Spider-Man No More... Sony Stomps On SP4 and Plans Complete Re-boot for 2012

Today the word came down that Sony/Columbia and Marvel have completely killed the Sam Raimi helmed Spider-Man 4. This project had been hitting many hurdles lately. First word got out that Sam and Sony could not agree on the main villain. Then an email leaked out that was sent to members of the special effects team to begin looking for work elsewhere because the project had been delayed. This was a huge project to dumped by the studio. If anything was like printing money, the Spider-Man films were it. So to finally get another (probably last) movie with the same cast and crew was a guaranteed winner. However the word is that it was Mr. Raimi who decided to walk away from the picture because of the difficulty he was having. It is odd though that they would kill the entire project rather than try to salvage with another director. (I'm sure Brett Ratner kept looking at his phone.) With the word out that SP4 was dead, Sony quickly put out on Twitter:

SonyPictures Spider-Man: Summer 2012: Peter Parker is going back to high school when the next Spider-Man hits theaters in the summer of 2012.

So that's that. Peter Parker goes back to school and we begin all over again. (Hopefully without the Emo Spidey and dance routine.) The word going around is that with the big 3D craze, Sony very much wanted SP4 to be in 3D. They may get their wish now that the project is in reboot phase. Here's the kicker, many moons ago Mr. Avatar himself, James Cameron, wrote a treatment for a Spider-Man movie. (Sidenote: As a matter of fact, one of the ideas that they kept in the films was that Peter Parker could actually shoot webs from his body, rather than using a device like in the original comics. Cameron thought that if Peter got all of these other spider traits from being bitten, why wouldn't he get that as well.) So the biggest rumor of the day is that with Sony now owning that treatment, will they approach him to direct, or possibly produce? This of course is a huge jump in the specualtion, but with not more else to go on, that's all anyone can do at this point.

Here is Sony's official Press Release:

CULVER CITY, Calif., Jan. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Peter Parker is going back to high school when the next Spider-Man hits theaters in the summer of 2012.

Columbia Pictures and Marvel Studios announced today they are moving forward with a film based on a script by James Vanderbilt that focuses on a teenager dealing with both contemporary human problems and amazing super-human crises.

The new chapter in the Spider-Man franchise produced by Columbia, Marvel Studios and Avi Arad and Laura Ziskin, will have a new cast and filmmaking team. Spider-Man 4 was to have been released in 2011, but had not yet gone into production.

"A decade ago we set out on this journey with Sam Raimi and Tobey Maguire and together we made three Spider-Man films that set a new bar for the genre. When we began, no one ever imagined that we would make history at the box-office and now we have a rare opportunity to make history once again with this franchise. Peter Parker as an ordinary young adult grappling with extraordinary powers has always been the foundation that has made this character so timeless and compelling for generations of fans. We're very excited about the creative possibilities that come from returning to Peter's roots and we look forward to working once again with Marvel Studios, Avi Arad and Laura Ziskin on this new beginning," said Amy Pascal, co-chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment.

"Working on the Spider-Man movies was the experience of a lifetime for me. While we were looking forward to doing a fourth one together, the studio and Marvel have a unique opportunity to take the franchise in a new direction, and I know they will do a terrific job," said Sam Raimi.

"We have had a once-in-a-lifetime collaboration and friendship with Sam and Tobey and they have given us their best for the better part of the last decade. This is a bittersweet moment for us because while it is hard to imagine Spider-Man in anyone else's hands, I know that this was a day that was inevitable," said Matt Tolmach, president of Columbia Pictures, who has served as the studio's chief production executive since the beginning of the franchise. "Now everything begins anew, and that's got us all tremendously excited about what comes next. Under the continuing supervision of Avi and Laura, we have a clear vision for the future of Spider-Man and can't wait to share this exciting new direction with audiences in 2012."

"Spider-Man will always be an important franchise for Sony Pictures and a fresh start like this is a responsibility that we all take very seriously," said Michael Lynton, Chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures. "We have always believed that story comes first and story guides the direction of these films. As we move onto the next chapter, we will stay true to that principle and will do so with the highest respect for the source material and the fans and moviegoers who deserve nothing but the best when it comes to bringing these stories and characters to life on the big screen."

The studio will have more news about Spider-Man in 2012 in the coming weeks as it prepares for production of the film.

What say you? Will this be good for the franchise? Will they dumb it down in the era of Twilight? Who should play Spider-Man?

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