There are plenty of sweet BTS facts about Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man movies. Something die-hard fans probably know about the franchise by now is that a fourth installment was planned and later scrapped. Over the years, various rumors have cropped up in regard to the unmade superhero flick. Among the assertions is the claim that Rachel McAdams was being courted for a role way back when. CinemaBlend actually had the chance to ask Raimi about this, and he provided his take.
It’s long been alleged that McAdams was specifically being eyed for a villainous role in the proposed Spider-Man 4, which was reportedly in development during the late 2000s. Raimi himself has occasionally discussed his since discarded comic book movie, setting the record straight when it comes to certain topics. So, when we recently spoke with the filmmaker (who was promoting his newest film, Send Help), we flat-out asked if there was ever a conversation with the Mean Girls alum. Raimi shared an honest answer:
No, yeah, we never had auditions for a female villain that I'm aware of.
The idea of Sam Raimi pursuing Rachel McAdams for a role in a fourth Spider-Man movie isn’t all that wild. After all, even then, McAdams was a hot commodity in Hollywood, having proven herself with films from varying genres. Felicia Hardy a.k.a. Black Cat (who’s admittedly something of an antihero) could’ve been a solid fit for McAdams at the time. Alas, neither she nor any other actress had the opportunity to audition way back when. Raimi did, however, sit down with another major star for a key role in the movie:
I talked to John Malkovich about playing the Vulture. But. And he was wonderful. And we got along great. But the movie never, never went.
The Drag Me to Hell helmer has been transparent about the fact that he wanted Malkovich to play one of the web-slinger’s classic rogues. During a Reddit AMA held several years ago, Raimi explained why he pursued Malkovich for the role. The filmmaker explained that he found Malkovich to be “such a powerful actor,” who could make him worry about the fate of Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire). I have to say I’m also intrigued by the notion of the Con Air alum playing a version of Adrian Toomes a.k.a. Vulture.
Michael Keaton plays a version of Toomes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Spider-Man series, which is about to expand with its own fourth installment, Brand New Day. While that franchise is ongoing, the last few years have seen calls for the Raimi-verse to be revived. That campaign really gained momentum after Maguire reprised his role as Parker in 2021’s No Way Home. Raimi has heard the chatter, and he’s been adamant that he’s not presently working on any more stories involving the famous wall-crawler.
Thankfully, though, Sam Raimi is still making movies, and his 2026 movie schedule entry, Send Help, is a real doozy. It’s a survival film about two people trying to stay alive while marooned on a deserted island, and it reunites him with Rachel McAdams (who he worked with on Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness). McAdams isn’t sporting a comic book-birthed costume of any kind in the film and is, instead, covered in fake blood and vomit that apparently tasted like candy.
Check out Send Help in theaters now, and take in the thrills and chills of Raimi and McAdams’ latest collaboration. Also, those feeling nostalgic for Raimi’s Spider-Man movies can stream them with a Disney+ subscription.
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