Director Marc Webb May Not Join 'Amazing Spider-Man 2'

Columbia Pictures executive Doug Belgrad's recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter shed light upon what could be a pivotal shift in the future making of "The Amazing Spider-Man 2."

Belgrad expressed uncertainty that director Marc Webb, who took over the hit reboot following previous trilogy director Sam Raimi's departure, would return to direct the now-inevitable sequel. Thus far, "The Amazing Spider-Man" has been a lynch-pin of Columbia's most profitable summer to date, grossing around $521 million so far globally and counting.

The biggest issue will be Webb's other commitments. Columbia will want to strike while the proverbial iron is hot and waste no time putting a follow-up to the Andrew Garfield-Emma Stone hit into production. Meanwhile, Belgrad revealed, Webb still owes 20th Century Fox one more film on his deal there following his previous "500 Days of Summer."

It's not like "Spider-Man" was always an easy shoot, either. As could be expected of any superhero adventure, Garfield's first romp as Spider-Man was very effects-heavy. Another such pictures could become time-consuming, indeed.

"The section where Rhys Ifans' character turns irrevocably into the Lizard," Belgrad recalled. "It took several months to figure out, and the filmmakers cut a bunch of scenes. In software parlance, it required a patch.

"We'd really like him back, but there are obstacles. He has an obligation to Fox," he added.