Drawing from the comics is typically the best route to go when speculating what could come next, as the movies typically always draw from them in one way or another. Thankfully, Pete has almost 63 years of stories to draw from. Not to mention, with how much the Marvel Cinematic Universe is opening up post-Avengers: Endgame, the possibilities feel endless. These comic book movies are perfect for Spider-Man 4, and Tom Holland and the MCU would surely do a brilliant job bringing them to life on the big screen.
Tombstone is one of the most underrated and overlooked Spider-Man villains out there. One of the best sagas to come out of Gerry Conway and Sal Buscema's The Spectacular Spider-Man (1976) run is the one that brings Tombstone to the forefront. The story outlines the hitman and eventual mob boss' clamorous history and his connection to fan-favorite Daily Bugle employee Robbie Robertson.
The story is also a great way to include Charlie Cox's Daredevil, as, in the second half of the story, Robbie Robertson is put on trial for the information he kept from authorities about his flawed family member. Sounds like the perfect use of the iconic Marvel lawyer. Fans have been practically begging Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures to include the blind hero in the fourth installment, so what better way to introduce both him and a newer, more grounded villain for the future of the Spider-Man franchise?
The Spectacular Spider-Man
Release Date March 8, 2008
Seasons 2
9 "The Death of Jean Dewolff"
Written by Peter David & Art by Rich Buckler
Image via Marvel Comics
After losing everyone in his life who knows he is Peter Parker, the Marvel Cinematic Universe Spider-Man franchise is going to need a new supporting cast. The likes of Police Captain Jean Dewolff and, as already mentioned, Daredevil are great contenders for new additions to the cast. Some of the most rewatchable scenes in Holland's first Spider-Man trilogy have to do with his inner conflict and anger. Spider-Man: No Way Home's final battle ends things on a somber note, so it may be time for a darker story for the Marvel Studios wall-crawler.
What made Jean Dewolff so interesting in the comics is that she was a dear friend and close to Spider-Man. So, when the villain Sin-Eater came into the picture and the two teamed-up to solve a good 'ol murder mystery, readers got to see Dewolff and Spidey's relationship develop before Sin-Eater eventually killed her. The murder led to a dark path for Spider-Man as he sought out Sin-Eater with the involvement of Daredevil. The anger seen within Holland's web-slinger when fighting the Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe) didn't just go away; emotions don't work like that. There's a lot of work to be done for Spider-Man mentally, and this is the perfect story to deal with it.
8 "Back in Black"
Written by Michael J. Straczynski & Peter David and Art by Ron Garney, Todd Nauck, Ron Cliquet and Colleen Doran
Image via Sony Pictures Releasing
One of the most tragic and memorable parts of Spider-Man: No Way Home was the death of Peter's beloved Aunt May (Marisa Tomei). Coincidentally enough, it has happened in comics before. After the events of the "Civil War," Aunt May was shot and hospitalized, putting Peter in a really negative place. Enraged, he decided to don the cloth black suit again to hunt down the man who put the hit out on Aunt May, who turns out to be the Kingpin (Vincent D'Onofrio), a character many would love to see in Spider-Man 4.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe could certainly adapt this storyline if they end up using the symbiote suit, like in Spider-Man 3. As mentioned,Peter's anger has definitely not gone away, and that spells a negative arc for him in the future. While he wouldn't have anyone to hunt down for her murder, the storyline could refocus on his lack of closure for her murder. With the Kingpin potentially entering the fold like in "Back in Black," an incredible story could be at play.
Release Date May 1, 2007
Runtime 139
WritersSam Raimi , Ivan Raimi , Alvin Sargent , Stan Lee , Steve Ditko
7 "The Punisher Strikes Twice!"
Written by Gerry Conway & Art by Ross Andru
Image via Netflix
General audiences may not know that the first ever appearance of the Punisher (Jon Bernthal) was in The Amazing Spider-Man #129 (1979). In the story, the Jackal hires a new hitman in town, the Punisher, to kill Spider-Man. The mercenary has been convinced that Spidey is simply a crook like every other hit he's been hired for. Eventually, he realizes he's been manipulated and vows to take revenge on the Jackal.
After the controversy surrounding the death of Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal), which was never resolved, it would make sense for the Punisher to seek out Spider-Man for killing the so-called "hero." Including The Punisher could be another great way to involve Daredevil. The Punisher is a lethal, relentless mercenary that could pose a great threat to Spider-Man and also an avenue to potentially introduce Kingpin. Moreover, Punisher and Spider-Man have a complex relationship in the comics, and it's high time fans got to see it in live-action.
The Punisher
Release Date November 17, 2017
Writers Gerry Conway
Seasons 2
6 "Gauntlet"
Written by Dan Slott & Art by Adam Kubert, Mark Morales and Dean White
Image via Sony Pictures Releasing
If Spider-Man: No Way Home proved anything, it's that with a good story, the Spider-Man movies can handle multiple villains. If Sony Pictures wanted to keep it up and bring in more villains, specifically Marvel Cinematic Versions of the multiversal villains featured in the third installment, then "Gauntlet" is the perfect story.
