WithMarvel’s Spider-Man 2dropping this fall,Across the Spider-Versetearing through the box office, and the third film coming next yet, it’s never been a better time to be a Spider-Man fan. Adding to the excitement is Sony’s recent confirmation of Kevin Feige’s claims that a fourth Tom Holland-led MCU Spider-Man movie is on the way.
The Home Trilogylaid some breadcrumbs, providing some indication of where the series may be headed. But with so many possible comic storylines to pull from, which way is the right way?
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Should Spider-Man 4 Focus on Miles Morales or the Symbiote?
WithAcross the Spider-Versedominating the box office and the hype around Insomniac Games’Marvel’s Spider-Man 2mounting higher and higher ahead of its October 20th release, “Miles Morales” is the name on every Spider-fan’s lips. Though the Afro-Latino, Brooklyn-born, teenage superhero’s buzz is higher now than ever, he’s been a hit with fans ever since his 2011 debut in Brian Michael Bendis’Ultimate Spider-Manseries upon which theSpider-Versefilms draw loose inspiration.
Miles' existence in the MCU was confirmed in 2017’sSpider-Man: Homecoming, the first entry in Holland’s first Spider-Man trilogy. In it, Holland’s Spider-Man tracks the sale of alien weapons to Aaron Davis, played by Donald Glover. After an incredibly awkward interrogation, Davis agrees to help Spider-Man because he has a “nephew” that lives in the neighborhood.
Fans of Miles Morales in any medium will know that Aaron Davis is Miles' Uncle, thesupervillain known as “The Prowler.“In case it wasn’t clear enough, a post-credits scene from that film sees Glover’s Davis call Miles and refer to him by name. Since then, fans have been speculating about the timing of the hero’s proper MCU debut.
After the events ofNo Way Home, Holland’s Spider-Man is all grown up, no longer the bright-eyed rookie hero trying to earn his stripes. Holland’s Spider-Man has had several mentors to learn from. Chief among them are Iron Man and Doctor Strange. By the time we see him again, he will presumably be poised to pay it forward and mentor a young hero. Especially a young Spider-Man.
While a Miles training arc would no doubt be a lot of fun, Holland’s Spider-Man still has a lot of stories to tell on his own. It took several films to mold him into the apartment-having,downtrodden, ever-broke Spider-Manthat fans have loved for so long. It would be odd then to relegate him to the mentor role rather than let him shine. One extremely popular and seemingly inevitable storyline that would allow him to do just that, is the Symbiote Arc.
After the masterpiece that wasNo Way Home,Sony and Marvel have a tall order to fill. Holland himself has suggested that though he would love to play Spider-Man for the rest of his life, if they can’t find a way to top the last film, perhaps the series should end while it’s ahead. Capitalizing on the current buzz around Miles Morales or leaning into fans' decades-long love of symbiotes and everything that comes with them are both viable options.
As if to highlight the choice between these two routes,Marvel’s Spider-Man 2sees Miles Morales and a symbiote-enhanced Peter Parker working side-by-side. Based on early imagery and trailers, Miles will presumably have to help his mentor rid himself of the symbiote’s influence, leading to the creation of Venom.
Sony Has Hinted at a Live-Action Miles Morales Movie
In a recent interview, Amy Pascal, film producer and studio exec behind all things Spider-Man at Sony, stated that both a fourth Tom Holland film and a live-action Miles Morales film were on the way. No doubt, afterSpider-Verse’ssuccess (and the lack thereof for any other Sony Spider-Project), Sony wants to capitalize on the world’s current obsession with Miles Morales.
Given the groundwork already laid and fans' clear desire for Spider-Man’s live-action adventures to remain in the MCU, it stands to reason that that’s exactly where a Miles movie would take place. The rights to Spider-Man still lie with Sony, and the current MCU films are the result of a one-of-a-kind deal between the two studios that hasn’t always stood on solid ground. Sony hasn’t been afraid to throw its weight around in the past, once threatening to pull Holland from the MCU in favor of their own maligned Spider-centric universe. While things seem to be running smoothly now, it’s entirely likely that Sony has made it a priority, and thus a priority of Marvel’s, that Miles join the MCU as soon as possible.
No Way Home Teased the Symbiote Storyline
2021’sNo Way Home, the third film inTom Holland’s first Spider-Man trilogy, saw Peter Parker wiped from the minds of the entire world. In one moment of selfless sacrifice, Peter lost everyone that ever cared for him, becoming nothing more to them than an anonymous face in the crowd. In doing so, he counteracted a runaway spell that was pulling anyone in the multiverse who knew Spider-Man’s secret identity into his native reality, the MCU.
One of these multiversal visitors, appearing in a brief post-credits scene, was Tom Hardy’s Venom. Hardy sits at a beachside bar somewhere overseas, talking with the bartender about the events of the MCU and declaring his intention to find Spider-Man until Doctor Strange’s spell sends him back to his home universe. Somehow, a smallpiece of the symbioteis left behind on the counter, and it moves just before the scene cuts.
TheNo Way Homescene was a continuation of one fromLet There Be Carnage, during which Eddie and Venom find themselves inexplicably transported to the MCU. That scene ended with them seeing Holland’s Spider-Man unmasked on TV by J. Jonah Jameson and Venom licking Peter Parker’s image on the screen. Put together, the meaning of the two scenes is crystal clear - the Symbiote Arc is coming to the MCU.
While these two directions - Miles' training vs. the Symbiote Arc - might seem at odds, the conflict a matter of timing, perhaps they don’t have to be. Holland’s Spider-Man deserves to be the star of his own show. Fans deserve Miles in the MCU. So why not give them both?
If the fourth Spider-Man is the beginning of another trilogy, to say nothing of Spider-Man’s presumed future appearances in other MCU franchises, then Marvel can afford to go slow. Let both the Symbiote Arc and a Miles training arc take place over the course of several films. Instead of Peter both gaining and removing the symbiote in a single film, like Sam Raimi’sSpider-Man 3, let him keep it a while as he did in the comics.
Simultaneously, Miles can be introduced in Spider-Man 4 as a regular kid (maybe attending Peter’s old high school). The two meet at some point, and Miles' admiration of the hero is established. The events of the first film could lay the groundwork for the creation of Miles' spider, and either in the second or third film, we could see the bite. MCU fans haven’t seen an onscreen spider bite yet, and giving the moment to Miles would feel special.
Over time, Peter’s dependence on the symbiote would become increasingly problematic, and Miles, powered or not, could help him break free of it. Essentially, the MCU could take inspiration from theInsomniac gameswith a twist. Either way, we know both Miles andVenomare coming. It’s only a matter of timing.
