New Spider-Man 4 villain rumors sparked speculation that could give fans a reason to even more eagerly anticipate the upcoming start of a new chapter for the Tom Holland version of the hero.

With the end of Holland's successful three-film Spider-Man run, which has been retroactively named the Home trilogy as a nod to the common thread in the naming of the films, the studios have a unique opportunity to implement a shift in the tone and scope of the character’s story. This indicated to fans that there were several possibilities for Holland's next Spider-Man film, and the discussion has been quite active online for ages, with comic book fans especially seeing a great chance to connect Spidey with a different sort of Marvel story.

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With Kevin Feige's confirmation that the Spider-Man 4 story was already set as of March 2023, the discussion shifted away from wild possibilities to anticipation of news from insiders, and it seems that a new rumor could be pointing fans in the right direction. Speaking on the 50th installment of the Cosmic Circle podcast focused on the Marvel Cinematic Universe Echo on Disney Plus, contributor Alex Perez outlined the MCU's alleged new focus and direction with several upcoming projects, stating that Marvel's criminal underground would be making itself known in a big way as the franchise turns away from multiversal adventures in favor of the grittier, street-level stories that characters like Echo, Daredevil, and Spider-Man are known for, making specific reference to the Devil's Reign comic book event that sees the Kingpin become Mayor of New York City. Importantly, Perez hints at insider information that Spider-Man 4 will see a comic book villain debut in live-action for the first time.

This comment sparked a lot of social media discussion around who could join the MCU as the Spider-Man 4 villain, including Perez himself, who insisted that fans listen to his podcast statement to narrow the field, which included Tombstone and Prowler as potential additions. However, on close inspection, Perez uses the term “hammer to nail” to describe the villain’s suitability to join the MCU. This led to the logical conclusion that it would be Hammerhead, a longtime foe of Spidey's. If true, this exciting new direction and debut for the fourth film might explain why Holland signed on for Spider-Man 4 despite previous apprehension. Perez also posits that the new villains introduced via Echo, Daredevil, and Spider-Man 4 will be rising to fill a power vacuum left by the Kingpin's move into a more public-facing role that will leave him incapable of seeing every aspect of his prior criminal empire.

This new rumor lines up with whispers of a Spider-Man/Daredevil team-up and the rumor that Spider-Man 4 may replace director Jon Watts with Drew Goddard, who previously worked on the Netflix Daredevil show that was recently accepted into the MCU fold alongside many other series that align well with the street-level direction discussed by Perez. While Echo could have certainly been better received, it serves as a fair litmus test for the MCU heading in that direction with some of its heroes, as the multiverse angle seems inexplicably tied to the growing superhero fatigue that both Marvel and DC studios have been toiling to reverse. If the string of recent failures at the box office is anything to go by, then a total tonal switch in line with the success of shows like Daredevil and Arrow might be just what the doctor ordered.

While the potential direction and debut of a vintage villain are worth getting excited for, Spider-Man 4 may be further away than fans would like, with the time lost to the writers' strike meaning the fourth entry might be slated for as late as 2026 to give a 5-year gap between films. Fans must wait to see how the MCU sets up the potential new direction leading up to the film’s release.

Spider-Man 4 is in development at Marvel Studios.

Spider-Man

Spider-Man is one of the biggest names in entertainment today. The superhero first appeared in the Marvel comic Amazing Fantasy #15 before becoming a leading figure in the Marvel comic-book universe.Spider-Man has also featured in numerous films and several video games, most notably Insomniac Games' Spider-Man (2018) and Spider-Man: Miles Morales.

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Source: Cosmic Circus