I’m not sure if I’ve even mentioned it to you, but I’m a bit of a Spider-Man freak. I love Spidey. I love Peter Parker. I firmly believe that with great power comes great responsibility. I’ve even got the tattoo on my back to prove my devotion to Lee and Ditko’s amazing creation.
I’ve loved so many Spider-Man stories, and I must admit I’m one of those people who have been wondering what Sam Raimi will come up with for Spider-Man 4. In case you hadn’t heard, there will indeed be a fourth film, set to start shooting early next year with Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst returning. There’s lots of rumour and innuendo about which villain may show up this time, everyone from Electro to Kraven The Hunter to The Lizard. My money is on the last one, since Dylan Baker has confirmed he’ll be back playing Dr. Connors, a role he’s had since Spider-Man 2. But while us Spidey fans continue to wonder who will be the big bad this time out, there’s also a ton of casting rumours about a new female character for Spider-Man 4: The Black Cat.
In the comic books, The Black Cat is Felicia Hardy, a petty criminal who hooks up with Spider-Man and who eventually renounces her evil ways and becomes a hero (occasionally for hire). I vividly remember reading the issue where Spidey took off his mask and revealed his secret identity to the Black Cat, who promptly encouraged him to put the mask back on. It wasn’t who was under the mask she loved. It was the man that was the mask. Eventually the duo would forget their romance and simply become friends and co-workers.
With the addition of another female lead, it sounds like Spider-Man 4 could have the makings of a love triangle then, right? The Black Cat, Mary-Jane, and Spidey/Pete? Seeing as how everyone from Rachel McAdam to Julia Stiles is being talked about for the role, it looks like that may be the way Sam Raimi will be going. I surely hope not. We just saw a love triangle in Spider-Man 3 between MJ, Peter, and Gwen Stacey, played by an under-utilized Bryce Dallas Howard (speaking of whom, if you thought Howard was underutilized there, she’s virtually obsolete in Terminator: Salvation). While McAdam denies auditioning for the role, she would be a pretty solid choice. But then again, Stiles can be a great actress so she too could have the stuff it takes to be The Black Cat.
As the Spider-Man freak that I am, I’m totally stoked for another film and to see Maguire once again done the red and blue tights. I don’t even mind the return of Kirsten Dunst, as long as she has something interesting to do. But the last thing I think the franchise needs after the disaster that was Spider-Man 3 is another edition of Peter and Mary-Jane trying to give their relationship another go. Hopefully the long wait between films ( 4 years by the time Spider-Man 4 hits theaters in 2011) will given Raimi a few more tricks up his sleeve and Spidey a few new walls to crawl.
