It’s been confirmed that Tom Holland will make his return to the MCU. It’s no news that Spider-Man: No Way Home made a huge splash at the box office. But the actor’s future was uncertain despite the cliffhanger. There was always going to be another Spider-Man film. The brand is too hot for Sony and Marvel to let it sit and cool down. There are no ironed-out details on Spider-Man 4, though No Way Home did give a strong idea of where the film is going in the sequel.
As great as the recent trilogy has been, there have been some cracks in the series. Fresh off a $1.9 billion film, Spider-Man 4 has some pretty big shoes to fill following such an impressive feat. If the franchise wants to continue evolving with audiences, then there are several mistakes the fourth installment should prevent.
1. They Shouldn’t Do Another Multiverse Story
The multiverse story was fun. It was great seeing the return of Green Goblin, Doc Ock, Andrew Garfield, and Tobey McGuire reprising their iconic Spidey rolls. However, that chapter of Spider-Man is done. That isn’t to say that those characters should never return. But it will feel like an obvious cash grab if Sony and Marvel try to rekindle the nostalgia factor. There’s still an interesting and personal story to tell about Holland’s Peter Parker, especially since he lost everything in the recent film.
Multiverse stories tend to explore “What if” scenarios based on their prime characters. Spider-Man: No Way Home was that to an extent. But Holland’s Spider-Man was no different after the multiverse factored in. Spider-Man 4 needs to focus on the effects that Holland suffers from opening the multiverse. That includes Aunt May’s death, among other things.
There are endless possibilities for the way his story could unravel. However, the focus should be on Peter Parker himself, not the chaos surrounding his circumstances. Of course, a villain is always necessary for a superhero film. However, it’s important that the antagonist gels with Peter Parker’s original story.
2. Oversaturate The Story With Too Many Villains
While it was a joy to see Doc Ock, Green Goblin, and other past villains return, it also felt pointless. In fact, when it comes to Spider-Man films, too many villains equals a lackluster and problematic plot. This goes for Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 3, as Venom, Goblin Jr, and The Sandman clouded the story. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 had this issue seeing as Electro and Green Goblin didn’t mesh well with the overall arc.
Spider-Man is at his best when there’s an internal and external conflict. Spider-Man 2 is considered one of the best comic book adaptations because Peter struggles to balance life as a superhero. His external conflict is Doc Ock, who’s given time to develop as well. This equally proves that the villains need dimension as well.
That’s why villains like Doc Ock, Green Goblin, or Mysterio stand out. For the most part, the story allowed them to grow and develop into complex and intriguing characters. There was a tease that Vulture and Morbius would team up to take down Spider-Man. But, seeing as that film was a flop, there’s no telling if that’s still the plan. However, if it is, then hopefully, the duo gets a fully fleshed-out character arc that defines their purpose in the MCU.
3. Waste Time Rekindling The Relationship Between Peter Parker and MJ
The climax of Spider-Man: No Way Home saw Peter Parker revert to the period before he and MJ started dating. One of the arcs of Spider-Man 4 will see Peter trying to rekindle their relationship, and that’s fine. After all, there are ways of uniquely telling this story.
However, it shouldn’t dominate the plot if these two end up back together. MJ is a vital character in Peter Parker’s journey, but the comics have done more than just paired her up with the titular hero. It would be cool if The Resistance was in the fourth film. Another viable angle would be to make MJ an enemy instead of an ally. Either way, it’s pointless to spend too much time on the MJ/Peter love angle if the final result is them getting back together.
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