October 28, 2009 | by Rob Keyes 

Is The Lizard Spider-Man 4’s Only Villain?

The Lizard - Main villain of Spider-Man 4

Less than a week ago, Dylan Baker confirmed that he’d be returning as Dr. Curt Connors in Spider-Man 4. At the time, he said he’d be regulated to a small background role similar to his appearances in the last two Spidey films.

Now, comes an insider report from Jim over at Market Saw who’s saying that The Lizard may not only be in Spider-Man 4, but that he’d be the only villain of the movie. This of course would bring the franchise back to its one-villain roots as utilized in the first two movies of the series.

Sam Raimi did say that he loves The Lizard…

The info allegedly comes from a reliable inside source, but we know that the script is still being worked on by Gary Ross.

If true, this wouldn’t be unexpected as the franchise so far has made plenty of effort in tying each film to its predecessors and Raimi made sure to include Dr. Curt Connors in the last two movies. It makes total sense to have The Lizard make an appearance and I’d love to see that transformation finally occur. However, I wouldn’t mind if he was the lesser villain of a pair of baddies instead.

Three villains, as we saw awfully featured in Spider-Man 3 is simply too much, but as we’ve seen in other comic book films, two can work nice if done right. So, whether that means The Lizard is the featured super villain or a secondary one, don’t be surprised to see Dylan Baker grow some scales in Spider-Man 4.

Remember though, this next Spider-Man adventure may be the last time we see Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker and Sam Raimi helming behind the camera. With that in mind, is Dylan Baker’s Lizard really the last villain we see Tobey Maguire and Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man duke it out with? Is that an epic enough conclusion to their Spider-Man franchise which may continue with a Spider-Man 5 & 6 starring different actors and helmed by a different director?

spider-man 4 dylan baker dr curt connors lizard
Dylan Baker to take the spotlight in Spider-Man 4?

However this may play out, I’m a fan of Baker and would be happy seeing Connors turn grow his arm back. This could be the end of the hopes of some fans who want to see Bruce Campbell play Mysterio.

What do you think of the idea of The Lizard being the main (and only) villain of Spider-Man 4?

Spider-Man 4 is scheduled for an early March production start and will hit theaters May 6, 2011.

Source: Market Saw, Header edited from beautiful art by Julie Bell

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

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  • daniel200
    yea but mmmm why can spider man 4 has carnage with the lizart that will be the best movie in my whole life!!!!!!
  • lars
    I just hung out with a friend of mine who is working for fischer and is gearing up for spidey 4 who confirmed with me villains for this one are black cat, and vulture. he said there were no plans in the script as of yet that he had seen for any lizard.
  • chrisj
    sorry for mistyping. i meant to say scorpion could use a suit to not only unmask Spidey for Jameson but put a end to Spidey aswell.
  • chrisj
    @ Lefty
    As a Spider-Man fan myself. I wouldnt mind the idea of Peter having his web shooters built by hand. Maybe building them at Oscorp. when no-one is around might not be a bad idea. Like on 90's animated series he'd run outta web shooters at a bad time and have to rely on his intellect to get outta a hot spot. I agree that more action was needed in Spider-Man 3 aswell as Spider-Man 2 did. But to make Spidey darker, only if he was in the Alien costume. Spidey is Not Batman and thinkin of makin Spidey darker doesnt mean the film will do just as good as the TDK. Batman is a dark hero but not Spidey. Id like the idea of Vulture & Scorpion teaming up. Adrian Toomes's CO would now be makin more of a profit since Oscorp lost its founder and his son. Adrian Toomes somehow built a suit to absorb people's youth to put a end to Spidey for gettin in his way and at the sametime Jameson sends Mac Gargan to Toomes to build him a suit in which not use to unmask Spidey but put a end to him aswell. Just a idea putting those two together.
  • Lefty
    I think as a Spider-man comic book fan that the Lizard is a very simplistic character that will not work alone.
    The last movie mixed new and old characters which was obviously done for popularity reasons and not because they would contribute to a good story. That is why it was a mash.

    The first two installments were more true to form although I hate no web shooters as they were a great source of problems for Spidey. The perfect place to get the idea for shooters would have been OSCORP (Missed a huge opportunity here).
    The comics had females in them but the romance side was overdone in my opinion in the films. More action is needed.
    Make Spider-man a bit darker such as the Dark Knight did.

    I think that if you have the Lizard then you have to have one or all of the following neogenic mutants as in the comics, ie. vulture, scorpion, morbius.
    These characters go well with man-wolf(John Jamieson) and the tinkerer.

    I would like to see Lizard, Scorpion and the Tinkerer in one movie.

    Then something like Carrion, Morbius and Man-Wolf could go together.

