SPIDER-MAN 4: 10 Storylines Marvel Studios Could Adapt For The Wall-Crawler's Next MCU Trilogy

SPIDER-MAN 4: 10 Storylines Marvel Studios Could Adapt For The Wall-Crawler's Next MCU Trilogy

After Spider-Man: No Way Home upped the ante for the web-slinger's MCU adventures, it's hard to say where Peter Parker can go next. However, we have some amazing storyline ideas for the next trilogy...

Feature Opinion
By JoshWilding - May 23, 2022 12:05 PM EST
Filed Under: Spider-Man

Spider-Man: No Way Home was one of the most awe-inspiring, ambitious comic book movies ever made. A fourth chapter is in the early stages of development at Marvel Studios, but likely at least a few years away as star Tom Holland looks to take a break from suiting up as this webbed wonder. 

Trying to top what came before is one possibility, though we wouldn't be against Marvel Studios telling a story that's a little smaller in scale after Spidey teamed up with his Variants to save the Multiverse. 

We've rounded up all manner of classic Spider-Man stories for this feature; some might be familiar to you, while others are a tad more obscure. They're also all vastly different as just as many have world-ending consequences as those that would be a little more personal for Peter Parker after the sacrifices he made at the end of his last adventure. They're all spectacular in their own way, though!

To take a look through these storyline suggestions, all you guys need to do is hit the "Next" button!
 

10. The Coming Of The Scorpion

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This is long overdue. The inexperienced Spider-Man badly injured Mac Gargan in Homecoming, and a mid-credits scene revealed that the criminal was keen to take his revenge on the wall-crawler. Now, with J. Jonah Jameson determined to unmask Spidey and Gargan no doubt still keen to take his shot at the hero, Spider-Man 4 feels like the perfect place to bring them together on the big screen.

Just like in the pages of Amazing Spider-Man #20, Jameson should be responsible for transforming Gargan into The Scorpion in an effort to take the masked menace down. That would directly involve him in the story (the MCU's Jonah is definitely more antagonistic than his comic book counterpart), and the Spider-Slayers could even be thrown into the mix to really push the web-slinger to his limits.
 

9. The Master Planner Saga

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This three-issue storyline played out through Amazing Spider-Man #31 to #33, and saw Peter tasked with trying to take down the mysterious Master Planner. He also had to attempt to get a cure from the villain that would help his Aunt May, while this Stan Lee and Steve Ditko story featured the introduction of new supporting characters like Gwen Stacy and Harry Osborn. It was a big turning point for Spidey.

While The Master Planner being revealed as Doctor Octopus wouldn't work (and May is, of course, now dead), there are elements here that might be a good basis for Spider-Man 4. The Master Planner could be reinvented somehow, and while we've seen that iconic shot of a buried Spidey lifting all that fallen debris, there are plenty of other iconic moments here that could make it into the MCU.
 

8. Coming Home

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A storyline that quite appropriately has "Home" in the title, Kevin Feige actually wrote a foreword for "Coming Home" when it was released as a trade paperback. This modern classic by J. Michael Straczynski and John Romita Jr. saw Peter Parker meet a mysterious older man, Ezekiel Sims, who shared his spider powers and introduced a foe who was damn near unstoppable: the vampiric Morlun.

Watching this epic battle unfold on screen would be nothing short of astonishing, while exploring a mystical side to Peter's powers would make a refreshing change of pace for this franchise. If Marvel Studios isn't looking to head down that route, then Ezekiel could always be the creator of the spider that bit Peter, giving them the chance to finally explore the hero's origin story, albeit in an exciting way.
 

7. Back In Black

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There's a lot about this story that would need to be changed for the MCU, but the core elements of this popular story arc could make for one heckuva movie. After his identity is revealed to the world, Spider-Man's Aunt May is targeted by The Kingpin in an effort to make the wall-crawler pay for their many clashes over the years. With her shot and fighting for her life, Spidey goes on the warpath.

That involves donning his black costume again, and with a piece of the symbiote now in the MCU, May's death could send Peter down a similarly dark path that's only enhanced by a new alien costume. We'd actually like to see Mysterio take Wilson Fisk's place here, especially as he's the one who outed Spider-Man's identity and set that chain of events in motion. He did know a lot about the Multiverse...
 

