2026 is shaping up to be one of the most stacked years ever for Spider-Man content, with Marvel Studios and Sony delivering four very different projects across film, streaming, and animation. From preschool-friendly cartoons to gritty live-action noir, Spidey’s multiversal reach has never felt broader or more ambitious. However, not each is enjoying the same level of hype.
What makes this lineup especially interesting is how clearly it’s designed to serve different audiences. Younger viewers, longtime animation fans, devotees to the MCU timeline, and adults craving darker superhero storytelling all have something to look forward to. This makes 2026 a rare year when Spider-Man truly feels omnipresent across pop culture.
Spidey And His Amazing Friends Season 5
Ghost, Spider-Man, and Spin jumping in the air in the animated Disney series Spidey and His Amazing Friends
Spidey and His Amazing Friends season 5 ranks last in terms of pure hype. However, that doesn’t make it unimportant. As the first full-length Marvel animated series aimed squarely at young children, it plays a crucial role in introducing a new generation to Spider-Man and the wider Marvel Universe.
Related
11 Major Comic Book Characters Created By TV Shows
Discover the surprising origins of major comic book characters who were first created for TV shows before becoming iconic in comics and beyond.
The show follows grade-school versions of Peter Parker, Gwen Stacy, and Miles Morales as they protect New York City from kid-friendly versions of classic villains like Rhino, Green Goblin, Doc Ock, and Sandman. It’s colorful, energetic, and intentionally simple, prioritizing fun and teamwork over complex storytelling. After four great seasons, Spidey and his Amazing Friends continues with season 5.
While details are unclear, it’s likely that season 5 will expand its roster of heroes and villains. Characters like Black Panther, Ms. Marvel, Hulk, Iron Man, and even Jeff the Land Shark already frequently appear, reinforcing Marvel’s broader brand while keeping things accessible and lighthearted. While this ranks lower in terms of hype among adult audiences, it might be the most exciting for younger children.
Indeed, it’s undeniably very childish compared to other 2026 Spider-Man projects. However, its renewal for a further sixth season shows how successful it’s been with its target audience. Releasing on Disney Jr., it may not excite older fans, but it remains a noteworthy and valuable part of Spider-Man’s future.
Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man Season 2
Spider-Man naming himself in Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man
Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man season 2 lands higher on the hype scale thanks to its narrative ambitions and MCU connections. As an official Marvel Studios series, it explores an alternate timeline where Norman Osborn becomes Peter Parker’s mentor instead of Tony Stark. This offered a fresh spin on familiar origins, complementing the MCU while rooting it firmly in Spidey’s world.
Season 1 ended with an impressive number of unresolved storylines that immediately raised anticipation. Norman secretly retains a piece of the symbiote, seemingly setting up a Venom storyline. Meanwhile, Nico Minoru tapping into magic, and the revelation that Peter’s father Richard is alive all hint at much bigger developments ahead.
There’s also the highly compelling rise of Lonnie Lincoln as Tombstone and the leader of the 110th Street Gang, plus the reveal that Daredevil’s partner Finesse has been undercover within Oscorp. These threads suggest a darker, more interconnected world taking shape around Peter. This, of course, is bolstered by the changes to Peter’s relationship with Norman and even Harry Osborn.
Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man season 2 certainly promises excitement. Yet, compared to other Spider-Man projects, it is primarily an extension of what’s already been established rather than a radical evolution. Releasing on Disney+, it’s highly anticipated for audiences invested in its mysteries, but it lacks the sheer novelty of the top-ranked entries.
Spider-Noir
Nicolas Cage As Spider-Man Noir With His Hand Reached Out In Spider-Noir
Spider-Noir is easily one of the most exciting and creatively daring Spider-Man projects in years. Developed for MGM+, the live-action series stars Nicolas Cage as an aging Spider-Man Noir navigating 1930s New York as a down-on-his-luck private investigator haunted by his past. The concept alone sets it apart from anything Marvel Studios is currently producing.
Drawing heavily from the acclaimed Spider-Man Noir comics, the series leans into hardboiled detective tropes. It will explore moral ambiguity and a bleak, atmospheric tone rarely associated with Spider-Man on screen. Cage’s casting is a major reason for the hype.
After voicing Spider-Man Noir so perfectly in Into the Spider-Verse, his transition to live-action feels inspired. Cage is especially ideal for a version of the character that thrives on eccentric intensity and emotional weariness. Spider-Noir is one of the most promising projects from Sony’s Spider-Man Universe ever, actually adapting something that audiences responded well to.
With eight episodes and both black-and-white and full-color versions planned, Spider-Noir feels like a genuine artistic swing. As the first live-action Spider-Man series in years and a rare adult-focused Spidey story, it’s incredibly exciting for longtime audiences craving something different. It has the potential to push the genre in thrilling new directions.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day
Tom Holland Wearing Spider-Man Costume On A Soundstage For Spider-Man Brand New Day
Spider-Man: Brand New Day easily claims the top spot as the most hyped Spider-Man release of 2026. As Tom Holland’s fourth solo MCU outing, it carries enormous expectations following the emotional and universe-altering events of Spider-Man: No Way Home. The film is expected to explore the fallout of Peter Parker’s erased identity,
MJ and Ned are both confirmed to return, raising questions about how (or if) their relationships with Peter will be rebuilt. That alone gives the movie major emotional weight. On top of that, Brand New Day boasts an exciting lineup of confirmed characters.
Tombstone, Punisher, Hulk, and Scorpion are all confirmed, with Daredevil heavily rumored also. Even bigger whispers suggest possible appearances from Venom, Miles Morales, and Grey Hulk – though none of these are confirmed. It is also the movie that will lead directly into the hugely hyped Avengers: Doomsday, one of the MCU’s most hyped projects.
Scheduled for July 31, 2026, as part of Phase Six of the MCU, Brand New Day feels poised to redefine Spider-Man’s future once again. It has sky-high expectations and massive narrative potential. As such, Brand New Day is easily the most anticipated Spider-Man project of the year.