“Spider-Man 4″ is happening. However, whether Tom Holland will don the spider costume once again is not yet certain. He has a condition for that.
The once infallible Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is currently navigating extremely challenging waters: Except for “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” the other two MCU films this year fell far below expectations. While “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” marked the beginning of MCU Phase 5 and brought Kang the Conqueror to the big screen, it garnered little interest.
Even worse, “The Marvels” seems to be on track to become the first solid flop in the MCU. At the moment, it stands at just 187 million US dollars in worldwide box office revenue (via Boxofficemojo), falling below its production costs of 275 million US dollars.
The troubles extend to Disney+ with the MCU series: While “Loki” Season 2 can be considered a success, “Secret Invasion” mercilessly failed with the audience. It’s noteworthy that this series is considered one of the works that should be seen for a better understanding of “The Marvels.” Clearly, Disney and Marvel Studios need a real blockbuster, a Marvel hit that reignites enthusiasm for comic films.
Such a film could be “Spider-Man 4.” The latest installment, “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” earned a staggering 1.92 billion US dollars, making it not only the third most successful MCU film but also the most successful standalone Marvel character film. Admittedly, Spider-Man appeared three times in this film, appealing to three generations of moviegoers with Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield, and Tom Holland.
Nevertheless, if any Marvel character can save the MCU, it’s Peter Parker, alias the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. This was impressively underscored this year with “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” which earned nearly double the box office revenue of its predecessor, “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.” We also discussed the possible future for Spidey in the video.
Tom Holland has apparently not signed on for “Spider-Man 4” yet. Marvel Studios and franchise producer Amy Pascal are likely making every effort to extend the contract with Tom Holland and secure his services for more films. If they had their way, probably for a new trilogy and additional appearances with the new Avengers. It would be enticing for the 27-year-old, transitioning from being the youngster in the group to one of the experienced members that others look up to.
However, Holland has not officially signed a follow-up contract. His previous one has already been fulfilled. In past interviews, he has emphasized the importance of discussing why they should even make another film. In a conversation with Collider, he reiterated this claim:
“I can only say that we have actively discussed what a fourth iteration of my character could look like. Whether we can find a way to do justice to the character is another matter. I feel very protected by Spider-Man. I consider myself fortunate to have worked on a franchise that improved with each film, that became more successful with each film, which I think is really rare. I want to protect that legacy. I won’t make another film just to make another film. It must be worthwhile for the character.”
This sounds as if a consensus has still not been reached, and therefore, no contract has been signed. Additionally, Holland recently expressed concerns about whether he should return as Spider-Man at all or perhaps pass the torch. Given the current developments in the genre, he will undoubtedly think twice about returning. After all, “Spider-Man: No Way Home” would be a very fitting conclusion.
