Spider-Man 4 to be Recast as Sam Raimi Walks

Comic fans, hold onto your webs. Plans for Sony’s Spider-Man 4 recently came to a screeching halt when director Sam Raimi walked away from the film, citing scheduling and script concerns. So now what? Well, Sony plans to start with a clean slate, introducing a completely new cast (think: younger Peter Parker) and creative team.

Although some details are still murky, it turns out Spider-Man 4, which had an expected Feb. 2011 release date, never went into production. Plus, writer James Vanderbilt already has a revised script ready to go, set to feature a teenage Peter Parker. “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,” said Amy Pascal, co-chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment. “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.”

This new film is expected to be cheaper than the original Spider-Man 4 version, since now Sony won’t have to fork over big bucks to Maguire and other marquee stars. Expect to see a new Spider-Man swing into cinemas in 2012.

It seems Raimi isn’t holding a grudge about this Spider-Man reboot, either. “Working on the Spider-Man movies was the experience of a lifetime for me,” he said. “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.”

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