Missed opportunities and “what if” scenarios abound in the realm of film. The cancellation of Sam Raimi’s fourth Spider-Man film, starring Tobey Maguire as Marvel’s web-slinger, was one of them. Even though Spider-Man 3 received some negative reviews, the film went on to demonstrate why Spider-Man is one of the most successful and bankable superheroes ever, and work on Spider-Man 4 started in 2007. The actress addressed the rumors that she will be playing Felicia Hardy/Black Cat in the follow-up in a recent appearance with the Happy Sad Confused podcast.
Spider-Man 4 was never going to happen, and Sony Pictures formally shelved it in 2010. Thus, rather than carrying on Maguire’s Spider-Man adventure, Andrew Garfield took over in a full reboot in 2012. Of course, this was very early in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and the idea that Spider-Man’s future lay inside a massive expansive story was yet to be fulfilled. But fans have always been curious about what might have been in Raimi’s Spider-Man 4, and the filmmaker soon disclosed that Hathaway had been cast in the film prior to its cancellation.
Regarding the part that may have been, Hathaway has recently clarified that, despite being cast for the part, the project did not go very far after that. Says she:
“I didn’t read a script past the audition sides, and I didn’t dress up. I received the component, and yes, it just If the producers ever chose to share their narrative, I believe it’s more of theirs to tell than mine.”
Is Tobey Maguire Going to Make a Comeback for His Own Spider-Man 4?
The universe was unlocked by Spider-Man: No Way Home, which also reignited calls for new live-action Spider-Man roles for Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield. Although there have been rumors about this and the stars’ potential reunion for Avengers: Secret Wars for the past few years, the likelihood of this is decreasing given current events.
Sam Raimi has already revealed details regarding the possible plot of his fourth Spider-Man film. There were so many different directions Spider-Man 4 could have gone, from Bruce Campbell playing Mysterio to the possibility of seeing Kraven the Hunter for the first time, that it is impossible to predict if the movie would have been a success or if it would have carried on the negative trend started by Spider-Man 3. As it turned out, Maguire was able to make a victorious comeback in Spider-Man: No Way Home, so maybe it was for the best in the end.
We can always expect to see more of the character, no matter what the future holds for Sony’s Spider-Man Universe or the Spider-Man branch of the MCU. The next animated MCU series starring the character are Beyond the Spider-Verse, which is presently being rescheduled in response to recent strike delays, and Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man (previously known as Spider-Man: Freshman Year), which will debut on Disney+ in 2024.