Sam Raimi’s original superhero might be making a comeback. Long before the acclaimed director cast a spell with Doctor Strange or spun a web with Spider-Man, he was lurking in the shadows with Universal’s Darkman. Released in 1990, the movie follows Liam Neeson’s Dr. Peyton Westlake, who becomes the vigilante Darkman after being brutally attacked, disfigured, and left for dead by a mysterious criminal organization. He uses breakthroughs in his work to develop synthetic disguises, which he combines with his newly psychotic nature to exact revenge on those who wronged him. The film was intended to be the start of a franchise, but poor box office reception put a halt to any theatrically released sequels. Now, over 30 years later, audiences may finally get one.
Darkman, which also starred Academy Award winner Frances McDormand, spawned two direct-to-video sequels, made without Raimi behind the camera or the original cast. However, speaking with The Wrap, the former Evil Dead filmmaker revealed Universal has recently expressed interest in reviving the series:
Universal is talking about a Darkman sequel. There’s a producer attached. I haven’t heard the story yet or gone into it, I’ve been so busy with this movie [Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness]. But I think it’s cool.
Sam Raimi
As for whether or not Neeson would return to the role, after being replaced by Arnold Vosloo in both of the low budget follow-ups, Raimi wasn’t sure:
I don’t know if he’d do it, but he’d be incredible.
Sam Raimi
The possibility of a proper Darkman 2 is likely due to Raimi’s recent comeback in popularity. His latest superhero venture, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, just released to rave reviews, and the director’s dedicated cult of fans is hungry for more. It will probably be a long time before any more information on this topic is made public, but the fact it’s even being talked about is something pretty special, and a good sign for the future of Raimi on the big screen.
While we’re excited to head into the multiverse, there’s a lot of potential with Marvel Studios’ first true venture into horror. The genre is a long-time favorite for many moviegoers and the film has promised that it’ll give us the kind of scares we’ve always hoped to see in a Marvel film. When Sam Raimi took over from Scott Derrickson, we knew that the film is still in good hands to keep that genre alive.
The director may be quite famous for setting the benchmark for modern superhero films with 2002’s Spider-Man, he made a name in the industry with his work on the Evil Dead series. He even followed up his caped adventures with Drag Me to Hell, as a way to venture to During the press conference, Sam Raimi talked about how those films influenced his venture into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
When Kevin announced that this movie would be the first entry into Marvel putting their toe into the world of horror, I was thrilled that he called me to come in and talk about the possibility of directing this picture. I was able to take those horror films I made in my youth, and what I had learned from them, building suspense sequences, tituling the audience, going to give them a scare now? No, NOW I am going to give it to them. That stuff I was able to apply in the spooky sequences in this film.
Sam Raim
It certainly sounds promising, especially with the iconic camera shots that made him stand out as a director. The first clips and even the trailers included some references to his talent with the camera, which will make the film potentially stand out among Marvel’s already impressive filmography. As he’s openly stated he is excited to potentially direct another project, here’s hoping he can further expand the horror projects for Marvel Studios.
There have been many discussions surrounding the creative freedom that directors have with modern blockbusters. As franchises become larger and more complex, consisting of multi-media franchises, there’s a challenge to keep an overview while fully letting external creatives take control over these projects. Marvel Studios has repeatedly been spotlighted given how the MCU continues to expand, its complexities may hinder talent. Yet, while there are some cases, most directors have seemingly praised the work with the production company. Sam Raimi, who joined the franchise to work on Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, has revealed in an interview with The Playlist that he had “complete creative freedom” while working on the film.
Well, let me say — and this may sound like I’m talking out of both sides of my mouth — that Marvel allowed me complete creative freedom. However, it had to follow so many things in Marvel lore, [so] even though I had complete freedom, the previous movies and where Marvel wants to go in the future really directed the path in an incredibly specific way. Within those parameters I have freedom, but I’ve got to tell the story of those characters in a way that ties in with all of the properties simultaneously. We had to make sure, for instance, that Doctor Strange didn’t know more than he had learned about the multiverse from No Way Home. And yet we had to make sure he wasn’t ignorant of things that he had already learned. So everything was dictated by what had become before.
