Bad News… Spider-Man 4 Will Probably Still Have a Girl In It

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We’ve sort of joked in the past about how comic book fans always seem to have a problem with the women in all their favourite comic book movies, whether it’s Katie Holmes in Batman Begins, Liv Tyler in Incredible Hulk, Jessica Alba in Fantastic Four, or Halle Berry in Catwoman (ha), they can’t seem to come to grips with the fact that characters of the opposite sex might actually share screen time alongside their beloved men in tights. Kirsten Dunst is another actress who has taken a lot of flack for her performance in the Spider-Man films, and while I can understand some people not liking her portrayal of Mary Jane specifically, the idea of a Spider-Man movie without Mary Jane at all almost seems ridiculous. But hey, don’t worry Spidey fans… she’ll be back for Spider-Man 4!

Producer Todd Black recently told the NY Post that Kirsten Dunst is “definitely on board”, despite earlier rumours that she might not return. As for a Mary Jane / Peter Parker wedding, however, that is not likely to happen in this film. He also confirmed that Morbius the vampire will not be the villain.

To me none of this is earth-shattering news, but then again, I didn’t have a problem with Kirsten Dunst in the first three Spider-Man movies either. Are you disappointed by her return to the franchise? Who would you like to see as a villain in Spider-Man 4?

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Comments (62)

  1. i have to agree with shut up ed. I hate kiersten dunst. She is not cute, and she can’t act. I would think you’d want a lucious female who can act to protray her; but whatever what do i know.

    I think they should of done a better job with venom. he is the coolest villin in that series and they dumbed him down so much it was just sad. And it can’t be connors because they already had one evil doctor. Huh, thats a good question. who could the next villin be. i’m afraid my spidey sense isn’t as strong as my batman. sorry.

  2. goon i’m shocked. we usually agree, but i have no clue how you can think that dunst can act. And her role as mary jane, whos supposed to be this beautiful amazing popular girl as a girl who gets beat on and abused by her father is just some shallow attempt to make you feel bad for her but comes up short because she’s such a bitch to peter. shame on the writers for casting her.

  3. I’m not sure what more can be done with Mary Jane, but I like Kirsten Dunst. I thought the Lizard (Dr. Curt Connors) would be the villain for the next one. It sure seems like they’ve been hinting at that for three films now. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lizard_(comics)#Films

  4. I think shes about as good as you can expect for a character that, as a plot device, serves no other purpose than getting kidnapped so the hero has someone to rescue.

    I always pictured Mary Jane as more of a BOMBSHELL then a waif… Big hair, big knockers, etc… but whatever. She serves her purpose.

    I have more to complain about the casting of Toby Macguire. He pulls of the “nerd” but not the graceful acrobat of NY skyscrapers…

    I think Isacc from Heroes would have made a great Peter Parker.

  5. The Spider-Man franchise has only ever had one true villain, and it’s Sam Raimi! :P

  6. I am sick and fucking tired of people like John Campea complaining about someone like Dunst, who meanwhile drool the fuck over Megan Fox, who isn’t even a fraction as good an actress as Dunst. Its because she’s considered hot that its okay apparently.

  7. ^^^^^^

    100% agreed.

  8. I think Kirsten Dunst is pretty fucking hot in the Spider-Man movies!

    I think she’s believable as well though, but I would attribute that to the character, which feels believable (though some people have argued MJ is treated really misogynistically (sp?)).

  9. Are some of the comments fucked up on here ? It seems the first comments are responding to things nowhere to be seen.

  10. Dunst is a good actress and really hot, I’d have over Megan Fox anyday.

    I liked all 3 movies, 2 being my favourite. The last one was really crowded though and Venom is a great character but awful in the film. The character should have been developed a lot more

  11. For the record, even though Dunst doesnt always look good (like a normal human being) I’ll take her jumping on the bed in her underwear in Eternal Sunshine over Megan Fox bending over a car any day of the week.

  12. I expected Dunst to return, so I am fine with this news.

    Megan Fox looks like pure trailer trash. No way around it. Utter trailer trash.

