Sam Raimi's Spider-Man 4 was meant to "pay back the audience" for Spider-Man 3

Toby Maguire as Spider-Man
(Image credit: Sony)

Sam Raimi has spoken about his original plans for a "great" Spider-Man 4 in an interview for the new issue of Total Film magazine.

Ahead of the release of his new movie Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Raimi addresses his last superhero movie Spider-Man 3 – which was divisive among fans and critics.

"I messed up the third one a bit, Spider-Man 3," Raimi admits, in good humor. "I had a big plan in my head to pay back the audience for that, with a great Spider-Man 4. But I couldn’t get the script good enough in the time I had before its release."

Even as Spider-Man was rebooted (the first time) and the MCU rose to prominence, Raimi largely steered clear of what filmmakers were building on the foundations he helped lay. "I’d been so immersed in [superhero movies], and had such a bad ending that it was hard for me to watch more," reflects Raimi, who did "see the occasional one here and there", singling out Iron Man and The Avengers as two examples where he was "super-impressed with their quality."

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is set for release in UK cinemas on May 5 and US cinemas on May 6. For much more from Raimi and the cast, check out the new issue of Total Film, out now!

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Jordan Farley

I'm the News Editor at Total Film magazine, running the opening pages of every issue where you can read exclusive interviews and see first-look images from the biggest films. I was previously the Community Editor at sci-fi, fantasy and horror movie bible SFX. You'll find my name on news, reviews, and interviews covering every type of movie, from the latest French arthouse release to the biggest Hollywood blockbuster. My work has also featured in Official PlayStation Magazine and Edge. Outside of my day job, I'm a FromSoft fanatic (proudest achievement: beating Malenia solo) and a TV connoisseur (translation: I'll watch anything).

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