6. The Hobgoblin Saga

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A whole host of villains have held the Hobgoblin mantle over the years, but it's become apparent that many fans would like to see Ned Leeds take on this role in the MCU. What many seem to forget is that Ned was framed by the actual Hobgoblin, Roderick Kingsley. With that in mind, we'd rather Marvel Studios head down the same route of Peter's friend being unmasked before the real deal appears.

This would be as simple as having Kingsley stumble across the Green Goblin's weapons cache (he seemed to have time to upgrade his gear) and decide to pick up where he left off. Needless to say, seeing another Goblin would push many of Spider-Man's buttons after his clash with Norman Osborn, and throwing Ned into the mix as a patsy could bring him and MJ back into Peter's life in a clever way.
 

5. Spider-Verse

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If Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures are looking to top Spider-Man: No Way Home, then this would be the way to do it. Avoiding similarities to the animated Spider-Verse franchise would be key, but another team up for the three live-action Peter Parkers would be welcomed by moviegoers. A few more Variants being added to the mix is a given, and once again embraces the idea of an expanding Multiverse.

We hate to repeat ourselves, but Mysterio returning once again makes perfect sense. He somehow knew that the MCU had been dubbed "Earth-616," and there's precedent in the comic books for the villain travelling between worlds. If Tom Holland's Spidey is just the latest in a long line of Spider-Men to have their lives ruined by Quentin Beck, an interdimensional team-up is the perfect next step.
 

4. Superior Spider-Man

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One of the most controversial Spider-Man stories of all time, there's an awful lot about Dan Slott's Superior Spider-Man run that should, without a shadow of a doubt, never make it into a movie. However, the concept of a villain taking over Peter Parker's body is a fun one, and would give Tom Holland the opportunity to deliver a very different performance as a Spidey we've never seen before. 

Who could be pulling the strings? That's a tough nut to crack. Doc Ock has been done (and redeemed), so perhaps this could be a parting gift from the Green Goblin? Alternatively, Spidey taking control of those arms could have resulted in him being infected with the same A.I. that sent Otto Octavius down a dark path? Regardless, we think there's fun to be had here even if it's just for half of a movie. 
 

3. Nothing Can Stop The Juggernaut!

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Playing out in Amazing Spider-Man #229 and #230, this action-packed tale saw the webbed wonder forced to leap into action against one of the X-Men's greatest foes to battle an unstoppable foe. With The Juggernaut on the warpath across New York City as he looked to kidnap Madame Web at the behest of Black Tom Cassidy, Spider-Man found himself taking on one of his toughest opponents yet.

This is more likely to make for an amazing extended action scene than the basis for an entire movie, but now Marvel Studios can use The Juggernaut, why not adapt this storyline for Spider-Man 4? To finally overcome the massive bad guy, Spidey had to trap him in concrete, resorting to inventive means to stop the unstoppable. This is a fun tale and one we'd love to see translated to live-action.
 

2. The Death Of Jean DeWolff

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Peter David's "The Death of Jean DeWolff" saw Spider-Man deal with a very human enemy in The Sin-Eater. A cop who goes off the deep end, this villain started gunning down those he felt had committed sinful acts and even killed one of the wall-crawler's closest allies in the NYPD, Jean DeWolff. Several people close to Peter are targeted and he eventually takes Sin-Eater down with Daredevil's help. 

However, the Man Without Fear has to stop Spidey from crossing a line he can't come back from and there's lots of interesting material to explore here. A deranged former cop going on a shooting spree might be too dark for the MCU, but there are ways to reinvent this story that works for the new street-level Spider-Man. Plus, we're never going to say "no" to Spidey teaming up with Matt Murdock!
 

1. Spider-Island

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When The Jackal and Spider-Queen take aim at Manhattan, the entire population was infected with spider-powers. Many succumbed and transformed into monstrous spiders, though plenty of familiar faces (as you can see above) gained amazing abilities akin to Peter Parker. This was a batsh*t crazy tale, and on we'd have a blast seeing this version of Spider-Man thrown into the midst of.

As well as some high-profile cameos, we'd expect to see Spidey forced to step up and protect his home from a threat not even The Avengers can counter. Along the way, characters like MJ and Ned could "suit up" and get in on the action, and unlike many of the darker stories we've mentioned here, this would be flat out fun from start to finish. If anyone can pull this one off, it's got to be Marvel Studios. 
 

