Spider-Man 4 has officially been confirmed. However, the question of whether it’ll be Tom Holland‘s last film will certainly be on everyone’s mind. The actor himself cast some doubt during his interview with The Hollywood Reporter about the future of Spider-Man. Holland never indicates or confirms that he’ll be done with the character once the sequel is all said and done. It sounds like Tom Holland’s days are numbered as the masked vigilante.
With the main Spider-Man series seemingly winding down, is it the perfect time to introduce Miles Morales? Producer Amy Pascal has confirmed that a live-action Miles Morales film is certainly in the works. That notion was likely amplified when Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse was an instant hit at the box office. Is Spider-Man 4 the right time to finally have the popular comic book character make his live-action appearance?
It Could Help Showcase Miles Morales’s Personality Working Alongside Peter Parker
Tom Holland‘s Spider-Man became a big hit due to being the standout in Captain America: Civil War. The Spider-Man franchise was on its last legs before Holland made his debut. Unfortunately, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 didn’t reach the financial heights that its previous installments made, so the character needed a fresh coat of paint and Holland’s debut in the MCU provided that.
Miles Morales working alongside Peter Parker would be beneficial because it can help distinguish the personality of the latter. Miles Morales is his own man. Though Parker and Morales are known for their sarcastic quips, both are not the same character-wise. If written properly, he won’t be overshadowed by Peter Parker because the differences in both characters nicely complement each other; Miles’s style and family dynamic are a nice counterbalance to Peter’s upbringing that’s being portrayed in the live-action films so far. Bringing Morales over also kills an unnecessary origin story. Audiences don’t need to be reminded of how he became Spider-Man in the first place.
It Could Also Give Peter Parker A Proper Swan Song
Of course, it would be great to see these characters working alongside one another to stop whatever big bad that’s taking over. As previously stated, there’s no telling how long Holland will play Peter Parker. However, it sounds like Spider-Man 4 could ultimately be the final film under the actor’s belt.
Miles Morales was introduced in Ultimate Comics: Fallout #4, which was published in August 2011. He emerges following the death of Peter Parker. The character itself doesn’t have to die. Parker can rekindle his love with MJ and leave the Spider-Man duties to Morales. However, the death of Spider-Man would be more impactful. It would highlight that these heroes are far from invincible.
That moment would still linger throughout Miles Morales journey as the new Spider-Man. Plus, there are plenty of fresh and intriguing directions to go after the death of Spider-Man. Live-action films rarely pull off such a drastic move as a name like Spider-Man is too big to kill off. But this would be a smooth transition from Peter or Miles and opens the doors to some darker stories that allow us as fans to dive deeper into the psyche of not just Spider-Man, but the world surrounding him.
Sony and Marvel would likely want to keep Parker alive as putting all four live-action incarnations of Spider-Men together could result in some serious bank like No Way Home. Whatever the case may be, Spider-Man 4 can give Holland a proper goodbye, something that Tobey McGuire and Andrew Garfield never received.
Miles Morales Needs To Make A Strong First Impressive
Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse proves that Miles Morales is a mainstream draw. However, that doesn’t mean he’ll be a huge success when he leaps over to the live-action realm. The biggest mistake that Sony made with Andrew Garfield’s version of Spider-Man was that his story was no different than Tobey McGuire‘s in the first movie. Sure, the villain wasn’t the same, but the core beats were very identical.
This goes back to the first paragraph, Sony and the MCU need to highlight why Miles finally deserves his time in the spotlight. The character finally making the jump over to the MCU can’t feel like a leftover from the previous versions. Spider-Man has to have a purpose that is different from Peter Parker.
Saving New York City is always going to be the goal. The key here is the personal stories that highlight his journey. It always helps if there’s a new villain that helps Miles develop as a character who isn’t the same as Peter Parker. Miles Morales will only get one opportunity to make a first impression. Hopefully, it will get fans excited for the future. Yes, the character should make his debut in Spider-Man 4. As long as it doesn’t feel rushed or unnecessary, then the character will be in good hands sharing the screen with Peter Parker.