In recent news, Daniel Richtman revealed through his exclusive Patreon that Sony and Marvel are currently at a crossroads when it comes to Spider-Man 4. Interestingly enough, we haven’t heard much about the fourth installment, and based on recent reports, it may be a while before the masked vigilante makes his return to the big screen. That’s because Kevin Feige and Sony have different ideas for Spider-Man 4.
Reportedly, Kevin Feige and Tom Holland are interested in taking the grounded approach for the fourth entry. Sony is thinking dollar signs based on Spider-Man: No Way Home‘s box success, as executives want to bring back Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield for the next installment. However, bringing back those two characters is a terrible idea.
Focusing On Peter Parker’s Personal Journey Is Necessary
What I liked about the ending of Spider-Man: No Way Home is that it forced Peter Parker to start from the beginning. Due to the effects of Doctor Strange’s spell, everyone has forgotten who Parker is, including his girlfriend and best friend. Telling a more grounded story will be a welcome change because No Way Home wasn’t, particularly about Holland. Sure, he was always the protagonist first and foremost, but the story was mainly the vehicle for the returns of Doc Ock and Green Goblin.
Seeing how Peter copes with the loss of Aunt May can be a gripping narrative that pulls Spider-Man into a direction we’ve never seen before. It’s the first time that the Tom Holland series has truly gotten personal with the character, and it’s a welcome deviation from another huge “end of the world” plot that seems apparent in most superhero films these days. Superhero films aren’t just about the good guy saving the world; it’s about painting the picture of the man (or woman) behind the costume and seeing how they adapt to big changes that happen within their world.
Logan is the best example of a perfect and grounded story that focuses on the decline of Wolverine. I don’t expect Spider-Man 4 to be that grim and dark, but the most exciting aspect is seeing Peter Parker’s journey following such a traumatic event.
Spider-Man: No Way Home Was Such A Huge Success Because It Was An Event Film
Seeing Holland, Garfield, and Maguire team together in one film was great! Spider-Man: No Way Home was far from perfect, but it was an amazing blockbuster that celebrated the live-action world of Spider-Man. That film also kicked off the entire multi-verse saga and since No Way Home, audiences have notably gotten tired of the multiverse angle. No Way Home worked because it was seen as a once-in-a-lifetime event.
Sony wanting to repeat that success diminishes what No Way Home did previously. There’s a demand to see Maguire and Garfield return, but audiences care more about their personal stories too. Garfield’s Parker saving MJ was one of the best moments of the film. It would be nice to see how he was able to move past the death of Gwen Stacy. It would also be great to see how Tobey Maguire‘s version is holding down his dimension 20 years later. Understandably, that likely won’t happen anytime soon as it would be too much Spider-Man at once.
However, trying to replicate No Way Home isn’t going to be the box office success that Sony hopes it to be. It won’t move Tom Holland’s version forward because he has to share the screen with other notable names again. Plus, it will feel tired and lazy to retread the same plot. Does that mean a new and original story can’t come from these three characters sharing a screen? No! As there are interesting directions you can go with a multiverse Spidey angle, but it simply feels too soon to go back to the greatest hits without properly developing how Tom Holland’s Peter Parker has been affected by the events of No Way Home.
This Feels Like A Lazy Cash Grab
The purpose of all films is to make money first and foremost. However, there are clear instances when a film is being milked for whatever it’s worth. Sony isn’t choosing what the best story is for Peter Parker. They simply want to repeat the huge financial success that No Way Home raked in. The thing is, Tom Holland’s Spider-Man is the most successful version financially. The lowest drawing film of this series is Homecoming, which still made an incredible $880 million worldwide.
Tom Holland’s Spider-Man is a draw, so there’s no need to desperately repeat the story beats of No Way Home. If Maguire and Garfield show up in Avengers: Secret Wars then great! Audiences are entertained by Holland’s version, so taking the grounded approach can not only be beneficial for the fourth film but the future of the MCU as well.
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