Whether it’s Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 4, the MCU’s Spider-Man 4, or TheAmazing Spider-Man 3, various Spider-Man franchise actors have made comments on their potential returns following the success of Spider-Man: No Way Home. While some are more promising than others, it’s interesting to see how different actors feel about returning to the Spider-Man franchise and what it would take to bring them back. Regardless, it’s clear that there’s a lot of love to be had for the wide web that is the Spider-Man franchise.

Currently, only the MCU’s Spider-Man 4 is confirmed to be in development, though not much has been said or confirmed in the way of casting (beyond Tom Holland’s Peter Parker). However, rumors have persisted about potential projects like reviving director Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 4 with Tobey Maguire or finally making The Amazing Spider-Man 3 with Andrew Garfield, as well as appearing in a new multiversal adventure such as the MCU’s upcoming Avengers: Secret Wars. To that end, here’s what some of the biggest Spider-Man actors have said about returning to the franchise.

What Sam Raimi Spider-Man Actors Have Said About Returning

Although it was initially in development and greenlit, problems between Raimi and Sony Pictures resulted in the cancellation of Spider-Man 4. John Malovich would have reportedly played the Vulture, and Anne Hathaway was also in consideration for a prominent role (likely the Black Cat). However, fans have been calling for Spider-Man 4 to be revived, especially after Tobey Maguire’s multiversal appearance in the MCU as seen in Spider-Man: No Way Home.

Spider-Man 4 is the canceled sequel to Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 3. Despite his plans to develop another movie starring Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker, the director chose to scrap the project early in development, which allowed Sony to move forward with the Andrew Garfield-led reboot The Amazing Spider-Man. Ideas for the canceled fourth installment included John Malkovich’s Vulture, Anne Hathaway’s Felicia Hardy, and Bruce Campbell’s Mysterio.

Tobey Maguire: “How Do We Make It More Exciting?”

Mere days before Spider-Man 4 was officially canceled, Tobey Maguire revealed his thoughts about Spider-Man 4 and the conversations he’d been having with Sam Raimi about how to make the movie more exciting than the previous three films. This original interview recently resurfaced and made the rounds on Twitter back in December 2023. While Tobey Maguire hasn’t made any significant comments about reteaming with Sam Raimi in the future, it’s widely rumored and hoped for that he’ll have a role in Avengers: Secret Wars, not unlike his No Way Home appearance (and perhaps even alongside longtime Wolverine actor Hugh Jackman).

Kirsten Dunst Has Said She Would Return

Mary Jane Watson actress Kirsten Dunst gave more recent comments in March 2024. When asked by Marie Claire Magazine if she would consider making a return to the Spider-Man franchise in some form, Dunst’s response was very pragmatic: “Yes because you get paid a lot of money, I have 2 children, and I support my mother.” While very true, Dunst’s comments don’t offer much one way or the other if she’s had any conversations with Sony.

Thomas Hayden Church Has Heard Rumors

Spider-Man 3’s Sandman actor Thomas Hayden Church also appeared in No Way Home to reprise his role in the MCU. Most recently, Church spoke with Comicbook.com in March 2024, claiming that he’s heard rumors that conversations are currently being had about Raimi’s Spider-Man 4:

“But, you know, I think Sam is gonna do another Spider-Man with Tobey [Maguire], and that’s the one that … They had an option for me to do Spiderman 4 when there was going to be a Spiderman 4. They had an option on me to come back. So if it happens, that would be fantastic.

While it’s unclear if those rumors are coming from articles and rumors from the internet or something more substantial, seeing Church’s version of Sandman again would certainly be exciting.

Willem Dafoe Has Conditions For A Green Goblin Return

While Willem Dafoe has said he would return to play the Green Goblin, his conditions would likely be the same as they were for No Way Home. In an interview with Inverse in March 2023, Dafoe was quite positive:

“If everything was right, sure. I mean, that’s a great role. I liked the fact that it’s a double role both times. Twenty years ago, and fairly recently, both times [were] very different experiences, but I had a good time on both.”

Dafoe has also spoken to the fact that he wanted his role in No Way Home to have substance as well as a strong physical presence. As such, the same criteria would likely need to be the case with any future Green Goblin appearance as well.

