Fuck!
The breaking news from Deadline Hollywood is that Spider-Man 4 is gone. Canceled. Good-bye. And Sam Raimi is gone as well. Apparently he told the folks at Sony he couldn’t make their deadlines and they told him sayonara.
But wait! It gets worse: Sony wants to reboot Spider-Man. Yes, start over. Yes, get rid of Tobey Maguire and everyone else.
Has the world gone mad? How do you reboot a successful franchise like this? Why would you get rid of your star? I get letting Raimi go (if you’re a studio uninterested in making a good movie), but why start from scratch? This isn’t like Batmanm, where the series has been sullied – and most importantly, dormant for a while. This is a still successful franchise that has room to grow.
I’m hoping that the scoop at Deadline Hollywood is a touch off and that there is no reboot, that it’s just a fourth film, even if Sony weirdly opts to recast. Starting over seems so very, very dumb.
Good for Sam Raimi, though. He doesn’t need this shit.
UPDATE! Holy fast paced world – Sony’s official Twitter feed has backed this up:
Spider-Man: Summer 2012: Peter Parker is going back to high school when the next Spider-Man hits theaters in the summer of 2012.
Morons.
UPDATED AGAIN: Here’s Sony’s press release. Teenaged Spidey all over again. We’re sure to get the origin again, especially since they’re going to want to connect Spider-Man tightly with Venom. Fuckers. And it will, of course, be 3D.
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.
“A 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’re 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,” 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.
59 comments
Holy shit… Well, fuck 'em. Raimi made some nice coin, and can now go and make whatever the hell he feels like making and shouldn't look back.
Coming summer 2012: Adam Shankman's "Spider-Man". Or Shawn Levy… mark my words.
Wow. Well, that's dumb as a bag of hammers.
This seems like a retarded decision from a business standpoint. Movies from the 80s that the kids today probably don't even know about? Sure. Something less than a decade old? What the fuck?
I wonder what it would take for the rights to go back to Disney/Marvel?
Raimi is probably better off. Drag Me to Hell proves he still has the chops to make a good movie (even though no one saw it which is a damn shame).
I'm kind of curious abut his Warcraft movie. I know nothing about the game but a Raimi helmed fantasy flick could be a lot of fun.
I don't envy the next creative team that's for sure.
They made so much money on the last one even though they tried to screw it up avery way they could, so why not throw the whole setup out? It will still make a ton of money, right?
On the bright side maybe they will botch it so bad that they end up giving it back to Marvel. Then we can have Downey and Maguire in a crossover.
Umm, so they going to bring the Osborne's back from the dead, and start that whole storyline all over again? That's a horrible idea if they do it. It's one thing for the Dark Knight to do it with the Joker and Two Face. That Batman lives in a completely different universe from the one that existed in the first four Batman films. They'd have to totally take apart the whole Raimi Spider-man universe piece by piece, and that's not necessary. I guess they can have Parker fall for Gwen Stacey first before he does for MJ.
Good grief charlie brown. Now we're going to have the whole webshooter wars all over again… *puts on battle gear* See you all at superherohype in two years.
Well, Tobey McGuire is getting a bit long in the tooth for the part (34), but I agree that it's a dumb move.
Actually, this is great. Spider man is probably the weakest superhero movie adaptation, mainly because of Tobey Maguire's bitchness and the sickeningly sachrine story line. Sam Raimi has been treading water for years now, so this will be good for him, cause who wouldn't rather see him make some more original movies instead of this Swill(straight from the waters of Lake Erie)…. This is the best movie related news I've heard in awhile. Yes!!!
Hopefully Raimi will move on to more interesting subjects.
AWESOME! It'll be like "Ultimate: Spider-Man" in movie form!!! Note the heavy Sarcasm because I'm laying it on pretty thick! Sam made the first two films a success and now a studio committee fancy themselves “filmmakers.” Hey studio executives! Learn this well; shut up, write the check, stay out of the way and let the real talents make their movie and you a lot of money. Think I’m wrong? Just look at the last installment in your franchise and the ridiculous uneven accident that is Venom in Spider-Man 3.
