Following a recent rumor that Marvel Studios/Sony Pictures have been putting out the feelers for actors to play a villain and a new love interest for Tom Holland's Peter Parker in Spider-Man 4, we might be one step closer to finding out who will be stepping into the main antagonist role in the next solo Spidey movie.
According to Daniel Richtman, a "big actor" now has the offer to play the main villain in Spider-Man 4 (not the project's official title).
Unfortunately, we don't know the actor or the character, but a previous rumor has claimed that the movie will introduce a Spider-Man baddie we haven't seen in live-action before, which could narrow things down.
In related news, Deadline has confirmed that Zendaya will shoot Denis Villeneuve's Dune: Messiah adaptation before Spider-Man 4, which has led to speculation that the latter may not stick with its current July 24, 2026 release date. It is worth noting that Zendaya's MJ is only expected to have a minor part in the film, however.
The script for Spider-Man 4 is believed to have undergone a major overhaul, possibly due to differences of opinion between Holland and Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige,
After reported disagreements about the best way to proceed, we've heard that Feige and Sony Pictures' Tom Rothman had settled on a mostly grounded story with some Multiversal elements, though the movie was still being described as an "Avengers-level event" up until very recently.
Here's what Holland had to say about the fourth solo Spidey movie in a recent interview.
"We have the best in the business working toward whatever the story might be. But until we’ve cracked it, we have a legacy to protect. The third movie was so special in so many ways that we need to make sure we do the right thing."
It seems they are still trying to figure out what "the right thing" is, but it certainly sounds like a lot of different ideas have been considered. If every rumor was to be believed, Spider-Man 4 will see Holland, Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield's wall-crawlers join forces with Venom, Ghost Rider, Black Cat, Daredevil and The Punisher to face off against Mephisto, Vulture, Knull, and an army of Symbiotes.
The fact that the project is now on track to begin filming suggests that any issues have been ironed out.