Ok, two years is a looong time to wait for Spider-fans, but anticipation levels may just be cranking up a notch or two with Sam Raimi spilling a few magic beans on the project.
With Spider-Man 4's May 2011 release date recently locked in, Raimi told MTV that he's currently working on the storyline, denying that a fifth installment was also in development. "The writers, producers and I are working out what the story will be. I've read that [about Spider-Man 5], but right now we're just working on the story for Spider-Man 4."
While Tobey Maguire is on board, Raimi revealed that Kirsten Dunst is still to commit to her fourth appearance as Mary Jane Watson, but hoped she'd put pen to paper soon. "I can't imagine making a 'Spider-Man' without Kirsten. It can be done, but she's one of my favourite parts and I'm not planning on having a story without her."
Pulitzer-winning playwright David Lindsay-Abaire is working on the **Spider-Man 4 **screenplay, and Raimi is promising the scribe will stay true to the Stan Lee vision. "We're definitely talking about working from all the material in the comic books and nothing outside of that," the director said. "All the characters or villain, or villains, whatever we decide to do, will be from Stan Lee's creations or those that came after him."
But villain or villains? Raimi wouldn't let on. "I do have a pretty good idea, but I'm just not at liberty to say yet." Fingers will be crossed that he avoids the tangled over-reach that was Spider-Man 3's Sandman/New Goblin/Venom villain-off.
For more on the Spider-franchise, check out Empire's big interview with Sam Raimi in the upcoming June issue. **Spider-Man 4 **is released in the US on May 6, 2011.