    Having another hero such as in Marvel Team-Up for a cameo would be really cool as well.
  • KCJ506
    It was on the Spider-man 4 board at imdb. It was posted there months ago. So I don't think the topic's there anymore.
  • M-Cat
    Oh and what site was that?
  • M-Cat
    KCJ506

    that sounds like an awesome idea! i like it alottttt!!!!!!
  • KCJ506
    If Lizard is the only villain I will be pissed. It'll be another villain who's not really a villain that gets redeemed at the end. Been there done that. I want a villain who's completely and stays that way.

    Because of an idea someone on another site came up with I'm rooting for Lizard and Electro. The idea was that Electro causes a blackout and the Lizard emerges from the sewers and starts hunting people in a dark city. No one would be safe. That'll be a pretty epic IMO.

    Not very many of Spidey's foes are complex enough to hold their own movie anyway. In fact, I think only GG and Doc Ock could.
  • @ the old man

    Rob is my name, lol. What with "Rob"?
  • John K.
    all i wanna say right now is i think the best thing to do wood`ve been venom,carnage,lizard,electro in this one. But themn again, it wouldn`t. Though people complaining with this "too many villains ruins the movie" thing are just to old-fashioned, it depends on how long they have to develop the story and the way the studio know their cut.

    Anyway, i`d also like to say no matter what the villains ar in this movie i guess i have to watch it even if it`s not satifying, after all it`s spiderman so i guess no matter wat it`s a good movie somhow.

    oh, and i never hAD a problm with kirsten as mary jane!!!!!!!! she looks exacty like the range of the way mary jane looking beautiful in the comics.
  • the_old_man
    "Dictionaries, they are your friends."

    Actually you would need an automated grammar checker and or one of those books on grammar. For example to say "The Lizard would be regulated to a small role." Your using the verb regulate in a preterite form. Even an automated system isn't going to be able to intuit whether your talking about the past or the future in all contexts. At least I haven't seen one. This sentence would also get by a spell checker because regulated is spelled correctly. As for their meaning:

    relegated- To assign to a particular class or category.
    regulated- To put or maintain in order.

    Class and category are types of order. To "put" something is to "place" it and one of the definitions of "place" is "A particular situation or circumstance."

    Uncommon usage? Definitely. completely wrong, arguable. Which isn't why I come here. Which makes me wonder at myself why I'm bothering. :( The writer, "Rob" didn't. Language is one of my interests I guess.



    "Nothing is ever perfect or finished." Edward Teller
  • Mike E.
    My only issue with all this is that... The Lizard would not be "regulated" to a small role.
    He would, in effect be RELEGATED to a small role.

    Dictionaries, they are your friends.
  • the old man
    The Spider-Man vs Kraven how would you do that Chris?
    1. They get in each others way hunting down the Lizard?
    2. They team up but ultimately once the Lizard is caught, Kraven hunts Spider-Man?
    3. Kraven gets ahead of Spider-Man in the chase to capture the Lizard, corners him but slips away as Spidey stops Kraven leaving a weakened Spider-Man trying to administer a serum to the Lizard in a desperate attempt to get Connors back?
    4. Do you make 4&5 sequel story wise? The Lizard escapes, Kraven is defeated in 4, enter Mysterio in 5 with a Carnage subplot that blows out at the end of 5. The Lizard shows back up takes out Mysterio and wounds Spider-Man leaving Spidey to face Carnage alone in a cliffhanger for #6?
  • chris
    i love the lizard.i also would like to see more doc ock,carnage,and scorpion in spiderman 5,and 6. i think if they use the lizard either,carnage,kraven,or mysterio could be used imn the film as well.
  • the_old_man
    So Bud your saying 2 more movies not three? Then would you try to get the core cast to stay on for a fifth and what do you do if they won't?

    Let's say they do. Do you think they should reboot on the sixth? How should a reboot proceed or would you do it like the Bond series, a sequel with the time line continued?

    Why is this a better way to go than what others have proposed? What about Peter's career aspirations? Would you save Carnage for the sixth film?
  • M-Cat
    haha Bud you're crazy!
  • Bud
    Okay, listen to this...

    I've already talked about how I think Spider-man 4 should be about Spidey looking for a cure for his mutation disease which causes him to grow 4 extra arms, and dealing with Lizard and Morbius as villains. But, within the storyline, Adrian Toomes, played by Tobin Bell, takes over Oscorp changing it to Toomes Dynamics. He finds the Goblin Lab and learns the truth about Norman Osborn. Plus, he finds a secret document on Norman's computer about an experimental suit with wings. This sets up the Vulture for 5. But, also in 4, Mac Gargan, played by Bruce Campbell, agrees to be part of an experiment funded by Jameson. This sets up the Scorpion for 5.

