In the last sequence of Spider-Man: No Way Home, fans witness Spider-Man in a fresh new red and blue costume swinging across the streets of New York, and as the screenplay states, “Peter Parker is no more, but Spider-Man lives on…”
The upcoming Spider-Man film will be a new beginning for the character, but who, where, and when this will take place is unknown.
Will Tom Holland reprise his role as Spider-Man?
Holland was notably noncommittal about reprising the role during publicity for No Way Home following the film’s release. Holland complimented the conclusion of his trilogy, saying, “part of me feels like it’s the right moment to leap off the building and swing off into the sunset.”
To his credit, Holland has played everyone’s favorite webhead in six distinct movies (seven if you consider Venom: Let There Be Carnage), and there’s a possibility he feels like he’s given it everything he’s got and wants to move on.
Holland, on the other hand, is infamous for shouting how much he enjoys portraying the character and even had a crucial part in reintroducing Peter Parker to the MCU. Following word leaked that Holland was departing the MCU after Far From Home, Holland allegedly phoned then-Disney CEO Bob Iger in an attempt to reintroduce Spider-Man.
When Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios agreed to another two-picture deal (one Spider-Man feature and one MCU film in which Holland would participate), it seemed like Spider-status Man’s in the series was secure.
Fast forward to Summer 2022, and there has been no official update on a Spider-Man 4 film; there has also been no word on whether the two companies have reached another character-sharing arrangement.
In reality, Holland is now an MCU veteran who has been in some of the franchise’s biggest films, is a rising cinematic star, and is likely looking for a hefty new deal. Sony CEO Tom Rothman said in May of this year that he intends to recoup the “whole group” with a fourth Holland-led picture.
“And although things are in motion for another Spidey trilogy starring Tom Holland, I don’t think he has officially signed a contract yet, so those plans remain unofficial for now,” The Ankler’s Jeff Sneider wrote earlier this summer. He went on to say that “additional Spidey adventures with Holland are a high goal for Rothman & Co…”
Sony decided to abandon Andrew Garfield and The Amazing Spider-Man franchise in order to bring the character into the MCU, and the results have been better than its executives could have imagined – two back-to-back billion-dollar grossing films and the discovery of star Tom Holland, who will lead future Uncharted films.
It would be astonishing if Holland did not re-sign for a multi-picture contract to portray Peter Parker for the foreseeable future. That being said, Marvel is going on with the remainder of their Multiverse Saga, so where does Spider-Man 4 fit in?
When Is Spider-Man 4 Coming Out?
During the San Diego Comic-Con, Marvel CCO Kevin Feige stepped on stage in Hall H and not only presented Phase 5 of the MCU, but also teased Phase 6 and the conclusion of the Multiverse Saga.
Despite the hype, Spider-Man was only mentioned briefly in a post-panel interview.
It’s vital to remember that, despite the absence of Spidey, this isn’t a significant cause for alarm. The MCU rapidly changed its plans when Sony and Disney renegotiated their new arrangement for No Way Home.
No Way Home was originally scheduled for July 16, 2021, then moved to November 5, 2021. This changed Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness from the same November date to March 25, 2022. Thor: Love and Thunder was also pushed back from February 18 to February 11, 2022.
Despite the fact that all of those new dates were pushed back, it demonstrated that Marvel Studios is prepared to make changes for a Spider-Man standalone film.
Option 1: Release Phase 5
Sony Pictures has been releasing Spider-Man films on time since 2012. Since then, Spider-Man has been on film at least every two years.
In recent memory, the Homecoming trilogy was completed in under five years. If the company maintains this pace, a new live-action Spider-Man picture would be released in late 2023.
Given the contractual constraints and the fact that the following picture would almost certainly kick off a new trilogy, that seems doubtful.
The following is the current MCU film schedule for Phase 5:
Despite the fact that the summer season is already packed, Sony Pictures may be aiming a Summer 2024 release date. This would take place around two and a half years after No Way Home and would return the character to a season in which he has often been freed. Since the 2002 original, Spider-Man has had three releases in May, one in June, three in July, and three in December (one).
This would necessitate another adjustment in release dates by Marvel and Disney, which has been the standard since the epidemic started in early 2020.
In theory, Spider-Man 4 may be released in mid-June 2024, with a potential push back from the Thunderbolts to August or September, completing Phase 5.
If Holland’s fourth Spider-Man picture hasn’t been released by then, he’ll be sent to Phase 6.
Option 2: Phase 6 release
The potential June 2024 release date would have a cascading impact on the start of Marvel’s sixth phase.
The following is the current MCU film schedule for Phase 6:
This may still work in theory. Films in Phase 4 Captain America: New World Order will be released on May 3, 2024, followed by (hypothetical) Spider-Man 4 on June 14, 2024, Thunderbolts on September 6, 2024, and Fantastic Four on November 8, 2024.
That’s one possibility, but what if Sony wants another December release date three years after No Way Home’s enormous success? Avatar 3 is scheduled to be released on December 20, 2024, however Sony may chose to release Spider-Man 4 two weeks early, on December 6, 2024. The MCU would most likely move Fantastic Four to October or September, or postpone it until the spring before The Kang Dynasty.
The Phase 6 timetable was mostly vacant, with eight open time periods for possible initiatives. Two of the timeslots were set aside for the summer of 2025, between the two Avengers films. July 2025 might be a big year for Spider-Man 4, riding the high of The Kang Dynasty and continuing the intrigue leading up to Secret Wars.
Similarly, Captain Marvel was released between Phase 3’s Avengers films and led into Endgame, and it made more over $1 billion despite receiving mixed reviews from critics and fans.
This might be another savvy bargain between Sony and Marvel, spanning the character’s storyline across Avengers flicks and a solo adventure, especially if Spidey plays a crucial part in either picture.
The last option is that a contract with Holland, a new trilogy’s direction, and an agreement between the two companies are much farther away than fans imagine.
Spider-Man 4 might be released in December 2025 as an epilogue to Phase 6 (similar to how Far From Home ended Phase 3). There isn’t a fresh Avatar juggernaut taking over the month this time, which may rocket the MCU into its next storyline.
As things stand, the options for when Spider-Man 4 will be revealed and launched are limitless. All indications are that Sony Pictures wants Holland to return to lead the next trilogy, and history suggests that Marvel Studios is prepared to adjust its plans to accommodate everyone’s Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man.
