Director Sam Raimi refuses to watch the new "Spider-Man" movies. The helmer told the Huffington Post that his choice has nothing to do with animosity toward the new filmmakers of the reboot.
"I'm a big Marc Webb fan and a giant fan of Emma Stone," said Raimi. "And of Andrew Garfield. I saw him on Broadway in Death of a Salesman; it's just brilliant. And I love the producers of that movie because they are dear friends, and the writer. But, I haven't had the guts to go see the movie yet. Because I don't want to go to my girlfriend's wedding. I just can't bring myself to do it. I don't have the guts."
He did note that his wife had seen the film and loved it. "I hear it's great. My wife even loved the picture and said it was a wonderful, excellently produced, beautifully acted, brilliantly written Spider-Man picture. She'd tell me the truth and that's what she said," said Raimi.
Raimi directed the first three films in the franchise and was slated to direct the fourth iteration.
The film was rumored to portray the conversion of Dr. Curt Connors into the villainous Lizard and would also feature Anne Hathaway as Felicia Hardy (she eventually played Catwoman in "The Dark Knight Rises") and John Malkovich as Vulture. However, there were numerous issues between the studios and Raimi, and eventually Raimi withdrew from the project.
Raimi wanted a $300 million budget while Sony was only willing to provide him with $230 million. His departure prompted the withdrawal of the series stars Tobey Macguire and Kirsten Dunst. As a result, Sony Pictures opted to reboot the franchise and start again.
New director Marc Webb is currently filming the second installment of the new "Spider-Man" series; that film is due out in 2014.