The news is everywhere. It is absolutely inescapable. The payoff was huge, it broke all of the records and Spider-Man 3 is on its way to making a billion, kajillion dollars. And there is no way in a million years that Sony would ever consider NOT making a fourth movie. Sony’s only problem? They haven’t signed everyone to a fourth movie. So that means one of two things: Sony pays through the nose for the major roles, with possibly some of the biggest payouts in history (if the major players even want to come back), or they find replacements. But who to choose? Here’s a few of my humble choices.

Director. If Sam Raimi steps down, who should sit in the director’s chair? This is actually the toughest category of all. All of my first choices – Del Toro, Cuaron, Jackson and Favreau all are either committed elsewhere or just won’t do it. So it’s time for some bold choices. I’d say Ridley Scott is due a superhero film, and he’s the most likely of my following list. But I’d LOVE to see Brad Bird (The Incredibles, The Iron Giant) finally get his chance at live action. He already knows how to A) tell a great superhero story and B) direct great CG. He’d be an amazing pick. Or I’d love to see a writer/director like Shane Black (Lethal Weapon, Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang) take a crack at it. Hell, it would certainly be the very best Spider-Man script we’ve seen. Or lastly, it would be interesting to see Mike Mitchell (Sky High) get his shot at the big time. Forget that he directed Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo, or even worse -- Surviving Christmas -- and take a look at his one perfect little film -- Sky High. Sky High is a vastly underseen Disney superhero film that shows a profound understanding of the genre. I honestly believe that with the right script, this guy could nail Spider-Man. Anyone who doubts me hasn’t sat down and watched the wonder that is Sky High.

Spider-Man/Peter Parker. Okay, this one is a no-brainer and there are two clear choices. The first is to tap Jake Gyllenhaal – who is actually part of the same Hollywood Cloning experiment as Tobey Maguire and can easily pull off the same range. He’s an amazing actor and looks the part. If he won’t do it, it’s time to call Justin Long. He’s the Mac kid on those commercials, as well as plays a dork for a living on shows like Ed and in movies like Jeepers Creepers, Accepted and the upcoming Die Hard 4 (whatever they’re calling it these days). People already love him, he can nail the Peter Parker aspect of dorkiness, and well, I think he’ll fit the mood just right.

Mary Jane. This one’s easy. Don’t bring her back. If Dunst decides to walk, Raimi has already built in the perfect method of replacing her – Gwen Stacy. Now for those unfamiliar with the comic, Gwen Stacy is actually Spider-Man’s first love. MJ was his second and subsequent wife. Let MJ leave for a while and use the established new character, played by Bryce Dallas Howard, to carry the romance of the next film. But if the studio or director insist on MJ, no one will complain if she’s replaced with someone as beloved as Scarlett Johansson.

The bit players. Look. There is ZERO reason any of the bit players can’t come back. J.K. Simmons, Ted Raimi, Rosemary Harris, Bill Nunn, Bruce Campbell. Sony better pay up and bring them back. The best way to force the audience to accept the major cast changes is to let the rest of the universe remain intact. And these folks embody what the Spider-Man movies have become. Losing them would be losing the soul more than losing Tobey or Kirsten.

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