The Tragic Story Behind Spider-Man 4's Cancellation

If anyone here is looking to do their own research on this film. Here's every source used in the making of this video 06/25/2007 Sam Raimi doesn’t know if he’ll return web.archive.org/web/20211026201329/https://www.mtv… Oct, 16 2007 Sony and Sam Raimi meet with different writers who pitch their ideas for the next Spider-Man film. www.superherohype.com/features/95055-sam-raimi-on-… Oct 19th, 2007 Raimi states that he’ll have less of a role in the crafting of Spider-man 4’s story. Raimi, served as a writer for spiderman 3 and likely after its poor reception, opted to take the back seat when it comes to writing the next film www.theguardian.com/film/2007/oct/19/news www.digitalspy.com/movies/a77945/raimi-i-want-new-… James Vanderbuilt is signed on to write the script for the film. www.empireonline.com/movies/news/james-vanderbilt-… June 6, 2008 Raimi has discussions with James Vanderbuilt about the script. Says he hopes he loves it and hopes sony will let him direct it if it's right. www.google.com/amp/s/www.comingsoon.net/movies/new… June 21, 2008 The Los Angeles Times reports that “Spider-Man” franchise producer Laura Ziskin said the fourth installment is tentatively scheduled to hit theaters on May 6th 2011. Ziskin added that the screenplay is not finished yet, but that she and Sony Pictures were hopeful Spider-Man 4 could be ready in three years’ time. www.latimes.com/archives/blogs/company-town-blog/s… September 5, 2008: Raimi and Tobey sign on to adapt vanders script. web.archive.org/web/20210926102904/https://deadlin… October 16, 2008 Raimi has yet to receive the script and is still waiting. At this point he is unaware of who the villain is. He does tease the possibility of lizard appearing eventually but he’s still unsure whether he’ll be in this film www.firstshowing.net/2008/sam-raimi-chats-spider-m… OCT. 30, 2008, David Lindsay-Abaire is brought in to rewrite vanders script www.slashfilm.com/501201/pulitzer-prize-winner-dav… Release date web.archive.org/web/20090918150250/http://splashpa… Todd black talks about the villain web.archive.org/web/20090608141551/https://blogs.n… JUL 08, 2009, Gary Ross is brought in to once again rewrite the script. collider.com/gary-ross-re-writing-spider-man-4/ Aug, 16, 2009, Marvel and Columbia hire James Vanderbilt to write Spider-Man 5 and 6th. web.archive.org/web/20100625050426/http://www.vari… when filming will start web.archive.org/web/20091011045931/https://splashp… Raimi says he wants to go back to basics with the film. Embrace what made the first two films so great. web.archive.org/web/20091018080347/http://blogs.co… December 11th, 2009: Sony sends out 2 emails to the vfx crew telling them that production has been postponed deadline.com/2010/01/exclusive-spider-man-4-offici… deadline.com/2010/01/spider-man-4-vfx-crew-encoura… January 11, 2010 Spider-Man 4 canceled web.archive.org/web/20160304100822/http://www.holl… Sam Raimi and Dylan Baker have had discussions about ver The Lizard appearing in a sequel. They hope it woukd be in thr near futire www.ign.com/articles/2007/01/23/exclusive-lizard-l… Sam Raimi thinks the lizard's story will be told one day. But it’s unlikely he’ll appear in Spider-Man 4 www.firstshowing.net/2008/sam-raimi-chats-spider-m… Grant curtis a producer for Spider-Man 3 stated that he’d love to see lizard as the villainweb.archive.org/web/20070927224542/http://www.ifma… THURSDAY, MAY 29, 2008 Stan Lee states that he would love to see lizard appear. Fueling fans wanting him to appear. spiderman-4-trailer.blogspot.com/2008/05/spiderman… A report from the site market saw claimed that Lizard would be the main antagonist of the film. marketsaw.blogspot.com/2009/10/exclusive-spider-ma… Sam Raimi explains how they’re approaching the villain of the next film. screenrant.com/sam-raimi-discusses-spiderman-4-vil… A report released that John M and Anne Hathaway will play vulture and Black Cat. Apparently, web.archive.org/web/20091213005246/http://www.movi… Fans weren’t very supportive of the vulture as the villain including Johns casting www.firstshowing.net/2009/john-malkovich-to-play-t… www.firstshowing.net/2009/in-defense-the-case-for-… Ann Hathaway is looked at for Black Cat web.archive.org/web/20210925000520/https://deadlin… It was rumored that Ann Hathaway would be playing a new character named the vulturess. The daughter of the vulture screenrant.com/spider-man-4-villains-john-malkovic… Rough outline of her arc: web.archive.org/web/20091227015512/http://www.heyu… web.archive.org/web/20091213120757/http://www.slas… Rumors of black cats' involvement emerge. With actress Rachel McAdams being considered for the role. web.archive.org/web/20091112114126/http://www.mani… Actress romala Garao auditioned for a female role. Likely black cat. web.archive.org/web/20091113055923/http://www.guar… Rachel mcadams and Sony denies the casting screenrant.com/spider-man-4-rachel-mcadams-denies-… John Malkovitch confirms rumors of playing vulture screenrant.com/john-malkovich-confirms-vulture-in-… Sony and Raimi clash over the villain of the film web.archive.org/web/20160209212346/http://www.holl… Rumors of morlun as the main villain www.cinemablend.com/new/Exclusive-Spider-Man-4-Vil… Due to these disagreements about the villain, the film would be delayed and production would halt until the issue was dealt with. web.archive.org/web/20100114022603/http://iesb.net… Raimi wanted the vulture to be terrifying gizmodo.com/spider-man-4-storyboards-reveal-iconic… web.archive.org/web/20091227015512/http://www.heyu… Storyboards: www.planethenderson.com/spiderman4 Animatic; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i66b4zQjc00 www.superherohype.com/features/98981-michael-papaj…

