Credit: Marvel StudiosCan we expect Spider-Man 4 to explore themes of “family”?
Related: Marvel Looking to Leave America, Explore Captain Britain and UK Avengers
The tale of Peter Parker’s Spider-Man and the moral lesson of “great power comes great responsibility” is a saying almost universally recognized. Over time, numerous actors have assumed the iconic mantle of New York City’s Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man across multiple cinematic adaptations, drawing inspiration from the Marvel Comics created by superhero pioneers Stan Lee and Steve Ditko.
From Tobey Maguire’s portrayal in Sam Raimi’s 2002-2007 Spider-Man trilogy to Andrew Garfield’s interpretation in 2012’s The Amazing Spider-Man, the latest depiction of Peter Parker is embodied by Tom Holland, who made his debut in The Walt Disney Company’s Marvel Studios Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) with Captain America: Civil War (2016) and starred in Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017).
Related: Report: Disney Locked in Intense Battle With Sony Over ‘Spider-Man 4′
After the events depicted in the MCU’s Spider-Man: Far From Home and the transformative aftermath of Doctor Strange’s Multiverse-altering spell in Spider-Man: No Way Home, Tom Holland’s Peter Parker (and consequently, Spider-Man) has intentionally receded from the spotlight.
With the success of Sony Pictures Animation’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and its sequel Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, it appears that the owners of the Spider-Man intellectual property may be poised to extend the franchise’s horizons even more, potentially exploring new avenues without Tom Holland leading the web-slinger’s adventures in the MCU.
Now, it seems that the MCU’s Spider-Man 4 might see a rather fascinating twist — as the latest report from insiders reveal Sony’s top choice of director, and even the upcoming movie’s start date for filming.
Spider-Man 4 Coming Sooner Than You Think
While it’s not Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 4 — which actually might happen — this new movie still marks the first time that audiences have come close to getting a fourth film since the Tobey Maguire era of Spider-Man movies.
Hollywood insider Jeff Sneider via The InSneider recently revealed that the MCU’s Spider-Man 4 is allegedly set to start filming in September or October this year and that director Justin Lin, of the Fast & Furious franchise’s The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006) to Fast & Furious 6 (2013) and F9 (2021), as well as Star Trek Beyond (2016), is being eyed to lead the film.
News outlet Discussing Film shared the following post on X (formerly Twitter):
‘SPIDER-MAN 4’ is looking to begin filming in September or October.
Justin Lin was one of the names in the mix to direct the film.
(Source: https://theinsneider.com/p/euphoria-season-3-delay-zendaya-spider-man-4-scarlett-johansson-jurassic-world-movie-batman-2-shoot)
‘SPIDER-MAN 4’ is looking to begin filming in September or October.
Justin Lin was one of the names in the mix to direct the film.
(Source: https://t.co/5oZp5NitIW) pic.twitter.com/6d2XJ5Mfza
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) March 26, 2024
Marvel fans have been quick to respond, with users indicating surprise and confusion over this seemingly out-of-left-field directing choice:
@ResonantJustice: The Fast and Furious guy?!
(Image GIF of Steve Harvey saying “HUH”)
The Fast and Furious guy?! pic.twitter.com/JYU11CR7d2
— RJ (@ResonantJustice) March 26, 2024
@mjarbo: A Justin Lin directed Spider-Man movie would be….well FAST & FURIOUS
I mean, if he did it more like F5 and not F9…sure.
A Justin Lin directed Spider-Man movie would be….well FAST & FURIOUS
I mean, if he did it more like F5 and not F9…sure.
— Matt Jarbo (@mjarbo) March 26, 2024
This choice was one barely anyone pegged — especially seeing as Holland’s Spider-Man 4 appeared quite a ways away, in terms of the MCU timeline, and Holland’s previously stated “hiatus”. Following the reported tensions between Disney and Sony regarding the new Spider-Man movie, with Marvel President Kevin Feige reportedly fighting hard to use Spider-Man 4 to tell (and likely wrap up) the MCU’s growing “street-level” story.
The street-level team of heroes would find team leaders in Charlie Cox’s Daredevil/Matt Murdock, slated to return from his Netflix-era hiatus in Daredevil: Born Again, alongside Holland’s iconic webslinger. Fans will also reportedly see a live-action Miles Morales joining the fray.
The Wilson Fisk/Kingpin-centric (Vincent D’Onofrio) storyline being built in Hawkeye (2021) and Echo (2023) would see one of the street-level story threads culminate in the terrifying Kingpin’s run for Mayor of New York, with the street-level superheroes having to deal with an anti-vigilante Mayor Fisk. Fans even speculated that Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson/Captain America might even see plotlines converge in Captain America: Brave New World.
Now that the fourth Spider-Man movie is being pushed out much earlier than anticipated, the natural worry is that Marvel Studios are being pressured to push a new Spidey film out to meet Sony’s demands, in order to allow Sony Pictures to maintain the film rights to the Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. Will the quality of the new Spider-Man film (and the MCU’s larger, restructured and grounded storyline) suffer? Only time will tell.
What do you think about Spider-Man 4‘s reported start date for filming, and the choice of director Justin Lin? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!