Rumors of star Tom Holland closing in on a deal to return as Peter Parker have had fans patiently awaiting official word for a month. While nearly everyone believes that Disney and Sony want to and will reach a deal with Holland, whose Spider-Man last appeared nearly a year ago in Spider-Man: No Way Home, the lack of an announcement by Sony has fans on edge. Even though Marvel Studios One-Above-All Kevin Feige assured fans that a new project was in development and that the character would, alongside Daredevil, lead the street-level heroes of the MCU in the Multiverse Saga, nobody is counting chickens just yet. However, a new rumor has emerged and may give fans of Holland’s version of the character a bit of hope.
According to Twitter Cape Time Podcast host Tom Smith, a fourth Sony-Marvel Studios Spider-Man collaboration has been fast-tracked and could be in theaters by 2024.
The rumor, aligning with a previous rumor, has Spider-Man 4 going into production in the Summer of 2023 with Sony looking at releasing the film in the Summer of 2024. With Marvel Studios already having 2 films (Captain America: New World Order and Thunderbolts) on the slate for that Summer, some maneuvering of the slate might be necessary; however, both Sony and Marvel Studios are well aware of how important the character is to the overall health of both their wallets, so it would seem likely that the two studios would work something out. While 2024 is a busy year for Marvel Studios (the untitled Deadpool and Wolverine film and Blade are both set for 2024 releases), June, August and October are wide-open months and the reality is that whether it’s Spider-Man 4 or a Marvel Studios film that shifts dates, audiences will fill theaters regardless of when it releases.
Though a 2024 release date is anything but official at this point, Sony’s desire to get another Spider-Man film into theaters quickly is anything but surprising. Spider-Man: No Way Home was a major box office win for Sony, ultimately grossing nearly $2B for the company and showing major staying power over its theatrical run. For Marvel Studios, Holland’s new deal would get Spidey back in action for what would likely be a trio of MCU-set solo films and appearances in the upcoming Avengers films.
