Cinematical just received a tasty little scoop from one of our trusty top secret super delegate Hollywood insiders, and it's purty interesting (all you Spidey fans might want to listen up): Apparently, in the last few weeks, James Vanderbilt (Zodiac) has turned in a working draft of Spider-Man 4 to the studio. However, according to our source, "his story arc has encompassed two films, making Spider-Man 5 shootable at the same time. The studio saw dollar signs and is in the process of reworking his deal to snatch up the story arc." Don't expect anything immediately, though, since we've been told both sides are still trying to negotiate the deal.

Right now we have no word on what that arc is or where Vanderbilt is taking his script, but it's interesting to know that they're looking to spread the next Spidey storyline across two films, instead of shooting one more and taking it from there. Obviously Sony has wiped away the bad buzz from Spidey 3 and is interested in stretching this franchise as far as they can. After three flicks, I can't see Sam Raimi, Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst returning to shoot two Spider-Man films together (would be a lot to take on), but you never know. In the meantime, here's what we know: Looks like Vanderbilt is writing Spider-Man 4 and Spider-Man 5, and the studio might look to shoot both flicks at the same time. As of right now, the studio has no comment. We'll update this post should we hear more ...

Whaddya think?

Just got back from the Sony offices here in New York, where Cinematical managed to sit down with Jim Sturgess (star of 21), as well as Ben Mezrich (author of Bringing Down the House, the book 21 is based on) and Jeff Ma (who Sturgess' character is based on). I have to say we all had a pretty damn cool conversation, which we'll post on the site at some point before the weekend, but in the meantime check out what Sturgess had to say about Spidey.

Now, remember back when we told you how Across the Universe director Julie Taymor was directing a Spider-Man: The Musical, with music and lyrics from U2's Bono and the Edge? Well, at the time, Taymor said she was interested in Sturgess playing Spider-Man, with Evan Rachel Wood playing Mary Jane. Not only is that true, but apparently Sturgess and Wood have already performed the roles. He says, "We actually have done a workshop for it, which is how this all kind of started. [Taymor] asked me and Evan to come down and do this workshop that she was doing, so it was a chance to work with Julie again and Evan again and, yeah, at that point I didn't know much more about it. We just did two weeks, and we kind of hung out with Bono and the Edge and sung songs about Spider-Man. As a young actor and musician, it was an incredible experience to be involved in that."

He continued, "We then sort of did a rough performance of the play -- like a read through where we sang through the songs and stuff. As ridiculous as it sounds, it's going to be an incredible piece of work." Cinematical asked Sturgess whether that meant he would be starring in the musical, to which he replied: "Um, I don't know. I haven't spoken to Julie since, and I don't know when she plans to do it. It's a timing thing, I guess. I don't know how long it's going to be before it comes to the surface."

More Spidey after the jump ...

With the announcement today that Paramount is attempting to lure Sam Raimi into developing and directing several films based on the popular Jack Ryan character, it would certainly appear as if the man is officially done with Spidey. Of course, there's always a chance he'd stay on as producer, but will that be enough to bring back his original cast? Probably not. Paramount is targeting the summer of 2010 for their first Ryan flick, which -- from what we hear -- is right around the same time Spider-Man 4 would hit theaters (if all things stay as planned). The next Superman flick is also supposed to touch down that same summer, so it will be interesting to see a re-vamped Spidey go head-to-head against a sequel they really can't f*ck up.

Variety claims Raimi is not out of the running to direct another Spider-Man film, but since he's in the middle of helming Drag Me to Hell, it would be near impossible for the man to deliver both a new Spidey film and a Jack Ryan film at the same time. Both franchises are in need of some serious work, and it will take time to develop. There's been no word on the current Spidey script, other than it's being worked on -- so for all we know, that could be just about ready to go. Of course, the strike probably didn't help much. What do you think?

I pity the fool who doesn't want a Hobbit film!

I did not see I Am Legend this past weekend, but apparently there was a poster planted in the film's fictional Times Square for a Batman vs. Superman movie, due out on May 15, 2010. (Check out a screen grab above, courtesy of Slashfilm.) Folks immediately began speculating -- was this a secret teaser poster for Justice League? Had they changed the name (as previously rumored) to Batman vs. Superman? No such luck fanboys (and girls); seems it was only a gag dreamed up by screenwriter/producer Akiva Goldsman, who, long ago, was attached to write a Batman vs. Superman film. But it's still pretty cool, and a neat little Easter Egg if you ask me.

