Wednesday, September 16

• It's Official: Kirsten Dunst in Spider-Man 4

  Kirsten Dunst kept her inevitable inclusion in Spider-Man 4 a complete mystery for a long time, until earlier this summer when producer Todd Black said Dunst would be back. Today MTV reports that Columbia Pictures has officially announced Dunst's return to the role of Mary Jane Watson that she played in the previous three movies.

  Sam Raimi has to be pleased with Dunst's return considering he said he "couldn't imagine making a Spider-Man movie without" her. Fans are likely more excited about Bruce Campbell's bigger role in the sequel than Dunst "officially" coming back.

  What do you think? Are you pleased with Dunst coming back for Spider-Man 4? Leave us a comment below.

  
  

  Posted 09/16/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Kirsten Dunst | Spider-Man 4

Tuesday, September 15

• Sony and Columbia Plan More IMAX Screenings for Spider-Man 4

  

  We suppose it's no surprise that Sony and Columbia will release Spider-Man 4 in IMAX when it comes out on May 5, 2011. But for those who needed an official announcement, here it is.

  ComingSoon.net reports that several representatives of Sony and IMAX made statements to the press confirming that they are planning even more IMAX screenings than were available for the last installment. One of these representatives was Rory Bruer, President of Worldwide Distribution for Sony Pictures Releasing:

  The last two Spider-Man releases have been available in IMAX theaters, and we're very much looking forward to our return to a wider IMAX theatre network with this exciting new chapter in the continuing adventures of Spider-Man. The addition of so many new IMAX locations will give even more fans of Spider-Man an opportunity to experience the action and adventure in a unique way.

  Director Sam Raimi, who helmed the first three movies, is back for the fourth, as are stars Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst. In addition, cult-movie star Bruce Campbell — who cameoed as a boxing-ring announcer, a theater usher, and a French waiter in the first three movies — will reportedly have a larger role in Spider-Man 4, much to our delight.

  
  

  Posted 09/15/2009 by Rich Z

  Related: Bruce Campbell | Sam Raimi | Tobey Maguire | Kirsten Dunst | Spider-Man 4

Wednesday, July 22

• The Top 10 Spider-Man 4 Villain Candidates

  

  There are a lot of superhero movies out there, but the hero is only half the story — the boring half, in fact. However much you love a hero, it takes a great villain to really bring a movie over the top. There needs to be a foil to the hero's strengths: a Joker for the Batman, a Red Skull for Captain America, a Michael Bay for the American public.

  Without a villain, all you’ve got is someone prancing around in tights for a couple hours ... a terrible idea unless Sony unexpectedly takes our suggestion and casts Jessica Alba in the title role. Since sadly that seems unlikely to happen, we have a few suggestions for who the still unannounced villain of Spider-Man 4 should be. While popular favorites (the Green Goblin, Dr. Octopus, and emo haircuts) have already been used up, Spider-Man has been around for nearly 50 years. The series offers a wide variety of possibilities, each sillier than the last. We count down the Top 10 Spider-Man 4 Villain Candidates here.

  
  

  Posted 07/22/2009 by reelz

  Related: Sam Raimi | Tobey Maguire | Kirsten Dunst | Spider-Man 4

Monday, June 8

• Kirsten Dunst Will Be in Spider-Man 4

  While talking to the New York Post, Spider-Man 4 producer Todd Black confirmed Kirsten Dunst's involvement in the upcoming sequel after months of speculation led Sam Raimi to personally ask Dunst to join.. Apparently, it worked.

  Black did talk a bit about the villain for Spider-Man 4, first by ending rumors that Morbius the Vampire would appear in the movie, and then saying:

  We're just coming up with who the villain's going to be now. We'll be shooting in New York again. Trust me, people will appreciate who we pick, because it'll be a big part of New York.

  Black also mentioned that the villain will be from the comics and not someone invented for the movie. So, if the villain is from the comics and is "a big part of New York," that likely rules out rumored villains Electro and Carnage, Peter Parker's professor-turned-reptile the Lizard, or other villainous possibilities Kraven the Hunter, the Vulture and Man-Wolf.

  Could it be the Kingpin, leader of the New York's organized crime, already portrayed by Michael Clarke Duncan in Daredevil? Considering Fox owns the rights to the character, that seems unlikely. With little else to go on, speculation will have to suffice until Sony announces the villains, which may happen once the script is delivered at the end of summer.

  
  
  Next Showing: Spider-Man 4 opens May 6, 2011

  Posted 06/08/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Sam Raimi | Todd Black | Kirsten Dunst | Michael Clarke Duncan | Spider-Man 4 | Daredevil

Thursday, April 23

• Sam Raimi to Talk Kirsten Dunst into Spider-Man 4

  When it comes to the fourth installment of the Spider-Man series, Kirsten Dunst has been the sole hold-out. Tobey Maguire is back. Sam Raimi is going to direct. Even Bruce Campbell is likely to do another cameo, however Dunst has yet to join in on the web-slinging fun. Raimi is hoping to change that. Raimi told SciFiWire that he's planning on meeting with Dunst soon:

  I'm hoping that she is going to come aboard, and I've got a meeting coming up with her. I think she would like to. But I don't want to speak on behalf of her.

  Why not join Spider-Man 4? There's a script from a Pulitzer-Prize winner arriving at the end of summer, Raimi has more control over the movie, plus Dunst will be able to yet again dye her natural blonde hair to an unnatural-looking red! (Not to mention, those Spider-Man movies are kinda successful.) Jump on board, Kirsten!

  
  
  Next Showing: Spider-Man 4 opens May 6, 2011

  Posted 04/23/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Bruce Campbell | Sam Raimi | Tobey Maguire | Kirsten Dunst | Spider-Man 4

Tuesday, March 17

• Sam Raimi Spills Spider-Man 4 Updates

  At the SXSW festival, director Sam Raimi was showing versions of his upcoming Drag Me to Hell but dropped some info on 2011's summer-headliner, Spider-Man 4 to MTV:

  I can't imagine making a Spider-Man movie without Kirsten [Dunst]. Of course it can be done because Spider Man has existed without the character of Mary-Jane, but she's one of my favorite parts and it would be a shame not to have her in the picture. I'm hoping she'll be in it and I'm planning on having a story with her in it.

  As for whether Raimi and company will shoot Spider-Man 4 and 5 at the same time, Raimi said:

  The writers, producers and I are working out what the story will be, but we haven't been talking in terms of Part 4 and 5. I've read that [about Spider-Man 5] also, but right now we're just working on the story for Spider-Man 4, just that one film.

  Raimi did not confirm whether Morbius the Vampire would be the villain in Spider-Man 4. Raimi told IGN:

  I'm in the earliest stages of working with the writer, trying to work out a story. We're closing in on Spider-Man's adversary or adversaries... but I think Sony is going to want to release the Spider-Man announcements themselves.

  The "writer" Raimi mentioned is Pulitzer Prize winner David Lindsay-Abaire, who is set to write the screenplay.

  
  

  Posted 03/17/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Sam Raimi | Kirsten Dunst | David Lindsay-Abaire | Spider-Man | Drag Me to Hell | Spider-Man 4

Monday, January 19

• J.K. Simmons to Return For Spider-Man 4

  Kirsten Dunst's return may be uncertain, but J.K. Simmons, the man behind J. Jonah Jameson's infamous mustache will be back for Spider-Man 4.

  Simmons seems pretty content with the size of the Bugle Chief role: "We've definitely brainstormed ideas for Triple-J, but I have no desire to make Triple-J more of the focus of those movies," he told MTV, "The amount that I did in 1, 2 and 3, is just exactly right. Like be the wolf. Come in, blow in, do a week, blow out, be the comic relief, and hit the road. And let Tobey and everybody else do the heavy lifting."

  Spider-Man 4 is set to start filming in 2010, with a May 2011 release date, the same month that First Avenger: Captain America hits theaters (May 6), and before the July release of The Avengers.

  
  

  Posted 01/19/2009 by Ryan

  Related: J.K. Simmons | Kirsten Dunst | Spider-Man 4 | First Avenger: Captain America | The Avengers

Friday, October 31

• Pulitzer Prize Winner to Pen Spider-Man 4

  Spider-Man 4 is finally coming together. Director Sam Raimi and star Tobey Maguire have signed on and rumors are building that Spidey's gal, Kirsten Dunst, will return as well.

  Looking to rebound from the disappointing Spider-Man 3, Sony has brought in Pulitzer Prize-winning author David Lindsay-Abaire to write the script. The author won the 2007 Pulitzer for his Broadway play Rabbit Hole. He's also working on a Broadway musical adaptation of Shrek and his first feature, Inkheart, opens in January and stars Brendan Fraser.

  Still no official word on plot details or who the villains will be, but we'll bring that news to you as soon as we hear more.

  Source: Empire Movies
  

  
  

  Posted 10/31/2008 by reelz

  Related: Sam Raimi | Tobey Maguire | Kirsten Dunst | Spider-Man 4

Thursday, October 16

• Raimi Gives Spider-Man 4 Update

  Our friends over at MTV Movies recently spoke with the notoriously dodgy Sam Raimi about the many rumors surrounding plans for the upcoming Spider-Man sequels.

  Raimi says that he'd "love to work with [Kirsten Dunst] again" but seems to leave the prospect of replacing the actress very open.
  

  As to the rumors that Spider-Man 4 and 5 will be shot back-to-back, Raimi says it has been "talked about" and will ultimately be up to Sony head honcho Amy Pascal. "Production would likely start by March of 2010," adds Raimi.

  Although Raimi remained cagey on who the villain might be, he did admit that Dylan Baker's beloved Lizard story "will be told" one day, adding that he didn't know whether it would be for the next one or not. Fans might remember Raimi's response to the Venom speculation before Spider-Man 3 was quite similar.

  You can read the full MTV interview with Raimi on MTV's Splashpage.

  
  

  Posted 10/16/2008 by reelz

  Related: Sam Raimi | Tobey Maguire | Kirsten Dunst | Spider-Man 4

Sunday, May 6

• Is that all you got, Spidey?
  

  Spider-Man 3 stumbled out of the box office gate this weekend with a meager take of $148 million, barely topping Disturbia, which held strong at $5.7 million for 2nd place. The thriller gave the web crawler a major run for the money and fell just short of a fifth straight week atop the charts.
  
  Sony execs knew trouble was brewing when Spider-Man 3 made only $59 million on its opening day Friday, barely topping the opening day record set last year by Pirates of the Caribbean 2.
  
  Spider-Man 3 joins other box office disappointments of late including Grindhouse, The Condemned and Kickin' It Old Skool.
  
  It's hard to say yet exactly what the final fallout will be from America's shunning of this once proud icon, but we can expect a few pink slips around the Sony offices come Monday. This weekend's take obviously squashes rumors of a fourth film, likely spelling the end of Spidey's days swinging across the big screen.
  
  
  
  Next Showing: Spider-Man 3 is playing nationwide, but not for long
  

  Exclusive Interview

  Check out Mike Richards with the cast of Spider-Man 3.

  Posted 05/06/2007 by reelz

  Related: Tobey Maguire | Kirsten Dunst | Spider-Man 3