Why Tim Burton Didn't Direct Spider-Man 2002

https://screenrant.com/spiderman-2002-tim-burton-almost-direct-explained/

"I remember [ex-Colombia Pictures president Amy Pascal] telling me that they’d met with Tim Burton, who in the meeting said, 'I guess I’m just a DC guy,' which seems like someone who’s not really trying hard to get the job."

While it certainly would have been interesting to see what a Burton adaptation of Spider-Man would look like, it is understandable why the director did not leap at the prospect. The characters that exist in the world of Batman fit perfectly into the gothic tones that permeate all of Burton's work. The city Batman lives in is literally called Gotham City. While many dark things can happen to Spider-Man (as Spider-Man: No Way Home has recently proved), the character has always been somewhat of a lighter character that exists in a more colorful world than that of Gotham.