Spiderman Star Tobey Maguire and Director Sam Raimi Won't Return For Fourth Installment

Columbia Pictures

Even though it's one of the most profitable franchises in movie history, Columbia has decided not to move forward with an expensive sequel, instead going with a cheaper pre-quel to the series, which will see a young Peter Parker in high school.

Variety reports that the studio, who was expected to pay Tobey Maguire and Sam Raimi a pretty penny to return for the fourth film, pulled the plug when script problems threatened to delay the scheduled 2011 release.

The studio already had a contingency plan in place -- they also developed a teen Spiderman script that wouldl be far cheaper to produce.

Although Raimi's out, along with thirty-something Maguire, he's not holding it against the studio. "While we were looking forward to doing a fourth one together, the studio and Marvel have a unique opportunity to take the franchise in a new direction, and I know they will do a terrific job," he said.

First Carrie Bradshaw goes back to high school, now Peter Parker? Is this the new trend?