  13. All women are hot!
    Ok well maybe not all women, but to the point of the article I think a lot of this is most of the comic girls are perfect drawings of girls and people are not that perfect. No way can a real person match the hotness of the real MJ in the comics… etc. And we tend to put our ideas of the voice and delivery in our head that the writer gives us. But we make it our own in the end for the voice and delivery. Even If you look at Toby playing Peter Parker… he is fine in the role but he nowhere matches who I think Peter Parker would really be…. But I am just way too happy to see Spidey on screen, that I let it slide big time…. The other side-characters are filler so they do not get the same grace. Let’s face it I am there at the movies to see Spidey not MJ…… So I actually think a lot of the curse of the women is that they do not match what we would really like to see and most males put themselves in the hero role and ask the question “Hum would go for that girl or the girl I made up in head?”

    Take a look at Superman The Movie from 1979 Lois Lane does not meet what I think she would really be. I want some super hot liberal girl with spunk…. Margot Kidder was the best casting choice from all the screen tests I saw. So the dream girl does not really live in real life and no actress can compete with that in her performance.

    Of course a good story helps.

  14. And Kirsten Dunst is excellent in Mona Lisa Smile! A good movie.

  15. I like Dunst. She fine in the role. The one thing I do not want to see is a love interest for Bruce Wayne in Nolan’s next Batman film. NO need there.

    chuck

  16. I guess I’ll be the voice of decent here. I think most of those performances are justifiably trashed.

    This question is mostly directed at Jay because he’s the one who’s raised the issue most on the podcast, how many of these performances would you say are any good? Between J. Alba in FF, H. Berry in X-Men, K. Dunst in SM, M. Ackerman in Watchmen, K. Holmes in Batman, K. Bosworth in Superman etc… would you cross the street to say a good word about any of them?

    I think it’s more a matter of mysogony in the industry rather that in the fan base. These are for the most part completely superfluous, poorly written, boring girlfriend roles. And the producers don’t seem to care who gets cast as long as she’s under 25 and affordable.

    20 year old Jessica Alba as a blond haired physicist?! Whose is supposedly related to Chris Evens?! Is any part of that believable?
    Or Kate Bosworth as a journalist who supposedly won a pulitzer prize 5 years ago (the actress was 22)! The film is allegedly a sequel to the Donner film but does the character at all resemble the resiliant assertive Lois Lane who will do anything to get a story?
    These actresses are sabotaged from the ground up. The roles are terribly written, terribly concieved and terribly cast. Any fanboys complaining may be misogynists but they’re also right.

  17. When the roles are well written and the character is actually relevent I don’t think the actresses are attacked.
    Famke Jansen, Anna Paquin, Jennifer Garner as Electra (the two films are loathed but I don’t hear anyone attacking her), Gweneth Paltrow in Iron Man, Michelle Pfiffer in Batman (if we want to go that far back) and Margot Kidder for that matter as the original comic book girlfriend.

  18. These questions are self-answering. Mary Jane should be the villain!

    Also, she should win. THAT would be different.

  19. The word I’d use for the ones you listed Rusty, is “Serviceable”. I find it neat you left out Connelly in Hulk though, which I personally found to better than any of those. To me it what matters is what those supporting characters bring out in the hero, and in a lot of those cases, I am completely behind them.

    Actually, ESPECIALLY Holmes in Batman Begins. To me one of the key moments in that film is her slapping him in the car, and her performance there, which is just fine.

  20. Actually Goon, I like Katie Holmes in Batman as well. I didn’t list Connelly because I don’t recall hearing anyone complain about her performance.

    I think Bosworth, Alba, Ackerman and Berry are all a good measure bellow “serviceable”.

    I really couldn’t say anything good about Dunst in Spider-Man. I don’t have some nagey-esque repulsion towards her and as you know I’m a defender of Spider-Man 3. But when the film concentrates on her the wind goes right out of the sails. Frankly, if MJ weren’t in SM4 I doubt I would even notice.

  21. this post is stupid…what do you want? last time I checked ALL of the good super hero films had a love interest/sexual tension aspect. if nerds want all balls and no va-jay-jay it is one more reason I’m glad they are not running things. take your right hand off your mouse and your left off your dick and go out and talk to a girl.

