Vanderbilt Updates on Writing SPIDER-MAN 4

I loved Spidey 3, and I really hope that the principals come back if they do a fourth.My only thing is 3 tends to be the golden rule.Most movies that go beyond 3, tend to start getting cheesy. Police Acadmey, Nightmare on Elm St., Friday the 13th, Rocky, Halloween, Superman, Batman, someimtes I think Star Wars,,,,there are some exceptions like Hellraiser (some of the direct to video stuff is very good), Alien (except maybe 3, although I did like it)...and I am sure there are more, but I just woke up.....Show me something good, and i'll be at Spidey 4.

I'm hoping a fourth Spidey film will do some re-casting. I liked Tobey McGuire as Peter, but NEVER cared for Kirsten Dunst as MJ. She never lived up to her comic book counterpart in attitude, or in sexiness. Megan Fox has the goods to be the new MJ.
Also, lets limit the story to plot elements from only one decade of Spidey comics, or better yet--tell a story NEVER told in the comics. Whatever they do, they must keep they guy who plays J.Jonah Jameson. He's perfect.

Whiskey, I usually agree with you and although I thought SM3 was okay it was definitely cheesy. That dancing in the street and part at the club where just to over the top for me. I want the parts played straight, I don't need the goofy comedy. At least not that gooAs for the cast, I agree with dojen1. Tobey and JK Simmons are fine, recast everybody else. Hell even Tobey is dispensable IMO.

Other than JK Simmons and the actress that plays his secretary and Rosemary Harris that plays Aunt May I think the whole cast could be replaced for my taste. I don't know who would make a better Peter/Spidey, but I'm not in love with Tobey as Peter particularly. I actually liked Harris alot as Aunt May who was a wonderful improvement over the crappy, needy clingy character she was in the comics. Cliff Robertson as Uncle Ben made me sorry his character had to be dead to serve the storyline. Robertson and Defoe deserve a lot of credit for being willing to come back and do essentially cameos in the sequels. Dunst just looks stranger and stranger with each movie and the whole romance thing just went utterly south in 3. The character of Mary Jane could just go away entirely for my taste.
/my 2 cents...

Still haven't seen Spider-man 3, but I don't like the idea of continuing the franchise. The Scream movies were all terrible, and I regret to admit that I actually went to see Scream 3 in theaters (against my will and better judgment though). I would've walked out on it had I not been with a group of friends. In addition to the movie franchises listed earlier, the Star Trek movies could also be included since there are at least three films in that series that should never have been made (Final Frontier, Generations, Insurrection).

I'm betting that since Ghost Rider and Zorro haven't worked out as franchises for Sony, they're sticking to their one cash cow that has worked for them.

even though I've observed Mania for quite some time but never submitted any comments before so this will be my first. In regards to rgtchtiger's comment relating to Ghost Rider and Zorro. Most likely there probably will be a Rider sequel since it did pull in $130 million or more domestically...which was actually surprising considering it wasn't done really well. As far as Zorro goes...Sony waited 8 years to crank out a sequel which was too long a wait, which by that time, people had lost interest after the success of Mask of Zorro..especially that Antonio and Catherine-Zeta had gotten older since last being paired up together. Plus the sequel wasn't really good either. Zorro may not be dead for I remember a couple of months ago that the character was gonna get modernized to today in our time in which he now rides a motorcycle. WHAT?? Not sure if that idea will fly, and whether it was gonna be a movie or a series remains to be seen or wisely unseen. NOw on to Spidey, I clearly agree that JK Simmons should stay onboard as well as Rosemary Harris. While I don't hate Tobey, he never screamed Spidey to me because he sounded to whiny, sleepy and sleepy-eyed for the role. Ever since the release of the first Spidey game for PS2 before Spiderman first hit the screen gave me that feeling ever since. And don't get me started on Kirsten Dunst. She was all wrong from the day she was casted. While I like Dojen's suggestion of Megan Fox...too bad she's not of legal age to drink yet. My suggestion for Spidey 4 is this....PLEASE DO NOT GO ANY FURTHER INTO THE JOEL SCHUMACHER ROUTE!!! Sam Raimi just couldn't help himself and had to revert back to his campy jar. Plus Sam even admitted during interviews doing Spidey 2 about fans wanting to see Venom in the next film that he always hated Venom, which is why he was handled so badly in 3. I f you don't like the character and gonna do it injustice, don't use him. That's like saying you hate tofu and you eat it anyway. Does that make sense? Venom needed to be a solo story arc anyway, but I guess then it would make Spidey cross into sci-fi territory which is probably what they wanted to avoid. I wonder how Topher might have played Peter since he lost the role to Tobey in the first place.

