Though they haven't even started production on Spider-Man 4 yet (due in theaters in May 2011), that's not stopping Sony from bringing on James Vanderbilt to write the scripts for both Spider-Man 5 and 6, which will include a story arc that connects one to the other and most likely be shot back-to-back. Vanderbilt was the original writer of Spider-Man 4 before Sam Raimi stepped back into the director's chair and brought on David Lindsay-Abaire and Gary Ross to rewrite Vanderbilt's script.
But the studio was keen on Vanderbilt's Spider-Man 4 script because it included that two-film story arc, giving Sony the option of filming two at the same time – an option they like because it means they can release two Spider-Man films closer together. So, by the studio asking Vanderbilt to return and bring his two-film ideas to installments 5 and 6, that's kind of a roundabout way of saying don't expect Raimi, Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst to return after the fourth installment.
In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if Spider-Man 5 and 6 acted as a sort of reboot of the entire franchise, but in the way that Bryan Singer attempted to reboot Superman with Superman Returns instead of a straight-up origin story.
What do you think? Should the Spider-Man movies continue without Maguire, Dunst and Raimi? Should we wait a few years and reboot the entire franchise beginning with an origin story and new actors? Where should Spider-Man go after part four?
