Marvel's Spider-Man was a big step forward for Marvel video games, finally giving the web-slinger the triple-A experience he deserved. Spider-Man followed in the footsteps of titles like Batman: Arkham City, and it was overwhelmingly successful, quickly becoming the fastest-selling PlayStation exclusive of all time.
Spider-Man's ending sets up quite a few possibilities for a sequel, and although nothing has been officially announced, it's practically guaranteed that Insomniac Games will work on a Spider-Man 2. With the release of the PS5 at the end of 2020, it seems likely that Spider-Man 2 will be on Sony's new console, or will at least be cross-gen.
There's a lot that Spider-Man 2 could bring to the table in terms of story and gameplay changes, but it also has the chance to introduce a wide array of characters into the new Spider-Man universe. Here are a few iconic heroes that need to be introduced in Spider-Man 2.
Doctor Strange
Doctor Strange is one of the most important and powerful heroes in the Marvel universe, and he's Earth's primary defense against any mystical and magical threats. If Spider-Man 2 introduces villains like Mysterio it would make sense for Doctor Strange to enter the scene, however, the first game already referenced the hero. Players can find the Sanctum Sanctorum, Doctor Strange's stronghold, in the first game. This means that Doctor Strange does indeed exist within this universe, and clearly is already active.
The Avengers
The Avengers are the most well-known and iconic team of superheroes in existence, and it'd simply make sense to features one or all of them in a Spider-Man sequel. This is doubly true considering Square Enix is releasing Marvel's Avengers in September 2020. Although it's certainly not confirmed, Avengers could create a kind of Marvel games-verse that links to Spider-Man, and it'd make sense to see a few of the heroes cross over in Spider-Man 2. Traditionally Iron Man and Captain America have interacted with Spider-Man the most, so they'd be the most likely, but any of the heroes could easily make an appearance. Just like with Doctor Strange, Avengers Tower can be found in Spider-Man, which means they're active in the game's universe.
Deadpool
Deadpool has become one of the most popular Marvel heroes out there, and he's oftentimes a cameo character that pops up in a lot of media. This is because of the anti-heroes fourth-wall-breaking nature, allowing him to burst into virtually any situation. The Merc With a Mouth and Spider-Man have a long history together, and there was even a 50-issue comic series called Spider-Man/Deadpool that started in 2016. The two heroes use the same style of biting comedy, which makes them the perfect partners. It'd be pretty easy to slip Deadpool somewhere into Spider-Man 2, whether it's as a full-fledged character or just a quick cameo.
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The Punisher
The Punisher is probably the most well-known anti-hero in the Marvel universe, and his early days pitted him in direct opposition to Spider-Man. In his first-ever appearance, The Punisher was determined to kill Spider-Man and uses his massive arsenal to try and do so. The hero has been linked to Spider-Man forever, although he did develop into his own full-fledged character. Still, the idea of the Punisher as an anti-hero could be used in really interesting ways in Spider-Man 2, making players fight him at times, and work with him at others. The Punisher is a fellow protector of New York, so his appearance would make more sense than most heroes.
The Defenders
Just like Spider-Man and The Punisher, there's another set of iconic heroes that protect the streets of New York, The Defenders. The superhero team has consisted of a ton of different members over the years, including Hulk and Doctor Strange, but the version most might know best was introduced in 2017. This team, carried over into the Netflix miniseries, consisted of Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist. It would make far more sense for The Defenders to appear in Spider-Man than the Avengers, as the former is associated more with New York, whereas the Avengers are worldwide. The first game even has quite a few references to the heroes, like finding a Nelson & Murdock business card or finding the building for Jessica Jones' Alias Investigations. If Sony and Insomniac want to up the scale for Spider-Man 2, Peter Parker is going to need some help.