I haven’t mentioned the recent troubles with Spider-Man 4‘s development since I hate the film series, but here’s something I just might be able to get excited over. Deadline Hollywood has the scoop that Sony will reboot the franchise in summer 2012 without Sam Raimi, Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, et. al. Sony quickly confirmed the reboot via Twitter. Due to Raimi and the studio’s inability to get on the same page with a fourth film quickly enough, Sony is forging ahead without him. James Vanderbilt (The Rundown, Zodiac) is handling the new script which will return Peter Parker to high school with a new director and a new cast.
Here’s hoping we get an appropriate cast this time around (I can’t tell you how much I dislike Maguire and Dunst in those roles) and uh, maybe a Green Goblin who didn’t walk off a Power Rangers set. We’ll probably get villains that haven’t already been done though… While we’re at it, I wouldn’t mind Parker actually being a science genius again by creating his own webshooters. Oh, and less cheesy sequences involving New York pride.
I have no idea how this will actually turn out. I’m not sure I trust Sony with the franchise at all, but I also know I trust Raimi with it even less. At least now I can have some fun once again imagining the potential for a great film with this character. First judgment will come when we see who is hired as the director.
