Marvel Already Has the Perfect Pick for the MCU’s Next Spider-Man

The Marvel Cinematic Universe‘s Peter Parker is finally ready to come into his own as a hero. After years of needing help to take down villains like Mysterio and Vulture, Spider-Man is going to be without a support system. Sure, the Punisher will have a major role in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, but he won’t be able to offer the kind of help that Iron Man or Doctor Strange did. In fact, he may end up being more of a roadblock than an ally when it’s all said and done. All that to say, Peter is finally ready to step up and become one of the faces of the MCU, but that doesn’t mean he’s going to be around forever.

Some of the MCU’s biggest characters, including Steve Rogers, have passed down their mantle to another hero. While Peter isn’t ready to hang up his red and blue costume just yet, there will come a time when Marvel Studios is looking for a new Spider-Man. Marvel head honcho Kevin Feige’s recent words eliminate one possibility for Peter Parker’s (Tom Holland) successor, but also keep a lane of possibility open for another character to step up to the mantle.

The MCU Isn’t Going to Touch Miles Morales for a While

Feige recently sat down with reporters to spill the beans about all of the upcoming plans he and the other higher-ups at Marvel Studios have for the MCU. He explained that younger actors will be cast as the new X-Men and that Avengers: Secret Wars is going to change how the franchise works. Another topic that was brought up was the introduction of Miles Morales to the MCU. Of course, Miles, another version of Spider-Man, is leading Sony’s Spider-Verse films, with Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse set to release in 2027. While Marvel Studios has expressed excitement about bringing Morales into the fold in recent years, Feige’s revelation that Sony told him to “stay away” from the character for the time being casts doubts on his future in live-action.

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Sony wants to be able to finish out its animated trilogy without worrying about competition from its friends at Marvel. That’s more than fair, especially because Morales’ story is far from complete, as the end of Spider-Man: Across the Universe reveals he’s stuck in another universe and about to face off against a variant of himself who likes to commit crimes instead of stopping them. Morales getting a complete arc on the big screen is a wonderful thing, but it may mean that Feige and Co. are ready to pivot to another Spider-Man if they have to. Fortunately, another great candidate is waiting in the wings who has yet to appear in live-action.

Ben Reilly Has What It Takes to Be the MCU’s Next Spider-Man

The Spider-Verse films have introduced various versions of Spider-Man, including Ben Reilly, aka the Scarlet Spider. In Across the Spider-Verse, he’s part of Miguel O’Hara’s Spider Society and loves brooding. Reilly is more of a comedic relief character than anything else, though, which is a shame because he has a pretty tragic backstory. Miles Warren, a professor obsessed with Gwen Stacy, blames Spider-Man for her death and starts making clones of him. The most normal one has to fight the hero and eventually learns that he’s not the real deal. Taking the name Ben Reilly, he begins to roam the Earth, attempting to discover his purpose.

Ben becomes the Scarlet Spider and even takes over for Peter when he briefly retires. While he may be a little gloomier than his doppelganger, Ben is just as good a hero, protecting the innocent and putting the bad guys away. The MCU could use someone like that when it’s time for Tom Holland to walk away, and it can start laying the groundwork for Reilly immediately. Punisher’s first comic book appearance actually comes in a Spider-Man issue that features Warren, aka the Jackal, as the villain. If Peter and Frank Castle team up to take down the evil scientist, they might learn that he’s creating clones that look a bit like the Wall-Crawler. Ben could be one of them, ready to learn everything he can from the Wall-Crawler until it’s time for him to put on the costume.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day hits theaters on July 31, 2026.

Would you like to see Ben Reilly be the next Spider-Man in the MCU? Do you think Marvel Studios will just wait until Miles Morales is ready to take over? Let us know in the comments below!