Sam Raimi Discusses Sony Not Wanting Him To Direct SPIDER-MAN And The Heavy Backlash He Received From Fans

In an interview with Variety, Sam Raimi explained that Sony initially didn't want him to direct 2002's Spider-Man. He also discussed the fan backlash he received for giving Peter Parker organic webbing.

By DanielKlissmman - Apr 30, 2022 12:04 PM EST

Filed Under: Spider-Man

Along with X-Men, 2002's Spider-Man revolutionized the comic-book-movie genre. Director Sam Raimi — a longtime fan of the Wall-Crawler — and co. delivered a story that meshed realism and fiction in an impressive manner, crafting a relatable protagonist, while also embracing the awe-inspiring action that's come to be expected from superhero adaptations.

The filmmaker went on to helm two more Spider-Man films (released in 2004 and 2007), and while the last entry did not fare well critically, his trilogy is often hailed as one of the best live-action comic-book franchises out there.

It's difficult to imagine what the Spider-Man trilogy would have been in the hands of a different director, but when the first film was starting to take shape, Sony was not at all interested in giving Raimi the job. In honor of Spider-Man's 20th anniversary, Variety published a profile talking to the main creatives of the movie. In the piece, Raimi stated that Sony did not want him to helm Spider-Man:

"My agent, Josh Donen, said, 'They want to be honest with you. There's about 18 directors they'd rather have than you on a list.' [...] And I said, 'OK, well, tell them I’m number 19.'"

The list of directors considered was as impressive as it was eclectic. It included David Fincher, Chris Columbus and Tim Burton. None of them seemed to be the right fit for Spidey, though. As producer Avi Arad explained: "Some of them were immensely excited, but they took it from the point of view that they know what to do. 'Just give me all the money, leave me alone and I'll make a great movie.'"

Despite Sony's hesitation to hire him, Raimi had a different approach to the directors the studio had met with. He went into a meeting with Sony executives, in which he discussed his love for Peter Parker and the hero's noble nature.

Suddenly, though — as explained by at-the-time Sony executive and longtime Spider-Man-franchise producer Matt Tolmach — Raimi looked at his watch and ended the meeting. Tolmach was surprised by that, since he felt things were going well. Raimi, however, had been told he only had one hour to pitch his vision for the film, and simply wanted to make sure he wasn't going overtime. As he explained to Variety: "I was very aware of how they didn’t want me. [...] So I really didn’t want to also overstay my welcome."

Raimi previously revealed what pushed him to make the film during a Reddit AMA for 2021's The Unholy, a film he produced (via Heroic Hollywood): “I directed the first Spider-Man film because I was such a huge fan of Stan Lee’s brilliant character. [Peter Parker was] an important part of my teenage years. I thought it was very moving how much he sacrificed for others. How hard he worked to protect innocent people. And all the while had to take care of his Aunt May and do his homework to boot. His self-sacrifice resonated with me. He was truly a good person. We can identify with characters in a comprehensible story. Stories of heroes, like Peter Parker, remind us of what we are capable of. Maybe you’re one of those people that like to be reminded of the good you are capable of.”

Web-Shooter Issues

Speaking of facing challenges while making the film a reality, during his chat with Variety, Raimi also discussed the backlash he received for ditching Peter Parker's signature web-shooters from the comics in favor of organic webbing. Curiously, this was not a change made by the director. It was actually James Cameron (who crafted the initial iteration of the film alongside screenwriter David Koepp) who came up with the idea — Raimi simply chose to keep it.

That, however, proved costly for the director and crew. Online fan communities were burgeoning, and they were not kind once reports of the change made their way onto the web. As Raimi explained: "I was aware of it, and it wasn’t a good thing for me. I didn't have a great experience of the fans. [...] I don't think that the fans thought I was the right person to direct Spider-Man in general. And then the organic web shooters — when the fans found out I was going that way, they tried to have me removed from the picture."

Ironically enough, the change was ultimately not a major problem for fans, and some young viewers likely grew up with the idea that Spider-Man had organic webbing. Another upside of the change is that it allowed for arguably one of the most amusing sequences in Spider-Man: No Way Home, which saw Tom Holland and Andrew Garfield's Spider-Men marveling at Tobey Maguire's ability to produce his own webbing.

Sam Raimi's next superhero adventure, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, arrives in theaters on May 6, 2022.

