14 DAY TRIAL // Following months of speculation and rumors, Columbia Pictures officially announced the end of the “Spider-Man” franchise by scrapping all plans for the fourth installment. Instead of it, the movie studio will start working on a reboot that will see the hero, Peter Parker, back in high school, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.
Unfortunately, the move also means that fans will have to officially say their good-bye to actors Tobey Maguire and Kristen Dunst, and much loved director Sam Raimi, because they will not be returning for the reboot. Columbia is looking for fresh blood and new faces to introduce to the franchise, all in a bid to have Spidey regain at least some of the fans it lost with the third installment, considered by many the worst of the three, which literally brought the franchise in very troubled waters.
“The studio is parting ways with director Sam Raimi and ‘Spider-Man’ stars Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst and is taking the web slinger’s alter ego, Peter Parker, back to high school. The new movie, which will have a new director and cast but still be produced by Avi Arad and Laura Ziskin and Marvel Studios, is eyeing a summer 2012 release. It will use a script by James Vanderbilt and put the focus back on a teenager grappling with normal teen problems while also dealing with his superpowers,” THR writes of the announcement coming from the movie studio.
“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. 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,” ” Sony Pictures co-chairman Amy Pascal said of the termination of the current “Spider-Man” franchise.
Director Sam Raimi put up a united front, THR goes on to say, thanking Columbia for the opportunity it threw his way of doing a movie based on such an iconic and much loved character. This announcement comes only days after Tobey Maguire officially confirmed that production on the fourth installment had come to a halt over alleged creative issues.