The much-anticipated Spider-Man 4 is set to commence production early next year, featuring the return of Tom Holland as Peter Parker and Zendaya as MJ. Following recent developments within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, reports from The Hollywood Reporter confirm that Destin Daniel Cretton, known for directing Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, has been chosen to direct this fourth installment, taking over from John Watts.
Destin Daniel Cretton’s involvement comes after his 2021 MCU success with Shang-Chi. Initially slated to direct Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, Cretton’s plans shifted when Jonathan Majors, who portrayed Kang, was dismissed due to legal issues involving domestic violence. Consequently, Avengers: Kang Dynasty evolved into Avengers: Doomsday, with Robert Downey Jr. returning as Doomsday. Downey’s condition for his return was the involvement of Russo Brothers, directors of Iron Man and Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame. This project was announced at the San Diego Comic-Con and is scheduled for a 2026 release.
Now freed from his Avengers commitments, Cretton has been appointed to direct Spider-Man 4, with Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers continuing as screenwriters. The real-life couple Tom Holland and Zendaya will reprise their roles as Peter Parker and MJ, respectively. The movie will be co-produced by Marvel Studios, led by Kevin Feige, and Sony, headed by Amy Pascal.
The previous film, Spider-Man: No Way Home, released in 2021, concluded with the erasure of the world’s memory of Peter being Spider-Man. This also includes Zendaya’s character, MJ, who no longer remembers Peter. If their romance continues in the new film, it will likely need to be rekindled from scratch. It remains uncertain if Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield will return for the fourth installment. The film is expected to begin filming early next year, although the release date and its placement within MCU’s Phase 5 timeline are still unknown.
