Last month we got some big news surrounding Spider-Man 4. Among the scheduling changes for the upcoming Marvel movies, we also were told that Spider-Man 4 would hit theaters May 6, 2011. The other unsurprising update that made a splash was that Raimi really wants Kirsten Dunst to return as Mary Jane Watson.

From what we’ve heard, Dunst has been hesitant about returning for another installment, perhaps because of some negative fan feedback about her being cast into the role in the first place which still hasn’t died down.

Raimi is taking it into his own hands and is reportedly set to meet with Kirsten Dunst to talk about her return for the next Spidey adventure. In a group interview last week, Raimi discussed the current situation:

In an interview with AICN recently at SXSW, after screening his new horror flick Drag Me To Hell, fanboy favorite Sam Raimi spilled some more beans on the much anticipated fourth installments in the Spider-Man and Evil Dead franchises.

Those are two franchises that we all want to see be continued in some form or another, and the news that Raimi would indeed, be coming back for a fourth (and a fifth Spider-Man – along with Tobey Maguire), as well as 20-year long rumblings of him doing another Evil Dead flick, certainly inspires infinitely more confidence than if some random director had taken the reigns of either of them.

Here’s what he had to say about each of the movies/franchises:

The current cinematic equivalent of a tennis match is whether or not there is going to be a fourth film in the Evil Dead franchise. It’s pretty safe to say that this has been wondered about and very much wanted ever since the third film in the series Army of Darkness. And I’m sure over at least the last few years, whenever any chance of talking to Raimi comes around, he gets asked about an Evil Dead 4.

At the opening weekend to 2009’s SXSW Film Festival, IGN got a chance to chat with Sam Raimi, director of the Spider-Man and Evil Dead films.

In their discussion, IGN brought up something many of us have been eagerly waiting on for quite a while now: a new Evil Dead film. On the heels of Raimi’s return to the horror genre with Drag me to Hell, it looks like there’s hope yet for the return of Ash to the big screen.

Yes, I know, we ALL want another Evil Dead movie. But if any of you are holding your breath, I suggest it might be time to exhale because this bad boy isn’t going to happen until Bruce Campbell is old enough to look like William Shatner in Star Trek: Generations.

There has been a low-level buzz percolating on this possible project for a couple of years now, but in the end it’s all just talk.

If you are a fan of Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead movies, you’d better satisfy yourself with the multiple DVD versions of the original two movies because Evil Dead IV isn’t coming any time soon.

Over at IESB there’s a video interview with Bruce Campbell in which he stated that Sam Raimi is extremely busy with the Spiderman franchise and who knows when he’d have the time or inclination to do Evil Dead IV.

And in case you think he was just being coy for the interview, I have independent verification of this from a source who spoke with Tom Sullivan. Tom did special effects work on Evil Dead I, II and Army of Darkness and is a friend of Bruce.

Bruce did say during the interview that he and Sam Raimi will be producing the upcoming remake of Evil Dead, but will leave the details to the director since the point is to see a different take on the original material. He joked about having Ashton Kutcher direct and star in the remake, and that if Kutcher wasn’t available they’d try to get Ben Affleck, since Ben Stiller or Owen Wilson had already declined.

In an interview with SciFi.com, Rober Tapert discussed the upcoming remake of the cult classic Evil Dead. It seems that he and Bruce Campbell were quite reluctant to go forward with the remake concept, both being very sensitive to the fans of the original film(s). Sam Raimi however (who directed the original version) has been wanting to move forward with the project in order to get a fresh take on it by some new director.

The good news is that Tapert and Raimi are producing the new version and they are both good friends with Campbell, who is very connected to the fan base and cares greatly about the original, which launched his career. At this point I don’t know if he will have any official involvement, but I find it hard to believe that he wouldn’t have a hand in the proceedings.

If you must have a remake, I suppose this is the way to go about it.

Source: Sci Fi Wire

According to Moviehole.com Sam Raimi wants to turn his attention to a sequel of Army of Darkness. One can only assume that Bruce Campbell would have to be in it (fans of the Evil Dead series, rejoice!).

Many thought that any shot at a fourth “Dead” movie was, well, dead following the recent announcement that a remake of the original Evil Dead movie had been approved by Raimi. The remake will not be directed by Raimi and will not star Campbell. Fans of the original movies were not happy and questioned the point of a remake.

It will certainly be a while, and thinks could change since Raimi is interested in doing this after Spiderman 3, but we can keep our fingers crossed, baby.