When Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters on May 1, 2026, fans are expecting to see all the familiar faces from the MCU—except for one web-slinger, Tom Holland’s Spider-Man. Unfortunately, Your Friendly Multiverse Spider-Man (because he doesn’t seem to be limited to neighborhoods anymore) won’t be making an appearance in the highly anticipated crossover film. The absence of Holland’s name from the casting announcement raised some eyebrows, but according to industry insider Jeff Sneider, it’s not just a coincidence. The reason is that Spider-Man 4 is probably taking place during the exact same events of Avengers: Doomsday, and Holland’s Peter Parker simply won’t be available to swing into the action in both movies.
But before you start mourning the absence of your favorite hero, here’s the twist: Tom Holland’s Spider-Man might still be involved in the Doomsday chaos, just from a different perspective maybe. Think about it. The events of Spider-Man 4, set to hit theaters just two months after Doomsday in July 2026, will likely explore Peter’s life after the world forgot who he was (thanks to Doctor Strange’s memory wipe in No Way Home). And whatever chaos he has going on in his film (rumours are there might be more multiverse shenanigans at play), it’s probably going to deeply impact the other MCU films. It also would be interesting to see how Spider-Man fits back into the Avengers fold—if he ever does.
Now, don’t think this means Spider-Man fans are getting completely left out of Avengers: Doomsday. Sure, Holland won’t be swinging into battle alongside Robert Downey Jr.’s debut as Doctor Doom, but he might appear in the post-credits or even be referenced in a cameo. The 5th Avengers movie will feature a mix of heroes from both the MCU and Fox’s X-Men films, which is a lot of talent to pack into one film. Also, with new faces like Channing Tatum, Pedro Pascal, and Florence Pugh joining the cast, there’s still plenty to be excited about. I imagine that Spider-Man will be talked about at some point in the battles, or at least be shown in a cameo that sets up Spider-Man 4.
And while we’re on the subject of Spider-Man 4, expect some surprises. The movie will introduce Stranger Things star Sadie Sink in a role that has fans buzzing with speculation. Is she playing Jean Grey? Is she playing Mayday Parker? Is she playing a new MJ? The signs seem to point to Jean Grey, especially with the confirmed presence of X-Men characters in the future of the MCU. But that’s just an educated guess.
Tom Holland’s schedule for 2026 seems very full right now. After all, it’s not every day you have to balance appearances in two of the biggest superhero films of 2026 and Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey. So, while Spider-Man’s absence from Avengers: Doomsday may seem like a missed opportunity for Peter Parker and Tony Stark to meet again, it’s clear the MCU is focused on giving the young Avenger his own story – which could be just as important to the MCU.
Marvel clearly sees the bigger picture here. What’s better than a one billion dollar box office hit? Two!
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Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters on May 1, 2026, and Spider-Man 4 will follow on July 31, 2026.
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