It sounds like the upcoming Spider-Man sequel is really shaping up to be something special. While plot details for the still-untitled Spider-Man 3 have been firmly under wraps, as filming got underway word started to leak that the follow-up might be attempting something like a live-action version of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. We know for certain that Jamie Foxx is reprising his Amazing Spider-Man 2 role as Electro and Alfred Molina is reprising his Spider-Man 2 role as Doc Ock, bringing together the universes of both the Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield Spider-Man movies. Indeed, going further, it’s a very safe bet that you’re going to see Maguire, Garfield, Kirsten Dunst, and Emma Stone appear in some way, shape or form alongside this current franchise’s stars Tom Holland and Zendaya.

Which is why it doesn’t seem like Holland is exaggerating when he calls the upcoming film “the most ambitious standalone superhero movie ever made.” Indeed, speaking with Variety, Holland understandably couldn’t reveal specifics, but he does seem to be indicating this is much more than just a simple Spider-Man sequel:

“I can say that it’s the most ambitious standalone superhero movie ever made. You sit down, read the script, and see what they’re trying to do, and they’re succeeding. It’s really impressive. I’ve never seen a standalone superhero movie quite like it. And I’m just, you know, again, that lucky little shit who happens to be Spider-Man in it. We got a lot more shooting to do. We started before Christmas and shot for like seven weeks. We stopped for the Christmas break, and then we’re starting again. I’m just as excited as everyone else to see it, let alone be a part of it.”

Certainly one might read these comments and say, “He knows he was in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame right?” but I think what Holland is getting at is that those films were superhero team-ups, whereas Spider-Man 3 is largely a standalone sequel – albeit one that crosses the streams of various universes.

You may recall that Spider-Man 3 almost didn’t happen. Or at least, not with Marvel Studios’ involvement. After the successful release of Spider-Man: Far from Home, Disney and Sony Pictures entered into negotiations to extend their partnership on another Spider-Man sequel, one that would continue what worked on the first two Spider-Man movies in that Marvel Studios would take creative lead but Sony would pay for, distribute, and reap most of the box office. Those talks fell apart at one point, but thankfully they all eventually came to an agreement and Spider-Man 3 is indeed being creatively spearheaded by Marvel Studios after all.

How will Spider-Man 3 pave the way for future MCU movies, and future Sony Marvel movies for that matter? Production is about to get underway on the sequel Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, so it appears the idea of the multiverse will be integral to the MCU going forward. It also provides a path for Sony to continue making its own Marvel movies without Marvel Studios – like Venom 2 and Morbius – while not having to worry about messing with any MCU continuity.

As Holland said filming on Spider-Man 3 continues under the direction of Jon Watts, who helmed the first two MCU Spider-Man movies, and the film is scheduled to open in theaters on December 17, 2021.

Check out a complete list of upcoming Marvel movies heading our way over the next few years.