The Next MCU Installment Could Offer The Perfect Setup For An Iconic Spider-Man Ally To Join The MCU

Published Sep 7, 2026, 7:00 PM EDT Nicholas Raymond is an author and journalist based out of Alabama, where he proudly roots for the Alabama Crimson Tide football team. A graduate of the University of Montevallo, he has a degree in mass communication with a concentration in journalism. Setup for Spider-Man's next MCU adventure could come in an unexpected form. Spider-Man: Brand New Day itself is a perfect example of Marvel finding unconventional ways to lay the groundwork for its films. Jean Grey has no meaningful connection to Peter Parker in the source material, and yet it was Spider-Man's fourth solo movie that brought the iconic X-Men heroine into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and with a pivotal role in the story no less. With that in mind, it's not out of the question that VisionQuest has an indirect impact on Peter's future. For now, it's unclear what a potential fifth Spider-Man movie would offer Tom Holland's iteration of the web-slinger. Based on Spider-Man: Brand New Day's post-credits tease, Peter will soon be taking a trip to outer space, but that may be more to do with Avengers: Secret Wars than a sequel to his latest movie (if rumors of his involvement in Secret Wars are true, of course.) Since Brand New Day doesn't paint a clear picture of what a fifth movie would like, there's all sorts of options on the table as things currently stand. For instance, the next movie could further his ties to Jean Grey and the mutants, adapt the Clone Saga, pit him against an MCU version of Norman Osborn, or unite several Spider-Man villains to form the Sinister Six. With all the possibilities available to Marvel, there's no shortage of Spider-Man characters who should be counted as candidates for potential roles in the next film. Most are villains, of course, but since the MCU has developed a track record for teaming up Peter with other characters, an ally or two being on hand is certainly plausible. And how one such character may be brought into the fold is a question that may be answered as early as October, when VisionQuest continues Vision's MCU journey on Disney+. VisionQuest's Paladin Has Strong Connections To Spider-Man & Silver Sable Among the Marvel Comics characters featured in VisionQuest is Paladin, who will be brought to life by Todd Stashwick. The character has been described as a bounty hunter tracking Vision. That explanation is consistent with his portrayal in the comic books; making his debut in the pages of Daredevil, Paladin is a no-nonsense mercenary armed with taser pistols, superhuman strength, and a great deal of martial arts talent. After a few encounters with Daredevil, Marvel began handing the character guest appearances in Spider-Man's titles. Spider-Man enjoyed a fun dynamic with Paladin, whose ruthless desire to complete his objective clashed both with Spider-Man's morals and wise-cracking approach to crime-fighting. Even so, they were able to put their differences aside and worked together. In the 1980s, Marvel gave Paladin a different role by having the character develop ties to a different mercenary acquaintance of Spider-Man's, Silver Sable. In Web of Spider-Man #50, Paladin joined the ranks of the Wild Pack, which was the team of superheroes-for-hire led by Silver Sable in the Marvel Comics. Subsequently, Paladin was utilized as an on-and-off-again member of the Wild Pack team when they headlined their own comic book series, Silver Sable and the Wild Pack. Because of their line of work and specific skill sets, Paladin and Silver Sable are natural allies with a lot in common. But one thing that separates them is the difference in their popularity; Paladin has long been a C-list character with limited appearances in Marvel Comics, whereas Silver Sable has enjoyed much greater levels of visibility. Her roles in the Spider-Man: The Animated Series helped her become an iconic 1990s Marvel superhero. Due to her enduring reputation, it wouldn't be a surprise if the MCU eventually decided to bring her into the fold either as the lead in her own show or a supporting character in a Spider-Man movie. And thanks to her comic ties to Paladin, Marvel can start laying the groundwork for her to show up sooner rather than later. How VisionQuest Can Set Up Silver Sable To Appear In The Next Spider-Man Movie There's a few ways Marvel can use Paladin's presence in VisionQuest to set the stage for Silver Sable's MCU debut. Firstly, it stands to reason that, as an experienced mercenary, Paladin is aware of other people in his field of work. He could simply reference her as a colleague or competitor during his pursuit of Vision, which would establish her existence in the MCU ahead of a possible role in a future Spider-Man film. A more direct way of going about setting up Silver Sable in VisionQuest would be to turn to the Wild Pack when the time comes to wrap up Paladin's story. If Paladin survives VisionQuest's ending, the series could close his arc and tease his future by showing a representative of the Wild Pack attempt to recruit him. Theoretically, Marvel could go as far as to debut Silver Sable here, and have the character herself speak with Paladin about joining the team for a mission. Could Silver Sable's Wild Pack Appear In Spider-Man: Brand New Day? Depending on where Spider-Man's next adventure takes him, Silver Sable's Wild Pack team could fit perfectly into the story. Due in large part to his status as a superhero whose identity is unknown to the public, Spider-Man has a history as a misunderstood hero both in the comics and in the MCU. It's not hard to imagine a scenario where Spider-Man is framed once more or has other powerful people put a bounty on him. If that happens, Spider-Man could find himself face-to-face with Silver Sable and her Wild Pack. They could start out as enemies, but once the dust clears, they could find themselves on the same side. Bringing in the Wild Pack would go a long way toward upping the stakes for Spider-Man in a way that doesn't go against the more grounded, street-level status quo established by Brand New Day. Because Silver Sable leads an entire team of superheroes, her introduction could pose a massive challenge for the web-slinger that tests his wits as well as his physical capabilities. Outlasting a whole team of super-powered individuals by himself is something Spider-Man has yet to do in the MCU. Release Date July 29, 2026 Runtime 145 minutes Director Destin Daniel Cretton Writers Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers Producers Avi Arad, Kevin Feige, Louis D'Esposito, Amy Pascal, David Cain Cast Peter Parker / Spider-Man Four years after No Way Home, Peter Parker lives alone, forgotten by everyone he loves, and devotes himself entirely to being Spider-Man.