Sam Raimi
He does highlight that there were some elements he couldn’t fully control, but those are purely adhering to story consistency. So, the same rules apply to taking over any project that already has a few films on its belt. He is taking over the Doctor Strange sequel. So, even if there wasn’t an expanded universe to adhere to, the rule would still apply given what we saw in the first. It’s great to know that the director had that much creative freedom and highlights how much the team believed in his work going into the sequel.
If you’ve ever wondered just how far back Marvel films go, it seems that long before even Sam Raimi worked on the first Spider-Man film in the early 200s, he was already trying his hands at a Marvel project in the early 1990s. Not only that, but he was working on it together with Stan Lee, as they tried to adapt a film based on Marvel’s Thor.
In the interview with Rolling Stone, he talks about how they pitched the concept around but just couldn’t get any studio to sign off on the project. He mentions a few reasonings such as people downplaying Stan Lee’s involvement and even worries about the religious implications of making a film based on the Norse God of Thunder.
They were great. We worked on a story based on his Thor stories, then we took it around to pitch to the different studios — and I couldn’t believe that they didn’t regard [Lee] more highly back then. This was probably 1991 or something, and he was treated like just another writer. “Oh, great. You write comic books. Big deal.” I remember going to eight different studios, and then looking at eight different rejection slips, saying “How could they say no to this?” They’d say things like, “People are kind of touchy about their gods,” and I’d go, “Yes, but it’s not like a religious picture. He’s the God of Thunder!” They so didn’t get it.
Sam Raimi
Of course, it seems rather bizarre considering how we’ve had Bast, Thor, and even the Egyptian pantheon introduced in recent projects. Yet, even in the early days of the CU, there were concerns that they could not only make Thor work but even how he’d fit into the bigger picture of the MCU. So, in the early 1990s, there wasn’t a world that believed in comic book movies or expanding upon old mythology.
As Sam Raimi makes his grand return to the Marvel universe with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, it’s hard not to ask him aboutwhat could’ve been with Spider-Man 4. Many years after the director left the projects behind, it was hinted that it was going to feature Bruce Campbell‘s cameo as Mysterio and Vulture would appear in some capacity. Yet, it turns out that the plans were originally going to include another classic member of his rogue’s gallery.
It looks like Kraven the Hunter was going to be part of Spider-Man 4. In an interview with Rolling Stone, Sam Raimi reveals that not only was Mysterio not a definite, as they had other plans for Bruce Campbell to cameo, but they also were going to include the iconic villain in the film. The reasoning is the same for any comic fan., he wanted to see them fight on the silver screen.
We had other things in mind, too, but that was one of them. And I missed Kraven the Hunter. We were going to work that character into the next Spider-Man; I always wanted to see Kraven fight Spider-Man on the big screen. I thought that would be really unique. He’s the ultimate hunter, and Spider-Man is like the most agile trickster of the skies. And I wanted to see Peter continue forward as a human being.
Sam Raimi
It’s crazy to think that Spider-Man: No Way Home may have almost featured the character as well before fully jumping into the multiverse. The character is currently getting their own spinoff series starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson, but it’s unclear how it may tie together with Sony’s overarching plans. Still, it’s a shame he never got to explore the character, and perhaps he’s interested in integrating that story into the fourth entry of Tom Holland‘s Spider-Man as a nice tribute to his original plans.
There have always been quite a few debates on Marvel Studios’ relationship with its directors. Some believed that they’ve hampered their creative visions, as there are examples like Thor: The Dark World or Edgar Wright’s original Ant-Man pitch, where there were definitely conflicting behind-the-scenes. So, some were concerned that Sam Raimi joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s toy box would hamper his creative vision, yet it seems the director would love to return to work with Marvel Studios.
Absolutely. It’s like the world’s best toy box to be able to play at Marvel. I’d love to come back and tell another tale, especially with the great management they’ve got there.
Sam Raimi
It’s certainly motivating to hear that he’s leaving this project with a positive experience with the production company. The highlight of the management is also a good sign that they were supportive throughout the production. We learned that the producers even pitch in ideas during the creative process, such as CEO Kevin Feige pitched the idea of including Kingpin in Hawkeye.
