Spider-Man 3: Sam Raimi Played Key Role in Rumored Returns of Raimi Trilogy Actors

Sam Raimi helped sway Spider-Man trilogy stars into revisiting their roles in Marvel Studios and Sony's Spider-Man 3, according to a new report. Raimi, who directs his first feature set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, was behind Sony's first Spider-Man trilogy between 2002 and 2007. That reality pit Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) and Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst) against the sinister schemes of foes the Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe), Doctor Octopus (Alfred Molina), and Sandman (Thomas Haden Church) — all reported or rumored to return when Multiverse madness creeps into the Tom Holland-starring Spider-Man 3.

According to the report from scooper Daniel Richtman, Raimi played "a big role" in convincing his Spider-Man stars to return in what is shaping up to be a live-action Spider-Verse.

After the MCU's Peter Parker (Holland) has his identity revealed to the world by Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal), a fugitive Spider-Man attempts to clear his name before linking up with other Spider-Men (Maguire and Andrew Garfield), according to the report. This happens because of the reality-bending events of Marvel Studios and Disney+ series WandaVision, forming a loose spiritual trilogy culminating with Raimi's Multiverse of Madness; it's there that Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) is paired with sorcerer Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch).

Because Dafoe's Norman Osborn and Molina's Otto Octavius died during the Raimi trilogy, the villains are from other worlds and not the exact iterations that battled Maguire's web-slinger in 2002's Spider-Man and 2004's Spider-Man 2.

Because Dafoe's Norman Osborn and Molina's Otto Octavius died during the Raimi trilogy, the villains are from other worlds and not the exact iterations that battled Maguire's web-slinger in 2002's Spider-Man and 2004's Spider-Man 2. Along with an all-new Electro (Jamie Foxx), different from the one thwarted by Garfield's webhead in 2014's The Amazing Spider-Man 2, the villains have modern, comic book-inspired designs, according to the report.

Marvel and Sony have yet to confirm any returning Spider-Man stars; Foxx and Molina's returns were solidified in recent weeks by The Hollywood Reporter. An international Sony channel earlier sparked speculation about the rumored live-action Spider-Verse when it published and then deleted a video hinting at "the three Spider-Men together" in the Jon Watts-directed Spider-Man: Far From Home sequel.

Starring Tom Holland, Zendaya, Jacob Batalon, Marisa Tomei, Alfred Molina, Jamie Foxx, and Benedict Cumberbatch, Spider-Man 3 swings into theaters on December 17, 2021. Raimi's Multiverse of Madness opens on March 25, 2022.