Thomas Haden Church starred in Spider-Man 3 as Flint Marko/Sandman, and in a recent interview seemed to hint that a return to the character could be on the horizon.
Speaking to ComicBook.com, Church was asked about his role as Marko in Spider-Man 3, and if a return would ever be in the cards.
Church hinted at potential rumors floating around, and then seemingly teased that director Sam Raimi and actor Tobey Maguire are returning for a new Spider-Man movie.
“But Sandman, there’s been some rumors that they might ask me to do another Spider-Man, and I’d do it tomorrow,” Church said. “You know, they’ve never asked me to show up in another movie, another Marvel film. 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. I’m getting a little old.”
Church has hinted at a fourth Spider-Man in the past
This is not the first time that Church has hinted at a potential Spider-Man 4. Last year, the actor once again hinted that he heard rumors of Raimi and Maguire getting back together. At the time, he said that if that happened, he would “probably campaign” for a cameo role.
Raimi directed three Spider-Man movies in the 2000s, all starring Tobey Maguire as the web-slinging superhero Peter Parker/Spider-Man. Discussions of a fourth movie directed by Raimi existed for a while before Sony decided to reboot the series with The Amazing Spider-Man movies starring Andrew Garfield.
Maguire recently reprised the Wall Crawler in the multiverse-centric Spider-Man: No Way Home opposite Garfield and Tom Holland. The blockbuster success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe installment renewed interest in Raimi’s unproduced Spider-Man 4 and the director told Rolling Stone that he is open to the possibility if Sony allows it to happen.
“If there was a great story there, I think it’d be . . . my love for the characters hasn’t diminished one iota,” Raimi said. “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.”