Sam Raimi Finally Shuts Down That ‘Spider-Man 4’ Casting Rumor

Despite the fact that it has been 15 years since Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 4 was officially canceled, the film remains a frequent topic of conversation among fans.

That buzz only intensified after Tobey Maguire reprised his role as Peter Parker in Spider-Man: No Way Home.

Source: Sony Pictures

In fact, for years now, many fans have continued to hold out hope that the movie could somehow still come to fruition.

Earlier this week, Sam Raimi finally shut the door on those Spider-Man 4 hopes.

Sam Raimi and Tobey Maguire. Photo: Reddit

Now, he has also dispelled a long-standing rumor about his original vision for the film.

Was Rachael McAdams Going to Play Black Cat?

At the time Spider-Man 4 was in development, rumors began to swirl that Rachel McAdams had auditioned for the role of Black Cat and would serve as one of the film’s antagonists.

Photo: Today Show

For their part, both McAdams and Sony denied those reports at the time.

“”That’s a total rumor, I have to say. I was hanging out in Toronto the other day and someone came up to me and said, ‘I just heard you’re doing Spider-Man 4.’ And I said, ‘Really? No one told me!’ it’s not true,” McAdams told Entertainment Weekly.

Nevertheless, the urban legend lived on.

Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images North America

Now, nearly 17 years after rumors that McAdams would appear in Spider-Man 3 first popped up, Raimi has officially put them to rest.

Raimi’s Latest Comments

In a recent interview with CinemaBlend, where the director was promoting his new film Send Help alongside McAdams, Raimi was asked directly about the long-running Black Cat rumor.

Source: Marvel

According to Raimi, McAdams never auditioned for the role.

“We never had auditions for a female villain that I’m aware of,” he said.

While Raimi never auditioned actresses for a female antagonist role, he did have conversations with John Malkovich about playing Vulture in the film.

Photo: The Wrap

“He was wonderful, and we got along great. But the movie never went,” Raimi added.