Summary
Spider-Man 4’s wheels are barely off the ground, but fans are already busy speculating whether the movie will take the multiverse route again or shift to a more grounded, street-level story. So far, neither Marvel nor Sony have hinted at anything beyond the fact that the project is happening, with Tom Holland set to return as the web-slinging superhero.
Any newSpider-Manmovie in the works is bound to generate wild industry rumors and fan theories online. This was true even for Sam Raimi’s scrappedSpider-Man 4, long before the rise of social media. Ever sinceSpider-Man: No Way Home’s endinghit the reset button with a memory wipe, curiosity is at an all-time high about the upcoming movie’s villains, timelines, and different universes to be covered.
Spider-Man 4 Probably Won’t Abandon The Multiverse Angle
Recently,The Hollywood ReporterrevealedthatSpider-Man 4might have found its director in Destin Daniel Cretton, known for his work onShang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Although official details remain out of reach, there has been quite a lot of movement in insider circles about the potential direction that the film’s story will be heading in. On the other hand, fans are calling for the MCU to use this opportunity to return to its roots.
The multiverse concept has faced some flak from Marvel fans, so it’s no surprise that the nextSpider-Maninstallment warrants similar concerns. Many feel that anothermultiverse-centric Spider-Man plotseems unnecessary. These fans believe that the narrative reset fromNo Way Homeshould allow MCU Peter to thrive as a street-level superhero for once. After all, Tom Holland’sHometrilogy of Spider-Man films have never felt quite as standalone as the original Raimi-Maguire trilogy, or even Andrew Garfield’sThe Amazing Spider-Manseries.
In fact, Holland’s Peter Parker first appeared inCaptain America: Civil War, grouped with the other Avengers. WhileHomecomingandFar From Homedid a decent job at incorporating classic Spidey villains like Vulture and Mysterio, they still felt subservient to a much largerInfinityorMultiverse Sagas. This isn’t necessarily a drawback, but what makes the hero special is his image as thefriendly neighborhood Spider-Man. It’s been a long time since something like that was committed to the screen.
The idea of Spider-Man chasing down street criminals, stopping robberies, or fighting mob bosses is an exciting prospect for fans. But it’s too naive and idealistic to assume that Marvel will pass on the chance to useSpider-Man 4to tie the character more into their upcoming phases. This is increasingly valid since Tom Holland coming face-to-face with Robert Downey Jr. inAvengers: Doomsdayis practically an inevitable cinematic moment. Furthermore,Spider-Man 4is also expected to explore andundo Doctor Strange’s memory-erasing spellto accommodate these narrative changes.
How Can Spider-Man 4’s Story Stay Fresh?
For all the reasons mentioned above,Marvel Studios should take notes from the animatedSpider-Versefilms. The multiverse concept isn’t just a cash cow for high-profile cameos or cheeky comic book references. Instead,Into the Spider-Verseused it to introducedifferent unseen variants of Spider-Manand to offer fresh perspectives on the decades-old hero. WhileNo Way Homedelivered a wholesome moment with the three Peters meeting, there’s room for more character development here – like how Peter B. Parker acts as a reluctant mentor to younger Spider-Man variants like Miles Morales and Gwen Stacy. This thoughtful approach is likely what made Tom Holland himself call the firstSpider-Versefilm"the best" Spider-Man movieever made.
Contrary to the meta-joke fromDeadpool and Wolverine, the multiverse idea in the MCU hasn’t always been a “miss after miss after miss.” Yes, there have been a few duds in the post-Avengers: Endgameera, but the multiverse is what has kept the MCU afloat at times. It’s evident fromNo Way Home, Deadpool and Wolverine,Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and even Disney+ series likeLokiandWhat If?.
A Multiversal Story Can Still Channel Spider-Man’s Roots
Going the multiverse way inSpider-Man 4doesn’t mean sacrificing a street-level story. These concepts aren’t mutually exclusive, and Marvel can blend both to satisfy fans on all sides. The majority ofSpider-Man 4could focus on Peter Parker battlingnew street-level villains like Kingpinor Shocker, with just the right mix of multiversal elements. This could mean Doctor Strange breaking the spell in the beginning, or an ending that connects to the larger events leading up toDoomsdayorSecret Wars. Moreover, there’s plenty of opportunity to introduce other iconic Spider-Man characters likeTom Hardy’s Venom, which would allow MCU Peter to finally interact with the symbiote.
As far asSpider-Man 4goes, Marvel can use the multiverse to go beyond its crossover appeal and raise the stakes like never before, putting Spider-Man at the center of it all. The ideal approach would be to first make use of Doctor Strange’s spell and Aunt May’s death as catalysts for Peter’s growth as a street-level Spider-Man in NYC. After that, they could bring inSpider-Verse-esque multiversal elements and end it with a powerful, if somewhat far-fetched, reveal – like MCU Peter being the anchor being of Earth-616.
