Now that the MCU Spider-Man trilogy is complete with Spider-Man 4 movie is currently rumored to be in development. Without much info on this future movie, there remain a few possibilities for who Spider-Man could face off against in any future MCU installments. The events that took place in the third movie and the Phase 4 Disney+ projects set up a few candidates for Spider-Man's next major villains.
The three villains that could work well in the fourth MCU Spider-Man movie are Venom, Kingpin, and Hobgoblin. Hawkeye. Not to mention that Hobgoblin's MCU future was teased with a conversation between Ned Leeds and Tobey Maguire's Peter Parker in No Way Home. All three are very viable options to be Spider-Man's next villain, it's just a matter of what path Marvel Studios ends up following.
No Way Home Sets Up MCU Venom For Spider-Man 4
Tom Hardy's character in Venom movie has an impossible Spider-Man challenge to face, and it also causes more problems between Disney and Sony. Since Venom is in the Sony Spider-Man Universe, there may be some challenges with getting the character to appear as the main villain in an MCU Spider-Man movie.
Logistics aside, Venom being Spider-Man's next villain in the MCU makes a lot of sense. The quick end credit scene has to play an important role in Peter Parker's future. A plot twist like that cannot just go untouched by Marvel Studios. Venom is a major character in Spider-Man comic book stories, and the groundwork is there for the MCU. The movie franchise can't miss this opportunity that they have. Secret Wars & Spider-Man crossovers can't occur for the symbiotic creature.
Disney+ Shows Mean Kingpin Can Appear In Spider-Man 4
Vincent D'Onofrio's Kingpin returning to the MCU is one of the more exciting aspects of Phase 4. His appearance in Hawkeye left viewers wondering what's next for the infamous character, and it is confirmed that he will appear in Daredevil: Born Again. Both of these series are set to release during Phase 5, making it very probable that the villain will be fully involved with the MCU by the next Spider-Man film. It is rumored that the fourth MCU Spider-Man film will have a more street-level focused plot, making a Kingpin appearance very doable.
D'Onofrio did make some comments saying he would like to face Spider-Man in the MCU, fueling several circulating Spider-Man 4 Kingpin theories. With no one ing who Peter Parker is in the MCU, it makes sense that the webhead could go up against a huge street-level villain. Kingpin and Spider-Man go head-to-head in many Marvel Comics, so there are plenty of stories that Marvel Studios could adapt to the big screen, if they so desire. This matchup would be a great way for the MCU Spider-Man to find his place in the world with a forgotten identity.
Ned Leeds Could Still Become Hobgoblin
Ned Leeds has an interesting conversation with Tobey Maguire's Peter Parker in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Peter 2 tells Ned that his best friend, Harry Osborn, died in his arms after he tried to kill him. This shocks Ned and ultimately makes him tell Peter 1 that he would never betray him. This fuels some Spider-Man 4 Hobgoblin theories that suggest Ned Leeds is the Hobgoblin in Marvel Comics. Since Ned doesn't know Peter 1 anymore due to Dr. Strange's spell, it's very possible that this betrayal could happen.
It is unknown whether any of the original cast besides Tom Holland will return for this film. This makes it very unlikely that a Ned Leeds villain transformation will occur anytime soon, but Spider-Man: No Way Home makes it very possible. If the future Spider-Man movie does bring back its original cast, then Ned Leeds becoming Hobgoblin would make perfect sense. If they don't return, this villain's appearance doesn't seem plausible.
Spider-Man: No Way Home leaves Spider-Man looking to start a new chapter in his life, and a new villain should be a part of that. Whether it is any of the three mentioned above or not, Spider-Man 4 cannot continue the MCU's worst Spider-Man trend of having too many heroes in it. Instead, the fourth movie should focus on Spider-Man finding his way on his own against a powerful foe - not many powerful foes.
