SPIDER-MAN 4 Reportedly Scraps Sinister Six Plans For a Couple Other Interesting Villains
Marvel fans have been eagerly anticipating the next chapter in Tom Holland’s Spider-Man journey, and new rumors for Spider-Man 4 suggest that plans to bring the Sinister Six into the MCU have been abandoned.
Instead, the movie’s focus is reportedly shifting to the supernatural realm, featuring Mephisto and Ghost Rider.
In Spider-Man: No Way Home, Peter Parker faced off against a Multiversal collection of villains, including Green Goblin, Doctor Octopus, Electro, Sandman, and The Lizard. Despite their collective threat, the iconic Sinister Six was never fully realized.
While Venom was teased and concept art showed scrapped plans for The Vulture and Mysterio, the villainous team remained incomplete.
It seems Marvel Studios and Sony may have actually considered rectifying that in Spider-Man 4. According to scooper @BeyondReporter, an early version of the movie featured the Sinister Six. However, we don’t have any additional details on who would have been included or why the idea was dropped.
The same report claims that Spider-Man 4 is now moving in a very different direction. The film, which "still doesn’t have a script" has reportedly evolved into a story involving Mephisto and Ghost Rider.
This is an interesting shift, and it could explain the swirl of conflicting rumors surrounding potential appearances by Ant-Man, Daredevil, and Venom in the film.
What could a Mephisto-centric story mean for Peter Parker? Speculation is already rampant that the devilish figure might offer Spider-Man a Faustian bargain, perhaps to restore his erased identity and reclaim his old life.
If Ghost Rider is involved, it’s unclear whether it will be the MCU's take on the character or a return of Nicolas Cage’s version from the earlier films. But it is rumored that Cage will reprise his role in the MCU.
It’s also worth bringing up again that the production may still be in flux. Another insider recently claimed, "They're having problems with the script. They had a draft that Tom Holland really liked but he has no taste, and Kevin Feige, who actually does, thought it was bad. So now they’re rewriting it and changing everything. The script isn’t ready yet and won’t be for a while."
Holland himself seems more optimistic. On a past podcast, the actor said, "I read it three weeks ago and it really lit a fire in me. Zendaya and I sat down and read it together, and we were bouncing around the living room.
“Like, this is a real movie worthy of the fans’ respect, but there [are] a few things we need to figure out before we can get that really going. But it’s exciting, and I’m really, really excited about it."
As it stands, Spider-Man 4 is officially set to release on July 26, 2026. Destin Daniel Cretton (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings) will direct, with a script from Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers.
Until Marvel or Sony provide more clarity, it’s best to take these rumors with a grain of salt.
What are your thoughts on these rumored changes? Do you prefer a supernatural Spider-Man adventure, or were you hoping for the Sinister Six?