Raimi is a creative director and it would be great if he gets a chance to explore more horror elements moving forward. We have a Halloween special on the horizon. So, he might have some fun adapting a storyline based on the Midnight Sons or even further expanding their new mystical and supernatural corner of this franchise. We’re seeing more and more directors taking a stab at leaving their imprint on the MCU. So, it would be great to see more of Raimi dabble in this universe.
Marvel Studios has built up a reputation for how they tackle their projects. For some time, it was commonly called the “Marvel formula” due to similarities being enforced on earlier projects through the special committee put in place by Marvel CEO Isaac Perlmutter. Ever since Captain America: Civil War, there’s been a stronger shift and we got more creative projects like Thor: Ragnarok, Black Panther, and more. Even now, the latest trailer for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness promises a darker tale and a deep dive into the horrors of the multiverse, as Sam Raimi takes over the reins of this project.
And it seems once he took over from director Scott Derrickson, who left the project due to creative differences, that shift became a strong focus for everyone involved. In an interview with Empire, Benedict Cumberbatch shared how the director joining shifted the project to make sure his talents and horror roots are reflected in his work. As the actor puts it:
Once it became Sam, it was always about making it a Sam Raimi picture. Your head’s going to be spun.
Benedict Cumberbatch
The trailer certainly promised some creative camera work and horror elements like the potential tease of a new Zombie Strange. It’s unclear if it’s the same from What If…? or even a zombie to begin with. Though seeing a Variant of Strange being slowly turned into one would make for quite the memorable visual. It’s a shame Derrickson couldn’t bring his vision to life, but it would be great to see him potentially tackle a different project with horror elements.
The wildly successful release of Spider-Man: No Way Home, and Marvel Studios’ current interest in the multiverse, has brought the attention of fans back to the superhero franchises that started it all. Most specifically is Sam Raimi‘s iconic trilogy featuring the famous wall-crawler, which has now seen its leading man Tobey Maguire don the webbed mask once more alongside successors Andrew Garfield and Tom Holland. With an insane, unknown cinematic future in store for the heroes of the many Marvel universes, the doors for more potential returns have been flung wide open. Of course, if Maguirewere to come back for another ride, the continued story of his Peter Parker would have to be far different than originally intended.
As was pointed out in my previous recap of Garfield’s unproduced cinematic future, both former web-heads have seemingly aged past the point of their stories picking up where they left off. Luckily for fans of the original Raimiprojects, very little was revealed about Maguire’s take on Parker post-Spider-Man 3. Therefore, it feels entirely plausible that some of what was planned for the character actually ended up happening. While we may never know exactly what that was, a collection of interviews from the era before The Amazing Spider-Man may have given us a good idea at some of the concepts Raimiand company had in mind for their ensuing films.
It makes sense to start with what is known with absolute certainty. Raimi’s Spider-Man 4 would have featured the title hero clashing with the Vulture, a winged foe portrayed by the great John Malkovich. While this casting was never confirmed by the studio, the actor himself revealed he’d been tapped for the role in two separate interviews. Once before production was cancelled, and again after the movie fell apart. The film also would have introduced Anne Hathaway as Felicia Hardy, a character who was originally rumored to be altered in a way that allowed her to become “The Vultress” instead of her classic Black Cat alter ego. However, Raimihimself later debunked this in an interview with, ironically, Vulture.
Aside from these castings and character introductions, not much is known about the actual plot of Spider-Man 4. When we last saw Tobey’s Pete, he was attempting to mend his broken relationship with Kirsten Dunst‘s Mary Jane Watson. The inclusion of Felicia Hardy in the next movie plausibly indicates that the friction between Peter and MJ would continue. Spider-Man and the Black Cat have a long romantic history in the comics, so the character was likely added to the film as another Gwen Stacy-esque foil for the Peter/MJ plotline.
Thanks to concept artist Jeffrey Henderson, we also know that the movie would have given us some intense, high-flying battles between Spider-Man and Vulture. Hendersonreleased a series of early concepts on his website, which show Spidey and his enemy dueling atop the buildings of New York and using stone gargoyles as weapons. The artist explained that the intent was to make Vulture the fiercest force Peter had encountered yet:
The thing we kept coming back to was that, as a character, everyone was going to dismiss the Vulture as just an old guy in a silly green suit. So we wanted to go the opposite way and really make him the most fearsome and formidable adversary that Spider-Man had faced in the series.
