I’m convinced I know the villain from Spider-Man 4, now it has a release date

I was very excited to see the next Marvel Studios film Spider-Man 4 I finally got a release date, and I think I’ve figured out which villain will be introduced in the sequel because of their placement in Phase 6 of the MCU. Tom Holland’s Peter Parker has become one of the most important figures in the MCU since his debut in 2016. Captain America: Civil War. I loved watching him grow into a mature, independent hero, especially after the emotional events of Spider-Man: No Way Homewhich created exciting new stories for the titular wall-crawler.

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings director Destin Daniel Cretton was hired to direct Spider-Man 4which is now scheduled to release on July 24, 2026. These big updates have me full of anticipation for Spider-Man 4especially because It’s been three years since Tom Holland’s Peter Parker was seen in the MCU, which is the longest we’ve gone without Spider-Man on our screens since his debut. I think Spider-Man 4 It will be Peter Parker’s biggest adventure in the MCU yet, thanks to the possible appearance of a formidable supervillain.

Spider-Man 4 release date makes me think Doctor Doom will return as the villain

Spider-Man 4 will be released in Phase 6 of the MCU

Spider-Man 4 new release date means it will premiere just two months after the release of Avengers: Judgment Daywhich is set to star Robert Downey Jr. as the MCU’s Doctor Doom. I can’t wait to see Downey Jr. back in the MCU, and I would love for him to appear in more projects than just Judgment Day and Avengers: Secret Wars one year later. Although some have speculated that Doctor Doom will appear in The Fantastic Four: Getting Started in 2025, I would also love to see him fight Peter Parker in Spider-Man 4.

There are several villains who have been rumored to appear among Spider-Man 4 next cast. Although I appreciate Spider-Man 4 putting Peter Parker against Kingpin or Norman Osborn in a street story, I consider a multiversal project with villains like Spot, Spider-Man 2099 or No way home the return of enemies can also be great. The inclusion of Doctor Doom would strike the perfect balance between these two opposing narratives.telling an intimate and personal villain versus hero story while advancing the MCU’s Multiverse Saga.

Doctor Doom and Spider-Man’s Marvel Comics History Explained

Spider-Man has fought Doctor Doom many times in Marvel Comics

Surprisingly, Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man has fought Victor Von Doom on many occasions in Marvel Comics, setting a huge precedent for Doctor Doom to appear in Spider-Man 4 alongside Tom Holland’s Peter Parker. Doctor Doom and Spider-Man first crossed paths in 1963 The Amazing Spider-Man #5 after Doom watched a documentary about Spider-Man’s criminality which was financed by J. Jonah Jameson. It’s possible that this hilarious storyline could actually be adapted for the MCU, as Jameson also has a vendetta against Spider-Man in live-action.

Since it is obvious to everyone that Doctor Doom is an Avengers-level threat, Spider-Man has made several attempts over the years to actively avoid coming into conflict with the Latvian ruler.. Much to everyone’s entertainment, however, that didn’t stop them from fighting many times. These occasional battles mostly minimized Doom’s power and caused him to show little more than annoyance at Spider-Man’s witty and sometimes childish comments. I would love to see that dynamic play out in Spider-Man 4.

Doctor Doom attempted to recruit Spider-Man to his cause in the 1960s, fought alongside him against the fusion of Professor X and Magneto’s darker side, Onslaught, in the 1990s, and plays a major role in 2007. Spider-Man: Another Day event, as Peter Parker approaches him seeking help to save Aunt May. I mostly remember Marvel Comics Secret Wars from 2015, however, which saw Spider-Man battle Doctor Doom on Battleworld after incursions ravaged the multiverse. It seems very likely that this story will be explored in Phase 6 of the MCU, which is an exciting prospect.

Why Doctor Doom Would Be a Great Villain for Spider-Man 4

and Tom Holland could reunite in Spider-Man 4

There has been some controversy over whether it would be better for Marvel Studios and Sony to tell a streetwise or multiversal story in Spider-Man 4. As part of the Multiverse Saga, I assumed the latter would be the best option, while Spider-Man: No Way Home it actually created a more intimate, low-stakes adventure for the newly anonymous Spider-Man. I think bringing Doctor Doom to Spider-Man 4 as an antagonist would be a fantastic way to bridge that gap and explore both storiesas Doctor Doom could pose a small-scale problem for Spider-Man as he advances his multiverse-spanning plans.

Perhaps the best reasoning I can think of for Doctor Doom appearing in Spider-Man 4 is to bring together Robert Downey Jr. and Tom Holland on screen. The duo previously brought to life the strong bond between Tony Stark and Peter Parker, contributing to some of the MCU’s most heartwarming moments, and I’m one of the many who would love to see that revived, albeit now with the twist of Downey Jr. portraying a terrifying villain . Spider-Man 4 have the perfect opportunity to connect Avengers: Judgment Day and Secret Warswhile developing a new connection between Spider-Man and Doctor Doom.