MOVIE NEWS – The villain of Spider-Man 4 may have been revealed in a new rumour that sets the tone for Tom Holland’s next solo Spider-Man film in the MCU.

Rumours of a new Spider-Man 4 villain have sparked speculation that could give fans even more excitement for the upcoming new chapter of Tom Holland’s version of the hero.

With the end of Holland’s successful three-film Spider-Man series – retroactively dubbed the Home Trilogy in a nod to the common thread in the films’ titles – studios have a unique opportunity to make changes in the tone and scope of the character’s story.

This signalled to fans that there were several possibilities for Holland’s next Spider-Man film. The debate has been quite active on the Internet for a long time. Comic book fans especially see a chance to connect Spider-Man to a different kind of Marvel story.

After Kevin Feige confirmed that the Spider-Man 4 story is already set for March 2023, the discussion turned to waiting for news from insiders about the wild possibilities. It looks like a fresh rumour could be steering fans in the right direction. In episode 50 of the Cosmic Circle podcast, Marvel Cinematic Universe Echo, dedicated to the series on Disney Plus, contributor Alex Perez outlined the MCU’s alleged new focus and direction with several upcoming projects. He stated that Marvel’s criminal underworld would feature heavily as the franchise moves away from multiverse adventures in favour of grittier, street-level stories. Characters such as Echo, Daredevil, and Spider-Man are known, and he made a specific reference to the comic book event “Devil’s Reign”, in which the Kingpin becomes mayor of New York City.

Importantly, Perez also refers to insider information that Spider-Man 4 will be the first live-action debut of a comic book villain.

Who could be the mysterious main villain of Spider-Man 4?

This comment sparked much discussion on social media about who could join the MCU as a Spider-Man 4 villain. This included Perez himself, who insisted fans listen to his podcast statement to narrow down the field, which included Tombstone and Prowler as possible members. However, upon closer inspection, Perez uses the term “hammer to the nail” to describe the villain’s suitability to join the MCU. From this, he logically deduced that it would be Hammerhead, Spider-Man’s old enemy. If true, this exciting new direction and introduction in the fourth film could explain why Holland signed on for Spider-Man 4 despite earlier fears.

Perez also speculates that the new villains introduced through Echo, Daredevil, and Spider-Man 4 will rise to fill the power vacuum left by the Kingpin’s move into a public role, leaving him unable to take over his former criminal empire. to see all its aspects.

This new rumour chimes with whispers of a Spider-Man and Daredevil team-up. Also, there is a rumour that Spider-Man 4 director Jon Watts may be replaced by Drew Goddard. He previously worked on the Netflix series Daredevil, which was recently accepted into the MCU, among many other series. These all fit well with the street direction discussed by Perez. While Echo certainly could have been better received, it serves as a decent litmus test for where the MCU is going with some of its heroes. For the multiverse, the angle is inexplicably linked to growing superhero fatigue. Both Marvel and DC studios are trying to reverse the latter.

If recent box office failures are any indication, a complete tonal shift in line with the success of shows like Daredevil and Arrow might be just what the doctor ordered.

The potential direction and the debut of an old villain is something to be excited about. But Spider-Man 4 may be further away than fans would like. Because of the time lost due to the writer’s strike, the fourth part may be delayed until 2026. So there will be a 5-year break between films. Fans will have to wait and see how the MCU sets up the potential new direction before the movie emerges.

Source: Cosmic Circus, X

https://t.co/k8uLYwxNo0 pic.twitter.com/WVstUdkdol

— Alex P. (@AlexFromCC) January 19, 2024