A NEW Look At Tobey Maguire's Hot Toys Action Figure From SPIDER-MAN 3 Has Been Released

Recommended For You:

SPIDER-MAN 4: Scorpion's Revenge? 5 Reasons Mac Gargan Would Be The Perfect Villain In Spidey's Next Movie

DISCLAIMER: ComicBookMovie.com is protected under the DMCA (Digital Millenium Copyright Act) and... [MORE]

47 Comments

Related Headlines

No Way Home

NEW SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME Concept Art Reveals The Scrapped/Planned Return of Michael Keaton's Adrian Toomes

JonathanDan

6 hours ago

Spider-Man

A NEW Look At Tobey Maguire's Hot Toys Action Figure From SPIDER-MAN 3 Has Been Released

JonathanDan

1 day ago

Spider-Man PS4

INSOMNIAC'S MARVEL'S SPIDER-MAN 2: Will You Be Web-Slinging or Wing-Gliding More?

JonathanDan

4 days ago

Related Headlines

No Way Home

NEW SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME Concept Art Reveals The Scrapped/Planned Return of Michael Keaton's Adrian Toomes

JonathanDan

6 hours ago

Spider-Man

A NEW Look At Tobey Maguire's Hot Toys Action Figure From SPIDER-MAN 3 Has Been Released

JonathanDan

1 day ago

Spider-Man PS4

INSOMNIAC'S MARVEL'S SPIDER-MAN 2: Will You Be Web-Slinging or Wing-Gliding More?

JonathanDan

4 days ago

Into The Spider-Verse

SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE Composer Says Crew Won't Discuss BEYOND As They Continue "Recovering"

JoshWilding

4 days ago

Spider-Man PS4

SPIDER-MAN 2 Isn't Going To Introduce Spider-Gwen But It Will Still Take Players Into The Spider-Verse

JoshWilding

5 days ago

SPIDER-MAN 2: Peter Parker Dons His Alien Suit And The Lizard Is Unleashed In Amazing New Screenshots

Spider-Man PS4

Ghostbusters

GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE Director Jason Reitman Called Out By 2016 Reboot Star Leslie Jones

MarkCassidy

52 mins ago

Star Wars

STAR WARS: Marvel Comics' New REVELATIONS One-Shot Will Reveal Future Plans For Darth Vader, Thrawn, And More

JoshWilding

1 hour ago

Latest Headlines

Other

Strike May Be Nearing An End As Studios Present "Best And Final" Offer To WGA

MarkCassidy

21 mins ago

Ghostbusters

GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE Director Jason Reitman Called Out By 2016 Reboot Star Leslie Jones

MarkCassidy

52 mins ago

Star Wars

STAR WARS: Marvel Comics' New REVELATIONS One-Shot Will Reveal Future Plans For Darth Vader, Thrawn, And More

JoshWilding

1 hour ago

No Way Home

NEW SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME Concept Art Reveals The Scrapped/Planned Return of Michael Keaton's Adrian Toomes

JonathanDan

6 hours ago

Avengers: Secret Wars

AVENGERS: SECRET WARS - New Details Emerge About Marvel Studios Plans For A Full-Blown MCU Reboot

JoshWilding

11 hours ago

Echo

Marvel Studios Has Reportedly Cut ECHO Down To 5 Episodes; MS. MARVEL Season 2 Rumored To Be In The Works

JoshWilding

14 hours ago

Hot Headlines

107 comments

THE DARK KNIGHT TRILOGY's David S. Goyer Reveals What Happened After RISES And Confirms Riddler Casting Rumors

JoshWilding

1 day ago EST

76 comments

WONDER WOMAN Rumor Suggests Gal Gadot WILL Return As Diana In The DCU

MarkCassidy

20 hours ago EST

64 comments

THE DARK KNIGHT Star Michael Caine Shares Health Update: "[Death] Could Be Just Around The Corner At 90"

JoshWilding

1 day ago EST

63 comments

MAN OF STEEL Producer David S. Goyer Says WB Pushed Them To Compete With Marvel: "We Need Our MCU"

MarkCassidy

22 hours ago EST

52 comments

More Sci-Fi & Fantasy ►

INVINCIBLE Series Creator Shares Thoughts On Multiple Seasons

More Cartoons & Animated ►

The Next SUPER MARIO BROS. Chapter Drops Newest Trailer

More Anime & Manga ►

MONSTERS OF CALIFORNIA From Blink-182's Tom DeLonge Just Released A Must-Watch Trailer

