Showbiz 101

We will see Spider-Man swinging and fighting bad guys into the bigscreen again, but we need another three years to happen.

Speaking Thursday to theater owners from California and Nevada, Spider-Man producer Laura Ziskin said the fourth installment of the franchise is tentatively set to open in May 2011. There’s still no screenplay, but Ziskin said she and Sony Pictures are hopeful Spider-Man 4 could be ready by the target date.

Of course, the script isn’t the only hurdle the production faces: Neither director Sam Raimi nor star Tobey Maguire has committed to a fourth installment. Raimi has said he wants to see a screenplay first, while Maguire’s participation seems to hinge on Raimi’s decision.

It was reported last month that Sony had renewed the rights to the franchise, which has grossed $2.5 billion worldwide.