The biggest questions surrounding a fourth
Spider-Man adventure usually revolve around the return of
Tobey Maguire, who most recently has softened his stance on future sequels. But now the man in doubt seems to be director
Sam Raimi — who's just confirmed that he's got his eye on the
Hobbit prequel. Raimi had been tagged as New Line's top choice as
Peter Jackson's replacement after the studio's very public brouhaha with the Oscar-ed
Lord of the Rings director erupted. "If Peter didn't want to do it," Raimi tells
EW, and (New Line exec Bob Shaye) wanted me to do it — and they were both OK with me picking up the reins — that would be great. I love the book."
The Hobbit production would be a long one, however, which brings up the question of how Sony would proceed with
Spidey 4: delay it, or replace Raimi? Meanwhile,
Kirsten Dunst says she was unaware Raimi was even considering
The Hobbit and that she can't see
Spidey 4 moving forward without the whole team intact. "Audiences aren't stupid," she opines. "It'd be a big flop without me, Tobey or Sam." Well, without Tobey and Sam, anyway