More Horror ►

ENTER THE DRAGON Will Be At The Crux Of Ang Lee's BRUCE LEE Biopic

More Action Movies & TV ►

Reason LA Knight Missed SMACKDOWN On Friday Revealed Along With Details On A Huge Scrapped Main Event Segment

More Pro Wrestling ►

ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY Director Gareth Edwards Finally Weighs In On Extensive Reshoots

More Sci-Fi & Fantasy ►

More Cartoons & Animated ►

More Anime & Manga ►

More Horror ►

More Action Movies & TV ►

More Pro Wrestling ►

Sam Raimi Discusses Sony Not Wanting Him To Direct SPIDER-MAN And The Heavy Backlash He Received From Fans

In an interview with Variety, Sam Raimi explained that Sony initially didn't want him to direct 2002's Spider-Man. He also discussed the fan backlash he received for giving Peter Parker organic webbing.

Web-Shooter Issues

A NEW Look At Tobey Maguire's Hot Toys Action Figure From SPIDER-MAN 3 Has Been Released

SPIDER-MAN 4: Scorpion's Revenge? 5 Reasons Mac Gargan Would Be The Perfect Villain In Spidey's Next Movie

NEW SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME Concept Art Reveals The Scrapped/Planned Return of Michael Keaton's Adrian Toomes

A NEW Look At Tobey Maguire's Hot Toys Action Figure From SPIDER-MAN 3 Has Been Released

INSOMNIAC'S MARVEL'S SPIDER-MAN 2: Will You Be Web-Slinging or Wing-Gliding More?

NEW SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME Concept Art Reveals The Scrapped/Planned Return of Michael Keaton's Adrian Toomes

A NEW Look At Tobey Maguire's Hot Toys Action Figure From SPIDER-MAN 3 Has Been Released

INSOMNIAC'S MARVEL'S SPIDER-MAN 2: Will You Be Web-Slinging or Wing-Gliding More?

SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE Composer Says Crew Won't Discuss BEYOND As They Continue "Recovering"

SPIDER-MAN 2 Isn't Going To Introduce Spider-Gwen But It Will Still Take Players Into The Spider-Verse

SPIDER-MAN 2: Peter Parker Dons His Alien Suit And The Lizard Is Unleashed In Amazing New Screenshots

Popular Headlines

AVENGERS: SECRET WARS - New Details Emerge About Marvel Studios Plans For A Full-Blown MCU Reboot

THE DARK KNIGHT TRILOGY's David S. Goyer Reveals What Happened After RISES And Confirms Riddler Casting Rumors

AHSOKA Spoilers: Newly Spotted Detail On Thrawn's Imperial Uniform Generates Discussion Among Fans

WONDER WOMAN Rumor Suggests Gal Gadot WILL Return As Diana In The DCU

THE DARK KNIGHT Star Michael Caine Shares Health Update: "[Death] Could Be Just Around The Corner At 90"

Strike May Be Nearing An End As Studios Present "Best And Final" Offer To WGA

GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE Director Jason Reitman Called Out By 2016 Reboot Star Leslie Jones

STAR WARS: Marvel Comics' New REVELATIONS One-Shot Will Reveal Future Plans For Darth Vader, Thrawn, And More

Strike May Be Nearing An End As Studios Present "Best And Final" Offer To WGA

GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE Director Jason Reitman Called Out By 2016 Reboot Star Leslie Jones

STAR WARS: Marvel Comics' New REVELATIONS One-Shot Will Reveal Future Plans For Darth Vader, Thrawn, And More

NEW SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME Concept Art Reveals The Scrapped/Planned Return of Michael Keaton's Adrian Toomes

AVENGERS: SECRET WARS - New Details Emerge About Marvel Studios Plans For A Full-Blown MCU Reboot

Marvel Studios Has Reportedly Cut ECHO Down To 5 Episodes; MS. MARVEL Season 2 Rumored To Be In The Works

Hot Headlines

THE DARK KNIGHT TRILOGY's David S. Goyer Reveals What Happened After RISES And Confirms Riddler Casting Rumors

WONDER WOMAN Rumor Suggests Gal Gadot WILL Return As Diana In The DCU

THE DARK KNIGHT Star Michael Caine Shares Health Update: "[Death] Could Be Just Around The Corner At 90"

