Spider-Man 4 Dead; Raimi and Maguire Out

This story broke earlier today right here but we waited to post this until it was confirmed by Sony which it has been.¬†¬† Apparently Sam Raimi pulled out of the movie because he couldn’t promise to meet the summer 2011 release date without the film being compromised creatively. ¬†I wasn’t really surprised that Raimi bailed on Spidey 4 as there’s been shit flying back and forth between him and the studio for months now.¬† I had a feeling Raimi would do this but what I am definitely surprised about is that Sony is choosing to ditch everyone and reboot the entire thing.

Normally you save a reboot for the most extreme circumstances.¬† A film franchise should be either¬† completely in the shitter (Batman) or have been lying dormant for ages in order to warrant a complete do-over.¬†¬† Being a somewhat cynical guy, I can only imagine the damage they’re going to do to this property by letting a talented guy like Raimi get away over what was essentially a power struggle.¬† But they don’t pay me the big bucks to make these decisions and I can guarantee you that’s exactly what all this was about- the fucking money.¬† Sony can get whatever hack director in there that will do whatever they ask him to do, and it’s still going to make them a shitload in the end.¬† It’ll likely be a big name director but someone they can keep on a leash.¬†¬† What’s Brett Ratner doing these days?

As for Peter Parker himself, the possibilities are endless.¬† Personally I’m hoping they cast Jonah Hill and then get Uwe Boll to direct.¬† Throw in Miley Cyrus as Mary Jane Watson (and providing the soundtrack) and you got yourself a fucking slab of cash.¬†¬†¬† All signs point to this unnecessary reboot being in 3D and will most likely have more in common with a Mountain Dew commercial than a Spider-Man flick.¬† Ok maybe I’m being a bit too negative here since I have no idea what Sony will actually do, but consider me extremely cautious.

Here’s the press release from Sony:

Culver City, CA (January 11, 2010) — Peter Parker is going back to high school when the next Spider-Man hits theaters in the summer of 2012. Columbia Pictures and Marvel Studios announced today they are moving forward with a film based on a script by James Vanderbilt that focuses on a teenager grappling with both contemporary human problems and amazing super-human crises.

The new chapter in the Spider-Man franchise produced by Columbia, Marvel Studios and Avi Arad and Laura Ziskin, will have a new cast and filmmaking team. Spider-Man 4 was to have been released in 2011, but had not yet gone into production.

‚ÄúA decade ago we set out on this journey with Sam Raimi and Tobey Maguire and together we made three Spider-Man films that set a new bar for the genre. When we began, no one ever imagined that we would make history at the box-office and now we have a rare opportunity to make history once again with this franchise. Peter Parker as an ordinary young adult grappling with extraordinary powers has always been the foundation that has made this character so timeless and compelling for generations of fans. We‚Äôre very excited about the creative possibilities that come from returning to Peter’s roots and we look forward to working once again with Marvel Studios, Avi Arad and Laura Ziskin on this new beginning,‚Äù said Amy Pascal, co-chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment.

“Working on the Spider-Man movies was the experience of a lifetime for me. While we were looking forward to doing a fourth one together, the studio and Marvel have a unique opportunity to take the franchise in a new direction, and I know they will do a terrific job,” said Sam Raimi.

“We have had a once-in-a-lifetime collaboration and friendship with Sam and Tobey and they have given us their best for the better part of the last decade.This is a bittersweet moment for us because while it is hard to imagine Spider-Man in anyone else’s hands, I know that this was a day that was inevitable,” said Matt Tolmach, president of Columbia Pictures, who has served as the studio’s chief production executive since the beginning of the franchise. “Now everything begins anew, and that’s got us all tremendously excited about what comes next. Under the continuing supervision of Avi and Laura, we have a clear vision for the future of Spider-Man and can’t wait to share this exciting new direction with audiences in 2012.”

“Spider-Man will always be an important franchise for Sony Pictures and a fresh start like this is a responsibility that we all take very seriously,” said Michael Lynton, Chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures. “We have always believed that story comes first and story guides the direction of these films and as we move onto the next chapter, we will stay true to that principle and will do so with the highest respect for the source material and the fans and moviegoers who deserve nothing but the best when it comes to bringing these stories and characters to life on the big screen.”

The studio will have more news about Spider-Man in 2012 in the coming weeks as it prepares for production of the film.

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