We know John Singleton has signed on to direct a big-screen A-Team movie, and that casting is currently underway, but what's the script look like? Moviehole got their hands on the script, and there's some "interesting" stuff in there. Like, B.A. Baracas (played by Mr. T on the TV show) is listed as a "22-year-old walking steel with two-percent body fat." Yup, expect Tyrese Gibson in this role. Here's a bit more from their synopsis: "I'll be honest - it's not that tantalizing. The whole action of the movie revolves around some vases and stolen art. At one point there's a scene that takes place on a yacht - and it's an art auction. It's just not that interesting." Head on over to Moviehole to read their full review of the 118-page script.

This morning it was announced that Peter Jackson and New Line had kissed and made up, and are moving ahead on the long-planned Hobbit adaptation. However, Jackson is only listed as an executive producer, which means they still need to seek out a director to helm the picture. I'd expect Sam Raimi to be the first one they call, but if Sam takes on this monstrous double-feature, don't expect the guy to be back in the director's chair for Spider-Man 4. Which will also likely mean that Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst will opt out. Would you gladly take Raimi on Hobbit, or could Jackson get real nutty and somehow convince Guillermo del Toro to give up all 300 of his current projects to direct two Hobbit films? Where do you stand? Who do you want directing these movies, if not Jackson?

Director Sam Raimi is asked once again about Spider-Man 4 ... and he literally beats a reporter to near death. Read all about right here on Cinematical!

No, he didn't hurt anyone (please, Raimi wouldn't hurt a fly), but Comic Book Resources did ask him again about Spidey 4 ... and they somehow managed to spin his answer into something that's just slightly different from what we already know. He did say that as soon as the strike is over, he'll begin working with a writer on the screenplay -- but that it will be up to the writer whether they'll continue the same storyline or mix things up a bit. What's most important to Raimi? "I'd very much like to see Tobey Maguire as Spider-Man, so I have a personal interest in that, but certainly anything's possible." Oohh, Kirsten Dunst just got bitch-slapped! Check out the full interview here.

Director Lexi Alexander's new and (hopefully) improved Punisher flick has nabbed an interesting release date. Apparently, Lionsgate has scheduled Punisher: War Zone to be released on September 12, 2008 -- a month that's been kind as of late to genre pics like Underworld and Resident Evil. Rome's Ray Stevenson stars as FBI agent Frank Castle, who arrives in New York to take on an underworld boss who plots to take over -- wait for it -- the underworld. Oh yes, they're saving the aboveworld for the sequel. Julie Benz, Dominic West and Doug Hutchinson co-star. [via JoBlo]

Finally, for those who have always wanted to watch Shia LaBeouf hug another guy for an uncomfortably long time, new video and pics from the set of Eagle Eye have made their way online. JFX Online has a batch of LaBeouf stills, as well as video of the Spielberg apprentice shooting a few scenes while he frolics around the set. Disturbia director D.J. Caruso once again teams up with LaBeouf on a film about a young slacker and a single mom (Michelle Monaghan) who get all mixed up in a terrorist cell plotting a political assassination. Add to that the fact that LaBeouf really hugs a dude ("It's okay Shia, it's not your fault they signed you up for seventeen Transformers flicks") ... and you have the recipe for a delightful little thriller heading our way this August 8.

While we await word on the eventual Spider-Man 4, news regarding the planned Spider-Man musical has hit the net. The Daily Mail apparently spoke with Julie Taymor (who will direct the production) recently, and she let loose the names of the two people she desperately wants as her stars: Jim Sturgess as Peter Parker and Evan Rachel Wood as Mary Jane. If all three of those names are familiar to you, that's because Taymore recently directed Sturgess and Wood in Across the Universe. When asked about the pairing, Taymore said, "Jim's certainly interested, but his film career has taken off, so I have to nab him between movies. Same with Evan. They'd be my ideal pairing, though, if they're free."

With music and lyrics from U2's Bono and the Edge, Spider-Man: The Musical is still a good year away from becoming a reality. Taymor described the show as being "a cross between a play, rock n' roll and circus. The movies with Tobey Maguire worked on their terms, but the show will be very different. In fact, it's based more on the original comic books than the movies." Taymor plans to add trapeze artists, giant puppets and incredible costumes into the show. Personally, I think both are fine choices for each role, and while I've never thought about it before, Rachel Wood could make an excellent Mary Jane. Here's the big question: If the Spidey musical is a huge hit and both Maguire and Dunst opt out of a fourth flick, would you be down for Sturgess and Wood? Are they big enough names?

