It seems like a long-distant memory now, but there was a time that Sam Raimi, director of at least two outstanding Spider-Man cinematic depictions, was persona non grata with Marvel fans. Though his Spider-Man 2 remains acclaimed as one of the best superhero movies ever, the third one became the butt of mockery (Emo Parker!) and fan disappointment (that Venom!). Rather than continue with Raimi, Sony opted to reboot and wipe the slate clean…or so we thought then. Time has been kind, and Spider-Man: No Way Home reminds fans what they loved about Sam Raimi’s universe. Raimi himself is even back in the fold as director of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. But how did he like seeing his versions of key characters return?
Variety got the answer, as Raimi reveals his reaction in a new interview. “It was so much fun,” he said. “I love No Way Home and the audience I was with went crazy. It was delightful to watch Alfred play his role, and Willem Dafoe, just seeing these guys take it to the next level. And Tobey was awesome as always. The best word I can say is it was refreshing for me.”
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Now, obviously a director working for Marvel Studios isn’t going to badmouth their product. But it’s not hard to read between the lines when Raimi doesn’t feel right. Leading up to Spider-Man 3, he remained vocal about the fact that Venom’s presence in the movie was not his idea, and he didn’t like the character in comics. And when the movie came out, it showed. His unabashed enthusiasm for his stars’ returns feels like something a lot more real.
Do you believe Sam Raimi? Let us know in comments!
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