With The Amazing Spider-Man being a big enough commercial and critical success, Sony is eager to get the band back together for a second installment.  And that includes director Mark Webb, who guided the new Spidey to the silver-screen.

But there’s only small problem.  Sony has already set a release date of July 2014 for the next installment in the franchise and Webb is contractually obligated to 20th Century Fox to direct an as-of-yet unnamed project during the time frame.    Webb wants to return to Spidey, Sony wants him back and it appears 20th Century Fox is willing to offer some wiggle room–but at a price.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Fox will allow Webb to direct the next Spidey flick to meet the release date if he agrees to direct not one but two movies for the studio.  That commitment would allow him to direct Spider-Man 2 but probably wouldn’t allow him to direct a third installment.  (At least not under the terms of his current deal).

All sides are currently in conversation and an announcement is expected in the next few days on how the next Spidey project will move forward.