This pretty much confirms it

No More Webs for Maguire?
Spider-Man 3 may be actor's last.
by IGN Staff

March 6, 2007 - While talking up his film The Good German to Australia's The Courier-Mail this week, Tobey Maguire touched upon that other film he's got going on at the moment, Spider-Man 3. And in the course of that discussion, the actor alluded to the fact that he may be ready to hang up Spidey's red and blue tights once and for all.

"To me it seems like this is a natural point for the team to break up because we have a lot of story conclusions that were going along for the main characters for the first two movies and we kind of tie almost everything up for the third movie," he says. "It feels like a trilogy to me and it feels like the end."

Of course, this isn't the first time Maguire has hinted at leaving the series. In fact, word on the street had him very close to departing right before Spider-Man 2 was made -- with Jake Gyllenhaal said to be his probable replacement -- before he made nice-nice with Sony Pictures. And the studio seems pretty set on making a fourth Spidey film: The first movie's scripter David Koepp is said to be in talks to write part four for Sony.

So Maguire or no Maguire, it seems likely that the studio would push ahead with a fourth Spider-Man no matter what -- there's still just too much money to be made from this franchise.


Please do NOT get jake Gyllenhaal for SM4.

Seth Gecko said:

Please do NOT get jake Gyllenhaal for SM4.

Click to expand...

Who else is there that's as big a dork as Maguire?

Some unknown

I'm not interested in seeing a fourth Spider-man if they begin recasting parts, especially Maguire.

I loathe recasts.

Josette said:

I loathe recasts.

Click to expand...

So I take it you Loathed Batman Begins and Superman Returns?

The ill Jedi said:

So I take it you Loathed Batman Begins and Superman Returns?

Click to expand...

i hated superman returns, but batman was pretty good even though i still think Keaton is THE batman. i think it would be foolish for tobey to quit spiderman even though he's getting tired of it. at this point its not like they can keep churning them out (well, they could) but i think Raimi knows better than to make a sequel just for the sake of making it. i can almost imagine them doing up to 4 or 5 then thats it. but with Venom supposedly popping out in the end of part 3 how can they conclude the story?? and i agree that if they recast spiderman they will be straight to DVD releases.

The ill Jedi said:

So I take it you Loathed Batman Begins and Superman Returns?

Click to expand...

I haven't seen either one. I don't care for Superman and I thought it was dumb that they tried to place it after a movie that was made 30 years ago. I haven't gotten a chance to catch Batman Begins, but want to.

But Batman Begins is a reboot or reimagining - it is not an ongoing continuation of a series. Same thing with Casino Royale. There is a very big difference in reimagining or rebooting something - obviously it will contain an all new cast and retell the story or tell a completely new story.

I feel the same way about continuing the Spider-man series, as is, with recasts as I would if they recasted, say, Jack Sparrow (yeah, right) or Elizabeth Swann for a Pirates of the Caribbean 4. A series is already established, and actors are are already established in the role. Recasts don't work for me in those circumstances. If a character can be written out, fine, but that only works with supporting characters, not leads.

It sounds like Spider-man 3 will end the trilogy with a bang. If the lead actor doesn't want to come back, then leave it alone, and if other SM films "must" be made, wait a while and do reimagining, or a film that's not set in the continuity of the current films.

Spider-Man has such a deep comic history to draw from that I could easily see the film franchise becoming very much like the Bond films, with a new actor taking over every few years. To me, it's no different from a comic book perpetually changing artists and writers but keeping the same continuity.

They should try to keep Sam Raimi for as long as possible though.

I believe he signed on for three movies. If I remember correctly he was going to leave 2 because of an injury to his back. It seems to me when they offer him double what he was making for the first three he'll be back.

I'd have no problem with recasting. Jake G. would be okay as would Ryan Phillipe (who is awesome in Breach). The role is bigger than the actor that plays him.

Darklord Dave said:

I'd have no problem with recasting. Jake G. would be okay as would Ryan Phillipe (who is awesome in Breach). The role is bigger than the actor that plays him.

Click to expand...

Agreed, it is not a role like: Jack Sparrow or Gandalf - I think it could work otherwise.

Darklord Dave said:

I'd have no problem with recasting. Jake G. would be okay as would Ryan Phillipe (who is awesome in Breach). The role is bigger than the actor that plays him.

Click to expand...

i agree with Dave's perspective. as long as they don't "revisit" or "re-imagine" spiderman. i really think it could work if they named them "the Amazing Spiderman" instead of just spiderman 4, 5, and so on.

Darklord Dave said:

The role is bigger than the actor that plays him.

Click to expand...

most sensible thing I've read in here in a while

Darklord Dave said:

I'd have no problem with recasting. Jake G. would be okay as would Ryan Phillipe (who is awesome in Breach). The role is bigger than the actor that plays him.

Click to expand...

Same here.... The role is bigger than Maquire and there is sooo much story that can be told. Jake or Ryan would do well I think and it could keep going for as long as they wanted as long as the stories retained their emotional core.

But as soon as we get an atrocity like Superman :Quest for Peace, I'm out.

I never liked the casting decision of Maguire to begin with! I hope they cast some unknown actor!

Just cause Maguire passes a few words that he thinks the story is wrapped up and it's a good place to end it doesn't mean it's going to be over.Too many people are reading too much into his words.

Bardoon said:

Just cause Maguire passes a few words that he thinks the story is wrapped up and it's a good place to end it doesn't mean it's going to be over.Too many people are reading too much into his words.

Click to expand...

I think your right it aint over until the fat lady sings, and util spidey 4 all bets are still on. Maguire can say all he wants but the bottom line is it all comes down to money. Hopefuly this is all a misunderstanding and Maguire is still the leading man!!!

Jake can do it IF Sam directs it. Otherwise, who knows, we may get Batman and Robin style movie. I hate big changes like that, but if the director sticks it usually is ok. As if when they leave (ahem X3) it seems to fail.

They need to recast Mary Jane. Kirsten Dunst is PANTS. Just extremely awful.

Also, she looks like a used condom in Spider-Man 2 and 3.