The fourth installment of the Spider-Man franchise stars Tom Holland, who is set to reprise his role as Peter Parker/Spider-Man after returning just a few months prior in Avengers: Doomsday. Destin Daniel Cretton (Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings) will direct the upcoming sequel, stepping in for Jon Watts, the previous director of the first Spider-Man trilogy. Zendaya is also expected to appear, reprising her role as Peter’s former partner, MJ. The film is set to arrive on July 24th, 2026.
Spider-Man 4 has been the center of a heated debate over the last few months as rumors regarding the film have started to stir up the fanbase about the possible story. Many, myself included, originally expected that the next installment would feature Spider-Man teaming up with Charlie Cox’s Daredevil against Vincent D’Onofrio’s Kingpin in a continuation of the Daredevil: Born Again storyline.
However, new information I reported in a more updated What I Heard article from a few months ago said that the next Spider-Man film would once again be a multiversal adventure, this time with Tom Hardy’s Eddie Brock, whose story seemingly “ended” at the end of Venom: The Last Dance. Of course, this has put fans in a heavy debate about which storyline could be the most correct, and chances are we won’t know for sure until much later. However, it looks as though Sony may have clued us in on the storyline for the upcoming Spider-Man 4 film—or at least which characters could be involved.
Sony Pictures’s Japan Division teases a Spider-Man and Venom meetup for Spider-Man 4
On November 8th, 2024, Sony Pictures Japan issued a press release announcing the excitement for the next installment of the Spider-Man franchise. The release provided some general information about the film’s production, release date, and director. But it’s the second headline that makes this release all the more interesting.
When translating the release, the headline reads: “Tom Holland, who plays Peter (Parker), has already given his stamp of approval to the story! “This will be a real movie that fans can respect!” Is Tom Hardy, who plays Eddie in the “Venom” series, ready to take part?”
This is the first clue regarding Tom Hardy’s possible involvement in Spider-Man 4, but the release goes on, “Although it is the last film in the series, he (Tom Hardy) said, “In fact, I should not say goodbye to Venom, but welcome to the final stage (The Last Dance). Venom’s story is not over yet. He still has a lot to do,” leaving the possibility of future depictions.
When asked about the crossover with Spider-Man, which fans are most interested in, he praised “Tom Holland is the best Spider-Man” and showed his enthusiasm, saying, “I would like to work with him. If someone needs me, I’d be happy to participate.”
Will they or won’t they? Playing devil’s advocate…
Now, of course, one could play devil’s advocate and say that this article is purely coincidental and trying to promote Venom: The Last Dance by attaching it to a press release about Spider-Man 4, but this is not the first time an international Sony branch has let a film’s secret slip before. During the days of the promotion for Spider-Man: No Way Home, when the “will they, won’t they” characters of that time were Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield, their appearances were teased by international Sony markets like Sony Mexico and Sony Brazil months before the film’s release, stirring up the pot but hinting at a rumor that eventually came true.
We are likely seeing a similar scenario play out here. Time will tell whether or not Tom Holland and Tom Hardy will team up for the next Spider-Man installment, and let’s hope the announcement comes sooner rather than later!
November Discord Q&A Part 4: Marvel Studios’ Thunderbolts*, Wonder Man Young Avengers & More
