‘Spider-Man 4’s Kingpin return could pave the way for the biggest MCU team-up since ‘Avengers: Endgame’

It looks like Marvel’s short-term plan for the big Jonathan Majors-shaped hole in their wide-reaching multiverse is to make the most of Vincent D’Onofrio‘s popularity among its fanbase by casting him in everything.

New rumors from industry insider Daniel Richtman indicate that the masterful actor — who we’ve just seen in action in Echo and will again soon in Daredevil: Born Again, currently in production — has been offered a role in the fourth Marvel Cinematic Universe Spider-Man film.

Of course, Spidey and Fisk’s history in the comics is extensive. Not only did the crime boss’s first appearance take place in The Amazing Spider-Man #50, but he also went on to become one of Spider-Man’s biggest villains.

Spider-Man 4‘s rumored ‘street-level Civil War’ begins to take shape

The rumor mill had previously pitched Spider-Man 4 as a street-level Civil War event, possibly taking from 2021’s Devil’s Reign comics, where Fisk becomes mayor of New York and starts a war on vigilantism (Peter Parker being one of his main victims). Of course, Mayor Fisk has already been set up in the post-credits scene in the finale of Echo, so there could be some truth to this theory.

Charlie Cox, who has recently re-ed the franchise as Matt Murdock/Daredevil to massive buzz from fans, has also been rumored to continue the relationship introduced in Spider-Man: No Way Home with an appearance in the new Tom Holland film.

Could Spider-Man 4 be our first taste of the Champions/Young Avengers after The Marvels?

Hear us out. Do you know which other street-level vigilante has crossed paths with the terrifying Kingpin? That’s right, Kate Bishop, Hawkeye’s successor. The recently recruited Young Avenger had a major confrontation with the infamous villain in Disney Plus’ Hawkeye after learning about his criminal ties with her mother — a battle that received no proper continuation in Echo.

Kate is not one to back down from a fight so we expect her to be looking to tie up any loose ends with Fisk, and what better place to do that than Spider-Man 4? Following the Young Avengers/Champions tease at the end of The Marvels, we’re expecting the MCU to morph these two teen team-ups from the comics into its own version.

We know the team leader will be Kamala Khan, who’s also the leader of the Champions in the comics, while her first recruiter is a famous member of the Young Avengers. The Champions also included a Spider-Man, who was actually the Miles Morales version, but if Marvel is happy to blur the lines a little why not have Kamala recruit Peter too? Kate Bishop actress Hailee Steinfeld is more than a little familiar with Miles and the Spider-Man world from her fabulous work as Spider-Gwen in the Spider-Verse series, which could give this team-up very exciting implications for the future of Marvel’s multiverse.

If all these pieces fall into place, Spider-Man 4 could prove to be our first proper look at the Young Avengers/Champions (should we just start calling them Young Champions?) before they eventually (and hopefully) get their solo outing.