6 Perfect Spider-Man 4 Villains The MCU Has Already Set Up

Spider-Man 4 can build upon the hero’s first Marvel Cinematic Universe trilogy, using one of the villains that were set up previously. Tom Holland’s Spider-Man movies are some of the best the character has ever had, with the actor delivering a relatable and fun performance as Peter Parker. The childlike wonder the MCU’s Peter had at the start of his trilogy slowly dissipated as the years passed. By Spider-Man: No Way Home‘s ending, Peter is in a completely different place from where he started. Spider-Man 4 should be a dark film, as no one in the MCU remembers who Peter is.

Much of that has to do with the foes that Spider-Man fought over the course of his movies. Facing characters like Michael Keaton’s Vulture, Jake Gyllenhaal’s Mysterio, and Willem Dafoe’s returning Green Goblin from Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man franchise took its toll on the MCU hero. All Spider-Man MCU villains have been great so far, and Spider-Man 4 needs to continue that streak. While there are currently no updates on Spider-Man 4‘s main villain, with the Hollywood strikes slowing the movie’s development, Holland’s first trilogy set up great choices for the upcoming movie. Here are six perfect villains for Spider-Man 4 that the MCU has already set up.

6 Venom Can Make Spider-Man 4 Another Multiverse Adventure

Played By Tom Hardy

While the X-Men and the Fantastic Four have returned to Marvel Studios, the MCU does not have the movie rights to all its characters from the comics. Sony’s Spider-Man Universe is the home of multiple villains that the wall-crawler has fought in the comics, such as Venom, Carnage, Morbius, and soon Kraven the Hunter in his upcoming Marvel film. Tom Hardy’s lead role as Eddie Brock in the Venom franchise is beloved by fans, who have requested a crossover between him and Holland’s Spider-Man for quite some time. While Hardy’s Venom even traveled to the MCU, the character never met Spider-Man or other heroes, only appearing through quick post-credits scenes.

The MCU’s Spider-Man 4 could rectify that mistake, finally bringing Spider-Man and Venom face to face on the big screen for the first time since 2007. While Hardy’s Venom was sent back to the SSU in Spider-Man: No Way Home‘s post-credits scene, a piece of the symbiote stayed behind. As Peter is in a dark place right now, the timing is perfect for the MCU to have him don the black symbiote suit, with Spider-Man not holding back his punches. As the symbiote attaches to Peter, Hardy’s Venom could possibly feel it, leading to him somehow going back to the MCU in order to retrieve it and free Holland’s Spider-Man.

5 The MCU Needs To Remember Its Scorpion Tease

Played By Michael Mando

While he appeared in Spider-Man: Homecoming, Michael Mando’s Marc Gargan, aka Scorpion, has all but been forgotten by the MCU. Holland’s Spider-Man 4 could change that, bringing back the villain to finally use him to the character’s full potential. Spider-Man: Homecoming‘s mid-credits scene saw Gargan meet Keaton’s Vulture in prison — Gargan had been arrested after Spider-Man beat him in the ferry — with Mando’s character asking Adrian Toomes about Spider-Man’s identity because he had friends outside that could kill him.

Spider-Man 4 could finally bring back Gargan, having him become Scorpion in the film. The character could be a major threat to Spider-Man in two different ways. The MCU could choose to give Gargan his traditional Scorpion armor, with J.K. Simmons’ J. Jonah Jameson financing it as the character did in the comics so that Spider-Man would be caught. Scorpion was also a bearer of the Venom mantle in the comics, and with a part of the symbiote left behind in Spider-Man: No Way Home, Holland could first bond with it, with Scorpion then becoming one with the symbiote.

4 Spider-Man 4 Could Pay Off The Spider-Verse’s Live-Action Prowler

Played By Donald Glover

Donald Glover played Aaron Davis in Spider-Man: Homecoming. Glover’s character could be important to the MCU’s future, which is why Spider-Man 4 bringing him back would be a good thing. Davis is none other than Miles Morales’ uncle, with the missing MCU Spider-Man even being teased in Glover’s appearance. While he has yet to return to the MCU after his only role so far, Glover finally suited up as a live-action version of the Prowler in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.

While the movie did not make it clear if Glover’s Prowler was from the MCU or not — though Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse concept art confirmed his MCU origin — Spider-Man 4 could build upon that Prowler appearance, bringing the talented actor back to let loose as the villain in the MCU. By including Glover’s Prowler, Marvel would be giving Peter Parker a vicious, street-level villain that is perfect for Spider-Man 4, with Aaron Davis’ connection to Miles also allowing the film to debut a young version of the hero or tease his future MCU introduction in a possible Spider-Man 5.

3 A Friend Could Become A Foe Through Hobgoblin

Played By Jacob Batalon

Unused Spider-Man: No Way Home concept art teased Hobgoblin by showing Jacob Batalon’s Ned Leeds about to throw one of Green Goblin’s pumpkin bombs as he used the villain’s glider. In the comics, Ned gets brainwashed by Hobgoblin into believing he was actually the villain. Now that Ned and MJ have forgotten Peter Parker, Hobgoblin could rise in Spider-Man 4 and brainwash Ned, with no Spider-Man being around to help him. Spider-Man: No Way Home teased that fate as Ned learned about what happened to James Franco’s Harry Osborn. Spider-Man 4 having Peter go up against Ned would give the movie a deeply emotional story.

2 Justin Hammer Could Continue Spider-Man’s Connection To Iron Man

Played By Sam Rockwell

Armor Wars could redeem Justin Hammer by making Sam Rockwell’s character a better villain if he’s in the movie. While he was entertaining in Iron Man 2, the film is one of the MCU’s worst, and Hammer was not menacing at all. If the character is brought back, Hammer would also benefit from a role in Spider-Man 4, with the villain being able to continue the MCU’s connection between Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man and Holland’s Spider-Man. Hammer could escape from prison and, now that Iron Man is dead, decide to channel his rage on Spider-Man, leading to an interesting matchup, as Peter no longer has access to Stark tech.

1 Kingpin Would Be The Perfect Villain For Spider-Man 4

Played By Vincent D’Onofrio

While the other villains all have great reasons to be Spider-Man 4‘s main foe, Vincent D’Onofrio’s Kingpin is the perfect villain for the MCU movie. Not only does the actor want to appear in the film, but new Daredevil: Born Again Kingpin details reveal why he is the best choice for the film. The upcoming MCU series starring Charlie Cox as Daredevil is rumored to make Wilson Fisk the Mayor of New York City, with details from a copyright filing for the series teasing that is true by revealing that Fisk will be trying to leave his Kingpin persona behind at first “to serve the people of New York.”

Daredevil: Born Again could see Kingpin become a major threat to all of the MCU’s street-level heroes through his possible political role, with Cox’s Daredevil and Jon Bernthal’s Punisher experiencing that first-hand in the series. As Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige has confirmed Spider-Man and Daredevil’s important role for the MCU’s street-level heroes, it would make sense for the two to team up in Spider-Man 4 to take down Kingpin. This would allow the MCU movie to have a dark and more personal story that would fit nicely after the expansive Spider-Man: No Way Home, making Kingpin the best villain for Spider-Man 4.

Key Release Dates

 Spider-Man 4 has no release date set as of yet.  Read More