New Spider-Man 4 rumors tease Andrew Garfield’s return, here’s why you should be excited 

Spider-Man 4 might not be swinging into theaters until 2026, but pre-production is well underway, and the rumor mill has already started turning.

The latest leaks come from the scooper MyTimeToShineHello, who found a listing for the new Spider-Man movie on Production Weekly. According to the listing, filming is set to begin in May of next year and will last until mid-October.

More excitingly, Production Weekly also lists a brief synopsis for Spider-Man 4: “Following the events of Doomsday, Peter Parker is determined to lead a normal life and focus on college, stepping back from his responsibilities as Spider-Man.” 

“However, peace is short-lived when a deadly new threat emerges, endangering his friends and forcing Peter to reconsider his promise,” it continues. “With stakes higher than ever, Peter reluctantly returns to his Spider-Man identity and finds himself teaming up with an unlikely ally to protect those he loves.”

Marvel Studios

Of course, you might be wondering what’s so exciting about that really generic-sounding superhero movie plot. Well, dear reader, we didn’t get to the best bit! The listing claims that Andrew Garfield is returning as Peter Parker 3, while Michael Keaton and Robert Downey Jr. will also appear as Vulture and Dr. Doom, respectively.

Now, we can take or leave Keaton at this point (honestly, I thought he was busy getting together a bunch of guys to do some good), and the less said about Robert Doom-y Jr, the better. But bringing Garfield back? Well, let’s just say you had my attention, but now you have my interest.

Why am I so excited to see a 40-year-old man slip on a red and blue onesie? Well, two things. First of all: don’t you ever question me. Secondly, because this film will be set between Doomsday and Secret Wars, which means we may see something we’ve waited years for. 

So, why don’t you ruminate while I illuminate the possibilities for you? If Doomsday plays out the way we’re expecting – with the multiverse being destroyed and Doom cobbling together a new universe from the fragments of reality – it’s possible that Spider-Man 4 won’t be set on Earth-616 but on a new planet that’s been put together piecemeal using different parts of different dimensions. 

Sony Pictures

What if Doom managed to rescue Manhattan from Andrew Garfield’s native dimension to build this new planet? So instead of the New York we know from the Avengers movies, we get the city we last saw in the Amazing Spider-Man films. That would explain how Garfield returns, but more excitingly, it would allow us to finally see Peter 3’s Earth, the one where he “stopped pulling his punches.”

Fans have been dying to see a darker, more brutal side of Garfield’s Spider-Man since he first hinted at the impact Gwen’s death had on him during the events of Spider-Man No Way Home. 

Personally, I think it would be interesting to contrast Holland’s younger, more enthusiastic hero with his older, possibly more cynical counterpart. I’d be especially curious to see how the classic Spider-Man super villains reacted to a more brutal Wallcrawler, and this seems like the perfect opportunity for that type of story.

Of course, before I get too carried away, it’s worth noting that Production Weekly synopses aren’t always the most reliable sources, and we don’t want to mislead you (we’re not like J. Jonah Jameson). 

Still, the rumors do line up with some reporting DanielRPK did earlier this month, so while nothing’s set in stone, maybe, just maybe, we’re getting closer to the Spidey movie of our dreams. Want to know more about all the upcoming Marvel movies? Then check out our guides breaking down everything you need to know about Thunderbolts and Captain America 4.