October 12, 2009 | by Rob Keyes 

Sam Raimi Discusses Spider-Man 4 Villains

Spider-Man 4 Villains

Spider-Man 4 has been receiving plenty of buzz in recent times with announcements and confirmations of it going into production next year for a 2011 release. On top of that, we’ve had countless reports and speculation about what storylines it may follow, the start of development for Spider-Man 5 & 6, and discussions of what villains will be the focus of the fourth installment in the super successful superhero franchise.

MTV spoke with Sam Raimi and got the director to discuss a bit about the villains of Spider-Man 4 and the results of a fan poll they ran on the site which saw The Lizard and Carnage come out on top as the most desired villains, with the highest percentages from an unknown number of votes.

Raimi responded to the two top choices but couldn’t reveal who they’ve selected as the villainous characters are for the next Spider-Man adventure.

“I love the Lizard… There’s a great story there in the Marvel comic books about Dr. Connors. I’m less familiar with Carnage.”

After this, you could tell Raimi wanted to be more open on the topic, but he must remain tight-lipped for obvious reasons with shooting not even expected to begin until next March. After a long pause, Raimi followed up by saying “I’m not allowed to say at this point.”

Normally, I’d think that The Lizard would be an obvious choice and that the other would be a character not introduced into the franchise yet. I can pretty much guarantee Carnage will not be in Spider-Man 4. After what happened with Venom in Spider-Man 3, they’ll be leaving the symbiotic villains behind until the franchise restarts and/or the Venom solo film gets underway.

Sam Raimi

However, Raimi later explains that the next movie doesn’t have so much to do with a character introduced in the films so far or about intertwining with/setting up the Venom spinoff. This partially puts a damper on The Lizard’s full introduction.

Of course, he could just be intentionally misleading. It seems like too much of a missed opportunity to not have The Lizard finally make an appearance after seeing Dr. Curt Connors introduced and slightly developed over the last few films.

Raimi continued by elaborating on the goal of Spider-Man 4’s story and how the villain will fit into that plan.

“What we’re trying to do right now is really understand the journey Peter is going to go on this time and have the villain maybe be a counter to that growth, something that he has to overcome… Or maybe he has to grow in a way to overcome the villain, because there always seem to be stories of coming of age, of a young man growing up and learning things about life, so once we are identifying the exact movement that Peter has to grow to, I think the villain—and we’re trying this right now; we’re trying to choose a villain based on who would be the proper counter to that growth, so we really have dramatic conflict.”

Click to continue reading about Spider-Man 4 villains…

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Tags: spider-man 3, spider-man 4, spider-man 5, venom,

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  • Chris J.
    @ Oscar
    Seems like deja vu all over again. Raimi wanting to deliver and the studio getting in the way of it again when its down to choosing which villains should be in the film. Its just my opinion that Vultress would be a lame role for Anne Hathaway as Felcia Hardy when supposly Vulture will be the main villain. I rather have her become Black Cat and have the Lizard as the main villain. Oh well, with the delay they might aswell take the time to get things sorted out.
  • oscar
    From what i saw in part 3, it seemed obvious that in part 4 it would have been Carnage, Croc, and Black Cat ( the scene of the professor studying the left over alien specimen gave that away at least to me). yes i agree that Venom should have been saved for later. Luckily Raimi is a filmmaker who can accept a challenge and win many times over. Considering what he did for parts 1 n 2, its very interesting the studio would just make a mess. But i have heard that Toby won't make the movies if Raimi isnt directing. If thats true then there is some hope. I hope the studio realizes its mistake and lets Raimi do what he does best. (remember: Columbia fired The Three Stooges only to hire them back. The same can happen for Spider Man).
  • BRISCOE
    I WOULD SAY SENCE IT WAS TO VILLIANS IT SHOULD BE 3 THIS TIME.. MORBIUS,VULTURE,AND THE LIZARD (INCLUDE BLACK CAT IN THIS ONE) IT WILL BE AWESOME
  • Chris J.
    @ M-cat
    I still have my doubts about MJ being killed off, but who knows. I heard Anne Hathaway is in the role of Black Cat or Vultress w/ Vulture being the main villain. And theres the rumor of Electro & Carnage which i prefer if Lizard isnt gonna be in the film. So many rumors about the movie.
  • M-Cat
    ChrisJ

