Several recent reports from Marvel insiders gave us reasons to worry about the Spider-Man 4 story. The highly anticipated sequel, which should open the next MCU Spider-Man trilogy and tie into Avengers: Secret Wars, was in danger because of Sony.
Not only did Sony want Spider-Man 4 in theaters as soon as possible, potentially disrupting the MCU Phase 5 and 6 schedule, but Sony wanted the sequel to be as big as No Way Home. Those reports hinted that Sony’s vision and schedule conflicted with Kevin Feige’s wishes for Spider-Man 4.
Now, the talks between the two studios seem to have settled down. If the latest reports are accurate, Feige might have won. As a result, Spider-Man 4 is progressing to production, though details about that are still scarce. Before I can tell you more, you should know that Spider-Man 4 plot spoilers might follow below.
Sony’s Spider-Man 4 plans
To quickly recap the earlier Spider-Man 4 whispers, I’ll remind you of two series of rumors. First, in January, we learned that Sony wanted Spider-Man 4 to be a multiverse movie. Sony reportedly wanted both Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield back.
I explained at the time why that was a bad idea. Basically, it would cheapen these cameos, particularly considering that the former Spider-Man variants should appear in Secret Wars. A more recent and very exciting Avengers 6 rumor said that Hugh Jackman tied his Secret Wars role to the return of Tobey Maguire and Robert Downey Jr.
A few weeks after that, another wave of Spider-Man 4 rumors concerned the film’s production and release date. Sony and Marvel were reportedly at odds about that, too. The former wanted Spider-Man 4 in theaters next year, while Kevin Feige & Co. had planned a 2026 release for the movie just before Avengers: The Kang Dynasty.
Each time, I reminded you that Sony doesn’t have a good track record at making good Sony Spider-Man Universe (SSU) stories of its own. The only exception is the Spider-Verse. The animated movies are easily the best Spider-Man adventures out there. They’re better than the MCU Spider-Man live-action movies, No Way Home included.
The best proof is Madame Web, which tanked at the box office earlier this year. Rumors say Sony is upset with Dakota Johnson’s public reactions to the movie. However, the real culprit is Sony, which is responsible for how that movie turned out.
I did criticize the MCU Spider-Man movies before, and each time, I essentially blamed Sony for the stories. However, the films worked in the grand scheme of things, the MCU, because of Marvel’s oversight.
What is Kevin Feige’s plan?
This brings me to a new detail from Daniel Richtman. The insider said on Patreon that Sony and Marvel have started to actively look for a director for Spider-Man 4. Richtman didn’t offer a timeline for the film’s production or a release date. But this seemed to imply that Kevin Feige might have won.
A few days ago, a different insider confirmed the Spider-Man 4 issues that appeared in those January and February leaks. Alex Perez said on Twitter that what’s out there seems to be accurate. He then speculated that Sony and Marvel are negotiating a middle ground where the Spider-Man 4 plot would feature both street-level and multiverse elements.
Moreover, Perez mentioned Sony’s desire to have the sequel in theaters next year. He also noted that such a schedule seems unlikely.
Richtman’s seemingly unimportant detail that Sony and Marvel are looking for a director for Spider-Man 4 is reassuring. It must mean the two parties have found that middle ground. That there’s a clear path for the Spider-Man 4 plot, as well as a release plan.
On that note, I will remind you of the more exciting Spider-Man 4 rumors of last year. They concern the street-level aspect of the story.
The early plot rumors
Daredevil (Charlie Cox) will apparently be in the movie, with Kingpin (Vincent D’Onofrio) playing the main villain. Spider-Man 4 would tie directly to the events in Echo and Daredevil: Born Again, according to those leaks. But it would also set the stage for Avengers stories to follow.
I will say that there’s room for the multiverse in Spider-Man 4. We are, after all, in the Multiverse Saga. Things are already in motion. But it would just be silly to have Garfield and Maguire in the movie. Or any of the villains from their Spider-Man universes.
Hopefully, Sony and Marvel will announce the Spider-Man 4 release date soon. And give the production enough time to make it a great MCU story.