[via Slashfilm]

A while back, we told you that Zodiac scribe James Vanderbilt has been hired to pen the script for Spidey 4, but as of right now, the leads -- Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, and James Franco -- haven't been confirmed yet to star in the film (though something tells me Franco won't be returning for "certain" reasons). That got us thinking ... what if Tobey Maguire decided to move on from playing the Webbed One? Who else could fill that Spidey-suit? Would it be best to go for someone close to Maguire in physical type, or try something completely different? From High School Musical hottie Zac Efron, to boy-wizard-and-more Daniel Radcliffe, from the "superbad" Michael Cera to the multi-talented Elijah Kelley ... who could you see taking on the role of Spider-Man if Maguire decided to retire from the role?

With Spider-Man 3 arriving on DVD today, it's fitting that we should receive a major announcement regarding Spider-Man 4. Entertainment Weekly reports that James Vanderbilt (who penned the very awesome Zodiac) has been hired to write the script for Spidey 4, and Sony plans to swing the fourquel into theaters in 2009 (most likely early summer). Whether or not Vanderbilt will be the only writer to take on the project is not known; I wouldn't be surprised if this thing passes through the hands of at least two more writers before it moves ahead. Personally, I don't see the impending writer's strike lasting too long (if it happens at all), and so Vanderbilt should start plugging away almost immediately ... if he hasn't already done so. Most likely he pitched his idea to Sony with a full outline, and so I can't see it taking that long to punch out a draft or two.

What we don't know at this moment is whether Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst and Sam Raimi will return to the franchise. Raimi has already stated that he wants to be involved in some capacity (most likely as producer), and after taking a critical lashing following Spider-Man 3, it'll be interesting to see if Raimi decides to direct one more. Of course, it probably depends on Maguire and Dunst to a certain degree, but if you ask me, I'd like to see them start from scratch with a new cast and director. Feel free to continue the storyline, but this franchise could use some new blood. There's a writer. There's a potential release year. What say you?

[Thanks Steve]

He's been pretty busy over the last few years spinning webs around Manhattan, but the big question has been: what's next for Sam Raimi? Sure, he's got a lot of possible flicks to produce, but there's been no solid word on scripts or directorial projects. Unfortunately, there's still no solid word, but in a recent interview with MTV, Raimi talked about all the projects and possibilities for his filmmaking future.

First up: Spider-Man 4. In June, Raimi was dreaming up a webbed world with even more villains, because I guess he didn't hear the complaints about the storylines in Spider-Man 3. That's been scrapped because Raimi won't be working on the story for the next installment: "It'll be a brand-new writer coming in with a brand-new story -- a fresh take on the Spider-Man series." Right now, they're looking for that writer. Raimi says: "We're hearing different versions right now and really enjoying the different stories. Hopefully, we'll hear one that sounds right for the fourth installment." Once that's determined, he'll see if he wants to direct.

Next: The Hobbit. Raimi, of course, really wants to do it, but he's deferring to Jackson. "Well, it really is Peter Jackson's project, and I wouldn't make any conditions." That being said, if Jackson won't, Raimi hopes he will be the alternate choice: "If [Jackson] didn't want to direct it, and he was producing it, then I would love to be considered for the project." Seeing that Jackson might be in talks for the film, I'm thinking the possibility of hobbits and Raimis is gone.

But what about Evil Dead? Raimi -- he's just sinister. He refuses to let these remake rumors ever officially die, leaving us in continuing anxiety. He says: "Maybe we'll make another one; it would be nice to at some point, if I could get together with Bruce and Rob, and we could get a story together and the financing. A lot of things would have to come together, but it would be nice." But he also mentioned the possibility of a new director and new approach, finishing off with: "I look forward to someone else reinterpreting it, or going back to the story with part four myself." If he wants to do it himself with Bruce -- awesome. If he doesn't... Mr. Raimi, the only way to go is to bring Evil Dead: The Musical to the screen.

But there's even more, so stay tuned for part 2!