    So, The main story for 5 is the planning of Peter and Mary-Jane's wedding. Throughout the movie, Spider-man battles Scorpion, The Vulture, and Electro all on seperate occasions. At the end of the movie, the wedding is taking place and is interrupted by all three villains at once. This forces Peter to battle them immediately, without his suit. Which exposes his identity to all of his friend and family. After an intense battle, Peter defeats all three villains. His friends thankful that he saved their lives, they accept knowing that he is Spider-man. And that would be a great way to end the series!
  • the old man
    If they ,the studios, end up doing three more movies they have the opportunity to build characters up like a piece at a time. Good or no good? You perhaps end up waiting till the third movie to see what you want, but plenty of time to wonder how it will all turn out. I would think an incremental buildup can be more believable than some spectacular transformation. We already had several stories like that. You can't say the long view hasn't been considered, look how long Campbell has been low on the radar?
  • tumsky
    I would like to see Lizard but i would also like to see the Black Cat make an appearance.
  • chrisj
    I hate it when people bad mouth & and say this or that movie will suck when there's no script yet.
  • the_old_man
    John K says: " but i`d say that i think if Franco/Maguire were 22 years old and no older then i`d still be satisfied"

    So what are you saying?

    John K I'm not interested in debates or arguing. I just want to discuss the issues. I'm not saying your point of view is worthless either. OK, so maybe justifiably your having a little trouble with the way some things look now. Give them a chance, their's a ways to go before premiere day for #4. Really not even a solid script rumor...
  • Gigan300
    FINALLY some good news regarding this film.
  • John K.
    " How long do you think it takes to get a PHD in physics? Would you be able to go through NYU and be about say 22?"
    Uuuh, so you`re saying?

    " You`re doubt has seemed to have raised to an anxiety level where you`ve lost some perspective."

    Ok that`s it i give up, i`m just gonna let be whatever`s in show for this film. I`ve seen it now.

    " Despite what happened in #3, many would agree to have two successes like "Spiderman 1&2" grants you enough credibility to be given a second chance."
    Alright, well if you loved the first two that much then i guess i should just shut my mouth then.

    " - just because Spiderman 3 wasn`t as good as the first two, Raimi sucks, really?"
    No, didn`t say that. I said i believe it was more clumsy than the first two, but that doesn`t actually mean i jag a knife in him, dfi.
  • Bud
    Spider-man 4 villains: The Lizard and Morbius.
    Spider-man 4 story: Neogenic Nightmare
    Spider-man 5 villains: Electro, Scorpion, Vulture
    Spider-man 5 story: The wedding
  • chrisj
    @ Maikeru
    I agree with ya. My opinion people over exaggerate about Spider-man 3 being bad which i thought it could of been better but not bad enough to think the franchise is no-more.
    I didnt think Spider-man 2 was the best. First film will be my favorite but to each his/her own right. Bottom line is im not one of those people to let one film get me down. Spidey 3 made quite a bit of money compared to the previous films so Raimi did somthing right in the film.
  • chris
    i love the lizard and cant wait to see him on the big screen.as for spiderman 5,and 6 lets see more doc ock,some scorpion,and carnage.some small characters lets see kraven,and mysterio.
  • chris
    3 villains can work just look at the dark knight. if done right and thought out it can work.dark knight shows a villain being beaten early in the film scarecrow.just have rhino or scorpion destroying the city and spiderman beats him,then jump into character build up with my favorite the lizard,like they did with the joker biuld and biuld his story with spideys. then a third villain could slowly merge from the story like two-face did. i prefer either carnage,or kraven for the lizard story,but mysterio could work since bruce cambel was in the last three films he could become mysterio.and see it could work and not take away from the story or character development if handled well.as for spiderman 5,and sixi really want to see scorpion,more doc ock,carnage,and more lizard.
  • Maikeru
    I'm sick and tired of this stupid fanboy mentality, just because Spiderman 3 wasn't as good as the first two, Raimi sucks, really? Wow, so I guess if you're not great every single time you do something in life, then you must suck!! Get over yourselves and grow up fanboys, nobody is perfect, we're just humans.
  • the_old_man
    John K perhaps you can answer a question for me. How long do you think it takes to get a PHD in Physics? Would you be able to go through NYU and be out at say 22? http://physics.as.nyu.edu/object/physics.grad.pp

    John K you wrote " i`m not sure if any villain would work"
    Your doubt seems to me to have raised your anxiety level to a point where you've lost some perspective. Granted most everyone if not everyone here would like to see this movie succeed. The core group of actors will likely not be back but does that mean this movie has to be a tour de force?
    If it has to be that, then what room for improvement or place does a five or six have?

    What about what other people have said about maybe this series should be handled like "James Bond?" Yes we've seen a few actors do Bond and some were liked better than others and the movies themselves had different levels of popularity as well, but the show has went on. Despite what happened in #3, many in the business would agree to have two successes like "Spider Man 1&2" grants you enough credibility to be given a second chance. Especially since three still made bank. Raimi has got to be itching to give the fans a good show if for no other reason than to get some of that lost fan credibility back... ;)
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