    I heard too that she won't be in spiderman 5 or 6 but I didn't hear that she would be killed off. You're probably right though. There is a story about it here:

    www.worstpreviews.com
  • Chris J.
    Has anyone heard about Kirsten Dunst's fate in Spidey 4? I forget the name of the magazine my friend showed me. After reading it, it mentioned MJ will be killed off. And that Anne Hathaway's charactor will fill in as Spidey's new love interest, mostly for Spidey 5 & 6. and can anyone tell me why im not getting any emails in replies, when i check the box that says notify me of following comments? Id appreciate it.
  • The villains of Spider-Man 4 should be The Lizard (Dylan Baker) and Carnage (Seth Green).
  • antony
    my first post, im so excited. i love poppin' cherries...
    so, my vote goes to bringing in the mob, kingpin, the old vulture guy. one of my fave tv story arcs was the mob fighting itself for control and petey getting in the crossfire. so the mob comes in, perhaps spiderman doesnt have the greatest triumph, but he beats some low level tuffs. sets it up for more to follow. mob gives us vulture, kraven, rhino, scorpion, shocker, all valid options for sinister 6. vulture hires alister or mysterio or whatever, chameleon. not every villain needs days of set up. rhino an'em are just tuffs, given a boost. blackcat could come in add supersoldier serum to the mix, capt am. tie in there. and just to comment on who should be blackcat, a strong female with some curve too her, not some skinny twiggy. i like stiles, sevigny maybe, sobieski, lombard though she's got a couple years on her, and nothing says she has to be a white woman, just somebody to fit the part, sultry, sexy, vixen material. but not halle:)
  • Josh
    @Spideyfan
    Sin-eater is a great idea, but to do it right you would have to introduce and evolve the Jean Dewolfe/Spiderman storyline for a movie or two first, wouldn't you. But a def dark chapter and growing point in Spidey's world. Puma is the one I would like to see though.

    @everyone else
    Crimelord who runs city, can't use Kingpin, who cares...the Rose was the crimelord in Spidey's world anyway. He hires Puma and Kraven to hunt Spidey in the comic books, so why not do a movie about it.

    Also, if they did make Kraven a part of this one, that gives you 6 villains that were at some point in time a member of the Sinister Six/Twelve(Doc Oct, Venom, Green Goblin, Sandman, Lizard and Kraven). So they could use that to set up a major two part battle in 5 and 6, if they wanted.
  • tyler anderson
    wow rami well the only kool one to change spidey`s life in anyway and since you are going with kristen dunst idea from her last 2 yrs about them haveing a baby by the way is gwen stacy comeing back? so i belive kraven the hunter is the best choice! as well the black cat
  • tyler anderson
    umm yeah thats great rami no carnage and you might not use the lizard what the heck! the only one i belive would change his life big time is kraven the hunter! and might have the kingpin involed as well if the lizard isnt in it as well the black cat jumping in and out in the movie would be epic! cus you see you dont need to know anything about the black cat just that shes into spidey and well she is a bit tide into captain america thats about it and her dad knew peters father or was it his ungle i dont remember. but yeah kraven the hunter would work and the black cat and whats with a red hair child i guess he is going to listen to kristen dunst about them haveing a baby to reboot the flim
  • KCJ506
    SM3's problem wasn't because of "too many villains". It was bad writing. Plain and simple. What did "emo" Peter Parker arguably everyone's least favorite part of the film--have to do with the villains? What was wrong with Venom wasn't the choice of character or even actor, but the way the character was presented.

    Instead of focusing on the villains they had useless things such as Peter dancing and singing, the MJ and Harry cooking thing and other unnecessary stuff.

    I think of the Lizard was the sole villain it would be too similar to SM2. Octavius was Peter's friend and then an accident turn him into a monster and at the end he was redeemed. In short: a good doctor, who is Peter's friend and mentor turns into a monster and Spider-Man must stop him, but somehow not hurt his friend.

    This story might work with fanboys but the GA most likely will not accept it. It would feel as the same story told with only different characters, and Spidey definitely needs something fresh now, something new.

    Plus it would mean yet another sympathetic villain. I know it's inevitable with the Lizard. That's why I want another villain to go along with him.

    IMO not very many of Spidey's foes are complex enough to carry a two-hour movie on their own. In fact, I think only GG and Doc Ock can.

