SUBMITTED BY Scooby

June 14, 2002 — The Associated Press reports that Steven Spielberg was offered Spider-Man first, but turned it down:

I'm like the first person they bring 'Harry Potter ( news - web sites)' to. They brought 'Spider-Man' to me. I love 'Harry Potter,' my kids are mad at me for passing. I love 'Spider-Man,' my kids are mad at me for passing there. But I said, 'This is Daddy's time now, this is the time for me to do things that will challenge me.' And those two films would not have been a challenge for me."