Tom Holland may have already spoiled the villain of Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures' Spider-Man: Brand New Day in a previous interview. While the cast list for Spider-Man 4 continues to grow, questions remain about who the sequel's main villain will be. Particularly after 2021's Spider-Man: No Way Home delivered a quintet of antagonists from across the multiverse, many are curious to see how the MCU follows up on that story.
According to a recent report, Tom Holland spoiled the main villain for Spider-Man: Brand New Day in a recent interview. Holland is famous for accidentally spoiling some of the MCU's biggest movies, having revealed major plot points from his own solo outing as well as bigger Avengers team-up films. While he has cleaned up that problem significantly in recent years, he may have let some crucial information slip for his newest project.
The Cosmic Circus' Alex Perez addressed a fan question about who would be Spider-Man 4's main villain. The fan mentioned Alistair Smythe/The Spider-Slayer as an option. Perez described the villain as "simpler, meaner, [and] badder" before sharing that "Tom Holland technically spoiled it in an interview."
As of writing, Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures have not given any indication of who will be the main villains in Spider-Man 4. However, Michael Mando is confirmed to return to the MCU as Scorpion, and Marvin Jones III is now set to play Tombstone.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day will be the second film released in Marvel Studios' Phase 6 slate and the fourth MCU solo movie for Spider-Man. Starring Tom Holland, Zendaya, Jacob Batalon, Mark Ruffalo, Jon Bernthal, and more, the story is expected to focus on Peter Parker finding his identity in a world unaware of his existence while protecting his loved ones from new enemies. Spider-Man: Brand New Day will swing into theaters on July 31, 2026.
Who Will Be Spider-Man 4's Main Villain?
While story details are still under wraps for Spider-Man: Brand New Day (the title of which was just confirmed in April), chatter has been rampant about who the main villain will be. After initial rumors teased the idea of Martin Li/Mr. Negative and his Inner Demons army being involved, it seems Marvel will go in a different direction.
Holland previously discussed the idea of Kraven the Hunter being in line for the role of No Way Home's main villain, even as Kraven was already set to lead his own solo movie for Sony Pictures. Marvel may be wary about trying to bring this epic villain into the MCU after that movie, and due to that film, Marvel Studios might be restricted from using him in any fashion.
In past interviews, the MCU's Spider-Man star also teased the idea of fighting villains like Morbius, Madame Web, and Kingpin. Kingpin's rights are another complicated issue for the MCU, while Madame Web and Morbius may be tough to get behind due to their movies becoming two of Sony's biggest flops.
Marvel and Sony are still hard at work filming Spider-Man 4, which should recommence once Tom Holland recovers from a mild concussion he suffered on set. More news about the film's villain may not come until later this year or early next year, but it will be one of the biggest topics of conversation for MCU fans for the foreseeable future.
Richard Nebens joined The Direct in March 2020, now serving as the site's Senior Writer and also working as an assistant editor and content creator. He started his journalism career as a hobby in 2019 and is passionate about sharing news and stories from the entertainment industry, especially comic book movies, comedy, and sci-fi. Richard looks to expand his knowledge about movies and TV every day, and he is eager to stay locked into the latest releases and breaking news at every opportunity.
