WHOA. As I mentioned earlier, Nikki Finke just recruited Variety’s chief newshound Mike Fleming, and now the new duo are coming out of the gate with a massive story. Their first big report is that Sony is scrapping Spider-Man 4 after script and schedule concerns caused Sam Raimi to walk away from the film. The scuttled sequel has already been confirmed by a Sony Pictures press release, and the studio will now go for a full franchise reboot. New director, new cast. Details after the break.

 

Finke and Fleming’s report says the decision was made just today, and that the studio will start over with a “franchise reboot” script by James Vanderbilt. They quote sources reporting that Raimi said he couldn’t make the picture’s 2011 release date and maintain quality standards.

 

The Sony press release offers more info. Shorn of back-patting quotes, the core info is as follows:

 

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.

 

That means no Malkovich, no Vulture, no Vulturess, and no more Kirsten Dunst. Let’s see what Sony comes up with now; bets on a thinly-translated Ultimate Spider-Man adaptation? James Vanderbilt wrote an early draft of Spider-Man 4, and had been hired to write the presumptive fifth and sixth films.

 

When that deal for SM5 and 6 came down last August, the possibility of those scripts being the basis for a reboot was mentioned, so this isn’t an utter left-field surprise. Though a studio scrapping a film as potentially massive as Spidey 4 in favor of a reboot is still a huge deal; this is nothing like rebooting the Hulk, or Ghost Rider or Fantastic Four.

 

What next for Raimi? Will he go directly on to World of Warcraft, the Dennis Lehane adaptation The Given Day, or something else? (Another smaller film?) All things considered, you’ve got to guess that he and Tobey Maguire are both more happy than anything else to get away from increasingly difficult franchise.

 

 

article taken from slashfilm.com

Definitely not a bad thing. I greatly enjoyed the trilogy but these things inevitably go stale if you don't twiddle them around every now and then.

Woah, its a bit of a step back for Spiderman 4 with Peter Parker going back to school. They probably re-cast Spidey as well.

Woah, its a bit of a step back for Spiderman 4 with Peter Parker going back to school. They probably re-cast Spidey as well.

 

did you read it? spiderman 4 is cancelled. it's not happening, they are rebooting it. tobey maguire will not be spidey. sam raimi will not be involved, it is a reboot, nothing to do with the other spidermans.

:snif:

did you read it? spiderman 4 is cancelled. it's not happening, they are rebooting it. tobey maguire will not be spidey. sam raimi will not be involved, it is a reboot, nothing to do with the other spidermans.

 

Yeah I read it wrong in other words a re-boot from the start it might be a good thing, just excuse me, while I go and nod off.

 

A reboot doesn't have to mean that they'll start again with PP still at school or college. It just means that there's a new cast and a new premise.

In comparison to the last 3, I can see this being a fail :( It just doesn't sound as appealing as a Spiderman 4 would have been.

Wow, and I was looking forward to a Spiderman 4 too... not looking forward to a new Spiderman too much if it's completely gone off the past three. I guess it could be interesting to see what they do with a new film now.

A reboot doesn't have to mean that they'll start again with PP still at school or college. It just means that there's a new cast and a new premise.

 

sony press release disagrees:

 

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.

Peter Parker in High School.... So, basically, it'll be a bit like "Smallville", but with Spiderman instead of Superman......LOL.... Shades of the "Claire from Heroes" story arc as well tbh.....

 

I seriously wasn't that fond of the third one, so, this'll either be a good idea to freshen things up, or it'll end up being a big pile of Joel Schumacher-era "Batman" style cack....

apparently the script is really gritty, not great for Spiderman imo, I think they are trying to do a Batman Begins style reboot.

Hmmm. I have no gripes with the film focusing on a teenage Peter Parker if they can find a strong actor who is less obviously an adult than Toby Maguire was in the first one. I just hope it isn't as appalling a film as Batman Begins was frankly.

Hmmm. I have no gripes with the film focusing on a teenage Peter Parker if they can find a strong actor who is less obviously an adult than Toby Maguire was in the first one. I just hope it isn't as appalling a film as Batman Begins was frankly.

 

I thought Batman Begins was good, although it took a bit to get going, obviously The Dark Knight is on a whole different level. wouldnt call it appaulling at all though.

 

I just find it a bit werid to start over, it will most likley confuse a lot of people thinking it's a continuation (ala The Incredible Hulk in 2008, people thought was a sequel to Ang Lee's Hulk from 2003, which infact it was nothing to do with it, it was a reboot). perhaps its too soon for a reboot.

 

As for a strong actor, I say Micheal Cera for Peter Parker.

 

perhaps if they did a reboot more like The Incredible Hulk where they dont do an origin (apart from during the opening credits).

 

I no way have a problem with it being a teenage Peter, they should of kept him teenage before, the whole original basis of Spiderman was that he was a teenage superhero who had to cope with the teenage problems aswell as being Spiderman, and also was the first teenage superhero, thats what made Spiderman so special when it began, the mix of drama in a superhero comic.

To be fair Chris, Batman Begins was f***ing awful. End.

To be fair Chris, Batman Begins was f***ing awful. End.

 

it was in no way awful. infact i saw it thinking it would be $h!t, I was wrong. the Nolans did a great job re-creating Gotham and Scarecrow was great in it. Yes compared to The Dark Knight it is poor, but Batman Begins is still great. End.

Interesting to see how this reboot ends up. I hope they don't try and Twilight-ify [as much as I love it] it too much with the teenagers/romance etc.

 

 

Batman Begings was a good solid film. Dark Knight was amazing.

Really very nice information & thanks for sharing this info here.

The news dropped like a bombshell early this morning that Sony Pictures has signed Robert Pattinson (Twilight) to replace Tobey Maguire in the titular role in Spider-Man 4.

 

In the official press release, Amy Pascal, Co-Chairman of Sony Pictures and Chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group, announced that Pattinson would not only be assuming the role of Peter Parker and his alter-ego, Spider-Man, in Spider-Man 4, but also in Spider-Man 5 and in a spin-off film to be announced at a later date.

 

It is no secret that Pascal has been shopping around for an actor to fill the red-and-blue tights for some time. Only a few months ago, negotiations between Sony and Maguire nearly broke down because of the actor's reluctance to return to what he described as a "worn-out concept."

 

 

FML.