Raimi Out; Sony To Reboot Spider-Man In 2012

In a surprising turn of events Sony Pictures has opted to stop any further development in the upcoming ‘Spider-Man 4′ project. Last week we reported that production had been postponed on SM4 to work on the script. There had been many rumors that director Sam Raimi had been unhappy with the direction that the film was going in and that the two parties were having disagreements. It seems that Sony is set on putting Peter Parker back into high school, so that means the original cast is out, and hopes are high that they can re-capture the magic that inspired a franchise.

Read the Sony press release after the jump.

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.”

Let’s be honest, Spider-Man 3 left a bad taste in many of the fans mouths. Plus, they killed two of his greatest enemies in the trilogy. When you think that your next big movie villain is going to be the Vulture you’re in a lot of trouble. I think that we can even stand seeing the Green Goblin again and make a better suit for him.

Two of my biggest complaints about the franchise were that they made Peter grow up too fast and Spider-Man didn’t quip much in the films. It was always great to watch Peter deal with hiding his identity from his Aunt May and friends. I would have loved to have seen him fight the Green Goblin then have to sneak back into his bedroom without waking Aunt May. Being a very intelligent student, but having his grades suffer because he was saving the Big Apple the night before. Balancing a job, high school and a personal life add to the realism that made our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man so relatable. In addition, Spider-Man needs to quip when he is fighting a bad guy. He likes to talk excessively in the thick of it all and this is a) very funny b) makes the villain mad c) keeps them off balanced. Peter always has the right thing to say that makes the reader laugh which, sadly, was never done right in the films.

I think that this may be what is best for the franchise and the fans. We can thank Sam Raimi and company for giving us some wonderful moments in the Spider-Man movies and remember the good times. It’s time to move forward and hopefully get the films to a closer balance of comic book and movie.

What do you think of the re-boot idea? Let us know below.

Source: DeadlineHollywood.com