  22. I talked to a bunch of girls today.

    Kirsten Dunst is a very pretty girl and those who build arguments against her acting ability using the fact that they think she is unattractive is not only ridiculous…it’s also lazy and kind of sad.

    She’s a fine actress too.

  23. I wiah they would recast MJ or give her minimal invovlement in the film. I would like to see the lizard as the villian b/c they have already setup Dr.Connors.

    20 bucks says that MJ gets kidnapped and dangeled from a high location.

  24. Uh, rus, I think the tone of the post was sarcastic but if you meant comment. . .well I still don’t see who you are talking about. Sean was writing from the anti-fanboy pulpit that he normally does.

  25. “those who build arguments against her acting ability using the fact that they think she is unattractive is not only ridiculous…it’s also lazy and kind of sad.”

    Ever so much this. I would say go post this over at TMB, but it wouldn’t stay up very long. Maybe Mr. Duh or Mr. Huh should.

  26. “take your right hand off your mouse and your left off your dick and go out and talk to a girl.”

    You use your left?

  27. If it is a good script and the role for the women being a good solid needed character and not some helpless person, then yes there would be less attacks even on good actresses.

  28. As for the next villain.
    Mysterio, the Scorpion or the Shocker could be good but not all at once unless you bring them in at the very end. Almost as cameos and have spider-man fighting several guys at once. I would like to even see spidey totally lose the battle at the end. Now that would be interesting – Think Empire Strikes Back. This would never happen in a studio system.
    And – I agree with “Bunyip” MJ as the villain does have a good twist even though it is a joke.

  29. “I talked to a bunch of girls today.

    Kirsten Dunst is a very pretty girl and those who build arguments against her acting ability using the fact that they think she is unattractive is not only ridiculous…it’s also lazy and kind of sad.

    She’s a fine actress too.”

    The only thing lazier then that is having a one sided poll and then having them form your agrument for you. i’m taking alot of flack for saying she’s a horrible actress. Which in my opinion hasn’t had a good movie since Jumanji. Obviously your looks arn’t related to your acting ability. My problem with Dunst, is that she acts the same in every roll. She never puts on a different face, and all her rolls feel the same. She always seems pretentious and ditsy. And when she does try to play an intelligent girl, it always fails because it’s just not believeable.

    as her being hot, guess this is a matter of taste. I don’t see it, and i really don’t wanna try. but if you get off to her with your left hand, who am i to tell you that your fantasy is misguided

    with the villin, yeah i could see it being connors, i just don’t know about another mad scientist. but alot of villins in batman are.

  30. *spiderman

  31. Interview with the Vampire

    Little Women

    The Virgin Suicides

    Mona Lisa Smile

    Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

    yeah, shes the same in everything, right.

    let me put it this way: of Megan Fox, Dunst, Gwyneth Paltrow, Sienna Miller, Eva Mendes, Kate Bosworth or any other contemporary actress in a super hero film – WHO has the greatest chance to pull off a remembered performance as the love interest to the likes of Margot Kidder in Superman – Kristen Dunst. Just as in “hate the game not the player”, “hate the script not the actresss!”

  32. if you have goon enough actors/actresses even a bad script can be forgivable because the acting was so surpurb… all those movies you listed each very different from each other; her portrail of her character in the movie is the same portrail she always does. You listed five movies out of 42 marjor rolls she’s been in. if youve been in that many movies (which she has) and your count of good movies is five, then your not good. She’s like keanu reeves, except she actually tries to show emotion. a good actress makes you believe when your watching him/or her play that part that they are who they are up there on that screen. they don’t simply act like the character but become that character. I don’t believe her performence, and I don’t feel an emotional attatchement to any character she’s portrayed. Now megan and dunst will both be remembered just the same. if not megan more because that was fox’s first real break out movie. dunst already had a pretty successful carrer (don’t know why) so if anything fox will be remembered more.

  33. “if youve been in that many movies (which she has) and your count of good movies is five, then your not good. ”

    How can you blame an individuals performance based on the overall movie? There are way too many good to great performances in bad movies to count.

  34. I’d also note rus listed those movies of proof she’s not the same in everything, not as a definitive list of her only good performances.

