Tim Burton reportedly had an amazing reason to reject a Spider-Man project
Spider-Man was originally introduced by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko in Amazing Fantasy #15, released in 1962. Since then, the wall-crawling superhero has become a sensation among fans.
In fact, Spider-Man is one of Marvel’s most profitable superheroes right now, worth $10 billion. A huge credit for the superhero’s popularity goes to Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy. However, the director role was also offered to Tim Burton.
Tim Burton Rejected to Direct Spider-Man in 2002
Tim Burton is one of the most popular directors of all time. While Burton has directed a variety of movies, he refused to helm Spider-Man in 2002. According to an excerpt from MCU: The Reign of Marvel Studios, Burton didn’t want to associate with the movie due to his loyalty to DC.
An unenthusiastic Tim Burton told Pascal he was a ‘DC Guy’ and didn’t even schedule a meeting.
At the time, Amy Pascal ran Columbia Pictures, and it wasn’t an easy job to onboard a director to make a Spider-Man movie. Burton directed the 1989 film Batman. So, it wasn’t surprising that he sided with DC instead of Marvel.
Batman director Tim Burton
Pascal’s search ultimately ended when Sam Raimi agreed to direct the trilogy. It was a huge success and became a building block for the Friendly Neighborhood Spider’s popularity over the years.
Amy Pascal Chose Sam Raimi to Direct Spider-Man Because of his Uniqueness
Sam Raimi may be one of the most prominent movie directors in the world right now. But when he took charge of Spider-Man, featuring Tobey Maguire as the iconic character, he was still an upcoming director.
In the same excerpt, Avi Arad revealed why Amy Pascal chose Sam Raimi despite not being a huge name.
Sam was unique. Sam didn’t come into it for money. Sam was a guy who needed to make it.
Raimi’s strong pitch and his love for the iconic character were also key factors in getting the job. More than two decades later, Raimi’s trilogy remains a fan favorite. For many, it was a huge part of their childhood.
Tobey Maguire as Spider-Man
Since then, fans have been provided with two more Spider-Men, played by Andrew Garfield and Tom Holland. In the 2021 movie Spider-Man: No Way Home, all three actors assembled to feature in the movie, thanks to the concept of a multiverse finally being explored in the MCU.
Many are now anticipating a fourth Spider-Man movie with Tobey Maguire and Sam Raimi. As of now, there’s no confirmation of the film being in production. But the audience is patiently waiting to receive a positive update on the same.
Will Sam Raimi return to direct another phenomenal Spider-Man movie? Or is it just a pipe dream? Only time will tell.
