Sam Raimi hasn't ''had the guts'' to see 'The Amazing Spider-Man'.

The director made a trilogy of Spider-Man movies starring Tobey Maguire as the titular superhero between 2002 and 2007, but hasn't been able to bring himself to watch the rebooted version by Mark Webb, starring Emma Stone and Andrew Garfield.

He told website The Huffington Post: ''I'm a big Marc Webb fan and a giant fan of Emma Stone. And of Andrew Garfield.

''And I love the producers of that movie because they are dear friends, and the writer. But, I haven't had the guts to go see the movie yet.

''Because I don't want to go to my girlfriend's wedding. I just can't bring myself to do it. I don't have the guts. But, I hear it's great.

''My wife even loved the picture and said it was a wonderful, excellently produced, beautifully acted, brilliantly written Spider-Man picture. She'd tell me the truth and that's what she said.''

Sam - who has recently directed 'Oz: The Great and Powerful' - added he felt the Spider-Man reboot stands alone, rather than having to step out of the shadow of his own movies.

He added: ''I don't feel he was in my shadow at all. I think I handed the torch to Marc and I hear that he ran with it and succeeded and made a brilliant picture.''

However, one star who wasn't so impressed with the new version is James Franco, who appeared in Sam's first Spider-Man film and has gone on to star in 'Oz: The Great and Powerful'.

He said: ''They could've strayed a little bit more from the original. It's like... Why? Guess they made a lot of money. OK, congrats. But good for them. Sam and I moved on, we made 'Oz'.''