Kirsten Dunst opens up on 'extreme' pay gap between her & Tobey Maguire in 'Spider-Man'

Kirsten Dunst marked her first role in a major superhero franchise with the 2002 flick Spider-Man, which starred Tobey Maguire as the eponymous masked hero. The 39-year-old starred as Mary Jane Watson, who happens to be the love interest of the titular character in the Spider-Man trilogy. The actor has now opened up about the pay disparity between her and Toby, calling it 'very extreme'. 

In a recent interview with The Independent, Dunst noted that although there was a significant pay gap between the leading duo, she didn't even think about it owing to the magnanimous opportunity to star in the superhero franchise. For the unversed, Spider-Man garnered a whopping  $821 million with its first film and $789 million for 2004's Spider-Man 2. 

Kirsten Dunst on pay disparity with Tobey Maguire in Spider-Man

According to People, Dunst stated that she was equally promoted with the film, however, it didn't fit in line with the pay scale. Dunst went on to star in the third instalment of the franchise, which marked her last stint as MJ. Dunst is still open to reprising her role, which she thinks would be 'fun'. The idea of being the old MJ, with  'little Spidey babies', is something the actor would never say no to.

Since her stint in the superhero movie, the actor has kept busy with an interesting lineup of projects, including Melancholia, The Beguiled and On Becoming a God in Central Florida. Fans will now see her appear in the upcoming Western Drama The Power of the Dog. Directed by Jane Campion, the movie is based on the 1967 novel of the same name by Thomas Savage. It also stars Benedict Cumberbatch,  Jesse Plemons, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Thomasin McKenzie among others in pivotal roles.

Meanwhile, the recently released trailer of Spider-Man: No Way Home has piqued the audience's curiosity, with many hoping to see Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield reprise their roles in the upcoming multiverse film. According to Comicbook, it is believed that the makers are trying to keep the reunion of the trio a secret. The film is scheduled to be released in the United States on December 17, 2021

(IMAGE: AP/ INSTAGRAM/ @TOBEY.MAGUIRE2)