Spider-Man 4 gets a potentially devastating production update

Let's rewind time back to Dec. 17, 2021. We were about to witness one of the most memorable and iconic cinematic experiences ever made in the superhero world. While it was well-known Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield were reprising their role as the wall-crawler inSpider-Man: No Way Home, watching it come true was a different beast of its own. We all laughed, screamed, and perhaps even cried. However, what we didn't know was that such a special moment would have its price, as we'd have to wait nearly five years for the movie's follow-up to be released.

The untitledSpider-Man 4was originally slated to be released on Jul. 24, 2026. While we're still a long way off from that day, fans were just happy to know when the big day would come. That being said, it appears we'll have to wait even longer than originally anticipated. Back in October, Tom Holland announced the script was excellent but stillneeded a bit more work. However, we might have not been aware of how much work that was, as a delay is all but confirmed at this point.

Spider-Man 4 is reportedly a long way from starting production

According toreliable insider Daniel Richtman, Sony and Marvel are facing script issues since they want their upcoming Spider-Man movie to be even better thanNo Way Home. As a result, the writing team is reportedly reworking the story in order to ensure a better cinematographic experience. This comes right after the news that Sony is putting "a lot of tender loving care" into the creation ofSpider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse, as well as the announcement of the end of their cinematographic universe centered around the wall-crawler's villains.

At the time of writing this,Kraven the Hunterhas merely grossed $44.5 million dollars on the worldwide box office, against its $110 million budget. This recent flop joins the ranks ofMadame Webwhich also failed to turn in a profit. Besides, even ifVenom: The Last Dancewon't lose Sony any money, it's the least-grossing movie in Eddie Brock's franchise and far from being the success a trilogy capper should be. All these failures had the studio reconsider its strategy moving forward, and canceling any active Spider-Man spin-offs on the table such asEl Muerto.

With that in mind, it shouldn't come as quite the shock thatSpider-Man 4will likely be pushed back in order to ensure a better script. Let's be honest: It's the right move, even if it means we'll have to wait even longer before Spidey swings onto the big screen on its own stand-alone project. Back in November, we heard reports thatSpider-Man 4would bedelayed to December 2026, and now it's looking all the more likely. The only question remaining is: Could the story be radically different if a new release date is on the table?

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a huge machine comprising many different interconnected projects. The premise of one single movie could widely affect every entry in the saga that comes after. WithAvengers: DoomsdayandSecret Warson the horizon, that concept will be even more true than ever. So perhapsSpider-Man 4'srewrite won't be done only to ensure the movie has better quality, but also that it perfectly fits into the timeline. On the bright side, we'll Tom Holland wear the red and blue suit once again on the big screen inDoomsday— which is still on track to be released on May 1, 2026, so that will make the wait feel a bit shorter.

Tom Holland previously announced shooting forSpider-Man 4would begin in the summer of 2025. So if a delay is indeed in the cards at Sony and Marvel, an announcement would have to be made soon. And if not, we'll learn the answers ourselves in just a matter of months.

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