Tobey Maguire, who starred in the first Spider-Man trilogy, has made a name for himself in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. His return to the role in 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home was well-received, prompting fans to ask for more. While Spider-Man 4 was canceled years ago, the time is right for Maguire’s return. Maguire’s Spider-Man movies with director Sam Raimi became iconic, helping the way for the MCU and other modern superhero films as a whole.
Here are some exciting reasons that show why Maguire’s Spider-Man 4 becoming part of the list of upcoming Marvel movies would make a lot of sense.
1. Spider-Man: No Way Home Has Set Up An Emotional Story For Spider-Man 4
Spider-Man: No Way Home is the most emotional ending of Tom Holland’s Spider-Man trilogy. Peter Parker asks Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange to cast a spell that makes everyone forget who he is. The spell also affects both Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield’s versions of the web-slinger.
As the tragic fate of the two variants is not yet addressed, Maguire’s Spider-Man 4 would be the perfect project to deal with No Way Home’s fallout, as Peter returns to his home to find out Mary Jane and others are unaware of his identity.
2. Spider-Man 4 Could Show How Sam Raimi’s Spiderverse Is Doing
Seeing Tobey Maguire back as his version of Spider-Man, as well as the original trilogy’s Sandman, Doc Ock, and Green Goblin, was exciting. However, Spider-Man: No Way Home did not really delve into the full potential that Maguire coming back as Spider-Man could have. The movie did not explore the present-day Raimiverse.
Spider-Man 4 could address this by incorporating the movie’s focus on New York City, making the city feel like a major character. This would be a significant improvement from Tom Holland’s Spider-Man movies, which have been lacking in this area. Spider-Man 4 could deliver a classic setting while also showcasing the evolution of the Raimiverse since 2007’s Spider-Man 3.
3. Multiple Stars From Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man Trilogy Want To Return
Tobey Maguire and Sam Raimi are both willing to return to the franchise. Mary Jane actress Kirsten Dunst also commented on coming back multiple times, with her even saying that she would have signed for Spider-Man: No Way Home had she been asked.
When asked if she was asked to join Spider-Man: No Way Home, Dunst replied, “No, no. I would have.”
She further said that she likes the idea of revisiting the Mary Jane/Peter Parker relationship in an unexpected way. “It would be funny to be like, OK, let’s take Tobey [Maguire] and I and do it in a weird indie way where it’s like a different kind of superhero film,” she told British GQ.
Thomas Haden Chruch, who was originally planned to return for Spider-Man 4, has also expressed interest in returning.
“There’s been some rumors that they might ask me to do another Spider-Man, and I’d do it tomorrow,” Church continued. “You know, they’ve never asked me to show up in another movie, another Marvel film,” he added when ComicBook.com‘s Chris Killian suggested Secret Wars as a possible place for Church to pop up. “But, you know, I think Sam is gonna do another Spider-Man with Tobey [Maguire], and that’s the one that … They had an option for me to do Spiderman 4 when there was going to be a Spiderman 4. They had an option on me to come back. So if it happens, that would be fantastic. I’m getting a little old.”
Willem Defoe, who starred as the Green Goblin, is also considering returning for another Spider-Man movie.
“If everything was right, sure,” Dafoe tells Inverse in an interview promoting his latest release, Inside. “I mean, that’s a great role. I liked the fact that it’s a double role both times. Twenty years ago, and fairly recently, both times [were] very different experiences, but I had a good time on both.”
4. Spider-Man 4 Could Introduce A New Doctor Strange
Spider-Man 4 could feature a different Doctor Strange in the Raimiverse. Strange, who was responsible for the spell that made everyone forget Peter Parker, could be the one responsible for reverting the spell on Maguire’s Spider-Man’s Earth.
In Raimi’s Spider-Man 2, Ted Hoffman suggested naming Otto Octavius Doctor Strange, but J. Jonah Jameson revealed the name was already taken. Raimi’s return to superhero movies was in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, making it possible for the character to be used in a possible Spider-Man 4.
5. Spider-Man 4 Would Be A Box Office Hit
Spider-Man 4 has immense box office potential, as seen in Raimi’s Spider-Man movies with Maguire, which grossed between $794 million and $878 million worldwide.
While the MCU’s Spider-Man franchise had seen healthy numbers before Maguire and Garfield returned in a major multiverse movie, there is a clear difference between the films they were not a part of and the one they appeared in. Spider-Man: No Way Home reached Avengers-level box office numbers by getting shy of $2 billion at the box office, which shows how there is still a huge interest in Maguire as Spider-Man.
6. Spider-Man 4 Could Tell A Different Peter Parker Story
While Tom Holland’s upcoming Spider-Man 4 will follow Peter Parker in a new stage of his life, having left high school behind, he is still too young for a beloved ongoing Spider-Man comic book story. The new version of Ultimate Spider-Man in Marvel Comics focuses on an older Spider-Man who has a family. Holland could not be that Peter yet, but Maguire would be perfect for it.
In order for Maguire’s Spider-Man 4 to get made, the movie would have to be distinct from Marvel Studios’ plans for the character with Holland. Making Peter Parker a veteran Spider-Man who has to balance his superhero duties with his day job and raising a family would bring a fresh kind of cinematic Spider-Man story. That plot would also allow Kirsten Dunst’s MJ to play a major role alongside Maguire, making for an emotional return to the Raimiverse in Spider-Man 4.
