Maguire reportedly took home a cool $4 million for the first Spider-Man—which is huge in itself and especially huge compared to the relatively paltry $500,000 that Andrew Garfield allegedly pocketed for The Amazing Spider-Man. Even more impressive was the $17 million deal he reportedly earned to reprise his role two years later.
Except, getting to that point was reportedly fraught with tension. When it came time to suit up in tights again, Maguire allegedly became such a diva during pre-production that he was briefly dropped from the film and almost replaced by Jake Gyllenhaal. According to Variety, some of the issues that led to the behind-the-scenes fiasco included Maguire's complaints of having back problems, which the studio, Columbia Pictures, felt was a threat being used during negotiations. The Los Angeles Times, meanwhile, claimed that Maguire neglected to show up for body scans needed for the film's special effects, a decision Maguire later regretted.
Once Maguire got word that he was being replaced by Gyllenhaal, his team of reps, as well as his then-girlfriend's father, studio honcho Ron Meyer, "stepped in to save the day" and assured the studio that both Maguire and his back would be just fine on set, according to Variety. He even agreed to medical tests to prove his back was in tip-top shape during contract re-negotiations, according to the report.
"I'm just glad it worked out. I'm glad I got to look these people in the face and say, 'I'm really sorry. I'm going to do whatever it takes,'" Maguire later admitted to the Los Angeles Times.
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