So Sam Raimi and Tobey Maguire are out as the twin big screen leaders of everyone's favorite web-slinging wonder boy and director Marc Webb has swooped in to reboot the venerated Marvel franchise. As this seismic shift in the comics landscape sinks in, it's not only fanboys and fangirls who are having to adjust to the prospects of a brand-new "Spider-Man." One star from the earlier pictures is a little distressed about the fresh lineup.

"I guess I'm a little sad for Sam and Tobey," said James Franco, who played Harry Osborn in all three Raimi-directed flicks, when MTV News caught up with him at the Sundance premiere of "Howl." "I think they were a really good team. I think Sam invested so much of himself in that and he had the perfect connection to that character and that franchise and that world. He was doing probably his best work. I'm sad for both of them that they won't get to continue to do that. And Tobey I think was an excellent Peter Parker." Read more...

FROM MTV.COM: Now that Sam Raimi has left the "Spider-Man" franchise over creative differences, it's time for the filmmaker to find a new phase in his career. Will he follow his last film "Drag Me to Hell" with further returns to the horror genre he's well known for? Or will he move on to other big Hollywood blockbusters? Here are some of the projects Raimi has lined up, either as director, producer or both:

"Warcraft": Certain to be Raimi's next directorial effort, this adaptation of the enormously popular video game franchise could be an even bigger deal than the "Spider-Man" series. The movie has an expected budget of more than $220 million ("Spider-Man 3" cost $258 million), Raimi told MTV News last October that it will be as faithful as possible to the mythology of the game. "Saving Private Ryan" screenwriter Robert Rodat is currently crafting an original story based on the "World of Warcraft" universe. Raimi was set to helm this after wrapping on "Spider-Man 4," but perhaps production on "Warcraft" will be moved up now that Raimi has left the superhero sequel.

Continue reading What's Next For 'Spider-Man' Director Sam Raimi? at Movies.MTV.com.

"Spider-Man 4" is no longer. The franchise that was defined by star Tobey Maguire and director Sam Raimi is in for a dramatic overhaul now that the two creative forces are no longer involved in the Marvel Comics property.

Some fans might point towards continuity deviations, an overabundance of villains and excessive dance sequences as reasons to look forward to the new direction of "Spider-Man." But if we're being honest with each other — was it really all bad?

I have a lot of fondness for the original "Spider-Man" trilogy, and I doubt that I'm alone. While I'm certainly curious about the franchise's future, I can't help feeling some nostalgia for the old movies as they're on their way out. Here are a few of the things that I'll miss the most. Read more...

Last month, a report hit the 'Net that "Spider-Man 4" production had been put on "indefinite hold" due to problems with the script — specifically, the choice of villain for the next chapter in the Sony Pictures franchise. Asked for comment on the report, the studio confirmed that production had indeed halted for the holidays, but denied that there was anything endangering the project's production schedule. Now, it seems, the story has changed yet again.

According to a report on Deadline Hollywood, production continues to be stalled on "Spider-Man 4" due to a difference of opinion between director Sam Raimi and the studio over the film's script, and now the film could miss the mark for its intended May 5, 2011, release date.

This report has been partially confirmed to MTV News by an informed source close to the film who said a May 2011 premiere has now become uncertain, and significant work is still being done on the script. Read more...

We might know who the villains are in "Spider-Man 4" or whether Sam Raimi will be back for "Spider-Man 5" and "Spider-Man 6," but when it comes to the connection between the "Spider-Man" franchise and a potential "Venom" movie, well...

Okay, Raimi couldn't give us much on that question, either.

But we did ask the celebrated director about how the two universes will connect, if at all, when Spider-Man's black-clad nemesis swings off into his own solo movie. Read more...

As we reported last week, much about "Spider-Man 4" is still in flux: Gary Ross is currently hard at work on a draft of the script after getting notes from director Sam Raimi and they claim they're still figuring out which villain makes the most sense to compliment Peter Parker's character growth in the picture. What's more, beyond the return of franchise stars Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst, few decisions about the cast have been made.

All of which makes comments that Raimi's buddy Bruce Campbell made last month extremely interesting, when he told Access Hollywood he'd have a major role in the new film.

When MTV News had a chance to talk to Raimi, of course we needed to know if Campbell was speaking the truth. After sneaking into cameos in the first three "Spider-Man" flicks, has the "Evil Dead" star really nabbed a major part in the fourth installment? Read more...

Apparently, Sam Raimi sides with fans who argue that “Spider-Man 3” was weakened by having too many villains.

According to the Coventry Telegraph, Raimi told the print edition of DVD & Blu-ray Review, “I think having so many villains detracted from the experience. I would agree with the criticism."

Raimi also revealed that his experience making the horror film “Drag Me To Hell," which hit shelves this week, will also have a positive impact on the next “Spider-Man” film. Read more...

Sam Raimi already gave us his thoughts on "Spider-Man 4" villains and when he expects to start shooting the next "Spider-Man" movie in the blockbuster franchise, but once we had him talking about the friendly neighborhood wall-crawler, we had to ask: Will he be back for "Spider-Man 5" and "Spider-Man 6"?

"Every time I make one of the 'Spider-Man' movies, I have to ask myself, is the character still intriguing to me?" Raimi told MTV News. "Do I love the character? Am I dying to tell the next story of Peter Parker and Spider-Man?"

"And so far the answer has been yes," he said. Read more...

It's a comic fan's fever dream: call up director Sam Raimi and tell him which villain he should select to do battle against the web-spinning wonderboy in "Spider-Man 4." Alas, that just ain't gonna happen. But we came pretty close.

In a chat with Raimi last week, we presented the results of our recent Who Should Be The 'Spider-Man 4' Villain poll to the man himself. And he loved who readers picked. (FYI: The Lizard nabbed 29 percent of the vote, while Carnage came in a close second with 26 percent.)

"I love the Lizard," said Raimi. "There's a great story there in the Marvel comic books about Dr. Connors. I'm less familiar with Carnage." Read more...

Back in March, a little less than two years after "Spider-Man 3" opened with what was then the biggest first weekend ever, Sony and Marvel Studios announced an official release date for its fourth Spidey flick: May 6, 2011. Still up in the air was the date when production would actually begin.

In an exclusive conversation with MTV News on Friday, franchise director Sam Raimi reveled that if all goes according to plan, shooting will begin early next year.

"We're hoping that it's the first week in March," said Raimi. Read more...