    I’d even cite ‘teen movies’ she’s been in where she’s been good, like Bring It On. Her comedy performance in Drop Dead Gorgeous is pretty damn good too.

  35. btw Rick, I dont see any possible way you could think Fox would be remembered more. If we go by Spiderman and Transformers alone, in 20 years people will still be watching at least those first 2 Spiderman movies, and even if one were to agree that isnt a good Dunst role, her performance in each of those films shows significantly more acting chops than Fox in TF. Fox hasn’t even been good in ANYTHING yet.

  36. goon, like i said i respect your opinion very much. mostly because we agree most the time. lol, but dunst i’m sorry. i can not enjoy anything with her in it. espescially spiderman. and i think your selling transformers short. And i would not count it out in twenty years. lol, at this point i’m just arguing to argue. no, but i really do hate dunst. i’m not a fan of fox either, i know she cant act. she’s just a face and a body. besides, i hate spiderman. i’m a batman guy anyway :)

  37. Well, if you want to convince me Dunst is bad you’re going to have to do a lot more than just asserting so in order counter the evidence on screen. Just saying.

  38. How can i convince you when it’s a matter of opinion. For every performence i think is horrible, there will be somebody else that thinks it’s great. I think she’s bland, irritating, and has no range of character portrails. In short, she’s a class B actress who bugs me. But thats only my opinion. If you like her by all means, like her. I don’t care either way. Her serious rolls come up short, and her teen comedies just makes me wanna shoot myself. now just to re-literate. Arguing this (because your mind is made up) is like arguing someone who has made up thier mind on a political issue. no matter how many facts or face of opinion you bring your not going to change thier mind….why? because thier opinion is made up. All you can do is respect it.

  39. eh never liked kristen dunst from the beginning. didn’t really fit the character of MJ at all IMO.

  40. When I first heard Kirsten Dunst was cast I was a bit disappointed. In the comics Mary Jane has more of a fierce and sassy personality (and looks to match) while Dunst ended up being more cute and reserved like Gwen Stacy.

    After seeing the movies, I don’t really care; Dunst is a great fit with Tobey McGuire and her tamer version of MJ (which is actually a directorial choice) works better for the movie franchise.

  41. “How can i convince you when it’s a matter of opinion.”

    The same way you change anyones opinion – you make a case rather than just broad assertions. You say she has no range, and then a list of very different roles is presented and you don’t address them. You can keep your opinion all you want, I dont care, but if you’re going to make assertions it would be neat if you had actual specific examples and specific points rather than just reiterating a broad ’she sucks’ line.

  42. Rick, if you can’t prove why Dunst is so bad, then convince us WHO should be in the Spiderman films and why, based on age, looks, and ACTING experience could have done better. GO ON BIG BOY better come with a slam dunk or you will be slammed! go ahead and name us that hidden young Meryl Streep with big knockers you so disparately want.

  43. @ let me put it this way: of Megan Fox, Dunst, Gwyneth Paltrow, Sienna Miller, Eva Mendes, Kate Bosworth or any other contemporary actress in a super hero film – WHO has the greatest chance to pull off a remembered performance as the love interest to the likes of Margot Kidder in Superman – Kristen Dunst.

    surely of that group Gwyneth Paltrow is the best.
    I loved Sienna Miller in Factory Girl. Which super hero movie was she in? Are you counting GI JOE?

  44. I even think physically that if Maguire is Parker, that she’s a good fit for Mary Jane. She’s still very pretty and someone who would be a standout in any high school, but ‘attainable’ and a girl next door type.

    ANything more like Megan Fox is just unbelievable, and thats one of the things that makes her in Transformers with Shia’s character such a joke. Look at the TF2 trailer.. He’s going off to school and planning a long distance relationship with her, and everyone in the audience laughs because they know how stupid that is in reality.

  45. “GO ON BIG BOY”

    hey rus wanna know how i know your gay…cuz you called me big boy.

    why is everyone assuming that I would rather have megan fox in the roll of MJ? Look, i don’t care about boobs, and i don’t care about looks. Ugly people can act too. For the roll of MJ, I have no clue. I would of preferred an unknown actress then a regular hollywood starlet. It dosn’t matter who could play her, but who is, unfortunatly that person is dunst. now goon, if your able to change someones opinion then they didn’t have much of one in the first place.

