[Updated 08/03/2023]
Your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man has a lot to deal with, from petty criminals to super-villains to the pressures of being a high school student in New York City. Now there's one more thing he's got to do: Sustain an ever-larger network of movies held together by the idea of one of the greatest heroes to come out of Marvel Comics.
Sony is expanding Spider-Man's film footprint and exploring many characters associated with the webhead. Beginning with the partnership that led to SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING and SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME, Sony has developed movies featuring a wide variety of heroes and villains. We've seen blockbusters like VENOM and returned to the Oscar-winning animated SPIDER-VERSE.
So what’s next for Spider-Man and his amazing friends? Read on to find out, true believer!
Will Tom Holland Play Spider-Man Again?
After the rollicking success of SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME, Tom Holland is expected to play Spider-Man once again in SPIDER-MAN 4 (not the final title) though no official announcement has been made. He also reportedly has another appearance to make in a Marvel Studios movie, too, but while some speculation has targeted THE MARVELS as the likely venue for that, nothing is confirmed.
We do know that the fourth Spidey movie was in development when the writer's strike began in May 2023. When the strike ends we expect to hear more about further developments.
And Kevin Feige has laid out a Marvel road map that sets out the studio's major plan through the year 2027. There is no Spider-Man movie in that plan yet — but there are a few Marvel release dates that do not have a movie title attached yet. In other words, the next Spider-Man movie could still be announced for release before Marvel's current major saga ends with AVENGERS: SECRET WARS in 2027.
Further Exploration of the Spider-Verse
For many fans, SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE is the very best Spider-Man movie there is. (We're tempted to agree!) There’s so much energy and imagination in every second of screen time. The sequel, SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE, is just as good — only the serious cliffhanger ending keeps us from ranking it as highly as the first film.
The third movie in the series, BEYOND THE SPIDER-VERSE, is waiting for a release date as the dual writer and actor's strikes led to Sony shuffling release dates. (It was originally planned for Easter 2024.) There has also been buzz about an animated spin-off film called SPIDER-WOMEN that would focus on Gwen Stacy, Jessica Drew (aka Spider-Woman), and Cindy Moon (aka Silk). This project is being directed by Lauren Montgomery and written by Bek Smith but there is no firm release date for the movie.
Venom 3 and Kraven the Hunter
In 2022, Tom Hardy was working on the script for VENOM 3, which he is pulling together with writer Kelly Marcel. VENOM 3 has been set for July 12, 2024, with Kelly Marcel also directing. There's also word that Juno Temple and Chiwetel Ejiofor have big roles in the movie.
Venom isn’t the only villain or anti-hero coming to the big screen. J.C. Chandor, director of TRIPLE FRONTIER and A MOST VIOLENT YEAR, has already filmed KRAVEN THE HUNTER. Aaron Taylor-Johnson stars as Kraven, a hunter (you probably figured that out already) who targets Spider-Man and other characters in comics. The movie might change him up a bit, as tends to happen. Ariana DeBose, Christopher Abbott, Alessandro Nivola, Russell Crowe, Fred Hechinger, and Levi Miller are in the cast, too. You can read more about KRAVEN here. The movie comes out on August 30, 2024.
Madame Web Takes the Stage
One of the more interesting Spidey spinoff developments has been MADAME WEB. That's because her classic comic book incarnation is an elderly mutant woman with a neuromuscular disease who is hooked up to a life support system. She’s also a psychic who can "see into the spider world." But there's another version who is younger, and we expect the movie to create a hybrid of the two characters.
Dakota Johnson stars in MADAME WEB. Sydney Sweeney, Celeste O'Connor, Isabela Merced, Tahar Rahim, Emma Roberts, Mike Epps, and Adam Scott are also cast. The movie is scheduled for release on February 14, 2024.
Jackpot, Miles, and More
There are more possible movies, too: At one point JACKPOT was in development, based on a relatively recent character who was introduced into the comics in 2007. Jackpot is a superheroic agent who worked as a government spy in New York before selling her identity and costume to an enthusiastic young woman. Sony hired Marc Guggenheim, who also worked on ARROW, to write, but we don't know if this one remains in play.
Sony also hired Olivia Wilde to work on a new Spider-film with her BOOKSMART co-writer Katie Silberman. It’s unclear what character or characters they’ll be tackling or even if this one is still happening. We’re excited for any new Olivia Wilde, but we'll have to wait to see if she spins this web.
Donald Glover has been announced as the star of a movie that will focus on a character called Hypno Hustler. In the comics, he's a small-time Spidey villain who — hold on, this will be a big surprise — steals using hypnosis as his main technique. No one is announced to direct yet, and we don't have a release date. Myles Murphy, the son of Eddie Murphy, is writing the script.
Finally, at the premiere of ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE, producer Amy Pascal said that a live-action Miles Morales movie is in the works. We have no details about that film, however, and with the ongoing strike there's little chance that we'll learn any more details until a deal is made to put writers and actors back to work.
Want to know more about KRAVEN THE HUNTER?
All images courtesy of Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios.