Spider-Man 4 Delayed, Script Being Re-Written (Again)
Posted 01.06.10 by Ryan
For months, speculation over who the villain would be in Spider-Man 4 has spread throughout the internet. Apparently, an official announcement was never made because Sony Pictures and Sam Raimi can't agree on which villain the movie should have, an argument that has led to a delay on the highly-anticipated sequel.
THR reports that Spider-Man 2 and 3 screenwriter Alvin Sargent has been brought in to work on the script, which has already received versions from screenwriters James Vanderbilt and David Lindsay-Abaire, plus a rewrite from Sea Biscuit's Gary Ross.
Sargent's version will have to settle the villain dispute between Raimi and Sony, with Raimi insisting on using the winged criminal The Vulture, while Sony wants a romantic sub-plot with burglar and Spider-Man love interest The Black Cat. According to Deadline Hollywood, Raimi is insisting that John Malkovich be cast as the Vulture, while Anne Hathaway, who was rumored to play The Black Cat, is likely no longer in the running after a source admitted that he was "not so sure" Sony was "going in that direction."
Spider-Man 4 was originally scheduled to start production in March, but now the movie will have to wait for Sargent's script revisions. Sony insiders claim that Spider-Man 4 is "unlikely" to meet its May 6, 2011, release date, though it may still reach theaters later that summer.