I think this is pretty good news, truth be told, because if they find the right people for the job, this could be very good indeed.
Personally, I don't think Raimi's Spider-Man films were all that terrific; the man's sense of style, and his auteurial tics just didn't fit Spider-Man (Drag Me To Hell, on the other hand, was great fun).
I wouldn't mind someone getting back to basics, getting rid of dopey-eyed Maguire and irritating Dunst, and giving me a more dynamic Spidey.
Teenwolfspider?
The way I feel now while reading this is that I'll not be seeing the new one when it comes out (just like I couldn't give two shits about x-brats first class). Hopefully tasty visual hype will not make me contradict myself when it comes time to cowboy up.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt please.
How soon until the disputed script w/ Vulture appears online? Gotta get my hands on that
I'm half happy for Raimi: yes, he doesn't need this s**t — but he won't be able to make up for the last one….
Go ahead. If they want to fuck up the franchise then let em'.
Sony – WE DO NOT WANT THIS. After 8 years, you are "rebooting"? No. You vare insulting an audience who have invested love and money in a continually successful franchise where Raimi has proven himself RIGHT. Look at Spider-Man 2 and then think about WHAT WINS. You absolute, utter idiots. Shame on you and your stockholders. Shame.
What the heck! I am violent with rage! They better not kick toby out or all hell will break loose! I know Spider-Man 3 kind of sucked, but they could fix it! I am going to sue SONY for all they are worth!
Okay I can see if it were three so-so films but they weren't. All three were money makers at the Box office. I and other can agree that rushing the Venom arc was a Baaad idea and Raimi agreed too. What you don't do is flush a strong franchise down the crapper and start from Zero without losing you're audience and boy Sony I tell you this I ain't gonna sit through what is going to be a piss poor reboot of Raimi's vision of Spiderman.
And to Raimi and Maguire best of luck and thanks for the memories
RIP Spiderman 2002 – 2007
I thought I would be blaspheming, but it seems others here also did not care so much for Raimi's Spiderman films, while thinking the world of Raimi's work in general (and Drag Me To Hell in particular). Spiderman is, in my professional opinion, gay.
And, it surprises me, honestly, that film geekdom can continually be surprised by the stupid actions of Hollywood. You do realize that these kiddie movies are being made by bankers, right?
And all of your internet outcry could be more effectively voiced by abstaining from ticket purchases.
Boycott Spider-Man 4. They clearly think we are stupid. They only care about the money and they have no problem on selling us the exact same movie each two years.
While I do not hate Raimi's Spider-man film. They are Raimi films that just happen to feature Spider-Man. So Sony and Marvel can get to get together, find a new Spidey, a new Mary Jane, and hopefully a new GWEN STACY!
We all knew this was coming. I am just glad Sony finally got it done.
Well, the good thing is that Raimi now free to work on "World Of Warcraft" 🙂
YES. Wanted this ever since the boring first one was released with the dumb decision to use Power Ranger Goblin instead of Wilem's facial features.
Marvel should just get Raimi on the Avengers just to stick it to Sony.
FUCK THIS. I've invested way too FUCKING much for them to turn around and rape my pucker. Seriously, I'm a FUCKING fan of this shit and looking forward after each movie (even Spidey3) and "THIS IS THE MUTHA FUCKIN' THANKS I GET?" FUCK THEM, FUCK SONY ALL TO HELL. Long live Sam Raimi, even though he took the pussy i.e. political way out.
James Cameron on the reboot! Let's get this party started!
I agree with RCA 100%.
This is fantastic news.
And the franchise has been sullied. 3 was so bad I can no longer watch 1 & 2.
Goodbye Tobey & Kirsten!
