Spider-Man 4 is officially in the works. Spider-Man: No Way Home was a massive hit for Marvel back in 2021, thanks to the multiverse appeal of seeing three different Spider-Men actors interact together on screen.
The film ended in a way that could have signaled the end of the MCU version, played by Tom Holland, but the whopping box office return suggested otherwise. Spidey was always going to come back, and now we know he is for sure. Spider-Man 4 has been confirmed by The Hollywood Reporter.
There are lots of variables that will carry over from the previous three Spider-Man films. Tom Holland and Zendaya are set to return as Spidey and MJ, while the script will be handled by Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers, the duo who have co-written every Holland installment to date.
Spider-Man 4 is officially happening at Marvel
The biggest change, however, will be in the director's chair. Spider-Man 4 will be directed by Destin Caniel Cretton. Not quite a household name, but he has already proven himself to be adept when it comes to juggling drama and sprawling MCU action. Cretton is probably best known for directing the MCU installment Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings in 2021.
The film performed decently at the box office, grossing $432 million on an estimated $150 million budget, but critics praised Cretton's eye for action, and his inventive staging. Spider-Man is a hero predicated on his fast reflexes and superhuman ability to navigate dangerous situations, so it will be exciting to see how Cretton stages Spidey action scenes in comparison to Watts.
We highly suggest delving into the rest of Destin Daniel Cretton's filmography in the lead up to the new Spider-Man film. Shang-Chi may have proven his talent for action staging, but his previous films prove that Cretton is just as talented as getting strong dramatic performances.
Cretton previously directed Shang-Chi
I Am Not a Hipster (2012) was an interesting debut, but Cretton really hit his directorial stride with the Short Term 12 the following year. The film was highly acclaimed by critics, and Cretton proved to have an uncanny eye for talent, casting future stars like Brie Larson, LaKeith Stanfield, Kaitlin Dever, and Rami Malek among countless others.
Larson has proven to be Cretton's muse, appearing in his subsequent films The Glass Castle (2017) and Just Mercy (2019). The latter is an another exemplary drama from the director, with strong turns from a host of, ironically, MCU actors like Larson, Michael B. Jordan and Jamie Foxx (who appeared in the last Spider-Man film).
Destin Daniel Cretton is one of many directors who are splitting the difference between smaller, dramatic fare, and blockbuster superhero fare. We're excited to see what he does with the Spidey world, and how it will alter the franchise moving forward.