By Lewis Bazley.
Director Sam Raimi and star Tobey Maguire have left the Spider-Man franchise, with plans for a fourth film abandoned and a new reboot planned.
The superhero sequel had seemed in jeopardy in the last week with rumours of script concerns and Sony confirming its release had been delayed.
It has now emerged that an entirely new take on the webslinger is in the offing, with Sam Raimi – who directed hugely successful three Spider-Man films – and leading man Tobey Maguire both bidding farewell to the Marvel character.
A statement from Columbia Pictures and Marvel Studios confirmed that Peter Parker is „going back to high school”, with a summer 2012 release date planned for a reboot 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.
Amy Pascal, co-chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment, commented: „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.
Raimi, who is believed to be attached to an upcoming movie based on the World of Warcraft roleplay games, said the Spider-Man franchise had been „the experience of a lifetime”.
„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,” he added.
Spider-Man 4 scrapped and reboot planned
By Lewis Bazley.
Director Sam Raimi and star Tobey Maguire have left the Spider-Man franchise, with plans for a fourth film abandoned and a new reboot planned.
The superhero sequel had seemed in jeopardy in the last week with rumours of script concerns and Sony confirming its release had been delayed.
It has now emerged that an entirely new take on the webslinger is in the offing, with Sam Raimi – who directed hugely successful three Spider-Man films – and leading man Tobey Maguire both bidding farewell to the Marvel character.
A statement from Columbia Pictures and Marvel Studios confirmed that Peter Parker is „going back to high school”, with a summer 2012 release date planned for a reboot 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.
Amy Pascal, co-chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment, commented: „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.
Raimi, who is believed to be attached to an upcoming movie based on the World of Warcraft roleplay games, said the Spider-Man franchise had been „the experience of a lifetime”.
„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,” he added.
