HOLLYWOOD -- For Peter Parker and his alter-ego Spider-Man, three is the magic number.

"If it were up to me, Spider-Man 3 would not be the last of this series of films," says Sam Raimi, who directed the first two Spider-Man movies and is working on the third.

The decision rests with Amy Pascal, chairman of Sony's Columbia Pictures which releases the Spider-Man films.

"Amy is adamant she wants to make the third film the end. She wants Spider-Man 3 to have a sense of completion. "She told me to give this one a satisfying, fulfilling ending. She says it is only fair to the fans who have been so enthusiastic and faithful. She says we owe it to them."

Raimi admits he is nervous and is approaching this final installment, which begins shooting in January 2006 for a May 2007 release, with much trepidation. "I keep wondering how I can make a third one that will be just as positively received and reviewed."


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