EXCLUSIVE: ‘Spider-Man 4’ Director Sam Raimi ‘Can’...

With the recent announcement of the “Spider-Man 4” release date (May 6, 2011), what once just seemed to be a great pie-in-the-sky idea that might never happen is now even more a tangible reality.

Director Sam Raimi and Tobey Maguire are locked in, the story is being fleshed out and so fans are dying to know: where will the Peter Parker story take us next and what will be the villains that he has to face?

For those answers we’ll have to keep waiting a little while longer. Raimi is keeping it all very close to the vest, but did reveal to us that the ideas and concepts are only looking forward to the fourth “Spider-Man” film and right now, a larger roadmap for the fifth film is not being charted out. He also said fans should expect to see the stories take place firmly within the Marvel Universe created by Stan Lee and not any inventions outside the familiar comic book storylines.

“The writers, producers and I are working out what the story will be, but we haven’t been talking in terms of Part 4 and 5.” Raimi told MTV News. “I’ve read that [about 'Spider-Man 5’] also, but right now we’re just working on the story for ‘Spider-Man 4,’ just that one film.

“We’re definitely talking about working from all the material in the comic books and nothing [invented] outside of that, “Raimi continued. “All the characters or villain or villains, whatever we decide to do will be from Stan Lee’s creations or those that came after him.”

Note that twice in our interview Raimi said “villain or villains” plural and said, “I do have a pretty good idea, but I’m just not a liberty to say yet,” adding that Sony wants to carefully plan out when they announce the antagonist or antagonists to the fans.

While both Raimi and Kirsten Dunst have both expressed interest in her returning as Peter Parker’s unattainable girlfriend Mary Jane Watson, the filmmaker says he’s currently unsure of her participation status and he’s not privy to those negotiations.

Asked whether the story could be written for another love interest in the “Spider-Man” comics if Dunst didn’t sign for whatever reason, Raimi seemed to be dismayed at the very notion.

“I can’t imagine making a ‘Spider-Man’ movie without Kirsten,” he said, seemingly contemplating the idea in his head with a long pause. “Of course it can be done because Spider Man has existed without the character of Mary-Jane but she’s one of my favorite parts and it would be a shame not to have her in the picture. I’m hoping she’ll be in it and I’m planning on having a story with her in it.”

What do you want to see in “Spider-Man 4” film? What villains? Could or should they make one without Dunst? Chime in below.