Warning: This article contains spoilers for Daredevil: Born Again.
The perfect storyline for Marvel Studios' upcomingSpider-Man 4might have already been set up byDaredevil: Born Again, and it might not be anMCUadaptation of the iconicDevil’s Reignevent, as many expect. Destin Daniel Cretton was recently revealed to be directingSpider-Man 4, and the first in a new trilogy featuring Tom Holland’s Peter Parker is scheduled to release on July 27, 2025. Premiering only two months afterAvengers: Doomsday, it seemsSpider-Man 4might explore a self-contained storyfor the wall-crawler, similar toAnt-Man and the Wasp.
Marvel Studios might have already been setting up a strong storyline forSpider-Man 4thanks to Wilson Fisk being elected as Mayor of New York City inDaredevil: Born Again. However, while it would be great to see Marvel Comics’Devil’s Reignadapted for the live-action MCU,there might be another storyline being set up inBorn Againthat would make even more sense forSpider-Man 4. This could team-up Peter Parker with some of theMCU’s strongest street-level heroes, and perhaps help to re-establish Spider-Man as a central hero in Marvel Studios' ever-growing franchise.
Marvel’s Devil’s Reign Is A Great Story For The MCU, But Not For Spider-Man 4
Daredevil: Born Again Has Been Setting Up The MCU’s Devil’s Reign
Marvel Comics’Devil’s Reignevent from 2021 saw Mayor Wilson Fisk outlaw vigilantism in New York City, which has started to happen in the MCU’sDaredevil: Born Againseries. Fisk’s entire Mayoral campaign was based on the idea that New York’s superheroes are actually nuisances and dangerous, and his successful election suggests others feel the same. He has now created the Anti-Vigilante Task Force, comprising corrupt NYPD officers, and this organization is set to expand inDaredevil: Born Againseason 2, so it could also roll over into the plot ofSpider-Man 4.
WhileDevil’s Reignhas clearly been set up for the MCU, this massive Marvel Comics event is surely too big just to be explored in one feature film. This meansSpider-Man 4might be better off foregoing it altogether, allowingDaredevil: Born Againand other street-level projects to delve deeper intoDevil’s Reign, whileSpider-Man 4could feature another Marvel Comics story focused onWilson Fisk’s influence as Mayor of New York. It’s not onlyDevil’s Reignthat has been set up inBorn Again, as an adaptation of 2023’sGang War storyline has also been teased.
Daredevil: Born Again Has Perfectly Set Up Marvel’s Gang War For Spider-Man 4
Gang War Would Make A Much Better Storyline For 2026’s Spider-Man 4
One of the most interesting side-plots featured inDaredevil: Born Againhas been the power struggle between the crime families and gangs of New York, given Wilson Fisk’s retirement asKingpin and Vanessa’s loss of controlfollowing Fisk’s return. This is quickly devolving into what Buck Cashman described inBorn Againepisode 3, as a"gang war,“which brings into focus the 2023-24 Marvel Comics storyline of the same name.Born Again’swarring factions and the overwhelming anti-vigilante rhetoric makeGang Warthe perfect event to adapt for 2026’s upcomingSpider-Man 4.
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Tom Holland’s first MCU trilogy may be over, but with Spider-Man 4 in development, many are wondering what stories may be told in Spider-Man’s future.
In Marvel Comics,theGang Warevent saw Peter Parker’s Spider-Man fighting to stop warring crime families from wreaking havoc across all of New York City. In the midst of this challenge, Spider-Man also deals with the anti-vigilante laws put in place by Mayor Wilson Fisk, and both of these majorGang Warelements have already been established inDaredevil: Born Again. This would bringSpider-Man back to the MCU as a street-level herofollowing his multiversal adventure in 2021’sNo Way Home, and allowSpider-Man 4to act as a palate-cleanser followingAvengers: Doomsday.
Spider-Man Can Team Up With Some Exciting MCU Heroes In The MCU’s Gang War Adaptation
Many Street-Level Heroes Could Make Cameo Appearances In Spider-Man 4
Spider-Man was not acting alone during Marvel Comics’Gang War, as he teamed up with many New York-based street-level heroes to stop the city’s crime families warring in the wake of Tombstone’s death.It’s possible thatSpider-Man 4could be toAvengers: DoomsdaywhatAnt-Man and the Waspwas toAvengers: Infinity War, taking place simultaneously. This could explain why several prominent street-level heroes were not included inMarvel Studios' recent cast announcement forDoomsday, including Tom Holland himself, as they’ll be preoccupied dealing with the small-scaleGang Warstory inSpider-Man 4.
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This could mean that Spider-Man may be primed to team up with Charlie Cox’s Daredevil, Krysten Ritter’s Jessica Jones, Mike Colter’s Luke Cage, Finn Jones' Iron Fist, Oscar Isaac’s Moon Knight, Jeremy Renner’s Hawkeye, Alaqua Cox’s Echo and many more inSpider-Man 4.This could makeSpider-Man 4aCaptain America: Civil War-esque crossover movie, perhaps even forming a new team of Defenders in the MCU. This would be game-changing for the MCU and for Peter Parker’s future, and could makeSpider-Man 4 Tom Holland’s biggest but most intimate adventure yet.
How Could Spider-Man 4’s Gang War Change The MCU?
Peter Parker’s Spider-Man Can Become A Well-Rounded Hero Again During A Gang War Adaptation
Following the events ofSpider-Man: No Way Home,Peter Parker is completely alone in the MCU, with nobody remembering who he is or that he is the man beneath Spider-Man’s mask. He elected not to even remind Ned and MJ about their former friendship, so he will need new allies and anew supporting cast inSpider-Man 4. AdaptingGang Warwould create a fantastic opportunity to make this happen, as Spider-Man could team up with many of New York’s other formidable street-level heroes, reintroducing him to the world and setting him up for a brighter future.
Stranger Things’Sadie Sink was recently cast inSpider-Man 4, and while her role hasn’t been confirmed, this proves that Marvel Studios will be introducing a new cast of supporting characters for Tom Holland’s Peter Parker in the MCU.
It would also be a good choice for Marvel Studios to present a smaller-scale story inSpider-Man 4rather than exploring the multiverse again, despite the movie releasing towards the end of the Multiverse Saga.No Way Homefeatured characters from across the multiverse andAvengers: Doomsdaywill explore the concept head-on, soSpider-Man 4could instead be a good palate-cleanserand an ending to this chapter of ground-level tales.Gang Warmarked the end of Kingpin’s anti-vigilante laws in Marvel Comics, so could do the same in the MCU, makingSpider-Man 4the perfect place to adapt this event.
