Only time will tell what exactlyMarvel’s Spider-Man 3will look like, but Insomniac is definitely riding high on its superhero series so far; hopefully, the studio will manage to keep its momentum going for the third mainline entry in the franchise. That’s a little easier said than done, though, sinceMarvel’s Spider-Man 3will be tasked with outdoing three best-selling critically-acclaimed web-slinger games—no simple feat.
Aside from the requisite twists, turns, and miscellaneous subversive elements that one would expect from an ambitious AAA sequel,Marvel’s Spider-Man 3will need to up the ante on Spidey’s story. AfterMarvel’s Spider-Man 2, it might seem like there’s not much more room for the franchise to grow, since iconic villains like Venom and Doc Ock have already had their time in this universe’s spotlight. Of course, there’s a good chance that theGreen Goblin will appear inSpider-Man 3, but that’s just the big bad: there needs to be other intense action set-pieces, side quests, and minor arcs involving disparate aspects of theSpider-Manmythos, and synergizing with the upcomingSpider-Man: Brand New Dayfilm might not be a bad place to start.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 3 Can Repeat the Success of the Dr. Strange Mission with Hulk, Punisher
The Doctor Strange Portal Mission Is Among Spider-Man 2’s Best
Regrettably,Doctor Strange doesn’t actually appear inSpider-Man 2, but some of his gear does: Black Cat obtains a magical portal-creating wand that Miles Morales is tasked with retrieving, and a high-speed, flashy chase sequence ensues. It’s one of the most memorable parts of the game, since the device is constantly creating rips in space-time, sending the player to the other side of the map, or even the other side of the world.
This sequence was likely included to show off the PS5’s hardware capabilities, and Insomniac already had experience with similarmechanics viaRatchet and Clank: Rift Apart, but it’squite possible that the MCU, and specificallySpider-Man: No Way Home, played a big role in its inclusion as well.
No Way Homefeatures a similar portal-laden set piece, and this could have indirectly or directly influenced the aforementioned Black Cat chase inSpider-Man 2—Insomniac does work closely with Marvel Studios during development, after all, so it could very well have had advance knowledge of such a scene while making the game. If one assumes this is the case, then it has some promising implications forSpider-Man 3.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day’s Cameos Could Set Spider-Man 3 Up To Outdo Its Predecessor
It’s been confirmed that Jon Bernthal’s Punisher will play a role in theupcoming filmSpider-Man: Brand New Day, and it’s been strongly rumored that a rendition of Savage Hulk will make an appearance as well. If Insomniac wishes to implement some creative synergy withBrand New Day, as it did withNo Way Home, then using at least one of these characters for a high-stakes side mission or set piece seems like a no-brainer.
In the comics, Spider-Man and the Punisher cross paths quite regularly, as they are both New York City vigilantes, albeit with starkly different methods. As such, it would be fitting for Insomniac’s version(s) of Spider-Man to butt heads with Frank Castle at some point, perhaps prompting the player to chase him down and bring him to justice, queuing up a morally complex subplot.
The Hulk would be another welcome face inSpider-Man 3, and there are even more—and more outrageous—gameplay opportunities that could be designed around him. Another chase or even a boss fight against Hulk would be a great opportunity for mechanical experimentation and hard-hitting storytelling, regardless of the character’s potential inclusion inthe nextSpider-Manfilm. The link between the movie and the film would just serve as an additional bit of motivation for Insomniac in this respect.
