slice_spider-man_swing_01.jpg

While "Spider-Man 4" is still being put together, Sony is not wasting any more time scheduling Peter Parker's future adventures on movie screens as they've hired James Vanderbilt ("The Losers", "Zodiac") to pen both "Spider-Man 5" and "Spider-Man 6"! So what does that mean for the future of the franchise and director Sam Raimi's involvement? It's after the jump:

spiderman_3_movie_image_tobey_maguire_l.jpg

Here's what you need to know: James Vanderbilt was the first writer on "Spider-Man 4", but at some point Sam Raimi brought in David Lindsay-Abaire to polish the script, and now Gary Ross is rewriting whatever he was given. What that means is...a lot of cooks have been preparing this meal.

According to Variety's article,

"Raimi didn't embrace all of Vanderbilt's ideas, but execs at Columbia Pictures and Marvel Studios have. Vanderbilt has been hired to pen the fifth and sixth movies, which have an interconnected storyline. That's what was originally discussed when Vanderbilt signed on to write "Spider-Man 4," but the idea of shooting a fourth and fifth film back to back with the original cast was scrapped."

With Sam Raimi having signed on to direct the "World of Warcraft" movie and both Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst supposedly only having a deal for the 4th film, the stars are aligning for "Spider-Man 5" and "Spider-Man 6" to reboot the super successful franchise with new blood both behind and in front of the camera.

And that's probably what's going to happen as the article also says "Spider-Man 5" and "Spider-Man 6" will have an interconnected storyline and they might shoot back to back. Meaning...Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst and Sam Raimi said no to that idea and Sony isn't going to let that happen again. So if the original cast and director leave the franchise, Sony will take back the controls and sign actors and a director that are willing to make two films back to back.

Of course with the movies so far away from being shot, that plan could be thrown out. Maybe "Spider-Man 4" makes a billion dollars and everyone takes bubble baths filled with hundred dollar bills. But the interconnected storyline...I'm sure that's going to happen.

Look...while I'd love for Sam Raimi to stay in the director's chair with the original cast, sometimes you need to mix in some fresh blood to keep everything interesting. What I really want is for the original team to give it their all on the 4th one and go out making the best one yet. Then whatever happens down the road is on the new people. More as we hear it.

spiderman_3_movie_image_kirsten_dunst_and_tobey_maguire.jpg