MAN OF STEEL Producer David S. Goyer Says WB Pushed Them To Compete With Marvel: "We Need Our MCU"

AVENGERS: SECRET WARS - New Details Emerge About Marvel Studios Plans For A Full-Blown MCU Reboot

Sci-Fi & Fantasy

ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY Director Gareth Edwards Finally Weighs In On Extensive Reshoots

DOCTOR WHO 60th Anniversary Specials Trailer Finally Reveals Who Neil Patrick Harris Is Playing

AHSOKA: Ezra Bridger Theory May Explain Why Thrawn Has An Army Of Undead Night Troopers - SPOILERS

Cartoons & Animated Features

INVINCIBLE Series Creator Shares Thoughts On Multiple Seasons

DISNEY LORCANA: RISE OF THE FLOODBORN Set 2 Announced; Will Add More Than 200 New Cards

MICKEY AND FRIENDS TRICK OR TREATS: New Stop-Motion Animated Special Set To Debut Next Month

Gaming

The Next SUPER MARIO BROS. Chapter Drops Newest Trailer

In MARVEL's SPIDER-MAN 2 You Can Randomly Bump Into The Other Spider Hero While Exploring The Open World

SPIDER-MAN 2 Won't Introduce Gwen Stacy But The Game WILL Feature Nods To The Wider Spider-Verse

Anime & Manga

SUPER MARIO BROS. WONDER Enters The Chat With New Trailer

The Live-Action ONE PIECE Has Caught The Attention Of A Certain Actor And They Want In On The Action

FLCL: SHOEGAZE Drops Its Fifth Seasons' Official Trailer

Horror

MONSTERS OF CALIFORNIA From Blink-182's Tom DeLonge Just Released A Must-Watch Trailer

DreamWorks' FRIGHT KREWE Animated Series Will Bring Voodoo Magic This Halloween

Disney's HAUNTED MANSION Disney+, Digital And Physical Release Dates Announced With Bonus Features

Action Movies & TV

ENTER THE DRAGON Will Be At The Crux Of Ang Lee's BRUCE LEE Biopic

KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON: New Trailer Offers Stunning Preview Of Martin Scorsese & Leonardo DiCaprio's Next

MISSION IMPOSSIBLE - DEAD RECKONING PART ONE's Digital And Blu-ray Release Dates & Special Features Revealed

Pro Wrestling & MMA News

Reason LA Knight Missed SMACKDOWN On Friday Revealed Along With Details On A Huge Scrapped Main Event Segment

WWE Has Released Former United States Champion Matt Riddle Following Recent Controversies

Dana Brooke, Maximum Male Models, And More Join List Of Main Roster And NXT Superstars Released By WWE

Sci-Fi & Fantasy

ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY Director Gareth Edwards Finally Weighs In On Extensive Reshoots

DOCTOR WHO 60th Anniversary Specials Trailer Finally Reveals Who Neil Patrick Harris Is Playing

AHSOKA: Ezra Bridger Theory May Explain Why Thrawn Has An Army Of Undead Night Troopers - SPOILERS

STAR WARS: REVELATIONS #1 Will Reveal Marvel's Future Plans For Thrawn, Darth Vader, Mace Windu, And More

SNOW WHITE: First Look At Rachel Zegler's Snow White And Gal Gadot's Evil Queen Leaks Online

GHOSTBUSTERS 2016 Star Leslie Jones Calls Out AFTERLIFE Director Jason Reitman For "Unforgivable" Comments

Cartoons & Animated Features

INVINCIBLE Series Creator Shares Thoughts On Multiple Seasons

DISNEY LORCANA: RISE OF THE FLOODBORN Set 2 Announced; Will Add More Than 200 New Cards

MICKEY AND FRIENDS TRICK OR TREATS: New Stop-Motion Animated Special Set To Debut Next Month

SNOW WHITE: New Doll Reveals Rachel Zegler's Costume And A Glimpse Of Gal Gadot's Evil Queen

SCOOBY-DOO! AND KRYPTO, TOO! - Check Out An Exclusive Clip From The Upcoming DC Crossover Movie!

TINY TOONS LOONIVERSITY Creator And Cast Members Promote The Latest Adventure In Character

Gaming

The Next SUPER MARIO BROS. Chapter Drops Newest Trailer

In MARVEL's SPIDER-MAN 2 You Can Randomly Bump Into The Other Spider Hero While Exploring The Open World