All of Spider-Man's greatest villains come to play in "Gauntlet." It's a true test of the wall-crawler's tenacity and willpower and a great way to make life even worse for Peter after the events of his last outing. If Marvel Studios wanted to bring in the likes of Electro, Rhino, and other famous members of Spidey's rogues gallery, this story would be a great way to do so.
5 "Origin of the Hobgoblin"
Written by Roger Stern, Tom DeFalco and Bill Mantlo & Art by John Romita Jr.
Image via Sony Pictures Television
Ever since Ned Leeds (Jacob Batalon) was introduced in Spider-Man: Homecoming, fans have speculated that one day, he could become the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Hobgoblin. Ned Leeds, for context, was framed to be the Hobgoblin, and many believed it for years before it was revealed to be Rodrick Kingsley. Whether they decide to frame Peter's old friend, make him genuinely evil, or introduce Kingsley, the Hobgoblin could be the best way to keep Peter's old supporting cast in the story.
The character of the Hobgoblin is also a great way to continue Spider-Man's emotional journey from the end of the previous outing. The rage Peter felt towards the Green Goblin would certainly return with the appearance of the Hobgoblin, offering a great avenue for the young hero to deal with his feelings and allowing Holland to flex his acting muscles.
Release Date July 7, 2017
Runtime 133 minutes
4 The Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #1
Written by Stan Lee & Art by Steve Ditko and Sol Brodsky
Image via Marvel Studios
After his first appearance in Amazing Fantasy (1962) #15, Spider-Man debuted in his first solo outing just one year later in The Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #1. The issue features the newborn wall-crawler facing the Chameleon and paying a visit to the Fantastic Four in hopes of getting a job in their team, not realizing the position isn't paid.
One of the best relationships in the Marvel Comics universe is between Marvel's First Family and the Amazing Spider-Man; indeed, Spidey's friendship with Johnny Storm is among the most popular in the medium. Their bond is a beautiful one, and if The Fantastic Four enter the modern day by the time Spider-Man 4 is out, it would be great to give Spidey a new family, especially now that he's effectively an orphan.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025)
Release Date July 25, 2025
Director Matt Shakman
Writers Josh Friedman , Jeff Kaplan , Ian Springer
3 "Ultimate Venom"
Written by Brian Michael Bendis & Art by Mark Bagley
Image via Sony Pictures Releasing
While many consider the main Marvel Comics continuity adaption of the Venom story to be better, the Ultimate Universe did something that the mainline universe didn't: connect Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) to Peter Parker's childhood. Within the Ultimate universe, the Venom symbiote was created by Peter and Eddie's fathers as a potential cure for cancer. Peter didn't discover this until his life as Spider-Man and found home videos of him playing with Eddie as a kid.
If the Marvel Cinematic Universe wanted to introduce their version of Venom rather than Tom Hardy's (especially now that his franchise is seemingly over with Venom: The Last Dance), the Ultimate route is the way to go. Not much is known about Peter Parker's childhood — in fact, not much is known about his life before Captain America: Civil War, so going the Ultimate route would be a great way to explore the hero's past and add more layers to his character. Plus, many are probably dying to see an actual fight between Venom and Spider-Man after years of will-they-won't-they tip-toeing.
Release Date October 25, 2024
Director Kelly Marcel
Runtime 110 Mins
2 "The Master Planner Saga"
Written by Stan Lee & Art by Steve Ditko
Image via Marvel Comics
"The Master Planner Saga" is known as one of Stan Lee and Steve Ditko's best stories during their tenure on The Amazing Spider-Man (1963). This story introduced Peter going to Empire State University and brought Gwen Stacy into the mix. With Peter now out of high school, it's time for him to pursue college, opening a new chapter in his life. The MCU doesn't necessarily need to introduce Gwen, but adapting this storyline would be a perfect avenue to bring new characters into Peter Parker's civilian life.
It also features the likes of Kraven the Hunter and J. Jonah Jameson (J.K. Simmons) as villains, which would both make for great potential antagonists for Spider-Man's next Marvel Cinematic Universe outing. "The Master Planner Saga" is one of the pinnacle moments in The Amazing Spider-M an run and worth considering for Holland's next film.
1 "Gang War"
Written by Tom DeFalco and Jim Owsley & Art by Ron Frenz and Brett Breeding
Image via Sony Pictures Entertainment
The "Gang War" storyline was a great time for the Spider-Man books. The villains of New York go into an all-out war as they fight for control of the city. This violent conflict brings all of New York's criminal underworld out from the depths, and it is up to Spider-Man and the other Marvel street-level heroes to put a stop to it once and for all.
This epic and large-scale storyline would be a great way to implement Kingpin and Daredevil into the mix and bring back other past underappreciated Marvel characters from previous films, like Aaron Davis, AKA Prowler (Donald Glover) and Mac Garga, AKA Scorpion (Michael Mando). They could also use the opportunity to introduce new characters from that world, like Hammerhead. Now that Peter is all alone and going more street-level, "Gang War" would be absolutely perfect.
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