What The Amazing Spider-Man Actors Have Said About Returning

The Amazing Spider-Man 3 was a similar case in that both it and spin-off projects were in development before Sony Pictures decided to pivot to their partnership with Marvel Studios to bring a new version of Spider-Man into the MCU. While exciting, this meant that Andrew Garfield’s story was left largely unfinished. Garfield’s Peter Parker was left to grieve the loss of Emma Stone’s Gwen Stacy as new villains were gathering against him with a potential Sinister Six.

Andrew Garfield Has Said There’s Still Potential For His Peter Parker

While he has shown some slight concern about returning to the costume due to his age, Andrew Garfield has acknowledged his love of the character as well as his belief that there’s plenty of room for his Peter Parker and his unfinished story to continue, presumably in the Amazing Spider-Man 3 that never was. Garfield had this to say in 2023’s book Spider-Man: No Way Home – The Art of the Movie:

“The story never ends… Whether we film it or not, there’s a story happening in a universe somewhere, there’s endless potential with this character and other iterations. So yeah, he’s definitely out there doing something.”

All in all, it would certainly be exciting if Garfield’s Spider-Man finally got to have his story shown to audiences on the big screen. To that end, many would like to see Sony’s Spider-Man Universe (with Venom, Morbius, and Kraven) simply be revealed as the same universe as the Amazing Spider-Man.

Emma Stone Didn’t Know Gwen Stacy Was Considered For No Way Home

Although Marvel Studios was rumored to have considered bringing Gwen Stacy back in Spider-Man: No Way Home and the movie’s multiversal mayhem, the decision was made to leave her out due to the film’s already large cast. However, this was news to Emma Stone when it was revealed to her by Comicbook.com on the red carpet of her recent movie Poor Things in December 2023, nor the fact that fans wanted her to return as the popular variant Spider-Gwen:

“No. I have never heard that before. This is awesome. This is a big moment for me. Thank you for telling me. Everyone [wants that to happen]? Everyone in the world?”

Given her surprised and yet excited response, one would hope that Stone would agree to return to the Spider-Man franchise in some form, likely as Spider-Gwen due to the original character’s death in The Amazing Spider-Man 2.

What MCU Spider-Man Actors Have Said About Returning

The MCU’s Spider-Man 4 is reportedly confirmed and in development. However, it’s been rumored that Marvel and Sony are at an impasse on whether the movie should be more grounded or another multiversal epic. To that end, nothing has been revealed in the way of casting aside from the obvious assumption that Tom Holland’s Peter Parker will star in the next chapter.

Spider-Man: Homecoming 4 is the first sequel to the MCU’s Spider-Man trilogy starring Tom Holland as the titular wall-crawler. After wiping his identity for the public’s memory in Spider-Man: No Way Home, Peter Parker continues his crime-fighting adventures without the aid of Iron Man technology or the support of his former allies.

Tom Holland Says Conversations About Spider-Man 4 Are Happening

In an interview with Deadline back in November 2023, Holland spoke about the potential for Spider-Man 4 and the conversations that have been happening:

“All I can say is that we have been actively engaging in conversations about what it could potentially look like for a fourth rendition of my character,” he said. “Whether or not we can find a way to do justice to the character is another thing. I feel very protective over Spider-Man. I feel very, very lucky that we were able to work on a franchise that got better with each movie, that got more successful with each movie, which I think is really rare, and I want to protect his legacy. So, I won’t make another one for the sake of making another one. It will have to be worth the while of the character.”

The care and consideration given to Spider-Man by Holland is great to see and very promising regarding the quality of Spider-Man 4. Hopefully, it means that the webslinger’s next chapter will be more than worthwhile and compelling for audiences and fans of Holland’s version of the iconic Marvel hero.

Will Zendaya and Jacob Batalon Return For Spider-Man 4?

At the moment, it’s unclear if Zendaya or Jacob Batalon will return to Spider-Man 4 in their respective roles as Mary Jane and Ned, especially considering the end of No Way Home where the world forgot Peter Parker, including his loved ones. At the time of writing, Zendaya has not made any significant comments regarding Spider-Man 4. While Batalon did say he and others would return to the Spider-Man franchise under the right circumstances, he wasn’t exactly hoping for one in a 2022 interview with Collider: “We’re open to the idea, but we’re not hoping for it.”