    For instance, your doing apparently what i’m not. your showing examples and not simple general assertions. you are not changing my opinion.

    “and thats one of the things that makes her in Transformers with Shia’s character such a joke. Look at the TF2 trailer.. He’s going off to school and planning a long distance relationship with her, and everyone in the audience laughs because they know how stupid that is in reality.”

    you have a show about these giant alian robots that morph into different cars and trucks and automated devices, and thats the part thats unbelieveable for you goon?

  46. if that is the best you can do you fail

    I put forth that the really good actress make you love them DUE to their acting ability whereas women like Megan Fox will never rise above their station. It is testament to women like Dunst, Gyllenhaal, Adams and others that are not traditional beauties that men find them attractive due to their ability to inhabit a role and dazzle us on the big screen. Look throughout the history of film my friend and you will see what I’m talking about. A woman’s beauty is more than skin deep.

  47. rus, what is your deal? I don’t like megan. I DO NOT LIKE MEGAN!!!! god damn its like talking to a wall. I love maggie, i love amy (she’s hot too) rene zelweggar, the uglies thing i’ve ever seen, great and wonderful actress. If your trying to paint me out as a shallow fourty year old who sits in my basement all day looking at porn then you fail. Fox can not act, she is sexy as hell, but she CAN’T ACT. I do not want her as MJ, or any roll in a big movie that requires not only a good script and great acting. DUNST CANT ACT WORTH SHIT!!! She has no Characterization, and is not believeable. Rus if you like her so much good for you. But because i don’t like her does not mean i’m some womanizing prick. as i said, i would of prefereed an unknown be MJ.

  48. When it comes right down to it, Megan Fox is basicly nothing more than a talentless ho-bag lucky enough to have been born during the tail-end of a period in American culture where fake ta-tas and a nose job are too often mistaken for talent. She is utterly forgettable and completely replaceable by an untold number of younger ladies equally eager to sleep their way to the top as she must have.

    And that’s the bottom line.

  49. “Look at the TF2 trailer.. He’s going off to school and planning a long distance relationship with her, and everyone in the audience laughs because they know how stupid that is in reality.”

    Lol. Yeah. That’s one of the reasons why casting MJ as the bombshell she is in the comics would have been retarded. But…

    “DUNST CANT ACT WORTH SHIT!!! She has no Characterization, and is not believeable.”

    There are some differences in opinion that I can understand even if I don’t agree. No idea about this one though. Dunst is definitely worth more than a shit.

  50. “you have a show about these giant alian robots that morph into different cars and trucks and automated devices, and thats the part thats unbelieveable for you goon?”

    Yes. Yes it is.

    But seriously, there’s the parts that require suspension of disbelief, and then you stick humans in there you’re supposed to relate to. When they’re being ridiculous, it can sometimes stick out even more than what is supposed to be absurd. Like last year, people complaining that Indy survived that blast being tossed around in a fridge, rather than the alien filled denouement. Hey, I used a big word. NICE.

  51. (okay so they complained about the aliens in Indy 4 too. but they were complaining about it fitting in the Indyverse, not its believability)

  52. i think that mj is going to became the female spiderman like the comics

  53. Lizard, Venom, or Carnage.

  54. Not really gonna get into the “Fox Vs. Dunst” thing. Saw Transformers, liked it for the action and amazing visuals (including Fox). Wasn’t looking for Shakespeare or the next Godfather there. Just a dumb fun movie…

    Anyway, my opinion: Dunst is okay, just make MJ a deeper character. They haven’t really touched on her full reaction to the fact that her boyfriend is a freakin’ SUPERHERO! She finds out his secret and it’s just business as usual being kidnapped. Why don’t they dig a little deeper this time around and show that she may actually fear for Peter’s life? That way, she doesn’t come off shallow like she did in 3 (albeit Harry did threaten her with Peter’s safety but seriously, who would think Franco’s “Kid Goblin” was a credible threat?).

    And another thing: Maguire may still be good for the role, but for the love of God, stop making Peter such a geek! Even in the comics, he outgrew some of his awkwardness and “loser” tendencies and functioned as a fairly balanced adult. To see it 3 times in a row gets kinda old…

    And have Spider-Man crack some jokes that are ACTUALLY funny while in battle for a change!

