What Does Marvel Studios Have Planned For SPIDER-MAN In Phase 4 And Beyond?
We now know that the wall-crawler will be squaring off with Mysterio in 2019's Spider-Man: Homecoming sequel but what comes next for Peter Parker both in that movie and further into both Phase 4 and 5?
After Sony Pictures very nearly killed the Spider-Man franchise with a disastrous series of movies and a number of questionable spinoff plans, the studio decided to turn to Marvel Studios for help and it's a move which paid off in a big way. After a new take on the wall-crawler was introduced in Captain America: Civil War, Spider-Man: Homecoming later went on to gross over $880 million worldwide.
Now, with Jake Gyllenhaal in talks to take on the role of Mysterio in the upcoming sequel, it's clear that Marvel has some big plans for the character moving forward but what exactly will those consist of?
That's what we're taking a look at today as we delve into Spider-Man's future starting with Avengers 4 and then moving into that still untitled Homecoming sequel and beyond. What role with Venom play in proceedings and is Kevin Feige really plotting something for the Sinister Six? Hopefully, you'll find some answers here so simply click on the "View List" button below to check out this feature in full.
Spider-Man Will Return
At the end of Avengers: Infinity War, [SPOILER ALERT - wait, have you seriously not seen it yet?] Peter Parker was among the heroes who turned to dust and vanished after Thanos snapped his fingers and wiped out half the universe. Despite that, we know that the wall-crawler will be among those who return, especially as the Spider-Man: Homecoming sequel picks up minutes after Avengers 4 ends.
How Peter Parker and the rest of those characters will be resurrected remains to be seen; someone like Iron Man or Nebula wielding the Infinity Gauntlet is a popular theory, as is time-travel being used to essentially undo the events of Avengers: Infinity War and stop the Mad Titan before he can get started.
Avengers 4 Fallout
Sony's Amy Pascal has previously confirmed that the Spider-Man: Homecoming sequel "will start a few minutes after Avengers 4 wraps as a story" so it's clearly going to devote at least some time to the fallout from Thanos' attack. Peter is going to have to explain to his Aunt May where he vanished to and accept the fact that no matter how powerful he is or what technologically advanced costume he wears, he's still vulnerable and could die at literally any time as Spider-Man. His confidence will be shot!
That means the youngster will be facing his mortality for a good chunk of this movie and that's bound to have an impact on how he tackles Mysterio and handles May knowing he's secretly a superhero.
The Madness Of Mysterio
Jake Gyllenhaal is currently only in talks to take on the role of Mysterio in the 2019 release, so it's entirely feasible that he won't actually end up playing the villain. With any luck, though, this is one casting rumour which is going to become a reality as it's easy to imagine the actor stealing the show.
Mysterio is going to be a game changer for the MCU and while common sense says he'll go through some changes from the transition from page to screen, his ability to create illusions will be fun to see and don't be surprised if he finds a way to taunt Spider-Man by bringing back Josh Brolin's Thanos!
The Vulture's Return
Buried in one of the reports about Spider-Man doing battle with Mysterio in the Homecoming sequel was the news that Michael Keaton will be back as The Vulture. The last time we saw him, he was behind bars and refusing to divulge the wall-crawler's secret identity so what's going to change? Will he break out to help Mysterio, plot against Peter Parker from prison, or make a brief cameo?
We don't know as of right now but it's rare for Marvel to bring a bad guy like this and it's hard to escape the feeling that there's a larger plan in place here, especially as the first movie quietly introduced Aaron Davis (Prowler) and Mac Gargan (Scorpion), two villains fans are all too familiar with.
Where Does Venom Fit In?
While we've heard conflicting reports about Venom's place in the MCU (the latest point to it not being set in that world), the fact the trailer featured a logo reading, "In Association With Marvel" has got everyone talking. Does that mean Kevin Feige is involved in some way or is being able to say that just a benefit of Sony's deal with Marvel Studios? That agreement is so secretive, it's hard to say for sure.
However, if Venom is a success, there's a very good chance that he could cross paths with Spider-Man somewhere down the line, especially as his movie will seemingly be PG-13 and that sort of crossover is bound to appeal to Sony when it comes to box office profits. While the history between these two may not be there, don't be surprised if Eddie Brock winds up joining a certain, rather villainous team...
An Uncertain Future
When it was revealed that Spider-Man would swing into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, we learned that a deal had been made for the wall-crawler to appear in two Avengers movies (three essentially but Infinity War and Avengers 4 were shot back to back) and that Marvel Studios would produce two solo adventures. Beyond that, no one at either Marvel or Sony Pictures knew what would happen.
The question now is, will Sony be daft enough to take control of Spidey's adventures because they're confident that the character has been redeemed and that they can take things from here by putting Avi Arad and Matt Tolmach back in control? That's a pretty horrifying thought but one which could become a reality so here's hoping they see sense and Spider-Man remains in the MCU moving forward.
The Sinister Six
Assuming Marvel Studios does have a plan in place, common sense says they're looking to assemble the Sinister Six. Sony has scrapped plans to give that team their own movie and that could very well be because they've agreed that it's a much better idea for them to be part of a Spider-Man movie rather than a spinoff where he may or may not show up. Right now, we already have three members!
There's The Vulture, Mac Gargan (who could become the Scorpion), and Mysterio, not to mention that female villain who it's rumoured will be showing up next year. You could even throw Venom into the mix but my gut tells me Marvel will hold off on the team showing up until a fourth solo outing.
College Freshman
Peter Parker can't remain a high school student forever and that means we'll probably see him arrive in college either by the end of his third movie set in the MCU or at the beginning of the fourth. That's going to shake the character's dynamic up in a big way and could be where we ultimately see the hero meet Mary Jane Watson. Either way, it will be good to see Spider-Man start to grow up.
A New Avenger
Iron Man made Spider-Man an Avenger in Avengers: Infinity War and with that team set to no doubt take on a whole new life in Phase 4 and beyond, the wall-crawler becoming a staple of the group seems inevitable. Bear in mind that Marvel makes very little from the main Spider-Man movies, so having him show up elsewhere is essential in order to ultimately make this deal worthwhile on Disney's end.
Seeing Peter Parker assemble alongside the likes of Black Panther, Thor, and Captain Marvel would be incredible and places the youngster in very different surroundings and gives Earth's Mightiest Heroes some much-needed fresh blood. It will be great to see Spidey make more friends than just Iron Man!
Miles Morales
Miles Morales is going to be the star of that Into the Spider-Verse animated movie coming out this Christmas but looking far ahead into the future (and I'm talking either Phase 5 or 6 or when Sony inevitably severs ties with Marvel), this version of Spidey taking centre stage is almost guaranteed.
Whether he replaces Peter after his death or Sony/Marvel decides to reboot the franchise with a new lead remains to be seen but there's got to be something in the works for Miles beyond an animated adventure, especially as Black Panther proved moviegoers are more than ready for diverse leads in superhero movies. What do you guys think? As always, let us know your thoughts down below.