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Moriakum
Moriakum - 5/23/2022, 12:04 PM
Coleco is about to have a meltdown reading that title!
Urubrodi
Urubrodi - 5/23/2022, 12:04 PM
The ideal one in my opinion would have been Kraven's Last Hunt, but it seems we won't be getting that anytime soon. Morlun is a good choice, but Black Cat is a must have in my opinion. No MJ or Ned in the next movie.
Reeds2Much
Reeds2Much - 5/23/2022, 12:39 PM
@Urubrodi - I wouldn't want it; Kraven's Last Hunt is a lot like Dark Phoenix in that it can't be adapted in a vacuum. It was (real time) decades of storytelling that can't just be summarized into a two hour popcorn flick. You need lots of set up (Years of Kraven trying and failing) to drive home the madness that grips him to the point that once he finally succeeds and kills himself it resonates with the audience.

That's why Dark Phoenix didn't work both times. They skipped the setup, and the audience had no real attachment to (either) Jean at the time.
bkmeijer1
bkmeijer1 - 5/23/2022, 6:06 PM
@Reeds2Much - I know I'm one of the few, but I do wanna see them try Dark Phoenix again. But only if they start setting it up from the very beginning.

Same with Spider-Man and Venom. I hope to see Spider-Man wear the black suit a movie before they're actually doing a movie with Venom.
ATrueHero1987
ATrueHero1987 - 5/23/2022, 12:09 PM
I say Scorpion or Kingpin/Tombstone. He should have the black suit and set up Venom for the next one. I know that's wishful thinking but the MCU can have its own version of Venom and of course, not give Venom a solo movie.
bkmeijer1
bkmeijer1 - 5/23/2022, 6:08 PM
@ATrueHero1987 - think that would be a good way to go.

Kingpin using Scorpion as his muscle could be what drives Spider-Man to draw on the darker side of the symbiote because he can't overpower them on his own. And only a movie later he realizes the pact he made and parts with the symbiote
SummersEssex
SummersEssex - 5/23/2022, 12:18 PM
Why do Sin-Eater when you could do Punisher with the same premise?
GhostDog
GhostDog - 5/23/2022, 12:19 PM
Scorpion should be your first and primary option. You've got Michael Mando, use him.

After that, I would love to see Smythe & the Spider slayers as well as Hobgoblin down the line.
soberchimera
soberchimera - 5/23/2022, 12:20 PM
A less-convoluted and more straightforward Clone Saga with Jackal as the main villain would be cool to see too.
IcePyke
IcePyke - 5/23/2022, 12:26 PM
Adapt this!!!

KWilly
KWilly - 5/23/2022, 12:32 PM
I definitely wanna see this guy in the next one. Especially since FEAST was introduced in NWH.

Manmarvel
Manmarvel - 5/23/2022, 1:07 PM
@KWilly - this would be lots of fun cenimaticly for sure.
marvel72
marvel72 - 5/23/2022, 12:37 PM
I would say Kraven Last Hunt,The Sinister Six, Venom, Gang War featuring Daredevil and The Hobgoblin Saga.

I guess Spider-Verse but I want loads of different Spider-Men not just 3,like No Way Home.
OmegaDaGrodd
OmegaDaGrodd - 5/23/2022, 12:37 PM
I'm really curious to know what angle they take these next ones in. They could go in pretty much any direction and the villains don't now need to have any connection to Peter Parker, which should change the way they decide to tell these stories.
tugboy
tugboy - 5/23/2022, 12:48 PM
ShimmyShimmyYA
ShimmyShimmyYA - 5/23/2022, 1:19 PM
Probably gonna do black suit , black cat (she’ll be his college fling / rebound from MJ. Also like him more in the black suit / corrupted Pete), doubt they do superior spider man maybe mcu Norman shows up with harry
grif
grif - 5/23/2022, 1:20 PM
please stop calling it spiderman 4
generictheeric
generictheeric - 5/23/2022, 6:31 PM
@grif - Mathematically, it'd be Spider-Man 7 anyway.
Reeds2Much
Reeds2Much - 5/23/2022, 1:24 PM
I have a sadistic desire for Harry Osborn to speak whatever the modern equivalent of '60s hip is if he's introduced.

Before the "BUT AKTSHULLY" people, that's Deadpool not Peter Parker.
UXASIS
UXASIS - 5/23/2022, 1:54 PM
I agree with all of them, except Master Planner, Juggernaut and Spider-Island (no need to have another amount of Spider-heroes when we have the Spider-Verse).

Instead of Juggernaut I want Spidey to fight an enraged Hulk.