Whiskey, HEAR HEAR...
I couldn't have said it better myself, which is good Cause I don't feel like typing. I busted up laughing as you explained many movies don't do well into franchises, and that most often trilogies are the way to go, by citing Police Academy as an example. LOL!
I agree trilogies are the way to go most times, but I thoroughly enjoyed Spiderman 1-3 and stand with you, show me something good, I'll be there. Hell who am I kidding I'll go see it no matter what, and reserve judgment for after I view it. (Hell I love Ghost Rider, and the Fantastic Four Movies , and viewed the most horrible superhero movies ever in a theater Batman 3-4)
Some god franchises IMHO are 007, and StarTrek. I think Spidey has potential, if handled with respect for the source material.
RaithManan, you're so right to ask for them to not go the Shuemaker route.
However I didn't mind the EXTREMELY SMALL AMOUNT of camp in the 3rd movie, it lightened the mood from all of the crying.
I always loved McGuire as Peter/Spidey. In fact I always loved the entire cast. Even Dunst, while not the hottest woman in the world is still a really good/talented actress (but you all got excited in the kiss in the rain scene from the first one, don't lie now, those things could cut glass) . I do however think they should re-cast if they are getting a new director, and writer. It's kinda akin to changing creative teams on a comic book. Just don't go the 90210 popular actor route ala JLA PLEASE NO "COOL " ACTORS. Give some geeky looking actor a break, remember Peter is and always will be a nerd, geek, fanboy. Just like most of us.
As far as Venom goes, I liked seeing him, but I don't think he should have been in the 3rd one,. I really liked Topher as Eddie (and I didn't think I would) but it is OBVIOUS that Raimi had ABSOLUTELY NO CONTROL over the decision to include Venom. The studio forced his hand, and yes the lack of cohesive story/and screen time was evident as proof of the studio mingling with a man who knows how to handle Spiderman. They should've waited until Raimi left after the 3rd one to introduce Venom in the 4th.
Hollywood seems to never learn from the too many villains crapping up a movie. That said I think Raimi did his best with asshole studios execs breathing down his neck.He should also be applauded because he could've abandoned ship citing "creative differences" but he chose to stay on, and finish his trilogy instead of stoptming away and letting someone else come in half way through to really muck it up.
oh damn, there I went and typed a bunch anyway,...thats because I love Spidey

my ratings of Spider-man movies
Spider-Man - A+
Spider-Man 2 - A+
Spider-Man 3 - A-

Well you people shouldn't complain about recasting or bringing back tobey or kirsten... I doubt they want to come back anyways. Just look at how bored they look in the last movie, and even worse, how bored they were with promoting it. Spider-man 3 was clearly a contractual movie. Meaning, they just did it for a paycheck, as opposed to trying to bring something exciting to the flick.. And besides, toby maguire is in his mid thirties now, he can't pull off the fresh out of high school and facing the real world character anymore. I say recast the main leads, and bring in a new director. By the way: spider-man 1=B, spider-man 2=A-, spider-man 3=C+

And before we start to get into the "WHO SHOULD BE IN THE DIRECTOR'S CHAIR FOR SPIDERMAN 4".....please, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD PLEASE!!! Do not suggest, "I think its time for Spidey to get THE UWE BOLL EXPERIENCE!!! He might actually wanna start making comic movies if he gets enough encouragement. HELL NO!!!