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Summary
Tom Holland’s web-slinging adventures as Peter Parker are set to continue in the MCU’sSpider-Man 4. What’s more,Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Ringsdirector Destin Daniel Cretton is attached to helm the film, which could be exactly what the newSpider-Manfilm needs.
FollowingSpider-Man: No Way Home,Holland’s was uncertain, particularly given the complicated licensing deal between Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios for the rights to theSpider-Mancharacter. However, it was confirmed by producer Amy Pascal in November 2021 that the agreement would continue, with anothertrilogy of MarvelSpider-Manfilms in development and Holland set to return. One thing that would change thisSpider-Mantrilogy, however, was the absence of Jon Watts, the director ofSpider-Man: Homecoming, Spider-Man: Far From Home, andSpider-Man: No Way Home.With Watts turning his attention toStar Wars' Skeleton Crew, the director’s chair onSpider-Man 4was wide open and was eventually filled by Destin Daniel Cretton. Cretton had been attached to direct Marvel’sAvengers: The Kang Dynasty, but eventually swapped out to become the director ofSpider-Man 4.
Shang-Chi’s Action Sequences Were A Standout
The change of directors for the MCU’s Spider-Man films was largely welcomed, particularly because Cretton has already proven himself to Marvel fans.Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Ringsscored positively on Rotten Tomatoes with a 91% approval rating from critics, with much praise going towards its representation of Asian culture and its epic fight sequences.
Shang-Chi’s Fight Scenes Are Magic
As Shang-Chi is a martial arts master, many of the movie’s fight sequences leaned into that action style and brought a Kung Fu-film aesthetic to the MCU. Cretton revealed he wasinspired by a combination of Jackie Chan’sIp Manfilms,Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Kung Fu Hustle,and other projects in the anime and gaming worlds. This helped give Shang-Chi a worthy origin story whose fight sequences matched perfectly the style of the character.
One notable sequence sees Shaun (aka Shang-Chi, played by Simu Liu) engage ina fight sequence on a San Francisco bus, which paired the character’s fast-paced martial arts moves with epic slow-motion shots. This is far from the only major fight sequence in the film, with others occurring in a fight club caged arena, on the scaffolding of a skyscraper, and on the back of a mystical dragon. These sequences show that Cretton not only has style, but he has range and can craft a variety of epic action set-pieces, whether they be grounded or more fantastical.
Spider-Man Movies Have a History of Great Action
Spider-Manmovies are no slouches when it comes to action either. There is a long list of setpieces from the eight live-actionSpider-Manfilms so far and many will surely go down in history. Some fan favorites include the fight atop a moving train between Spider-Man and Doc Ock in Sam Raimi’sSpider-Man 2, a setpiece that involves Tom Holland’s Spider-Man holding together a Staten Island Ferry inSpider-Man: Homecoming, and the fast-paced blend of action and illusion inSpider-Man’s fight with Mysterioon Tower Bridge inSpider-Man: Far From Home.
Spider-Man 4can easily up the ante of its action sequences, particularly as the first Spider-Man trilogy is really considered something of an origin story for Peter Parker. By the end ofSpider-Man: No Way Home, Holland’s Spider-Man has evolved significantly from the character he was when he was introduced inCaptain America: Civil War, not just personally but in his skills as a superhero and a fighter. When he puts on the new blue and red suit at the end ofSpider-Man: No Way Home, it signals a new evolution for Holland’s Spider-Man as he fully commits to his life as New York’s local superhero. Coming intoSpider-Man 4, this is an opportunity toincrease the scale and stakes ofSpider-Man’sactionsequences to truly test how far the hero has come.
Destin Daniel Cretton Could Evolve Spider-Man 4’s Action
As a director,Destin Daniel Cretton seems like a perfect choice forSpider-Man 4, particularly given his experience with action onShang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.Cretton has proven he can adapt to a variety of action styles, which will no doubt be useful for Spider-Man’s aerial sequences, but it also means he could switch things up a bit by adding some ofShang-Chi’smartial arts aesthetic.
Another asset for Cretton coming on toSpider-Man 4is that he already knows how to operate the Marvel machine.Cretton is clearly a valued player in Marvel’s ecosystemas he was entrusted to directAvengers 5, before its change in direction. He’s also a director and producer on the upcomingWonder Manseries for Marvel, which will give him experience in another variety of superhero action. Heading intoSpider-Man 4, Cretton will have the advantage of knowing how the studio operates in terms of budget and notes, and has a wealth of experience directing large-scale action under his belt, which will hopefully encourage the director to go even bolder with Spider-Man 4’s action sequences.
Spider-Man 4is currently in development at Marvel Studios.
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is one of the biggest names in entertainment today. The superhero first appeared in the Marvel comic Amazing Fantasy #15 before becoming a leading figure in the Marvel comic-book universe.Spider-Man has also featured in numerous films and a plethora of video games, most notably Insomniac Games' Spider-Man (2018) and Spider-Man: Miles Morales.
