Spider-Man 4 has a number of things still up in the air, including the recent delay of shooting and who will be the villain(s) in the upcoming Sam Raimi superhero flick. Today, things got a bit clearer, as John Malkovich talked with "Quelli Che il Calcio," an Italian soccer TV show, about his involvement in the film.

Badtatse.it reports that while Malkovich did not deny he would play the role of the Vulture, he did confirm that he was waiting for the script. Malkovich added that he hoped filming would begin soon.

For full details and what this means for Spider-Man 4, hit the jump.

While the clip itself is still being sought, this news certainly confirms that Malkovich will be involved Spider-Man 4. We can only assume that the hot rumor of Malkovich as the Vulture is all but set in stone.

However, what isn't clear is what this means for the other potential villains in the film. Recent casting rumors had pegged Anne Hathaway in the role of the Black Cat (Felicia Hardy). That was, until we were all thrown a curve-ball with news that Hathaway would actually be playing a new character: "The Vultress."

With the confirmation that Malkovich is in the film, "The Vultress" becomes a scary possibility, though still a small one. Would Raimi, who had taken a mountainous amount of heat for Spider-Man 3, be willing to take a risk?

At this point, it is anyone's guess, just like it is anyone's guess when the film will actually begin. What we do know, though, is that Malkovich is involved, and that certainly gives Spider-Man fans some hope for Spider-Man 4.