A rumor hinting at Spider-Man 4's MCU timeline placement could mean a historic moment for Marvel Studios' long-standing franchise.
Recently confirmed to be titled Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Tom Holland's fourth solo Spidey outing is quickly turning into a landmark moment for the Multiverse Saga. It will put the web-slinger into a new position in a world unaware of his existence after the Multiverse broke open in 2021's Spider-Man: No Way Home.
Considering Spider-Man 4's placement between the next two Avengers movies, questions have come up about how the three films will tie together. Specifically, many have wondered about this sequel's spot in the greater timeline, particularly considering a recently released rumor.
Spider-Man 4's MCU Timeline Place Makes Franchise History
According to insider Jeff Sneider, Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures' Spider-Man: Brand New Day will take place at the same time on the MCU timeline as Avengers: Doomsday.
This marks the first time in MCU history that events in two movies have occurred concurrently.
Sneider also told fans not to expect Tom Holland to appear in Doomsday as Spider-Man. This is partially due to Holland being busy filming Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, which could also keep multiple other MCU stars out of Doomsday.
Sneider reiterated this rumor on The Hot Mic podcast with John Rocha, saying the new Spider-Man film takes place "at the same time, simultaneously, concurrently alongside Doomsday:"
"I’m told that 'Spider-Man 4' is basically taking place at the same time, simultaneously, concurrently alongside 'Doomsday,' and that would explain his absence.
This rumor (if true) would explain Holland's Doomsday absence both from a logistical perspective and in terms of the story.
As mentioned, this would also be the first time in MCU history that two movies have taken place simultaneously. Previously, only parts of other MCU movies have done this.
For instance, the events of 2016's Doctor Strange were stretched out over multiple other movies because it used a six-month timeframe. Fans also saw the post-credits scene from 2018's Ant-Man and the Wasp, which occurred at the same time as Avengers: Infinity War's last scene, but the rest of the film occurred earlier.
How Will Spider-Man 4 Connect to Avengers: Doomsday?
While fans and insiders debate what could happen in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, this news could help tease at least some idea of the overarching plot.
One of the most significant conversations surrounding the movie has been whether Spider-Man 4 should be a street-level or a Multiversal movie after No Way Home was the first true Multiversal movie in the MCU. While the film could take aspects from both ideas, there is no doubt that the Multiverse will be involved in some form.
Many have theorized this movie could lead to the introduction of Battleworld, which is a massive part of the Avengers: Secret Wars storyline from the comics. This would come alongside a rumored inclusion of the villainous Mr. Negative, but no story details have been confirmed either way.
This would also delay Tom Holland's return to the Avengers saga until 2027, meaning his reunion with Robert Downey Jr. will be pushed back.
Of course, with so many details still left to work out and so many movies left to film, nothing can be set in stone for Holland's inclusion or exclusion from the next Avengers movie. However, whether he shows up there or not, Spider-Man 4 appears primed to be another huge addition to the story still left to be told.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day will swing into theaters on July 31, 2026.
