Thu Oct 23, 2008 — by Robert Greenberger

Sam Raimi Prefers Peter Parker to Jack Ryan

Director Abandons Reboot for Sequels

We’ve often called Sam Raimi the busiest man in Hollywood between the projects he is personally directing along with those he is involved as a producer.

After all, his Ghost House Pictures are producing films, which we’ll be reviewing in the coming days, and there’s his new television series which partner Rob Tapert discussed with us the other day.  Then there are the various film franchises from Spider-Man to Evil Dead which he’s been involved.

We often wonder here at ComicMix central when he will cry uncle and the answer is, now. Raimi told MTV that he has had to withdraw from his previously announced involvement with Paramount Pictures’ planned reboot of the Jack Ryan franchise. He bowed out to concentrate on Sony’s Spider-Man films which further convince us that the next two will be filmed back-to-back.

 “I’m really excited about Spider-Man,” the director said. “Production [on more Spider-Man films] would start probably by March, I’m guessing of 2010.” Which also means he’s working to meet Sony’s already announced plan for Spider-Man 4 to open in summer 2011. (Probably nestled between First Avenger: Captain America and The Avengers so as not to dilute the appetite for Marvel super-heroes.)

“I love Tom Clancy, and I hope they’d keep me in mind,” Raimi said of the film series which has, to date, starred Ben Affleck, Harrison Ford and Alec Baldwin. “But because I’m committed to ‘Spider-Man and making that picture, I think it’s going to knock me out of the running for the Jack Ryan picture.”

He did not address the choice of villain or who will be the love interest although the blogosphere continues to suspect Kirsten Dunst will be dropped from at least Spidey 4 in favor of Elizabeth Banks, who played Betty Brant back in the first film.
 

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