to the theater and expected a great follow-up act to Spidey 2, I would have been disappointed but I don't think I would have walked out. I remember walking out on Judge Dread. I wish I had walked out on Day the Earth Stood Still. Those movies were craptacular. I don't think Spidey 3 was that low, but to each his own. On the bright side, Spidey 3 has given Raimi and company a blueprint of what NOT to do for Spidey 4.
1-19-2009 @ 3:00PM
freemarketmarx said...
I don't think a reboot in the traditional sense is necessary — particularly as, from the looks of things, they'll be using the exact same cast and crew — but I think a fresh take is probably a good idea.
My suggestion would be to provide a clean break from the previous films by moving the timeline ahead by a significant number of years — Maguire was already stretching believability playing a college undergraduate. Establish that the character is older, probably around 30, and that it's been a good few years since Spider-Man 3. Either give him a new love interest or just have him be married to MJ at the beginning of the movie, and bypass all the drama that way.
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1-20-2009 @ 10:36AM
Bill said...
I think skipping ahead several years could work. I'd like to see that. But it would require some serious revamping because the character has always been rooted in his awkward, adolescent, lovesick mindset. He's like the lovable loser in his private life, and the larger than life hero as Spidey. From what I've seen, even the comics have struggled to make the character more interesting as an adult.
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1-20-2009 @ 3:04PM
Mike said...
I'm glad he's returning, and i'm glad the rest is too. I didn't hate Spider-man 3, but I wish it was better. It lacked the nice flow the first two had, and the visuals wern't as likeable as I thought it should have been(except Sandman) I mean it felt like a video game. It should have been more like 2 with the red/yellow/orangish color moods that were in it. It was changed at the last minute I think. All in all it was pretty good.
Most of you guys on this board seem pretty fair towards the next one.
Jeez. Some pople act like the whole trilogy was a disaster, and that the third cuased like an echological meltdown. It wasn't the first terrible movie(I don't think it's teribble) ever you know. And just because you all think one movie falied
the trend will continue?? Sam Raimi isn't Joel Schumucher. Anyway enough of my rant. Can't wait untill the fourth.
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1-26-2009 @ 1:51AM
Johnny said...
I dont think the 3rd movie was all that bad. I did like the connection between Peter and Harry. The climax where Harry popped the "Pumpkin Bomb" into Sandman and hearing the detonator, I feel, gave everyone a sense of excitement. It is too bad that they decided to kill of Harry's character in this movie. If they could have kept him alive, they could have made the 4th film much like how the upcoming sequel of iron man and the hulk is going to be a combined film in a sense...having 2 hero's (not sure what that plot is going to be!)
Question Though, because I still cant figure it out.
Is Venom (Eddie Brock) dead or not????
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