Jeffrey Henderson
Hendersonalso dropped the news that Spider-Man 4 would have opened with a montage canonizing several lower-class villains from the comics. This included a reveal that Bruce Campbell, who made several cameos throughout the series, was actually Quentin Beck, a.k.a. Mysterio:
…a montage of C and D-list villains that we knew would never be used as main antagonists: Mysterio, the Shocker, the Prowler, the old school-onesie-wearing version of the Rhino, maybe even the Stilt Man, etc.
Jeffrey Henderson
Some supposed leaked script treatments claim the film would have seen Adrian Toomes replace J. Jonah Jameson as editor of the Daily Bugle and team-up with Electro, before ending with Peter giving up the Spider-Man mantle (again). Unfortunately, none of this can be backed up, and is likely untrue. Though, had Peter actually given up his crime-fighting identity, it certainly would have been one way to end the hero’s story, as Raimi initially intended to conclude the franchise with his fourth film:
I was very unhappy with Spider-Man 3, and I wanted to make Spider-Man 4 to end on a very high note, the best Spider-Man of them all.
Sony Pictures is going to be making many more ‘Spider-Man’ pictures. I just don’t know what [my] future holds yet… But if it’s a great story and Sony will bring me back to the screen, I would love to…
Sam Raimi
Should Raimihave returned, it’s likely his villain for Spider-Man 5 would have been a familiar face. Dylan Baker portrayed Dr. Curt Connors in small appearances over the course of the previous films, and both he and Raimihad made it known there was an interest in bringing his transformation into the Lizard to life on screen. The concept had originally been batted around for Spider-Man 2 before the director settled on Doctor Octopus as the film’s antagonist. The idea made it as far as the concept stage, with official art eventually making its way online. Many people, including Bakerhimself, believed the story would make a great fit for Spider-Man 4, which he explained to IGN in 2007:
…we’re hoping it’s not too far down the line! I’ll be trying to get on the Lizard costume when I’m 80…it’s like, just open that door up… I’m ready to go!
I love Dylan Baker as a person, and I really like the character he is developing. The Lizard is probably one of my favorite characters. But [‘Spider-Man 4’] will probably have to start with the central journey of the main character to arrive at the proper villain.
Sam Raimi
After being pushed out of two movies, it feels right that Bakerwould finally get the chance to play Lizard in a fifth Spider-Man entry. After all, Raimihad discussed his hope of adapting the Lizard origin on more than one occasion. At one time speaking with MTV about rumored Spider-Man 4 villains, Raimiexpressed admiration for Lizard while dispelling the popular fan theory that Carnage would appear to capitalize on Venom’s role in the previous film:
I love the Lizard… There’s a great story there in the Marvel comic books about Dr. Connors. I’m less familiar with Carnage.
Sam Raimi
So, with Vulture and Black Cat in 4 and Lizard in 5, that leaves Spider-Man 6 as the ultimate unanswered question. I will include a disclaimer that the following is almost entirely conjecture, but natural storytelling and a specific quote from Raimi’s past could help the average detective guess what the film would entail. In the same interview where he mentioned loving Lizard and first name-dropped Vulture, the director mentioned only two other villain prospects he’d like to adapt:
I would love to see Electro…maybe the Sinister Six as a team.
Sam Raimi
One may wonder how these characters could make their way into the RaimiSpider-Man finale. The answer is a famed comic from the 1980s, known as The Wedding! The biggest through-line between all of the series’ films is the relationship between Peter and MJ. It would have made sense, should Raimihave wanted to definitively conclude his story, that the Spider-Man saga end with Maguire and Dunstfinally ending up together and tying the knot. Now, in the pages of said comic, who does Spider-Man do battle with before his big day? You guessed it! Electro.
After defeating Electro, the rest of The Wedding! has Peter fearing for MJ’s life as he remembers all of the dastardly foes he’s encountered over the years. Spider-Man 6 could have easily made this literal if it had Electro join forces with surviving members of Peter’s rogue’s gallery after losing his initial duel with Spider-Man. I can’t think of a better way to end the Spider-Man saga than the Sinister Six threatening to end Peter’s marriage before it even begins.
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