Spider-Man 4 has finally landed its director and found it in a familiar Marvel Cinematic Universe face in the form of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Ring‘s Destin Daniel Cretton. The first three MCU Spider-Man films were directed by Jon Watts, but following the release of Spider-Man: No Way Home, the search has been to find a new director to helm the next entry in the webhead’s MCU adventures. It has been nearly three years since the release of Spider-Man: No Way Home, and now Sony and Marvel seem to be moving full steam ahead.
The Hollywood Reporter broke the news that Destin Daniel Cretton would helm the untitled Spider-Man 4. Cretton previously directed Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and, at one point, was attached to direct Avengers 5 when it was titled Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, but stepped down shortly before Marvel fired actor Jonathan Majors. Cretton has become a big name at Marvel as he is also a producer on the upcoming Wonder Man series. Cretton is currently still attached to direct Shang-Chi 2, but given the Spider-Man 4 news, it now seems that the movie will have to wait as Sony and Marvel are fast-tracking the next Spider-Man film. Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers, who have penned the scripts for the past three MCU Spider-Man films, will return to write the movie.
Shang-Chi or Captain Marvel in Spider-Man 4 is Possible
With Cretton now directing Spider-Man 4, it hints at some possible story possibilities. Since his 2013 film Short Term 12, Cretton’s following movies, 2017’s The Glass Castle and 2019’s Just Mercy, have featured star Brie Larson. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings kept this tradition alive by having Brie Larson’s Captain Marvel cameo in the film’s post-credit scene. The Sony-produced Spider-Man MCU movies have featured major roles for MCU heroes, like Iron Man in Spider-Man: Homecoming, Nick Fury and Maria Hill in Spider-Man: Far From Home, and Doctor Strange in Spider-Man: No Way Home. This suggests that Cretton could keep this tradition going by having Brie Larson’s Captain Marvel appear in Spider-Man 4.
There is also the possibility of Simu Liu appearing as Shang-Chi in Spider-Man 4. The Legend of the Ten Rings was a hit for the MCU during the early part of Phase 4, and many fans have been frustrated that Marvel Studios has taken so long on a sequel. It appears part of the delay was that Shang-Chi would have a big role in Avengers 5 when Cretton was directing. With that Avengers 5 plan being scrapped and now Shang-Chi 2 possibly being delayed again, there is hope that fans will see Shang-Chi in Spider-Man 4. The two characters do have a history in the comics, with Shang-Chi having a part in the Ultimate Spider-Man comics and the Spider-Island storyline.
Sony Pictures has not set a release date for Spider-Man 4. However, Disney did pull a July 26, 2026 release date from their slate that they set aside for a Marvel Studios movie. That could have been done so that Sony Pictures could release Spider-Man 4 on that date. That last weekend of July has proven beneficial for Marvel Studios as Deadpool & Wolverine has had an incredible box office run during the last part of the summer, and they are hoping for a similar pattern to play out for The Fantastic Four: First Steps, which opens on July 25, 2025. With a director in place, more news about what is in store for Spider-Man 4 will likely be coming out soon, including potential villains and if the movie will go for a grounded crime drama or another multiverse adventure.
