“I’m going to do whatever it takes”: Tobey Maguire Was Nearly Replaced by Co-Star Kirsten Dunst’s Then-Boyfriend Jake Gyllenhaal After Forcing Sony to Get Salary Hike
Tobey Maguire established himself as one of the prominent celebrities who gained global stardom through his portrayal of Spider-Man in the early 2000s. Other than that, he has worked on some other film projects that further maintained his acting portfolio. While he quickly garnered attention with his first film, he was nearly replaced after his negotiation skills failed to impress Sony.
Also Read: Tobey Maguire Net Worth – How Much Money Did He Make From Spider-Man Movies?
He made his debut in Marvel films by portraying the role of Peter Parker/Spider-Man in the 2002 film, Spider-Man alongside her ex-beau and on-screen love interest, Kirsten Dunst. While their relationship was another chapter in the trilogy, the former was almost replaced by the latter’s ex-beau, Jake Gyllenhaal. Here are the details.
Tobey Maguire Was Almost Replaced by Jake Gyllenhaal in Spider-Man!
Back in 2003, Variety reported that the 47-year-old actor, Tobey Maguire approached Sony for a salary hike. However, things went in the opposite direction when reports surfaced that the company planned to move ahead with the sequel to the 2002 Spider-Man without him. He was reportedly paid $4 million for the first installment however he was not satisfied when he learned that the producer, Laura Ziskin earned more than $30 million from the first movie.
He approached the company by claiming that he injured himself while filming the sequel which was not compensation compared to his salary. Though he might be assured that it would work, he quickly got a reality check. As per reports, Sony reportedly had plans to replace him with Jake Gyllenhaal.
As per the reports, the latter was short-listed as one of the candidates to play the famous role before Maguire was cast. However, it would be quite a risk for the former to leave a franchise that instantly made him a top celebrity. As soon as he learned about getting fired from the role, his rep released a statement regarding his health condition which stated,
“After doing two physically demanding films in a row, Tobey has experienced mild discomfort in his back which is in the final stages of healing. With an April 12 start date around the corner, everyone involved wants to be certain he is able to do the intense stunts.”
Other than his reported problems, he was also suffering from a pre-existing back injury which further made his upcoming stunts difficult. As per the outlet, the company was not happy that Maguire presented his problems as a tactic to negotiate his salary.
Tobey Maguire Eventually Learned His Lesson!
Due to the continuous demands, he was presenting to the company, the production eventually decided to recast his titular role and then on, started to look for other actors who fit the criteria. Soon after he filmed the first film, he started working on Seabiscuit which delayed the shooting process of the next sequel to Sam Raimi’s film. Considering his negotiation tactics, everyone was aware that it could cost their time which was crucial as the film could not be delayed any further.
Sam Raimi told LA Times back then, “I didn’t want to do something so irresponsible that I’d regret it for the rest of my life,” referring to the Wonder Boys star’s health issues.
It eventually was solved due to the actor’s rep who saved the day with the help of Universal Chief Ron Meyer (his then-beau, Jennifer Meyer’s father). They all ensured that Maguire would submit medical tests to prove that he was fit to play the role. He told LA Times that he later regretted his choice.
“I’m really sorry. I’m going to do whatever it takes.”
He eventually was brought back to the franchise making the film a critical and commercial success.
Source: Variety
