I was very excited to see Marvel Studios' upcomingSpider-Man 4finally get a release date, and I think I’ve worked out which villain will be featured in the sequel because of its placement in Phase 6 of theMCU. Tom Holland’s Peter Parker has become one of the most important figures in the MCU since his debut in 2016’sCaptain America: Civil War.I’ve loved watching him grow into an independent and mature hero, especially after the emotionalevents ofSpider-Man: No Way Home, which set up exciting new stories for the titular wall-crawler.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten RingsdirectorDestin Daniel Cretton has been hired to directSpider-Man 4, which is now scheduled to be released on July 20, 2025. These huge updates have me full of anticipation forSpider-Man 4, particularly sinceit’s now been three years since Tom Holland’s Peter Parker was seen in the MCU, which is the longest time we’ve gone without Spider-Man on our screens since his debut. I reckonSpider-Man 4will be Peter Parker’s biggest MCU adventureyet, thanks to the possible appearance of one formidable supervillain.
Spider-Man 4’s Release Date Makes Me Think Doctor Doom Will Return As The Villain
Spider-Man 4 Will Release In The MCU’s Phase 6
Spider-Man 4’snew release date means that it will be premiering only two months after the release ofAvengers: Doomsday, which is set to debutRobert Downey Jr. as the MCU’s Doctor Doom. I can’t wait to see Downey Jr. back in the MCU, andI would love for him to appear in more projects that justDoomsdayandAvengers: Secret Warsa year later. While some have speculated that Doctor Doom will be appearing inThe Fantastic Four: First Stepsin 2025, I would also love to see him battle Peter Parker inSpider-Man 4.
Everything About The MCU’s Spider-Man 4 That’s Been Revealed Recently
The MCU’s Spider-Man 4 has been confirmed and there have been several big reveals in the space of a few months - here is everything we now know.
There are several villains that have already been rumored to be appearing amongSpider-Man 4’supcoming cast. While I’d appreciateSpider-Man 4pitting Peter Parker against Kingpin or Norman Osborn in a street-level story, I reckon a multiversal project featuring villains such as the Spot, Spider-Man 2099, orNo Way Home’sreturning foes could also be great.Doctor Doom’s inclusion would strike the perfect balance between these two opposing narratives, telling an intimate and personal villain vs. hero storyline while also advancing the MCU’s Multiverse Saga.
Doctor Doom & Spider-Man’s Marvel Comics History Explained
Spider-Man Has Battled Doctor Doom Many Times In Marvel Comics
Somewhat surprisingly, the Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man has battled Victor Von Doom on many occasions in Marvel Comics, setting a huge precedent forDoctor Doom to appear inSpider-Man 4opposite Tom Holland’s Peter Parker.Doctor Doom and Spider-Man first crossed paths in 1963’sThe Amazing Spider-Man #5after Doom watched a documentary on Spider-Man’s criminalitythat had been bank-rolled by J. Jonah Jameson. It’s possible this hilarious storyline could actually be adapted for the MCU, as Jameson has a vendetta against Spider-Man in live-action, too.
Both Spider-Man and Doctor Doom made their Marvel Comics debuts in 1962. Doctor Doom appeared first in July 1962’sThe Fantastic Four #5, while Spider-Man appeared in August’sAmazing Fantasy #15.
Since it’s obvious to everyone thatDoctor Doom is an Avengers-level threat, Spider-Man has made various attempts over the years to actively avoid getting into conflict with the Latverian ruler. Much to everyone’s entertainment, however, this hasn’t stopped them from sparring many times. These occasional battles have mostly downplayed Doom’s power, and have seen him show little more than annoyance in the face of Spider-Man’s witty and sometimes-childish comments. I’d love to see this dynamic play out in Spider-Man 4.
Tom Holland’s Venom Spider-Man Faces RDJ’s Doctor Doom In Marvel Art We Need To See Come True In Avengers 5
New art depicts Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom and Tom Holland’s Spider-Man battling it out in Avengers: Doomsday, with a striking twist.
Doctor Doom tried to recruit Spider-Man to his cause in the 1960s, fought alongside him against the amalgamation of Professor X and Magneto’s darkest sides, Onslaught, in the 1990s, and plays a major role in 2007’sSpider-Man: One More Dayevent, as Peter Parker approaches him for help in saving Aunt May. I’m mainly reminded ofMarvel Comics’Secret Warsfrom 2015, however, which saw Spider-Man battle Doctor Doom on Battleworld after incursions ravaged the multiverse.It seems very likely this story will be explored in the MCU’s Phase 6, which is a thrilling prospect.
Why Doctor Doom Would Be A Great Villain For Spider-Man 4
Robert Downey Jr. & Tom Holland Could Reunite In Spider-Man 4
There has been some dispute about whether it would be better for Marvel Studios and Sony to tell astreet-level or multiversal story inSpider-Man 4. As part of the Multiverse Saga, I assumed the latter would be the better option, whileSpider-Man: No Way Homeactually set up a more intimate and lower-stakes adventure for the newly-anonymous Spider-Man.I think bringing Doctor Doom intoSpider-Man 4as an antagonist would be a fantastic way to bridge this gap and explore both stories, as Doctor Doom may pose a small-scale problem for Spider-Man while advancing his multiverse-reaching plans.
$880.9 million
$1.133 billion
$1.952 billion
July 28, 2025
TBD
Perhaps the best reasoning I can think of for Doctor Doom to appear inSpider-Man 4is to reunite Robert Downey Jr. and Tom Holland on-screen. The pair previously brought the strong bond betweenTony Stark and Peter Parkerto life, contributing to some of the MCU’s most emotional moments, and I’m one of many who would love to see this revived, though now with the twist of Downey Jr. portraying a terrifying villain.Spider-Man 4has the perfect opportunity to connectAvengers: DoomsdayandSecret Wars, while developing a new connection between Spider-Man and Doctor Doom.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day
Cast
Spider-Man: Brand New Day is the first sequel to the MCU’s Spider-Man trilogy starring Tom Holland as the titular wall-crawler. After wiping his identity from the public’s memory in Spider-Man: No Way Home, Peter Parker continues his crime-fighting adventures without the aid of Iron Man technology or the support of his former allies.
