Sam Raimi’s ‘Spider-Man 4’ Will Never Happen Because It Wouldn’t ‘Be Right’ to ‘Resurrect My Version’: ‘I Handed the Torch Off to Someone Else’

Sam Raimi, who helmed Sony’s “Spider-Man” film franchise from 2002 to 2007, recently told ScreenRant that his versions of Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson, played by Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst, “have gone elsewhere” with little hope of returning to the big screen.

“Stan Lee’s great character — that a bullpen of writers in New York at Marvel had come up with stories for — he created the character, but so many people contributed, so many artists, that for a brief time I was handed the torch to carry on after 40 years of ‘Spider-Man’ comics,” Raimi said. “And then after my three movies, I handed the torch off to someone else. And I think they’ve got to keep running with the storyline and the audience that is now following the torchbearer.”

The “Evil Dead” director explained that a new generation of superhero fans is “really into” the new “Spider-Man” era led by Tom Holland. He added that it wouldn’t “be right for me to go back and try and resurrect my version of this story” after making way for another group of filmmakers to step in.

Raimi’s first “Spider-Man” debuted in 2002 and was followed by two sequels in 2004 and 2007, respectively. In 2012, Marc Webb took over the franchise with “The Amazing Spider-Man,” which saw Andrew Garfield step into the titular role. Webb’s sequel, “The Amazing Spider-Man 2,” followed in 2014.

Marvel Studios reclaimed Spider-Man in 2016, inserting Tom Holland into the role with the release of “Captain America: Civil War.” Holland got his first standalone film in 2017 with “Spider-Man: Homecoming,” followed by 2019’s “Spider-Man: Far from Home” and 2021’s “Spider-Man: No Way Home.”

The latest “Spider-Man” film, “Brand New Day,” which recently wrapped production, swings into theaters on July 31. “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” director Destin Daniel Cretton helms the film. Supporting cast members include Zendaya, Jon Bernthal, Sadie Sink, Mark Ruffalo, Tramell Tillman, Michael Mando and Jacob Batalon.