Spider-Man is one of the most beloved superheroes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). As a result, the next chapter in this character’s journey continues to garner significant attention from fans, especially now that Spidey has become a truly independent hero following Doctor Strange’s “memory-erasing” spell in Spider-Man: No Way Home.
Spider-Man to Have a Fourth Standalone Film, Director Revealed
After the release of Spider-Man: No Way Home at the end of 2021, there were concerns that Spider-Man would have to return to Sony’s cinematic universe due to copyright issues. However, Amy Pascal, head of Sony Pictures, quickly reassured fans by stating, “This is not the last film we are co-producing with Marvel. This is not the final standalone project for Spider-Man. We will move forward with the next Spidey film with Tom Holland and Marvel. We consider the three films we’ve produced as a major project, and now we will embark on the next trilogy.”
From Pascal’s statement, it is clear that Sony and Marvel are still nurturing plans for another trilogy centered on Tom Holland’s version of Spider-Man. The previous three films – Homecoming, Far From Home, and No Way Home – are referred to as the “Home trilogy,” which concluded a chapter in Peter Parker’s life within the MCU. Future Spidey projects may no longer adhere to the title rule (with ‘Home’ in the name) and themes, as Peter is now completely alone and can freely explore various aspects of his superhero journey.
While there are teasers for the next trilogy involving Spider-Man, only Spider-Man 4 has officially been greenlit. According to recent information from The Hollywood Reporter, Destin Daniel Cretton, director of Shang-Chi & the Legend of the Ten Rings, has been selected to direct Spider-Man 4, alongside returning screenwriters Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers.
The Hollywood Reporter also indicated that Spider-Man 4 will begin filming in 2025 and may be released in 2026 or 2027. This suggests that Spidey’s next project could debut towards the end of the Multiverse Saga or after the multiverse storyline concludes with Avengers: Secret Wars, similar to how Far From Home was released after Avengers: Endgame.
As of now, Marvel Studios has not provided any responses regarding these developments.
Cast of Spider-Man 4
As mentioned earlier, No Way Home concluded a chapter in Peter Parker’s life within the MCU. From the fourth film onward, Marvel Studios can explore this character in various ways: a more mature version of Peter portrayed by another actor, a completely different version of Spider-Man, such as Miles Morales, or continue the story of Tom Holland’s Spider-Man. Additionally, since all of Peter’s loved ones like MJ and Ned have had their memories erased by Doctor Strange’s spell, they may be excluded from upcoming projects.
According to Amy Pascal’s statements, it is almost certain that Tom Holland will continue to portray Spider-Man in the MCU, despite the actor previously revealing that he does not want to play Spidey after the age of 30 (he is currently 28). In an interview with Deadline, Sony Pictures Chairman Tom Rothman expressed his desire to “move forward with the next Spider-Man project with the entire cast from the previous three films.” This means that if everything goes according to plan, Tom Holland, Zendaya (as MJ), and Jacob Batalon (as Ned Leeds) will soon return to the MCU.
Script for Spider-Man 4
Currently, there is very little information regarding the plot of Spider-Man 4 since the film is still in pre-production. However, the conclusion of Spider-Man: No Way Home left numerous potential directions for the script’s development.
If the trio of Holland, Zendaya, and Batalon return in Spider-Man 4, the film will need to find a way to either reverse or neutralize Doctor Strange’s spell, or once again affirm that MJ and Ned truly have no memories related to Peter Parker. In other words, the writing team will need to establish new roles for MJ and Ned, as these characters now lack any connection to Spidey.
Spider-Man 4 may also focus on a more independent Spider-Man, becoming a true street-level superhero. Alongside the multiverse storyline, Marvel Studios is quietly building smaller-scale superheroes and villains, including Moon Knight, Daredevil, and Kingpin. Kingpin has appeared in projects like Hawkeye and Echo and has shown that he could easily become a villain in New York City. Daredevil also appeared in Spider-Man: No Way Home and even served as the lawyer who helped Peter Parker evade murder charges. These two will continue in the series Daredevil: Born Again and are likely to play significant roles in Spidey’s next superhero journey.
Finally, the after-credit scene of No Way Home hinted at the appearance of Venom in the MCU. This opens up opportunities for Marvel Studios to delve deeper into the adversarial relationship between Spidey and Venom—a theme Sam Raimi attempted to explore in his Spider-Man films and a dream that Sony has yet to achieve, even as they near completion of their Venom trilogy. However, the first trailer for Venom: The Last Dance suggested that the symbiote that Venom “dropped” in the MCU will soon be “retrieved” and returned to Sony’s cinematic universe. Thus, the chances of Venom appearing in Spider-Man 4 or the MCU as a whole remain quite slim.
Source: ScreenRant