Arachnophobia

Sony Pictures head of media relations tells the folks at the IESB that all of recent talk about recasting Peter Parker/Spider-Man is bogus - "No one is being considered for the role but Tobey. Period."

Meanwhile--Jeff Otto of Dark Horizons caught up with "Spider-Man" trilogy director Sam Raimi yesterday, getting an update on the status of "Spider-Man 4":

"Right now James Vanderbilt is writing the script and I'm excited to read it" Raimi told us. "I think it's going to be done in a few months and I'm hoping that it's as great as our discussions were about it and I'm hoping it feels right for me because I love Spider-Man and I'm hoping I'm well enough rested to really embrace it... [I'm also] hoping that Sony wants me at that time to direct it. So if all those scenes come together I would love to do it. There's a lot of unknowns about the future."

Although nothing official has come up, it's pretty much a foregone conclusion that Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst are unlikely to return for a fourth film. Raimi, however, doesn't seem completely convinced. "I'd hate to recast anybody in the picture. I couldn't imagine that. It's like the new Darrin [A] ("Bewitched" reference, for those who missed it). I don't know. I can't imagine that."

There's been so much back and forth-Will they or won't they? It's hard to know what will happen here...But it's obvious that the suits want no part of fueling speculation. If Raimi returns it may be easier to coax Maguire and Dunst back as well...