Following the footsteps of Tom Holland as Peter Parker, MCU’s Spider-Man trilogy is easily one of the studio’s most successful movie series in recent years. All three movies are well-received by both fans and critics and bring the British actor’s reputation to a new level. To continue the trilogy’s success, the fourth part of the franchise is currently under production, according to Sony producer Amy Pascal. However, due to the 2023 WGA strike, the project has come to a temporary halt, with no further information about when it will resume. However, both Pascal and Tom Holland himself have assured fans that the development “is going smoothly”.
There is no official information about the casting choices or the general story of Spider-man 4 just yet, so theories and speculations have been spreading like wildfire on the internet for a while. While the trilogy was a success, many important characters from both the comics and previous movies are still missing from the films, and fans expect Marvel to finally introduce these characters in Spider-Man 4. Let’s take a look at 6 iconic Spider-Man characters that fans want to see the most, and see what role can they possibly play in the next Web-Slinger sequel.
#1. Uncle Ben.
Source: Sony Pictures Entertainment
When we talk about Spider-Man, we talk about his tragic backstory, and Uncle Ben’s death is always the first thing that comes to mind. Seeing his passing both in the comics and on the big screen always breaks our hearts. However, Marvel broke this trend by completely removing the emotional scene from the MCU.
Of course, it was a good move by the studio, as we’ve already seen Uncle Ben's demise twice in movies, so it’s better to focus on something else. However, bringing Peter’s beloved uncle and mentor back as a flashback in Spider-Man 4 could do wonders, as we can get to learn more about his past, his upbringing and motivations. Some wholesome family interactions between Ben and Aunt May are also needed, as Peter also lost her aunt in No Way Home to the hand of Green Goblin.
#2. Harry Osborn.
Source: Sony Pictures Entertainment
In the MCU, Peter has a brand-new best friend, the energetic and awkward Ned Leeds who also has a knack for magic. However, at the end of Spider-Man: No Way Home, Peter’s existence has been wiped out from everyone’s mind, including Ned, so that the balance of the Multiverse can be restored. Now, all alone, maybe it’s time for Peter to either reconnect with Ned and MJ, or simply find a new best friend. And this is where Harry steps into the scene.
In both comics and movies, Harry, son of Norman Osborn, is Peter’s childhood bud who turns into his enemy afterward by taking the Green Goblin mantle. In the MCU, while the two haven’t met yet, a similar scenario could happen, with Harry befriending Peter at the start, and then the two fight the final battle as arch-nemesis. Fighting against his best friend would be a good way to conclude Tom Holland’s Peter story before heading in for Avengers: Secret Wars.
#3. Gwen Stacy.
Source: Sony Pictures Entertainment
One of Peter’s main love interests in both comics and movies, Gwen is a fan-favorite character in previous Spider-Man titles with Bryce Howard Dallas and Emma Stone’s performances. Holland’s Peter Parker used to have Michelle Jones as his girlfriend in the past, however, due to Doctor Strange’s spell, MJ has completely forgotten about Peter’s existence, and the latter decides not to reconcile with her, worrying for her safety.
As Peter is single now, while it may be a bit hasty, Marvel has the perfect chance to bring Gwen Stacy into the MCU. Be it Peter’s new love or MJ’s rival, Gwen’s character can play a pivotal role in Peter’s new life as someone who can stay by his side, and it would be a huge opportunity wasted to not include her in the roster. Try not to drop her this time, Spidey!
#4. Deadpool.
Source: Sony Pictures Entertainment
While the Merc with a Mouth has little to do with Peter Parker’s storyline, his inclusion in Spider-Man 4 would be welcomed by most Spidey fans around the world. Ever since Marvel’s acquisition of the X-Men characters, fans have been yearning to see the two stars in the same movie. While Deadpool and Spider-Man’s ideals and morals are polar opposites, the interactions between the two most quippy heroes in Marvel Comics would be exhilarating to watch. Besides, the anti-hero can also serve as Peter’s new mentor, who’s completely different from Doctor Strange and Iron Man.
#5. Venom/Eddie Brock.
Source: Sony Pictures Entertainment
One of Spider-Man’s most iconic supervillains in the comic, Venom was brought to the big screen in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 3, but the threequel didn’t live up to the expectation. Fans would love the Symbiote to return in MCU Spider-Man 4 though, as Tom Holland’s black suit transformation is guaranteed to be an epic sequence.
Fans now have even more reason to believe that this scenario might come true, as Tom Hardy’s Eddie Brock was introduced in the mid-credit scene of Spider-Man: No Way Home, and even left behind a fraction of Symbiote in Earth-616 before returning to his original dimension. A final battle between Spider-Man and Venom could be the ultimate grand finale for MCU’s Wall-Crawler franchise.
#6. Miles Morales.
Source: Sony Pictures Entertainment
While no further confirmation has been made by Marvel and Sony, the upcoming Spider-Man 4 is rumored to be the last MCU solo title for Tom Holland, who’d want to find new challenges in his career. However, Spider-Man is such an iconic Marvel superhero, so his adventure is far from over on the big screen.
Therefore, the best outcome for Spider-Man 4 would be for Peter to have his own successor as the Web-Slinger. And no one is more deserving than Miles Morales to take on the mantle. As we all know, Sony has released two animated Spider-Verse movies surrounding Miles as the main character, and both of them are critically acclaimed by fans and critics. Also, according to Pascal, another Miles Morales live-action is currently in progress, so if this upcoming project turns out to be an MCU movie, we can expect to see Miles take on the Spider-Man title in the future, or even features in future Avengers events.
Source: Insomniac Games
Moreover, Insomniac’s Spider-Man video game also sees Peter being a mentor p to Miles, training him to be the next friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, which would be a great foreshadowing for what will happen in Spider-Man 4, even though the two series aren’t canonically related.
Which character do you want to see in Spider-Man 4? Will Miles Morales be the next Spidey? Share your opinions in the comment.