    And please no Morbius. How many vampire movies and TV shows are floating around these days? He should be one of the last villains used. Especially when more unique villains can be done. This isn't Blade or Twilight.
  • Justin
    Based on what he did in the last movie. why would any of you waste your money to watch a part 4? He owes you guys one, based on that atrocity we got in 07. DONT BUY A TICKET!
  • BRAVEHEART
    I want to see The Rhino finally get some screen-time in a Spider-Man movie...even though I really want him in a Hulk movie too...but he is one of my all time fave villians and would be a great add to a future Spidey movie...mabey not the 'main' villian' but an extra one.
  • Shamose
    Mr Negative and Menace are cool :) (as you can all probably tell, I have a thing for the goblin characters haha)

    @Yamil: The Crimelord-control of the crime in spideyverse story is what I want, except they cant use kingpin, because the studio that made daredevil (fox?) owns the rights to him :(

    maybe they could substitute kingpin with hobgoblin/green goblin(they could do a "super serum" regenerated me type thing) and the others you mentions
  • Yamil J. Diaz
    Maybe the best villains might be mobster like tombstone, hammerhead, silvermane, kingpin, or Mr. Negative. they control crime in the city and would give it a more mature feel.
  • Yamil J. Diaz
    Recently in the comics they added new villains that aren't classic like the others but are cool in there own way. These are Mr. Negative, Freak, Menace, and Anti-venom(not really a villain more of an anti-heroe) Doubt they would appear in a movie but...
  • Dan Lister
  • Dan Lister
    I vote for...HOWARD THE DUCK or Forbushman!!

    (*runs from the room screaming like a wuss from all the Marvel No-Prizes heaved at his head by angry devotees of the comic*)
  • Metal Spidey
    So facing his uncle's killer did nothing to help him grow up? Btw Venom is the villain this guy is looking for but it's a shame he used him already and quite badly might I add. So who can help Peter? The Lizard! But Raimi doesn't want the Lizard... my god. So who's left? Kingpin? Nah, just because he's one of my favorites doesn't mean he'll be right for the part. Now let's see... no Venom, no Carnage, no Lizard and no Kingpin... I'm out of ideas.
  • Gigan300
    Sorry, I meant TRAIN, not subway.
  • Gigan300
    @John K.

    Oh, and the action scenes in "Spider-man 3" were no where near as fun as the subway fight in "Spider-man 2".
  • M-Cat
    @ John K

    I don't think spidey 3 had too many villains I just think it wasn't executed right. Directors can definitely make a movie work with three villains but the proper back story needs to be applied. It's tough to develop the characters and make people care about them in 2 hours. IMO, sandman was corny and venom was rushed and horribly cast. A skinny guy for venom? Please.
  • Gigan300
    So? the action scenes in Transformers 2 were more intense than the previous, but it doesn't mean make the film better.

    Doc Ock actually had character. You could feel remorse or sympathy for him. The only character you could almost feel that for in "Spider-man 3" was The Sandman and even he sucked. And yes, one villain can always be more impressive than one. With one villain you have time to setup the character and give him/her screentime(like Doc Ock and Green Goblin), but when you have more than one it cheapens the other villain.

    "Each film is only as good as its villain. Since the heroes and the gimmicks tend to repeat from film to film, only a great villain can transform a good try into a triumph."
  • John K.
    "Because New Goblin, The Sandman, and Venom weren`t nowhere near as great as Doc Ock was.


    The action scenes in SM2 weren`t as heavy and intense as SM3, the collaboration of one villain can`t be better than 3 villains. Can you please be more specific?
  • Spidyfan
    Hello all......first time posting here but read the site all the time :)

    I used to collect the Amazing Spiderman comics back in the 80'sand 90s so its surpised me that no one has mentioned Puma or even doing the Sin-Eater storyline as a choice for new villans. If Puma was a successful storyline, it might even end up as a spin-off in his own right as the character Thomas Fireheart was quite interesting in the comics.

    Through I do like the idea of the Lizard being one villan as Conners has been i the first 3 films already.
  • Gigan300
    Venom should have been enough of a villain, but was just utter crap.
  • Gigan300
    Because New Goblin, The Sandman, and Venom weren't nowhere near as great as Doc Ock was.
  • John K.
    So, M-Cat, you STILL can actually say from the top of the mind that Spideman 3 had " too many villains"? Can you please tell me why?
  • Jism
    Lizard and Kraven. Connor's back story is practically there, an peeps had to wonder about the arm from the other films, so you gotta address that.I see JJJ bringing our favorie big game hunter to the big city to hunt down our spider.
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