The shocking ending twist in Spider-Man 4 and other sequels, setting the stage for Black Cat to finally make her live-action debut. Peter Parker choosing to have the world forget who he is in order to close the Multiverse and keep his loved ones safe sets up future Spider-Man films to be more grounded, returning to his street-level roots that were seen in other Spider-Man films. This, in turn, makes more street-level characters ripe for introduction as the franchise develops.
Felicia Hardy's Black Cat is one of the most popular side characters in the Spider-Man comics. Having appeared in various video games and cartoons, the character has never properly appeared in a live-action format. Black Cat's debut in Spider-Man 4 could introduce someone new in Peter Parker's life that he could turn to given that he no longer has anyone in his corner. It would be great to see Spider-Man interact with a beloved character that hasn't been featured on the big screen yet. Peter and Felicia could even start a relationship just like in the comics, as it's one of the few Spider-Man relationships not seen in film. By essentially resetting Spider-Man in the No Way Home ending, Marvel has presented the perfect opportunity for Black Cat's arrival to shake up the status quo.
Spider-Man 4's Black Cat Has Already Been Teased
While Black Cat hasn't appeared in a theatrical release yet, Felicia Hardy has. Felicity Jones appeared as Hardy in 2014's The Amazing Spider-Man 2, but she never suited up as the feline anti-hero. In that film, Felicia worked for Harry Osborn at Oscorp as his assistant, and she directed him to the location where he could find spider venom. A different Black Cat exists in Sony's Spider-Man Universe thanks to a headline that was seen in 2022's Morbius. Even though it doesn't confirm a Multiversal storyline, there were also plans for Hardy's version of the character to return in a female-lead superhero film that would have released in 2017. The plans fell through when Sony and Marvel Studios began their ongoing partnership. Perhaps her version of the character could make another appearance.
Beyond Felicity Jones continuing her role as Felicia Hardy, there was also a Silver & Black movie in development that would have featured Black Cat and the introduction of Silver Sable. While that project has never been officially canceled and was instead redeveloped into a television series, there have not been any recent official updates on whether it will ever see the light of day and whether it would take place in Sony's Spider-Man Universe. All these teases indicate that the character could have a future on screen in some form, with the MCU representing a golden opportunity.
What Black Cat's Story Could Be In The MCU
While it will take some time for audiences to see the MCU's Spider-Man 4, there are plenty of ways in which Black Cat could be introduced. It makes sense for Peter Parker to have a deep connection with Felicia Hardy, but Black Cat should be an antihero in Spider-Man 4. Throughout his journey so far, Peter has always questioned his morals. He began going down a dark path in Spider-Man: No Way Home after the death of Aunt May, but he was able to overcome it. Black Cat could try to persuade Spider-Man to partner up with her as she commits crimes. It wouldn't be easy, but she is very manipulative, and Peter has been tricked before. This would set up a very interesting dynamic between the two that could finally be seen on the big screen.
