Now that the story of Tom Holland"s Spider-Man 4 has been officially announced, I believe a Marvel Cinematic Universe theory will pan out. The MCU"s Spider-Man movies just had its biggest entry yet in the form of Spider-Man: No Way Home. It is tough to follow the movie, which united three generations of Spider-Men and grossed nearly $2 billion worldwide. However, Spider-Man is Marvel"s most popular hero, and Holland"s version of the character is beloved by fans, so his upcoming MCU movie should post strong numbers even if they are lower than No Way Home.
While not yet announced by Holland or Marvel, Peter Parker is expected to once again join a team movie in the form of 2026"s Avengers: Doomsday. As the film features Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom, Spider-Man will likely play a major role. Many have thought that the multiverse could be in play again for Spider-Man 4"s story due to that and the fact that the film is the only one announced to release between Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. However, I believe the revealed story of Spider-Man 4 points in a different direction.
Spider-Man 4 Will Erase Peter Parker Spider-Man: No Way Home Already Set Up That Story Close There have been many multiverse rumors regarding Spider-Man 4, which include possible returns of Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield"s Spider-Men, and more. However, it seems like Spider-Man 4"s story will connect to Spider-Man: No Way Home in another way, and I"m excited to see that happen. Spider-Man 4"s story was revealed by Amy Pascal, one of the key producers of live-action Spider-Man adaptations. According to Pascal, Tom Holland"s Spider-Man will have to deal with a dark story in his next solo movie. Spider-Man 4 follows Peter choosing to be Spider-Man and leaving Peter Parker behind. Check out the full quote below:
[indent] “We have to deal with the fact that he decided he was going to give up being Peter Parker, and he was gonna focus on being Spider-Man, because being Peter Parker was too hard. So that’s what the movie is about.”
[/indent] Related Spider-Man 4’s Revealed Story Makes The MJ Replacement I Want To See More Likely The story of Tom Holland"s Spider-Man 4 has been revealed, and it makes it easier for Zendaya"s MJ to be replaced as Peter Parker"s love interest.
Posts 4 Tom Holland"s character does so because it is too hard to be Peter Parker, which I find heartbreaking. This comes in connection to Spider-Man: No Way Home"s ending. I can see how Peter would come to that decision, as his last MCU appearance included Green Goblin killing Aunt May and Doctor Strange"s spell to save the world making everyone forget who Peter Parker is. Spider-Man: No Way Home"s ending was explained better by its script, which was released online. The final words in the script are: "Peter Parker is no more, but Spider-Man lives on." Spider-Man 4 follows that decision.
Spider-Man 4’s Story Leans More Toward A Street-Level Movie Than Multiversal It Fits The Direction Of The Spider-Man Franchise Close Based on how Spider-Man: No Way Home ended, it would make more sense for the next movie focused on the hero to be a street-level adventure rather than a multiversal one. However, the groundbreaking level of success of Tom Holland"s third Spider-Man movie has also to be taken into account. Spider-Man: No Way Home nearly broke the $2 billion barrier — it would have done so with a China release — making Avengers-level numbers. Due to that, Sony and Marvel could be tempted to include multiverse elements in Spider-Man 4, which I think is understandable.
However, Peter Parker letting go of his identity in Spider-Man 4 to focus solely on being Spider-Man is the kind of dark and intimate story that works perfectly for a street-level adventure. While I want to see more from Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield"s versions of Spider-Man, I think they should return in one or both of the multiverse Avengers films that are coming up, freeing Tom Holland"s Spider-Man 4 to be a gritty new chapter for Peter Parker"s story in the MCU. After a major multiverse event, going back to a contained and powerful street-level story would be refreshing.
Spider-Man 4 Needs To Be Street-Level After The Original MCU Trilogy It Is Time To Go Back To Basics With Spidey I love what we have seen of Tom Holland"s Spider-Man in the MCU, but I"m ready for the franchise to undergo a major shakeup. Spider-Man"s MCU story so far has been dependent on his connection to Robert Downey Jr."s Iron Man. Even after Tony Stark"s death, his legacy and Stark Tech still played important roles in Holland"s Spider-Man movies. With the multiversal plot of the next two Avengers movies set to have Holland and Downey opposite each other again on the big screen, I would rather see a street-level story that starts a new chapter for Peter in Spider-Man 4.
MCU Spider-Man Movies
Release Year
Spider-Man: Homecoming
2017
Spider-Man: Far From Home
2019
Spider-Man: No Way Home
2021
Spider-Man 4
2026
Spider-Man: No Way Home ended with the perfect setup for Spider-Man 4 to go back to basics with the character. Peter Parker is living alone in a small apartment, has no money, and has no access to Stark Tech. All of these elements could lead to a classic Spider-Man in the MCU, like many Marvel Comics stories. Following a new Spider-Man 4 cast report that includes Daredevil and symbiotes playing a role in the film, the MCU movie could still be a big event while not focusing on multiverse-ending stakes, which is what I want out of Spider-Man 4.
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Spider-Man 4 SuperheroActionAdventure Spider-Man 4 is the first sequel to the MCU"s Spider-Man trilogy starring Tom Holland as the titular wall-crawler. After wiping his identity for the public"s memory in Spider-Man: No Way Home, Peter Parker continues his crime-fighting adventures without the aid of Iron Man technology or the support of his former allies.
Release Date July 24, 2026 Franchise(s) Marvel Cinematic Universe , Spider-Man prequel(s) Spider-Man: Homecoming , Spider-Man: Far From Home , Spider-Man: No Way Home All Announced Upcoming MCU Movies Your changes have been saved

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Captain America: Brave New World
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Thunderbolts*
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Avengers: Secret Wars
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