Spider-Man 4 Set Photo Confirms Key Black Panther Connection

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A recently released photo from the set of the upcoming Spider-Man: Brand New Day movie reveals a playful link to the events of 2022’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Spider-Man 4 is the next Marvel Cinematic Universe film scheduled for release, and it will be Tom Holland’s biggest solo adventure yet. The movie will also tie into the larger Marvel storyline, referencing a smaller detail from the last film in Phase 4.

A photo from the set of Spider-Man: Brand New Day features Tom Holland, Zendaya, and Jacob Batalon together. Tom Holland is wearing his new Spider-Man costume, and Jacob Batalon is wearing an MIT shirt – a nod to the fact that he and Zendaya’s character, MJ, were established as college students at MIT in Spider-Man: No Way Home.

MIT has been featured in the Marvel Cinematic Universe for some time, and it’s where Dominique Thorne’s character, Riri Williams, goes to college. We first see Riri on the MIT campus in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, where she’s discussing a deal with another student while Shuri and Okoye secretly watch her.

This reveals that Riri Williams, Ned Leeds, and MJ Watson all attend MIT at some point within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While we don’t yet know what MJ and Ned are studying, this connection could pave the way for Ironheart and Spider-Man to team up in a future Marvel project.

The next Spider-Man movie, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, is set to release as part of Phase 6 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Starring Tom Holland, Zendaya, Jacob Batalon, and returning favorites like Jon Bernthal and Mark Ruffalo, the film will follow Peter Parker as he starts a new chapter, with the world having forgotten who he is. He’ll then face frightening new villains who threaten him and everyone he cares about. Spider-Man: Brand New Day is scheduled to hit theaters on July 31, 2026.

Will Black Panther 2 Impact Spider-Man 4?

Although at least three significant Marvel Cinematic Universe characters attend MIT, it doesn’t seem likely they’ll cross paths in this film. The series Ironheart begins six months to a year after the events of Black Panther 2, and early on, Riri Williams is kicked out of MIT for selling her projects to raise money for suit improvements. This makes it improbable she’ll return to campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts, to continue her education.

Depending on where the story of Spider-Man 4 fits into the Marvel Cinematic Universe timeline, Ned and MJ will probably be students at MIT, having already graduated from Midtown Tech in No Way Home. Even if they only have small parts in Brand New Day after remaining friends through Doctor Strange’s spell, fans will be eager to see what they bring to the new film.

As far as I can tell, we probably won’t see Ironheart and Spider-Man team up in the MCU for a while. It seems more likely they’ll first share the screen in a big event movie, maybe something like Avengers: Doomsday or Avengers: Secret Wars. I’m really excited for that possibility!

Although Ironheart has connected with Spider-Man in various alternate universes, fans are eagerly anticipating a crossover between the two franchises, whether it takes place in New York City or another location.

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2025-12-02 02:04