Kirsten Dunst revealed her near-perfect story pitch for Spider-Man 4 with Tobey Maguire. Talks about a potential fourth installment in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy became rampant when Maguire made a surprise return as his version of the web-slinger in Spider-Man: No Way Home. While Sony Pictures did green light Spider-Man 4 following Spider-Man 3's box office success in 2007, the fourth movie didn't come into fruition after Raimi departed the project because he would not be able to meet the May 2011 release date.
Despite that, the anticipation of seeing a continuation of Maguire's Spider-Man is still high, especially after rumors of his comeback in one of the next two Avengers movies that will further explore the Multiverse. And now, another original cast member from the Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy threw her hat into the comeback ring.
Speaking as a guest on The Supes Show while promoting her film, Roofman, Kirsten Dunst, who plays Mary Jane Watson in the original Spider-Man trilogy, was asked what storyline she is interested to explore with her character if the opportunity arose in the future.
While she admitted that she is "scared to say anything," Dunst's co-star, Channing Tatum, pointed out that she already has children in real life, which could be a plot point worth exploring in a future Spider-Man movie:
Supes: "Over the years, have there been any life circumstances that you would be really interested to explore with MJ if that opportunity arose?"
Kirsten Dunst: "I never have thought about it. I don’t know. It’s like with a question like that, I feel like scared to say anything."Channing Tatum: "I mean, you’ve grown up and now have had children and stuff."
Dunst seems to be onboard with the idea of returning for a potential Spider-Man 4, noting that exploring a story with Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson as parents would be "interesting" while Tatum pointed out that the "stakes are even higher" due to the inclusion of a child:
Kirsten Dunst: "Yeah, that would be cool, right? I mean, I don’t know if the fans are into it. I feel like that is an interesting movie, right? Me and Tobey doing that again but with kids."
Channing Tatum: "I think it would be interesting to see because now it’s like not just he’s got to save you. It’s like the stakes are even higher."
This isn't the first time that Kirsten Dunst teased her potential return as Mary Jane in a possible Spider-Man 4. In August 2022, the Marvel actress eagerly expressed her interest for a comeback, saying that she felt like she's "the only one that hasn't joined it:"
"You know I'd join that multiverse! I feel like I'm the only one that hasn't joined it. I'm like, ‘Please put me in. Put me in the lineup.' I need to pay for my house and kids."
The hype surrounding Tobey Maguire's Spider-Man 4 made headlines recently after The Batman and Spider-Man writer Mattson Tomlin publicly said on X that he is "trying" to make the fourth installment happen.
At this stage, there is no word if Marvel or Sony Pictures will ever pursue a fourth movie starring Tobey Maguire or Kirsten Dunst. As the Multiverse Saga winds down, there is little time to spare, and Sony could capitalize on the hype if the studio wants to move forward with the project.
How Spider-Man 4’s Plot Would Look Like if Peter & MJ Are Parents
Kirsten Dunst's willingness to return and explore an interesting storyline where Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson are parents is a promising update, and it is up to Sony Pictures to pull the trigger if they decide to move forward with Spider-Man 4.
Interestingly, Sam Raimi previously revealed that there are four major questions that would have to be answered first before signing on for Spider-Man 4:
"If there was a great story there, I think it’d be … my love for the characters hasn’t diminished one bit. It would be the same things that would stop me now that stopped me then: ‘Does Tobey want to do it? Is there an emotional arc for him? Is there a great conflict for this character? And is there a worthy villain that fits into the theme of the piece?’ There’s a lot of questions that would have to be answered. If those could be answered, then I’d love to."
This meant that it would take more than Maguire and Dunst's willingness for the movie to be greenlit. Still, the compelling story of seeing both Peter and Mary Jane as parents is an approach fans have been waiting to see, considering that it has never been done before in live-action.
Having a kid at the center of the conflict raises the stakes for Maguire's web-slinger since the child could become a target for whoever villain Raimi ends up choosing for the fourth film. If anything, exploring the dynamic of Peter and Mary Jane as parents would be a fresh and relatable story worthy enough to be showcased on the big screen.
