Why is it taking so long? It’s almost November 2024, and we still don’t have an announcement for the Spider-Man 4 release date. When will we get it? That’s what many Spidey fans out there must be asking themselves, especially if they’re aware of rumors claiming Sony and Marvel will start shooting the sequel next May, ahead of the rumored July 2026 theatrical release.
Rumors also say that Spider-Man 4 will shoot around the same time as Avengers: Doomsday with Tom Holland moving between the two pictures. Apparently, his Peter Parker might have a big role in Avengers 5.
Who better to answer those questions than Tom Holland himself? He detailed what he could of the current Spider-Man 4 creative process during a recent interview, saying he read a recent draft for the movie that “lit a fire” under him.
He also suggested there’s some sense of urgency for getting the movie going. At the same time, there are issues that need ironing out, and that might be what’s preventing Sony and Marvel from announcing the plans for Spider-Man 4.
Tom Holland has grown a lot; that much is clear from the interview. He refrained from spoiling anything big about Spider-Man 4 in the interview. Still, some minor spoilers might follow below.
Holland appeared on the Rich Roll Podcast, where he talked about all sorts of subjects, not just Spider-Man 4. He touched on his career and sobriety, but the MCU and Spidey could not be left out.
As you’ll see in the Spider-Man segment of the interview, the actor detailed his first contract with Sony and Marvel, potentially signaling one issue about Spider-Man 4:
When I signed my contract for [the first] Spider-Man, I signed a six-picture deal. I was 18 years old. I was more excited than I’d ever been about anything ever, and for the last 10 years I have been at the beck and call of Marvel and Sony, and proudly so. It’s been the best experience of my life. I’m now at a juncture where I can say ‘No,’ and now that I’ve been afforded that power I am struggling to figure out what is the right thing to do. It’s meant I’ve had to put my foot down in certain instances, which I haven’t been allowed to do in the past, and I think the learning curve that I’m on right now is dealing with that new sense of power—making sure that I don’t abuse it, but [also] making sure that I do the best thing for me rather than for the studio. And really, the best thing for the character. I don’t want to make another movie for the sake of making it.
You need to read (or listen to) that quote in its entirety to understand the message. The first contract seems to have been a blessing and a burden for a young actor. Holland is more mature now, and he has a different approach to doing things. In a way, this mimics the struggles of the MCU’s main Peter Parker. Spider-Man 4 will start a new chapter of his story, where we’ll explore his early adulthood.
As for Holland putting his foot down, that’s an exciting detail. This suggests that he might have some control over the creative process. That could benefit Spider-Man 4, as Tom Holland might help steer the ship in the right direction. There’s been a lot of talk about the Spider-Man 4 plot, with rumors saying Sony has big ambitions for it, as the studio is looking to match the success of Spider-Man: No Way Home.
That said, Holland does want to make another Spider-Man movie:
[The studio wants me to make another Spider-Man] and I want to make another one. I want to make many more, but I want to do it for the right reasons. I am navigating and figuring out what having that kind of power means and that responsibility. […]
I’m by no means complaining. It’s a wonderful place to be, but it is something that keeps me up at night, and I’m constantly thinking. ‘Is this the right thing to do? Am I gonna do justice to the character? Am I gonna do justice to the fans?’ I definitely don’t want to just make a movie for the sake of it because that’s not what Spider-Man represents… It’s going really well, though.
This might suggest Tom Holland’s contract isn’t necessarily a done deal. That might be another factor that prevents the studios from announcing the Spider-Man 4 release date, but I’m just speculating. A recent rumor did say that Sony and Marvel will ink a new deal for the character. Tom Holland would star in a new trilogy and appear in at least two crossovers, Doomsday and Secret Wars.
Holland also teased the tight calendar, saying they’re trying to get Spider-Man 4 going as soon as possible, as they’re “working pedal to the metal.” But there are moving pieces that need to come together for that to happen.
Holland also acknowledged the urgency of the project when looking at the bigger picture. Spider-Man 4 “is a small cog in a large machine, and that machine has got to keep running, and you need to make sure that you can fit into that timeline at the right time to benefit the bigger picture.”
That’s a challenge for Spider-Man 4: “The time in which we need to get that done is a tall order, but definitely achievable with the fantastic people we have working on it now.”
As for the Spider-Man 4 plot, the actor teased that the plot is heading in the right direction. He read a third draft of the script recently, and it’s “excellent:”
But my biggest thing is the creative. We have a creative and a pitch and a draft, which is excellent. It needs work, but the writers are doing a great job, and I read it three weeks ago, and it really lit a fire in me. Zendaya and I sat down and read it together, and we at times were like bouncing around the living room. Like this is a real movie worthy of the fans’ respect, but there [are] a few things we need to figure out before we can get that really going. But it’s exciting, and I’m really, really excited about it.
It sure looks like it’s a matter of time until Sony and Marvel can reveal the Spider-Man 4 release date. And I certainly hope Tom Holland really does put his foot down and makes sure the movie will be a great, fitting story for the character. Until then, you can watch the full interview below, with the Spider-Man 4 section happening around the 90-minute mark.