I think this is the new way to do franchises. You build them up until the cast and director become to high priced, then the studio changes the lineup for younger, cheaper talent. Its the way of the industry.
In 15 years, when Fox goes with "Avatar 5: Dr. Augustine's School", directed by a music video director, with an entire teen cast, this type of news will be normal.
YES! Raimi did ok, but only ok. He messed up all the villains except maybe Octopus. He had some fine actors, but Maguire was too limp. Spidey needs to have zest and humour! I really want to see a real Osborne wearing a really creepy green Goblin suit. And don't make the stories so damn soap-opera like.
This is the best thing that could possibly happen to the Spider-Man franchise. Everyone who thinks otherwise has their head way up their fucking ass. Even if you LIKED Raimi's take, this is the best possible course of action. He had three movies. He gave us his interpretation of Spider-Man, now let another director come in and give us his, unbeholden to his decisions. It's the same thing they do in the comics, new creative teams are things to be excited about, not bitch about. Personally I'm just thanking god Tobey Mcfuckface won't be putting on the tights anymore. And I second the Joseph Gordon-Levitt please.
I've never commented here before..although I've been following this site..joblo..aicn…daily for the past…what….9 years? This decision means that fanboy/geekdom/internet geekdom is now officially irrelevant. This is a BUSINESS decision…and one which I totally get…people say the simpsons has gone downhill and is out of touch…well didja catch last sunday's episode? this next spider-man will make a boat ton of dollars…and the high-school angle is the most profitable aspect of the whole enterprise…it's ALLLLLL about the dollars now…trust me….fan stuff like us…is over….O-V-E-R
boycott…STARTING NOW
Fuuuuccccckkkkkk. . .
The real shame? We probably won't be seeing J.K Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson.
Oh, but we'll probably be seeing his son get turned into a werewolf to bring in the Twilight audiences.
Spiderman does work well in a high school setting. This probably isn't that bad an idea. Also, I'd rather see Raimi make something else anyway.
Got five bucks on Spider-man suit sporting nipples. Any takers?
R.I.P spiddy
Stupid, stupid cunts. Sony – you're comprised of stupid cunts pretending to be assholes. A REBOOT? Already?! The fuck you say? After the three pictures made you boatloads of cash?
Honestly, I can't wait to see the fucking no-talent meat puppet you lined up to play Pete Parker. Some spike-haired cacksacker who couldn't even play a fucking tree at the high school Christmas play. See, Raimi GOT Peter Parker, balls to bones, as did Toby. You think the douche they hire to direct "Peter in high school" (yeah, THAT'S breaking new ground. Fucksticks.) is going to get the character? It'll be Sweet Valley High with Hunk Parker as a Twilight/Spidey hybrid – VampWereSpiderman.
You know what? Fuck 'em Sam. You took the high road all the way, and proved – for some Hollywood directors – it AIN'T about the money. Now find another franchise that'll benefit from your skill and talent, and make the small movies you've got the dough to make.
Sony? Go fuck yourself with Bea Arthur's dick.
You fan boys are so full of it. I keep reading how all of you are boycotting and you are not going to show up, claiming to be Raimi loyalists. You motherfuckers couldn't even show up to "Drag Me to Hell", a pure Raimi film, proving to Sony how dispensable director's are to their so-called fans. It's why the studio had no problem developing a completely different script behind his back. And you know the whole lot of you are going to show up to this half-hearted, kid-friendly reboot of Spiderman. You are all going to bitch and moan about how bad it is right here on these message boards while Sony counts all the money you pluck down at the ticket counters.
Fucking Avi Arad. What a CUNT. More fucking Venom, great. YOU WANKERS.
Sooo…. care to predict who's now calling their agents to get the Spider-Man reboot gig ? Those who had fx skill and geek-friendly like Neill Blomkamp or Gore Verbinski ? Or would Sony pick someone like Marc Webb ?