And I don´t mean that kid-friendly version we have right now.
UXASIS
UXASIS - 5/23/2022, 1:58 PM
SM4 (2026): Kraven and Chameleon (with Black Cat)

SM5 (2029): Kingpin and (?) Puma / Bullseye (with acquiring the black suit and teaming-up with Daredevil)

SM6 (2032): Morlun and Sin-Eater

After that give Parker a rest and switch to Miles or Ben Reilly.
bkmeijer1
bkmeijer1 - 5/23/2022, 6:12 PM
@UXASIS - Puma is one of those characters I do wanna see. Just like Beetle and Boomerang, but I just don't see them have a place in the movies. Could be fun to see them in the animated show though
AC1
AC1 - 5/23/2022, 2:25 PM
The only way I'd be happy with Coming Home being adapted is if they delved into the multiverse again, this time taking a page out of Into the Spider-Verse's playbook and made Ezekiel an old Spider-Man from another world (maybe similar to Madame Web seeing as Sony are doing their own thing with her anyway meaning she's presumably unavailable to Marvel) and making Morlun a more cosmic/multiversal character rather than a magical one, with less emphasis on there being a supernatural or mystical side to Spider-Man and more of an emphasis on Spider-People being important across the multiverse.

Having said that, there are probably 100 other stories and villains worth adapting first, and a more grounded NYC Spidey movie would be a refreshing change of pace from the MCU trilogy and NWH in particular. What better way to follow up a multiversal Spidey epic than a back to basics, classic Spidey adventure?!
bkmeijer1
bkmeijer1 - 5/23/2022, 2:26 PM
There are some fun suggestions, but I think they should keep stuff like Master Planner and Sin-Eater for the animated show.

As for the movies, I think it would like to see:
- Spider-Man 4: Spider-Man and Daredevil taking on Kingpin (with Scorpion as muscle). And also introduces us to Black Cat/Felicia and Harry Osborn, and the black suit.
- Spider-Man 5: Kraven coming for Spider-Man, which leads to the symbiote leaving Peter and bonding to Harry (kinda like in Ultimate Spider-Man).
- Spider-Man 6: Spider-Man takes on the Sinister Six, with a native Ock as it's leader and having Vulture, Shocker, Mysterio, Scorpion and Hobgoblin as it's members.
cocaegelo
cocaegelo - 5/23/2022, 2:41 PM
I think that:
1 - Scorpion needs to pay off, It's a really good comic book character that can hold his own movie. They could easily use almost 100% of the comic origin story making JJJ recruit someone that wants to beat the Spider-Man and transforming him in Scorpion.

2 - Hobgoblin Saga with Roderick Kingsley would work. Make him Elon Musk with a costume trying to rob something and make Spider-man have a little bit of PTSD fighting another Goblin enemy.

3 - Spider-Island coud be a good team-up film. I just don't know how Marvel could pull this up with Sony still owning the rights of the characters. This is much more a wishful thinking about Spiderman and street level heroes teaming up. I really don't see this happening.

4 - The Death Of Jean DeWolff could be a great story to make a serious movie with big stakes. But at the same time I think it would undone what Peter #2 (Tobey) said to Peter #1 when he almost killed Green Goblin. I really like this story, I just don't think it would work in the place Spider-Man is now in the MCU.
Timerider84
Timerider84 - 5/23/2022, 3:55 PM
He's off to college, why not have him meet Bobby Drake (Iceman) and Angelica Jones (Firestar)

The end of this film, or a future sequel we get introduced to Professor Xavier

Fans would go crazy
Leviathan
Leviathan - 5/23/2022, 4:04 PM
Pretty sure they won’t be using any of these (yet). I read they’re going to use Mister Negative and the Inner Demons next. With F.E.A.S.T. already introduced it makes sense. Also I could see them bringing Shang-Chi into the story to keep the story connected to the MCU.
generictheeric
generictheeric - 5/23/2022, 6:24 PM
I vote for the Clone Saga, because Marvel Studios can only go up from the source material.
generictheeric
generictheeric - 5/23/2022, 6:29 PM
But honestly, I want some variation of the Six-Arm Saga. It's such a freaky visual and could be pretty interesting if paired with a villain like Kraven the Hunter.

QuiGonsGhost
QuiGonsGhost - 5/23/2022, 11:55 PM
Please no Spider-Verse or Spider-Island
George89
George89 - 5/24/2022, 1:10 AM
I'm pretty sure Peter will meet Johnny Storm in college in the next installment !
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