By Ryan Parsons | Image property of Columbia Pictures
Spider-Man 3
So you're saying that Spider-Man 4 won't be coming to IMAX? With a record year at the box office back in 2010, you'd think that money would be no object for big franchises. Not so, as Columbia Pictures has decided to pull the plug on Spider-Man 4 in favor of an entire restart on the franchise.
Spider-Man 4 Canceled
New start means no Tobey Maguire and Sam Raimi, who have exited any future Spider-Man project. Columbia Pictures plans on having a a high school-aged Peter Parker pic, which will bow theatrically in summer 2012.
The decision doesn't come as too much of a surprise, considering that the rumors suggested Raimi and Columbia were arguing about the script and only last week we were told that the film's theatrical release was on hold indefinitely. The studio definitely saw this coming, with a ready to shoot script in hand from scribe James Vanderbilt. The franchise now, however, has no star or director. Columbia probably prefers this at the moment, considering the fact that Spider-Man 4's budget concerns were mostly due to the paychecks required to bring talent back on.
Studio co-chairman Amy Pascal said Col has "a rare opportunity to make history once again with this franchise." She added, "We're very excited about the creative possibilities that come from returning to Peter's roots."
Raimi confirms her intuition, claiming that there are no hard feelings between himself and Columbia.
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