Warner Bros. is wicked smart: They looked and they said, "What's some of the hottest stuff out there right now that we don't have?" The answers: Giant f**king robots and Tobey f**king Maguire. And so Warner Bros. did what they do best -- they went out and picked up the rights to the anime classic Robotech, brought Maguire on to produce through his Maguire Entertainment and are currently seducing him into starring in the lead role. Better yet -- they're also eying this as their next tentpole sci-fi franchise. Whether or not this means Maguire will not reprise his role as Peter Parker in a Spider-Man 4 is hard to say; yet, if he does decide to star in the film (with plans on making it a franchise), I'd imagine chances of him donning the Spidey outfit for a fourth go-round are pretty slim.

I'm not too familiar with Robotech; The Hollywood Reporter tell us it was a "cartoon series during the 1980s from Harmony Gold USA and Tatsunoki Prods. It was re-edited and re-dialogued to combine three Japanese anime series to give the producers enough episodes to air as a daily syndicated series." The story apparently takes place during a time when the Earth has used alien technology to create giant robots in order to use as defense against three successive waves of alien invasions. Giant robots versus aliens, with Tobey Maguire using his small-town charms to kick tons of ass? Yup, I dig it. Craig Zahler will write the script, although there's no indication whether Warners will want to go live-action with this or stick with something in the CGI realm. Which would you rather see: Tobey in Robotech, Tobey in Spidey 4 or Tobey in both?

ComicCon is officially over ... or has it just begun?

• MTV caught up with Sam Raimi over the weekend, and (as most of us have done and will continually do until the man either throws a punch or gives up a plot point) hassled him about Spider-Man 4. Has anything changed since the director said he wasn't sure if he'd be helming a fourth installment? Kind of. A meeting has finally taken place between Raimi, Avi Arad and Laurie Ziskin -- they're "beginning to gear up to meet with writers" and Raimi still looks extremely uncomfortable in his own skin. The man still doesn't know if he will direct, but he does "want a hand in bringing it to the screen." As far as which villains will show up, Raimi has some ideas but would like to hear from writers on where they think Spidey should go from here. I say he should go to Iraq and help solve some problems over there, but that's me.
• Dark Horizons caught up with screenwriters Ben Garant and Thomas Lennon (Reno 911, Balls of Fury) at The Con, and the boys said they're beginning work on the script to Night at the Museum 2. The duo (who also penned the original) are keeping plot details under wraps, but say "there'll be existing characters and plenty of new ones." Both Ben Stiller and Robin Williams are set to reprise their roles. Man, what I would give to see a Salvador Dali exhibit somehow factor into the equation.
• Director Paul W.S. Anderson was also blabbing to folks over the weekend. He told IGN that Tyrese Gibson and Joan Allen have joined the cast (which already has Jason Statham playing one of the leads) of Death Race 3000; a remake of the 1975 flick starring Sylvester Stallone and David Carradine. Gibson is no stranger to high-speed chases, having also starred in 2 Fast 2 Furious. The film will revolve an ultra-violent futuristic car race in which drivers are awarded points for mowing down innocent pedestrians. Can't wait to see the lawsuits that come from this flick -- "Dude, I seriously hit that guy because I thought I'd get 10,000 points. I'm innocent -- blame the movie!" Says Anderson about the film: "We start shooting in four weeks time in Montreal. Jason Statham's playing Frankenstein and Machine Gun Joe's played by Tyrese Gibson. And Joan Allen is the big villain baddie of the movie, which I'm very excited about. She's gonna kick Statham's ass!"

If you're a serious Spider-Man fan, you've probably been wondering when the producers were gonna dust off Dylan Baker and FINALLY let him become the super-villain we've all been waiting for. Yes, newbies, the one-armed college professor who appears in all three Spider-Man films (for about 90 seconds at a time) is the guy who eventually gets turned into man-sized Lizard with a true hatred for Spider-Man. I'm assuming Sam Raimi wedged the character into the first two films, hoping to deliver a pay-off in Spider-Man 3, but I guess that flick was just too damn cluttered with other baddies.

According to one source, not only will Baker finally become The Lizard in Spider-Man 4, but we'll also have to contend with a certain villain known as Carnage. Spider-Man 4 would have to go a little bit "darker" than its predecessors to accurately capture the Carnage story, which focuses on a serial killer called Cletus Kasady who comes into contact with some of Eddie Brock's "symbiote" goo while they're both stuck in prison. (Connors, on the other hand, becomes Lizard after injecting himself with reptilian DNA in an effort to re-grow his missing arm.)

