Maguire to quit Spider-Man series

Tobey Maguire has all but ruled himself out of starring in the fourth instalment of the Spider-Man film franchise.

The Hollywood actor is considering hanging up his superhero suit for good after the third film is released next year.

He said: "Spider-Man 3 might be a good place to stop". He is not tied contractually to any more Spider-Man movies and, while he is not completely closed to the idea of another one, he says "the odds were in favour of this being the last one".

The 31-year-old star is keen to tackle more challenging roles and also wants to spend more time with his family. He became a father for the first time last month, after his jewellery-designer fiancée Jennifer Meyer gave birth to a daughter, Ruby Jane.

Tobey Maguire isn't the only major star who wants to quit the comic-book film series. His on-screen love interest Kirsten Dunst is also eager to pursue new projects.