I can't wait for this travesty to take shape. I think we're in for some all-time awesome hilarity as costume redesigns and production art hit the web. As they pack this impending piece of shit with every WB and "Twilight" actor they can get, the fanboy rage is going to be awesome. But, most of all I can't wait until a truly horrible director gets the job. Someone like Brett Ratner. That's going to be epic.
All in all, I think we're in for a farce of epic proportions and I can't wait for it to get started.
Can"t believe those wankers whining about Raimi's departure. I guess they really enjoy Spidey soap-operas with a doe-eyed and humourless Peter Parker, clunky action and castrated villains.
worst superhero, worse villains.. a new generation needs this wuss already? 10bucks Micheal Cera gets the call.. a world of pansies and twinks, what self-respecting man can relate to these stories?
@ #36: When does that boycott end? I assume on some release date in 2012…
That is so fucking stupid. You know they will make piles of money but fuck that. What a bunch of bullshit.
Raimi, fine.
Reboot: how fucking dumb. I am not a fanboy. I am a businessman, and this is the stupidest move for a tent-pole series I could think of.
Looks like Raimi's gonna find time to start working on the 'Warcraft' film a little sooner than expected..
That's just fucking stupid. Completely stupid. Just goes to show you that making a fuckload of money for a studio means nothing to them. From the sound of it, all Mr. Raimi wanted was to correct what he and a majority of the world felt were the flaws of Spiderman 3. And he was RIGHT. Spiderman 3 was highly flawed and needed to be corrected. Planning a reboot now (of all FUCKING THINGS) is just plain retarded and proves furthermore that studios don't understand at al. And I recommend that every person seeks out Steven Soderbergh's Empire Magazine interview about how to talk to studios. Granted, I only like a Steven Soderbergh movie here or there, but he's absolutely right that you have to talk to studio heads like they're two year olds. MORE POWER TO DIRECTORS!!!!! The ones who actually MAKE the films know ALL in the movie industry!
"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." Yeah, as in making history as the biggest worst douchebag dumbfuck ain't got a clue asshole studio interference fuckhead exec decision ever. EVER. E V E R.
I for one welcome this. Never liked Tobey as Peter, never liked Kirsten as MJ. Maybe they'll pattern it more like Spectacular Spider-Man. Hopefully they'll put Gwen in there properly too.
What? This sucks! Why bother making stories anymore? At this rate they can just keep remaking the first movie rather than doing sequels. Damn this is dumb.
Justin Beiber (sp) as Spiderman, sweet.
At least John Cusack confirmed the world ends in 2012, so why get all worked up about it. We will not get to see this anyway. Thank you Lane
Ahh I have to say it is feels good. I loved the first spidey- It was magical- But it wouldnt cut it for me today! Way too bubble gum/ soap opera. Tobey is close but just doesnt have the charisma. All I gotta say is Sony better come with it hard! Bring on Peters first true love- Gwen Stacey AND M.J. + the angst of being a teen + a kick ass real villian (similar to the joker in batman) i have hope!
Wow! Just when I thought Sony couldn't get any dumber. They just went out and did something like this. But they are not redeeming themselves. They are killing Spiderman. All you haters can go to hell including Sony Raimi and Mguire made Spiderman. And this is coming from someone who's watched Spiderman as a child. Say it ain't so Stan Lee. Don't let these bastards in fancy suits pull a Batman Forever oops I mean Spiderman Forever! BOYCOTT AND REFUSE TO WATCH IT!!!! Make the RITARDS realize they screwed up when it does worse then Mariah Carey's Glitter at the box-office. THAT"LL SHOW EM!!!!!
The film industry is all about money and does not give two shits about the fans and what we want. In their eyes we are nothing but plebs that will turn up and pay to see absolute crap no matter what. If you really want to do something about this movie being made VOICE YOUR OPINIONS AND DO NOT PAY YOUR HARD EARNED MONEY TO SEE THIS FARCE. Keep Hollywood honest and make it work hard for our money.
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