FreezeDriedMovies.com claims that these scoops come from the same source that gave them the Venom scoop a while back, so hopefully both villain reports are accurate. Apparently there's also talk of getting Black Cat into the Spider-Man 4 mix, because if a record-breaking opening weekend tells you one thing, it's that you can never have too many villains in your Spidey sequels. (Perhaps we'll get some of the goofier villains -- Rhino, Vulture, Electro, Kraven the Hunter -- in Spider-Man 5.) Plus, wasn't there a set-up for the Man-Wolf villain in Spider-Man 2? I can hardly keep track at this point.

I can sit here and shove quote after quote in your face, but it still wouldn't change the fact that Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst and Sam Raimi are not officially signed on to a Spider-Man 4. It's always difficult when you come to the end of a very successful trilogy; the main players involved are in desperate need of some time away from those characters, but the studio is amped up and prepared to move full speed ahead on another sequel ... and another sequel. So, now that we're only a few weeks away from Spider-Man 3, what's the latest from the Maguire camp? Well, contrary to earlier reports, it seems he might actually be interested in donning the Spidey suit for another adventure.

According to Sci-Fi Wire, Maguire recently told them that it all depends on the right ingredients coming together. He says, "It all depends on if there's a story worth telling. I feel very proud of the three movies that we've made. I feel like the stories all deserve to be told, and, you know, if they come up with a good movie, and the whole team wants to get back together, and we feel like we can make a good movie that's worth making, then I'm up for it." There's no need to spit out any quotes from Dunst on the subject because she apparently feels the same way. To use a sports analogy, this whole thing reminds me of a team fighting to make the playoffs; how a number of different things have to happen in order for that team to make it in. This isn't the Tobey show; whether or not we'll see a Spider-Man 4 with this same crew relies heavily on all three, but mainly Raimi. If he decides to direct, then there's a pretty good chance both Maguire and Dunst will return. End of story

(Editorial note: Thanks to Jen for pointing out we had a typo in the title!)

While Sony and Marvel would love to continue the Spider-Man franchise past this May's third installment, there's a good chance they'll be doing so without Spidey himself, Tobey Maguire. We already know Kirsten Dunst probably won't return, James Franco recently threw in his own thoughts on a fourth film and Marvel exec Kevin Feige told MTV that "there will be many more Spider-Man films to come" -- but the big question remains: Are additional sequels worth it if the trilogy's main stars don't return? Would it really be a Spider-Man film without Sam Raimi or Tobey Maguire?

When presented with these questions, Maguire told Starpulse News that, unless a miracle occurs, he's done slinging webs for now. Says Maguire, "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". But what exactly does that mean -- "if it made sense?" If what made sense? The stories are there, the fans are certainly there -- could Maguire be alluding to, dare I say it, the money? If so, then I imagine whatever new contract is drawn up would have to, not only provide him with a gigantic paycheck, but also be for only one film. There's no way this dude is committing himself to another three, and he's probably going to see where his co-stars and director stand before any final decisions are made.

Would you support a Spider-Man 4 if the original cast doesn't return?

[via Dark Horizons]

So tell me, movie-going public, are you aching for more of Marvel's biggest titles, or starting to tire of all the spandex and special effects? As yet, Marvel's main lines show no signs of slowing, as X-Men 3 did very well and Spider-Man 3 expects to fare even better. For those of us who have spent our entire lives reading comic books, this has been a truly enjoyable time -- and it seems as if the rest of you have been quite happy with it all as well. However, with the completion of X-Men: The Last Stand, we've been told the franchise is a wrap, and rumors have been suggesting the end of Spider-Man after part three since well before part two even hit theaters.

So what is the truth of the matter, then? Unsurprisingly, nobody really knows yet. However, one of the foremost sources of knowledge on the subject would likely be David Maisel, vice-president of Marvel Entertainment. On the subject, Maisel said: "obviously those films have done tremendously well and made significant amounts of profits for our partners, Sony and Fox, so I would be under the assumption that they would very much want to continue those properties in an aggressive manner." Given what's been said of various actors' contracts and desires to move on with their careers, it is distinctly possible this could mean the ever-dangerous recasting. Could Marvel films survive the replacement of key actors?