"Spider-Man: No Way Home" — Where Does The MCU Go From Here?
Sony and Marvel Studios have finally released Spider-Man: No Way Home, which sets up an interesting future for both the Spider-Man franchise and the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The future is looking bright for Peter Parker and the MCU, as there are so many things that audiences can likely expect to see real soon. And so, let's break down Spider-Man: No Way Home and what may now happen in the MCU.
WARNING: MAJOR ??SPOILERS?? AHEAD!!!
Spider-Man 4
No Way Home might've seemed like the end of Tom Holland's run as Spider-Man, but don't worry. Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige has confirmed that a fourth Spider-Man film is already in active development with Sony Pictures. Producer Amy Pascal has also gone back and forth in saying that Sony and Marvel are working on a new trilogy for the MCU's Spider-Man. Only time will tell how long Holland will be playing the webhead on-screen, but if history repeats itself, we may see this fourth film within two years.
Venom
Before Eddie Brock was whisked back to his universe in the mid-credits of No Way Home, he accidentally left behind a piece of the Venom symbiote. Since Brock intended to seek out Spider-Man right before he left, perhaps this symbiote spawn will be wired to look for him as well, resulting in Peter donning his iconic black suit in the upcoming sequel. And speaking of suits...
..New Suit, New Spidey
Peter's new, homemade suit marks a new chapter for him as a superhero. For a while, he relied on gadgets provided by Tony Stark, which has led to fans criticizing his character for being overshadowed by his relationship with Iron Man. In the comics, Spider-Man learned how to be a hero on his own, using what little resources he had to protect New York, making him one of the most relatable comic book heroes out there. Now that the world doesn't know Peter Parker's secret identity, he is free to fight crime on his own, and his new suit symbolizes him forging a new legacy for himself as the Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man.
A Darker Tone
No Way Home has shown Spider-Man go to some pretty dark places. With the Green Goblin murdering Aunt May and Peter brutally beating and almost killing the guy, this film shows that Holland's hero has the potential for some more gritty and heavy stories in the future. And if he does wear the Venom symbiote as a new suit, we may see the alien ooze drive Peter further into his dark side.
Another Venom
Since Tom Hardy's Eddie Brock wasn't in the MCU for long, it seems more likely that another character will act as the alien villain in this universe. Perhaps there will be a variant of Brock that will bond with the symbiote, becoming more like the villain that he initially was in the comics. Or perhaps another character in Peter's life, such as Flash Thompson, Ned Leeds, or maybe even Harry Osborn, will become Venom instead, presenting the villainous alien on the big screen in a whole new way.
Miles Morales
Miles was already hinted at with the existence of his uncle, Aaron Davis, who mentioned his nephew in Homecoming. Miles was also foreshadowed when Electro expressed his hope that there is a Black Spider-Man out there. Tom Holland has shared his desire to pass on the mantle as the web-slinger to someone else in the MCU, and with Morales's ever-rising popularity in recent years, it is most likely that the studio will have it passed down to him.
Black Cat
With Peter and MJ no longer dating, the former has opened the door to find new love in his life, which will most likely take the form of Felicia Hardy, a.k.a. the Black Cat. In the comics, she is a cat burglar that Spider-Man frequently encounters, and they have had an on-again-off-again "romance" for some time. Fans have already taken to social media to share their interest in seeing the Cat in the MCU, making this the perfect opportunity for the studio to introduce her.
Peter might be more open to having Hardy around, as she is more used to the kind of dangerous lifestyle that Spider-Man has than MJ. And since she was a big part of Spidey's life while he wore the black suit, the filmmakers might introduce her character while adapting the famous "Alien Costume Saga."
Daredevil
Audiences were delighted to see Charlie Cox's Daredevil appear as Peter's lawyer in No Way Home. With his existence now finally cemented in the MCU, fans may look forward to seeing The Man Without Fear reunite with Spider-Man in the future (despite him no longer knowing his true identity). They might even team up to battle the next guy on this list.
Spidey Battles Kingpin
Disney Plus's Hawkeye has heralded the long-awaited return of Vincent D'Onofrio's Kingpin. Though he has been mainly depicted as a villain of Daredevil's, fans of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse will know that the Kingpin of Crime is a fearsome foe of the webhead as well. With his character finally back in the MCU, audiences might see Kingpin appear as the main antagonist in the fourth Spider-Man film.
The Return of Andrew Garfield
Since Venom was never officially introduced in The Amazing Spider-Man franchise, there is still a chance that Hardy's Lethal Protector exists in the same universe as Andrew Garfield's web-slinger. Sony has been planning for a whole Spider-Man universe long before Venom was released, so Garfield's return as Peter Parker might be a "return to formula" for Sony after No Way Home. Audiences might even get to see the third Amazing Spider-Man film that never came to pass.
The Sinister Six
Sony has long desired to make a film about the Sinister Six, a collection of Spidey's greatest villains who teamed up against him. Though audiences didn't quite get them with the five villains in No Way Home, they still might see the true team hinted at in Spider-Man: Homecoming. At the end of this film, Vulture was seen talking with Michael Mando's Scorpion, who told him about a group of criminals who want to exact revenge on Spider-Man.
Though Vulture chose not to reveal Peter's identity to him after he saved his life, everyone in the MCU has now forgotten who Spider-Man really is. As a result, Vulture may now have no problem hunting Spider-Man down with Scorpion and his new allies. And since the same Vulture might appear in the upcoming film, Morbius, this team may include the Living Vampire as well.
The Multiverse
In the post-credits of No Way Home, audiences were treated with a preview of Doctor Strange's second film, which will see him explore the multiverse and the cosmic threat it poses. And with reports of multiple cameos being added into this film, and if the rumors are true, audiences might see the return of Fox's X-Men in the same way that Sony's past Spider-Men returned. Since the rise of the multiverse links back to Loki and Kang the Conqueror, audiences may see the Sorcerer Supreme encounter both of them as he tries to bring stability to his universe. And the invasion of extra-dimensional forces may lead to this next entry.
Knull
This eldritch god is the creator of the symbiotes in Marvel Comics, and Sony might have him battle both Tom Hardy's Venom in their ever-expanding Spider-Man Universe. Though Tom Holland's character exists in a separate universe, Knull expressed his interest in conquering the entire multiverse after learning about its existence in the comics. Also, Tom Hardy's symbiote revealed his hive knowledge extends across universes at the end of his second film, so Knull might have knowledge of it as well. This could very well lead to an Avengers-level crossover between Spider-Man and all of Sony's upcoming characters in an adaptation of the "King in Black" saga.
Fantastic Four
In case you haven't heard, No Way Home director Jon Watts has signed up to direct the MCU's upcoming reboot of the Fantastic Four. Marvel's First Family might end up having their own crossover with the webhead, given their close comic-book relationship and the fact they played a central role in identifying Peter's black suit as a symbiote in the "Alien Costume Saga."
Will Peter Get Back Together With MJ?
Though Peter promised MJ that he would find her after Doctor Strange wiped the world's memory of him, he ultimately decided to keep her safe by not reminding her of who he is. Despite this, there is still a chance that the two of them will get back together in the future. And with Black Cat possibly starting a relationship with him, MJ's reappearance would present an interesting love triangle that represents Peter's struggle with being a normal guy and being Spider-Man.