  55. I agree, while Dunst might not be the greatest choice for MJ, she does her part well. I completely agree with digging deeper into her character’s personality, I mean, what does she really think of Peter being Spider-man? And can she really handle the struggles of him risking his life day-after-day? We never really got an answer to that. Also, I’m a little disappointed with how they portrayed Gwen Stacy’s personality. They just did NOT do anything with her. LAME! I mean, this was Peter’s first love BEFORE he actually got with MJ, and they just discarded her to the side. They could have done much more, they need to bring her back for Spidey 4.

    As for the next villain, they could go the route with Dr. Conners. But, in my opinion, they should bring in Carnage. Get to the deeper, darker, and more psychological side of the Spider-Man universe. Besides, I think that would make a very fitting apology for the lackluster Venom we received.

  56. I think Kristen Dunst makes a good MJ. As for being MJ in the comics, no its not the same, but be realistic, all movies dealing with these comics are not all the same get to the change people! Kristen Dunst can act and she makes a pretty Mary Jane Watson. I’d like to see someone go up to one of the directors and show they can act better otherwise stop wasting your time. Theres things we’d all love to see done better, but we’re not the one directing the films, picking the actors/actresses, so really you cant do anything about. STOP COMPLAINING.

  57. Well Mr.Director…Personally I think its point less in changing Kristen Dunst now because once you start something you finish it right?…Anyways I wanted you to give some feed back on who I think should be in the fourth movie. I do think lizard would be cool to see but if you brought back venom but throw carnage in to the picture it would make the movie kind of intresting for the web head…and also seeing Rhino won’t hurt either. thanks, Darius

  58. No to Carnage as the main villain. We’ve already seen Venom. Carnage is Venom is a red suit. Lame.

    Lizard and/or Kraven the Hunter and/or or Mysterio – please.

  59. I don’t think they should do Carnage until they get Venom done right.

  60. spiderman one! was good two ok spiderman 3 fans boo boo boo pople want spiderman four to be no crying, fighting seens, figures look good people did not like spiderman black suit at all i loved it ! 100% spiderman fans did not want sandman in the movie vedeom was not good at all. i was mad spiderman four theas should be the villins brock leaster the wrestler could be vedeom. caraneg should be.cool and mack spiderman dolls put his villins you will make money of spiderman .dolls and figures ! make the video game right this time because. i loved spider man there game. i loved spiderman one movie it was so cool sam you do good on spiderman one this time do good on spiderman four right ! i love spiderman vs. punersher do dolls of them! posted by daniel petty on june 9th, 2009

  61. Rick- then make your argument instead of lameass “I would take an unknown over Dunst”

    here I’ll do it for you like,

    Shandra Bullock coming out of no where to create a hit out of Speed, or

    Jennifer Garner proving herself in Daredevil or,

    a star is born in casting Natalie Portman in The Professional

    damn I’m good…

  62. If you do it like that then you can list off any actors original movie rus.

    jennifer anniston-friends

    Mike Myers, eddie murphey, bill murrey-SNL

    Brad Pitt- thelma and louise

    I want an unknown. How can i choose someone I DONT
    KNOW play Dunst?

    “people complaining that Indy survived that blast being tossed around in a fridge, rather than the alien filled denouement. Hey, I used a big word. NICE.”

    Exellent word choise Goon

    Now to cheyanne. Look, we are here to talk about did or didn’t we like dunst as MJ, and the next villin. Obviously you read through the posts and know this. You make your agrument and say how dumb I am for not liking her and I should stop compliaing. lol, i say, if you don’t like the conversation thats taking place, then take your shallow, ignorent comments and stay the hell out of the conversation. You are trying to shut down a healthy fun conversation, Deteriorate debate. Thats how nations fall and are helping to contribute to the fall of countries around the world. The rule of law will be broken down, it will be total anarchy, and were all going to kill each other. All because of your love affair with Dunst. Congragulations you she devil; 666

    I was just kidding, but seriously, I prefer rus then you, atleast he is trying to engage in debate, not trying to shut it down.

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