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If you’re a die-hard fan of Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy, you’ve likely been eagerly anticipating Tobey Maguire’s return as the iconic web-slinger in Spider-Man 4. The fandom has been fervently manifesting this dream, but the burning question remains: will Spider-Man 4 with Tobey actually happen?
The realm of cinematic Spider-Man has witnessed remarkable portrayals over the years, making it difficult to crown a definitive best Spider-Man actor. However, the fandom perpetually finds itself divided between the original Tobey Maguire and the current golden boy of Hollywood, Tom Holland. The monumental success of the 2021 Marvel and Columbia Pictures production Spider-Man: No Way Home only fueled the fervor, especially for fans of Tobey, who cherished seeing him don the iconic costume once again after a 14-year hiatus.
"I haven't heard about that yet": Sam Raimi tells CBR's @djkevlar that fans shouldn't take those Spider-Man 4/Tobey Maguire rumors too seriously. pic.twitter.com/qbvrzKmAt0
— CBR (@CBR) April 1, 2024
Despite the influx of new Spider-Man iterations, fans continue to clamor for Spider-Man 4, a testament to the enduring appeal of Raimi’s trilogy. Following the end of Raimi’s initial trilogy, Sony rebooted the franchise with Andrew Garfield as the new Spider-Man, eventually integrating the character into the MCU with Tom Holland taking the helm.
However, Tobey’s unexpected appearance in Spider-Man: No Way Home reignited fervent demands for him to reclaim the Spider-Man mantle and resume Raimi’s trilogy. Social media platforms buzzed with hashtags like #MakeRaimiSpiderMan4, urging Sony to bring Tobey back as the superhero.
Although Spider-Man 4 briefly entered development in 2007, disagreements between Sony and Raimi led to its eventual shelving. Despite multiple cancellations over the years, the social media uproar in 2021 renewed hopes, with Raimi expressing interest in a potential return for a fourth film, and Tobey expressing openness to the idea.
However, recent statements from Raimi paint a different picture. At WonderCon 2024, while promoting his latest film, Raimi addressed the persistent rumors about Tobey’s return for Spider-Man 4. He clarified that he hasn’t heard of any plans for the film and isn’t actively involved in its development. Raimi praised Marvel and Columbia for their success with the current Spider-Man franchise but dismissed any talks of revisiting his previous trilogy. He also denied being in touch with Tobey regarding Spider-Man 4, indicating that if such discussions were happening, he would likely be informed due to his ongoing collaboration with Marvel.
In essence, while fans continue to yearn for Spider-Man 4 with Tobey, Raimi’s recent statements suggest that such a project may remain a dream for now. Instead, Tobey’s potential future appearances in the MCU could offer glimpses of nostalgia for fans, albeit within the framework of Tom Holland’s reign as the primary web-slinger.