I had no idea that Sony forced black cat into Spider-Man 4 just like they forced Venom into Spider-Man 3

Peter cheating on MJ with Felicia really would've hurt the character after Spider-Man 3

I think the most we can hope for is that we one day get a comic made from Raimi's script, something like Batman '89 or Superman' 78 that continues the story.

I would've liked to see Raimi's version of Vulture. He made Sandman work. I like Black Cat but I don't think she was needed. Maybe for the Amazing Spider Man or MCU.

Spider-Man 4's cancellation remains as one of the most deeply disappointing revelations that I still remember from my younger years. Everytime I watch one of these History of Spider-Man 4 videos, it's like I'm seeing a dream wish slowly wither away. As the hope for the 4th and potentially "the best Spider-Man" from the early 2008/2009 stage is overshadowed by the inevitability of Sony and Sam Raimi's disagreements leading to a reboot gradually looming over. Excellent coverage as always, Fist! Very insightful information and all stylishly edited together.

Spider-Man 4 should have been simple, the Lizard and Kraven... Basically the plot they used in the Spider-Man 3 video game, where Curt turns into Lizard, and Kraven decides to hunt him, while Spider-Man gets in the way trying to protect his mentor. Throw in Kraven's Last Hunt aspects, replace Vermin with Lizard, and you got a winner.

Man, this whole thing was wild back then. I remember very specifically that John Malkovich mentioned in an interview that he was going to play the Vulture and like one or two hours later the reboot was announced. It's annoying how Sony's meddling was what caused Raimi to be unhappy with the scripts, considering their meddling was what caused Spider-Man 3 to be such a mess.

I’ve seen a lot of Spider-Man 4 videos before but this video shines a light on a lot of details I wasn’t aware of. Had no idea that Black Cat was forced into the film.

Raimi should've written the script himself after not being satisfied by others scripts. Yea I know that he kinda lost his confident after SM3 but even tho with all it's flaws SM3 got it's heart in the right place. Characters makes mistakes, faces consequences and learns from it. This is all because of Raimi, his love to make a good movie. I'm sure Raimi could've written a good SM4 script if not the best perfect one.

