CULVER CITY, Calif. - Under cover of darkness, Tobey Maguire will wear a disguise and sneak around town.

His mission: to watch some of his own film - a movie in which he almost lost the starring role, despite the huge success of 2002's "Spider-Man."

"It's exciting. I'll sneak in one night. You want to go when the fans are crazy into the film, and that's when it's fun, to catch that energy," said the 29-year-old actor.

It may not seem like much, but that's a daring move for the boyish actor with the puppy-dog eyes and tousled hair - he has a reputation for being almost pathologically withdrawing when it comes to high-pressure public exposure.

Like his superhero alter ego, would Maguire rather have the secret identity of an ordinary guy?

"I AM an ordinary guy," he insisted in a recent interview at the Culver Studios lot. "I guess if the question is, 'Would I like to be anonymous in all situations?' Sometimes, sure. But I can remain somewhat anonymous, or just not go to a place where I'm going to (be recognized.) Then I'm not aware of it at all."

He shrugged. "I chose to give up my general anonymity," he said.

Maguire came close to getting an unwelcome dose of anonymity shortly before shooting began on "Spider-Man 2," something that could have tanked his young career.

In what is becoming a famous piece of Hollywood lore, the actor nearly lost his Spidey suit to someone else in March 2003 because he told the producers he had a bad back.

After doctors eventually OK'd his back, Maguire's motivation remains a mystery. More money? A later production start date? Less time swinging from wires in a skintight suit?

The actor said he was just trying to do the right thing - the same reason the director gave for almost replacing him.

Maguire said he didn't want to be responsible for derailing a movie that costs $200 million midway through the shoot.

"I saw all the stunts I had to do for ('Spider-Man 2'). I thought, 'Wow, that's a lot. I don't know if I'm going to be able to do all that stuff.'"

So his representatives took the back problem claim to director Sam Raimi and producer Laura Ziskin. They turned to a possible replacement, Jake Gyllenhaal - the similarly puppy-dog-faced star of "The Day After Tomorrow."

"It was implied if there was an injury on the set in one of these stunts, (Maguire) might become paralyzed permanently," Raimi said. "I thought, 'Well, I can't make a movie about responsibility then ask this kid to do something that might paralyze him.'"

Raimi suggested there was a disconnect between what was really wrong with Maguire's back and the dire complaints the actor's representatives - one of whom has since been replaced - took to the "Spider-Man 2" filmmakers.

Raimi said he called Maguire to tell him "It breaks my heart to say this ... but I can't work with you anymore."

"So it was a really weird, awful call," Raimi said. "I think Tobey may not have known that someone suggested he might be paralyzed."

Raimi said Gyllenhaal - who's also the boyfriend of "Spider-Man" co-star Kirsten Dunst - agreed to consider the role.

Then Maguire came back with a new revelation: He would be fine doing the stunts after all. And the stunts would not paralyze him.

"Pain for actors, I can deal with," Raimi said. "So all of the sudden, it changed everything." After doctors certified his fitness, Maguire was back in the tights.

Despite the debacle, Maguire ended up getting a reported $17 million for the sequel. That's about $13 million more than his salary on the original - which earned more than $400 million domestically and became one of the top five biggest blockbusters in history.

There are already plans for a third "Spider-Man" movie, and No. 2 is already poised to be one of the year's biggest hits. The original holds the record for the biggest weekend debut in history, earning $114.8 million over three days.

So when Maguire prowls from theater to theater disguised in a low-slung cap, will his ticket purchases contribute to the sequel's expected stash of cash?

"Nah," he said. "They let me in."