Spider-Man: No Way Home grossed nearly $2 billion when it was released in 2021, bringing a close to the wall-crawler's most successful big screen franchise to date (which, understandably, Marvel Studios receives the lion's share of credit for in place of Sony Pictures).
Tom Holland has signed up to make his MCU return and while his next solo adventure is shrouded in secrecy, a few big rumours have done the rounds in recent months. Some claim to reveal which villains will take centre stage, while others reportedly reveal the characters we won't see join Spidey on Earth-616.
Then, there's what we know about when we'll get to sit down to watch Spider-Man 4 in theaters and the role Peter Parker will play in the next Avengers movies. And what does Sam Raimi have to do with it?! We're delving into all that and more today.
You can take a look through this spoiler-filled breakdown by clicking on the "Next" button below.
8. Scorpion Returns
Better Call Saul star Michael Mando played a relatively minor role in Spider-Man: Homecoming, though a run-in with the wall-crawler ultimately left him behind bars and eager for revenge.
We haven't seen him since, but rumour has it Mac Gargan will return in Spider-Man 4...as the Scorpion! That's all we know right now but if Marvel Studios follows the comic books, J. Jonah Jameson will likely play a crucial role in the supervillain's creation, all as part of his desire to expose Spidey's identity to the world and put an end to New York City's biggest "menace."
This does somewhat contradict very early claims about Spider-Man 4 revolving around Spidey and Daredevil teaming up to take down The Kingpin. However, the movie being a follow-up to Daredevil: Born Again was always unlikely, but seems even more doubtful now the Disney+ series is undergoing a creative overhaul.
7. It May Not Be The Only Spider-Man 4 In The Works
Thomas Haden Church first played Sandman in Spider-Man 3, a movie which ended up being Sam Raimi's final Marvel blockbuster until Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness rolled around. As for Church, he returned to the role in 2021's Spider-Man: No Way Home.
Earlier this year, the actor said, "There's always been some kind of...I've heard rumors...that Sam Raimi was going to do another [Spider-Man movie] with Tobey [Maguire]. [If] that happens, I would probably campaign to maybe at least do a cameo." If correct, that's quite a revelation.
Interestingly, several online scoopers have been dropping hints about Raimi's Spider-Man 4 becoming a reality in recent weeks, going so far as to suggest a certain MCU villain will be part of the project (we'll get to them soon). The question is, are these separate movies or the same one?
6. The Movie Is Likely Coming Later Than We'd Like
When Tom Holland was doing the rounds to promote Spider-Man: No Way Home and Uncharted, he repeatedly made it clear he wasn't signed up for any future Spider-Man movies and was mulling over whether it was the right time to leave the role behind.
Since then, we've learned that he's met with Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures and was on the precipice of signing on for Spider-Man 4 before the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes brought Hollywood to a halt. While both strikes have now ended, Spider-Man 4 was recently said to be eyeing a late 2024 production start, suggesting it won't swing into theaters until late 2025/early 2026 at the soonest.
That means there will have been at least a five-year gap between No Way Home and the untitled fourth instalment, but it gives the MCU's Peter Parker time to grow up and perhaps have even graduated college by the time we see him next.
5. Plans For Miles Morales
The animated Spider-Man franchise is expected to conclude with Beyond the Spider-Man, leaving the door open to Miles Morales making his long-awaited live-action debut. Rumours have swirled that we'll meet the character in Spider-Man 4, with the teenager likely living in the same apartment block as Peter.
Franchise producer Amy Pascal has previously said we'll eventually see a live-action Miles, though it was recently reported that there are plans in place for the popular web-slinger to appear in his own project.
What we don't know is whether that will be tied to Spider-Man 4 - past rumours have suggested it might be - or a standalone project which takes place in the same world as movies like Venom and Morbius. The latter option isn't remotely appealing and the best use of Miles on screen would surely be for him to eventually serve as Peter's successor in the MCU.
4. The Vulture Flies Again
The MCU's Peter Parker first squared off with Adrian Toomes/The Vulture in Spider-Man: Homecoming. The villain, who had a grudge against Iron Man, figured out Spidey's secret identity and pushed the wall-crawler to his limit before ultimately being defeated.
Now, it's said that Michael Keaton is being lined up to return as The Vulture in Spider-Man 4. When we last saw Toomes, he was behind bars and seemingly accepting of his fate. However, Mac Gargan seemed intent on forcing The Vulture to reveal who is beneath the hero's mask.
That may be moot after Doctor Strange's spell, but this suggests Marvel Studios will retcon The Vulture's bizarre appearance in Morbius. However, with rumblings Toomes is being lined up for Raimi's Spider-Man 4, what if we're getting a Multiversal team-up that leads directly into the next Avengers movies? That seems more likely than two versions of the web-slinger appearing in two separate Spider-Man 4 movies, anyway.
3. No Black Cat
Those of you hoping to see Black Cat in Spider-Man 4 are likely to be disappointed because it seems Sony Pictures has put its foot down and decided to do its own thing with Felicia Hardy.
She was going to be Silver & Black's lead alongside Silver Sable once upon a time but the project was scrapped and both characters were supposedly given their own solo projects. Unfortunately, we're guessing Black Cat is fated to be part of Venom and Morbius' world instead of Spider-Man's.
It's arguably a waste of Felicia's potential to relegate her to a world without Spidey where she'll almost certainly become just another generic anti-hero with no meaningful ties to Peter. Still, we'd be fine with the hero somehow rekindling his romance with MJ!
2. Spider-Man 4's Writers Revealed
Tom Holland has said he liked what he saw from the Spider-Man 4 script before the WGA strike meant work on it had to be halted, and it probably won't surprise you to learn that Spider-Man: Homecoming, Spider-Man: Far From Home, and Spider-Man: No Way Home writers Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers are said to be returning to the MCU for this next chapter.
Insiders have described their latest draft as "very good," though no details beyond that have been revealed given the secretive nature of the project.
In terms of Spider-Man 4's director, Jon Watts is expected to return to helm the action after taking a break from superheroes when he passed on Fantastic Four. After spending a few years in the Star Wars Galaxy with Skeleton Crew, though, he may feel refreshed and ready to tell more Spidey stories.
1. Spider-Man "Prime"
Spider-Man: No Way Home featured arguably the best use of the Multiverse concept since this latest Saga began, so perhaps we shouldn't be surprised that Tom Holland's web-slinger will be front and centre in The Kang Dynasty.
The actor is said to have signed a huge new "secret" deal with Marvel Studios to return as Spider-Man in both a fourth solo outing - released before one or both upcoming Avengers movies - and to serve as The Kang Dynasty's lead. In that, we'll learn Earth-616's Peter is the "Prime" Spider-Man.
Spidey has some Multiversal experience and his presence in the MCU could be explained as him being some sort of Nexus being who poses an unexpected threat to Kang. Tobey Maguire, meanwhile, is expected to return for Secret Wars and Andrew Garfield...well, his web-slinging future is sadly less clear.