Marvel Studios has explained why its next Spider-Man project won’t be part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Spider-Man’s role in the MCU has been pivotal, with the character becoming a key player in the overarching narrative since his first appearance in Captain America: Civil War (2016). Portrayed by Tom Holland, Spider-Man has brought a youthful energy and fresh perspective to the MCU, serving as a clear frontrunner to step up and lead the Avengers in the wake of Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) and Steve Rogers/Captain America’s (Chris Evans) exit from the franchise.
However, Spider-Man’s involvement in the MCU has been far from straightforward.
Spider-Man’s Complicated Time in the MCU
Originally, Sony Pictures held the rights to Spider-Man, with its solo films having mixed results. But after a landmark agreement in 2015, Marvel Studios and Sony struck a deal to share the character, allowing Spider-Man to appear in MCU films while Sony retained the rights to his standalone movies.
This collaboration may have brought the beloved character back to the big screen, but the relationship has remained rocky, with profit-sharing disputes nearly pushing Spider-Man out of the MCU in 2019. Thankfully, fan demand and negotiations resulted in a new deal (spurred on by an emotional, drunken phone call between Disney CEO Bob Iger and Tom Holland), ensuring Spider-Man’s spot in the MCU.
However, not all Spider-Man projects slot into the franchise’s “Sacred Timeline” canon. As was previously announced, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man – an animated series set to premiere on Disney+ in January 2024 – will diverge from the MCU entirely.
The series, which stars Hudson Thames as the web-slinger, will unfold in an alternate universe where Norman Osborn serves as Spider-Man’s mentor, rather than Tony Stark, as seen in Tom Holland’s films.
Brad Winderbaum, a Marvel Studios executive, has now explained why the decision was made to separate the series from MCU canon.
A Change of Plans For Marvel
Initially, the plan was for the series to serve as a prequel to Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), but Marvel soon realized the limitations of adhering strictly to MCU canon. As per Winderbaum, the project began with a freshman-year storyline for Spider-Man, but the constraints of the MCU timeline made it difficult to fully explore the character. The team found that sticking to continuity prevented them from using Spider-Man’s full range of enemies and his origin story, which felt restrictive and uncreative.
“It started out as, ‘Okay it’s Spider-Man’s freshman year, he’s going to be a freshman, can we get away with this being entirely in the MCU?’ and very early on in the development process, we realized how locked in that actually made us,” Winderbaum told Phase Hero.
This led to the decision to move Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man into its own universe, giving the creators more freedom to explore the character’s legacy, including elements that harken back to the original comics by Steve Ditko. Though the series maintains some aspects of Tom Holland’s portrayal, it will have its own distinct flavor.
While this shift marks a departure from the MCU, fans can rest easy knowing that Spider-Man’s adventures in the main continuity aren’t over. Marvel is currently developing Spider-Man 4, with Tom Holland returning as Peter Parker.
The film will take place after the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021), in which Peter was forced to erase all memories of his identity from the people he loved, including his girlfriend, MJ (played by Zendaya). While Zendaya will return for the film, her role will be more limited than its predecessors due to her busy schedule. Production is expected to begin in 2025, with a planned release date of July 24, 2026.
With these two Spider-Man projects on the horizon, fans can look forward to more web-slinging action, both in the MCU and in a new, independent universe.
Which project are you more excited to watch—Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man or Spider-Man 4?
