Spider-Man is swinging back into action as Marvel and Sony gear up for the highly anticipated Spider-Man 4. Tom Holland is set to reprise his role as the web-slinger alongside Zendaya in what promises to be another thrilling installment in the Spider-Man franchise and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Following the massive success of Spider-Man: No Way Home, fans eagerly await news about Peter Parker’s next big-screen adventure. While details about the plot remain tightly under wraps, recent developments have sparked excitement among Spider-Man enthusiasts. Destin Daniel Cretton, known for his work on Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, is in early talks to direct the upcoming installment of the Spider-Man franchise. Cretton would be taking over from Jon Watts, who helmed the previous three Spider-Man films, bringing a fresh perspective to the franchise.
Multiple reports have also surfaced in the past few weeks stating that filming is scheduled to start sometime early next year, with Marvel and Sony aiming for a July 2026 release date. This corroborates what I previously mentioned in one of my Q&As. Additionally, there has been a lot of back and forth regarding the film’s overall plot. Whether the film would finally be the street-level story we would all be waiting for with the team of Spidey and Daredevil facing off against Kingpin, or if the film would be another multiversal adventure, given the success of Spider-Man: No Way Home.
Earlier today, a new Venom: The Last Dance trailer was released, revealing that Knull will be in this upcoming film. This sparked a lot of speculation, to which I took to social media X and fanned the flames by teasing that “The King in Black will be Back.” With all of this speculation and rumors running rampant, for this article, I’m going to break down “What I’ve Heard” about the upcoming Spider-Man 4 and shed some light on what this movie could be about.
What I’ve Heard: Let’s talk about Knull
In April 2024, I heard rumors about Knull’s appearance in Venom: The Last Dance. After doing some digging, I was able to confirm his appearance a few days later. At the time, the idea of introducing such a scary character like Knull instilled a degree of fear in me, which I expressed on social media, mainly because a character like Knull in a Venom movie like this could potentially be very limited to his comic counterpart. But further along, I learned that Knull’s role is not just a one-and-done.
There are further plans to bring back Knull in an upcoming project outside Venom: The Last Dance. The idea of Knull appearing in another project after the Venom threequel seemed interesting, and after speaking to multiple sources, some interesting information arose.
What I’ve Heard: Spidey’s street-level story turned multiversal rollercoaster
Initially, Marvel Studios wanted to develop a street-level story for this upcoming installment of Spider-Man, having him team up with Daredevil to take on Wilson Fisk following the events of Daredevil: Born Again. Multiple villains from Spider-Man’s lore were also in consideration for the plot of this film. New villains like the Maggia, Mister Negative, Spencer Smythe, as well as some old revamped villains such as MacDonald “Mac” Gargan as Scorpion, and even Aaron Davis as Prowler were being considered as a part of this movie. Marvel still intends to tell this story… but we may have to wait a bit longer. So, if the street-level story is being pushed back, what story would take its place?
Recently, I heard that the upcoming Spider-Man film might pit Tom Holland’s Spider-Man and Tom Hardy’s Venom together, with Venom: The Last Dance setting up the interaction. By the end of Venom: The Last Dance, we may see Eddie Brock cross over into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with some sources indicating that the recent reshoots in NYC for Venom: The Last Dance has to do with that, but that remains unconfirmed for now.
Not only that, but I’m hearing that the potential villain for this film would be Knull, who is seeking to enshroud the entire multiverse in his darkness following its discovery. It’s important to note that the Venom symbiote is currently in two different universes, the Sony-Verse and the MCU. This link may spark Knull to seek out Venom in 616 and be on a mission to engulf the multiverse in darkness.
Spider-Man: Homeworld?
The idea of Tom Holland’s Spider-Man and Tom Hardy’s Venom coming together would be an interesting dynamic for this upcoming film, and one that I’m sure many fans have wanted to see. While I’m sure, we’d finally have our Spidey vs. Venom showdown at the beginning of that movie, giving them a common enemy would give them a chance to not sacrifice any character arcs they have by making either an antagonist.
Also, Knull has some interesting origins deeply rooted within the Multiverse, so the idea could be plausible. Who knows? Maybe Knull lost his Necrosword in an incursion, and it slipped into 616 while he hid in the middle of two multiverses. The possibilities are interesting, and I’ll let you all know if any new developments arise.
What do you think of Knull’s appearance in the new Venom: The Last Dance trailer, or the potential storylines that could come as a result? Let us know on social media @mycosmiccircus!
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September Discord Q&A About Marvel Studios with Alex Perez – Part 2