Interestingly enough though, a lot of these ideas ended up being used in later Spider-Man movies. The villain that people wanted to see, the Lizard, ended up being used in the Amazing Spider-Man, while the Vulture, the villain Sam Raimi wanted, came to life in Spider-Man Homecoming, where he was reinvented as a more intimidating character than he was in the comics, and for that matter was also revealed to be the father of one of Peter's love interests. Also, the thing with Bruce Campbell's minor characters being revealed as Mysterio sort of happened in Spider-Man Far From Home where Mysterio and his team were revealed to have been in the background in several previous movies in the same franchise. Plus, Tobey Maguire even made a return in Spider-Man No Way Home.

Anne Hathaway: Rumored to be Black Cat Also Anne Hathaway: Becomes Catwoman The Senate: Ironic

the fact rose mary harris is still alive today and that weve been robbed of 15 years of Tobey Maguire Spiderman movies is fucking abysmal

A reboot wasn't even a bad idea. But then Sony fumbled EVERYTHING to do with TASM franchise. To the point where they had to admit defeat & give up.

Raimai said he'd Love to make Spider-man 4 with all the original actors

damn the fact SpiderMan 4 could’ve came out exactly on my birthday is kinda sad to think of😔

I'm honestly surprised Sam wasn't planning to do the Lizard next. He's one of Spider-Man's oldest enemies and he was clearly familiar with the character. He had already established Dr. Connors in 2 & 3 with the missing arm and all so he must've had SOME plans for him in the future. The Lizard's origin is a very tragic and human story and the character has enough horror elements that it seems like he'd be right up Raimi's alley!

Not sure if it was intentional, but Vulture/Black Cat ark from abrupt script mentioned in this video sounds similar to what we saw with Norman and Harry in the first two movies: 1) Peter have special relentionship with the child of the main antagonist 2) Antagonist hesitate to kill Peter after revelation that he was Spider-Man yet then snap back and continue pursuit 3) In the final fight with Peter antagonist get mortally wounded by accident with part of his own equipment 4) Child of antagonist seek revenge for the death of his/her father wrongfully thinking that it was Spider-Man who killed him 5) Child unite forces with another villain to kill Spider-Man Guess that was one of the reasons why this script didn't work out - it sounded too reminicant of what we allready saw in the franchise yet put in one movie

Would’ve loved to have seen this. Hopefully we do get a raimi and Maguire Spider-Man 4 someday

Even with the limited information we have of the plot, the plot itself sounds god awful. Jameson being replaced by Toomes as the editor of the Daily Bugle doesn’t sit right with me and Felicia Hardy being the Vulture’s daughter is just unsettling. Michael Papajohn returning again is an unnecessary retread of the origin story, which we don’t need, and makes no sense since his character is supposed to be dead. Peter cheating on MJ with Black Cat after everything Peter and MJ went through in the original trilogy is outright character assassination, it is by far the worst creative choice that was in the plot. This is NOT how Black Cat should be integrated in the story. Hearing all these plot details explains why Raimi reportedly hated the script drafts that were proposed. It’s no wonder Raimi backed out and decided to not make the movie. If this movie had happened with these creative choices, it would have ruined the Raimiverse’s legacy. Spider-Man 3 had a lot of problems and was despised for the first few years of being released, people only started softening on the movie around 2014 onwards. Spider-Man 4 would have been ten times worse than Spider-Man 3. I hate to say this, but I’m glad that Spider-Man 4 was cancelled. It was the best decision that Raimi could have made in such a messy situation, and on the bright side, we still got some kind of continuation of the Raimiverse in No Way Home. Tobey was only in No Way Home as a supporting character with 10 minutes of screen time, and we were given very little information about his life after Spider-Man 3. But we were lucky to have him back because bringing back actors for a character that’s been rebooted is only a recent development, and what we got was better than nothing. For so many years I thought Spider-Man 3 was the last we’d ever see of Tobey in the role and that the ship had forever sailed. I am so thankful Tobey returned for the role 14 years later.