Summary
Just like Batman, Superman, and Hulk, Spider-Man is one of the most popular superheroes to have been portrayed numerous times on film and/or television. Spider-Man is very likable because he’s a kid who not only worries about his duties as a hero, but also his complex relationship with his family, along with school, work, and his love life.
Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield, and Tom Holland have each taken on the role of Peter Parker/Spider-Man in big-budget live-action features, and animated films likeSpider-Man: Into The Spider-Versereinvented the character by depicting multiple versions of the superhero. After three solo films and a few MCU appearances, Holland’s Spider-Man is ready for a fourth film, but how will his story continue, and who will direct it?
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Jon Watts helmed the Spider-Man ‘Home’ Trilogy
Director Jon Watts helmed Holland’s initialSpider-Mantrilogy withHomecoming,Far From Home, andNo Way Home. In Sam Raimi’sSpider-Mantrilogy,Tobey Maguireportrayed a young man trying to learn the responsibilities of being a hero while balancing his own career. In Marc Webb’s twoAmazing Spider-Manfilms, Andrew Garfield went through a similar journey while also learning more about his late parents and how their work connects to the villains he battles in the present. Tom Holland’s Spider-Man started in the MCU alongside his mentor, Iron Man, inCaptain America: Civil Warbefore starring in his solo films and the last twoAvengersfilms (Infinity WarandEndgame).
Watts' Spider-Man films can be argued as the best because they poke a little more fun at the hero’s web-slinging powers, and there are lots of comedic moments between Parker and his classmates in school. Spider-Man’s relationship with Iron Man, Doctor Strange,Nick Fury, and other superheroes in the MCU is also more evident in Watts' trilogy and theAvengersmovies. Holland also makes his web-slinging hero quirky, nerdy, and funny, especially when easily defeating basic neighborhood villains. Holland’s Spidey may also be the most transformative, from a comical easygoing hero to a sentimental warrior who desperately tries to protect the people he cares about most from harm.
Spider-Man 4 will go in a totally new direction for the hero
After the events ofNo Way Homein which Peter loses his Aunt May, and MJ and Ned lose their recollection of him, Spider-Man is forced to continue his journey as a superhero alone. However, as the initial trilogy has shown, Peter has come a long way and gained more understanding and confidence about the meaning of heroism. Now that Peter has succeeded as a hero while also experiencing emotional losses (Aunt May and Tony Stark) and battling dominant villains (like Vulture and Mysterio), the web-slinger will likely be more independent for a certain period of time as he grows accustomed to operating on his own and learning more about his abilities.
After facing powerful high-techMCU villainswho operated on a large scale, were capable of destroying the world, and/or came from the multiverse,Spider-Man 4and future installments may seek to focus on Parker battling small-scale, street-level bad guys to focus more on Spider-Man’s battle in his own neighborhood. The next set of sequels for Holland may be inspired by previous Spidey films with Maguire and Garfield in terms of learning more about his family history and saving the citizens of New York from new enemies, while also coming up with new stories that correlate within the MCU.
While Holland will obviously return as Peter, it’s unclear which other familiar characters (if any) will come back. Zendaya’s MJ had great chemistry with Peter in the first three films, but since her memory of their relationship was lost at the end ofNo Way Home, her appearance in future films may be limited (unless their relationship slowly rekindles later on or continue as friends). It’s also uncertain if Ned will return, but considering his comedic bond with Peter resulted in some of the best moments in previous films, he may also appear to a certain extent. While Holland’s Spider-Man could go solo in the next film, he may collaborate with other MCU heroes from time to time, especially Doctor Strange and Nick Fury since they bonded well with the hero on previous missions.
Spider-Man 4 could benefit from a new director
Jon Watts could easily return to directSpider-Man 4and future sequels with Holland (especially considering the director’s ability to balance comedy, drama, and action in his initial Spidey trilogy). However, a new director may be sought after in order to take Holland’s Spider-Man on a new path (reminiscent of the way there have been different directors for theThorandDoctor Strangefeatures).Sam Raimi(who directed Tobey Maguire’sSpider-Mantrilogy and considered doing a fourth film with Maguire’s Spidey character) is a strong candidate to tackle an MCU Spider-Man feature with Holland. Raimi recently joined the MCU when he directedDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madnessand could combine horror and humor into Holland’sSpider-Man 4.
Jon Favreau (who portrays Happy Hogan in theIron ManandSpider-ManMCU films) could return to the director’s chair after helming the first twoIron Manfeatures and/or reprise his role as Happy, a character who grew close to Peter (even though his memory of him also faded at the end ofNo Way Home). The Russo brothers are also potential candidates since they introduced Holland’s Spider-Man inCivil War. In terms of a fresh face in the MCU,Guillermo del Torois a high-quality choice since he directedBlade IIand a couple ofHellboyfilms, with the opportunity to bring some innovative creatures and visual effects into the sequel.
Joe Johnson (who directedCaptain America: The First AvengerandJumanji) is another filmmaker with expertise in presenting major effects with upbeat action and adventure. WhileSpider-Man 4is still in the early planning stages, there are immense possibilities for where Holland’s superhero could go next, and which filmmakers can continue his journey of self-exploration.
