The Marvel Cinematic Universe has given new life to Spider-Man, who continues to play an important part in Marvel Studios' plans with the upcoming release of Spider-Man: No Way Home. However, Disney+ Day also saw the announcement that Peter's adventures will continue on the streaming service in Spider-Man: Freshman Year.
Freshman Year is set to be an animated show unlike anything Marvel has created thus far. It's also set within the MCU continuity and will feature Parker in his first year at high school. The premise sounds exciting but raises a lot of questions about what audiences can expect to see!
Will It Include Any Of The Same Cast And Characters?
For now, there are absolutely no casting confirmations in regards to the animated series. Tom Holland was unable to return to voice Peter Parker in Marvel's What If...? so it wouldn't be too surprising if a different, younger actor took on the role.
Undoubtedly Aunt May and Ned will also have parts to play, but once again their casting at this stage remains a mystery. What's more, who else will join Peter on his adventures? His friendship with MJ hadn't formed at this stage and although classmates like Flash and Liz could be present, they likely weren't too close at the start of High School.
Who Are Spidey's Earliest Villains?
Fans know just how brave Spider-Man really is facing down threats like Mysterio, Vulture, and even Thanos. When he first started his superhero journey though, there was surely a villain that Peter had to take down, inspiring him to continue his vigilante career.
No past foes have really been mentioned in the MCU for Spidey, so perhaps the threat he faces is on a much smaller scale than an Electro or the Lizard. It could be that the majority of the show is without an antagonist, with the webhead simply finding his feet in all the chaos.
Will Freshman Year Tie Directly Into Future Films?
Although Spider-Man: Freshman Year appears to be a part of the MCU canon, it's currently unclear what role it might play in the larger universe. It is a prequel which means it could set up future narratives to explore in the live-action features. But will it actually do that?
Not everyone will watch the animated show, so major arcs and plot points will probably be confined to the show itself so that the larger MCU isn't significantly impacted. It's more likely to focus on Peter's evolution as he grows older than any major story beats that could change the audience's perception of the movies.
Is Freshman Year Actually Canon?
Although the show does appear to be a part of MCU canon that doesn't actually mean it's canon quite in the sense fans are used to. Much like What If...? it could be that the show isn't actually set in the traditional timeline but is a version of events that led to Spidey's debut.
Alternatively, Peter may change so much throughout the story that Marvel Studios deems the project completely out of canon, much like some of the comic books that are based on the MCU but are in no way actually a part of the overall universe.
Does Freshman Year Set Up New Heroes?
There are tonnes of alternative heroes from throughout Spider-Man's world that have yet to make their MCU debut. Gwen Stacy who will one day masquerade as Ghost-Spider is one, as is Cindy Moon who shares an origin with Peter, becoming Silk (outside of a brief Spider-Man: Homecoming appearance).
Andrew Maguire or Alpha, and Miles Morales, another iteration of Spider-Man, are both characters who could also make an appearance. With so many potential heroes to adapt, Freshman Year could be the perfect place to see their debut. But will Disney+ actually make a bold decision like this?
Do We Get To See Parker's Origins?
Peter Parker has alluded to his origins before and fans have seen it on screen in many variations. The MCU's version of events hasn't yet played out though and Freshman Year may just be the time to see that moment fulfilled.
Will Marvel actually go through with it though, considering they have avoided it for so long? It's likely that the show will explore how Peter deals with his newfound abilities, which means fans will surely have to watch the famous spider bite all over again.
Will Uncle Ben Die Again?
In regards to origins, there's no bigger moment in Peter's life than the death of Uncle Ben. It's another event that has been broadcast in every Spidey series and lives on as an iconic Spider-Man comic book panel, but how could the MCU make it different? Will they tread this path at all, or avoid it altogether?
When looking at the early years of Spider-Man it's very difficult to miss the 'with great power comes great responsibility' moment. What's more pressing as a concern is whether Peter will be directly accountable for Uncle Ben's death in some capacity, much like the other versions of the character are.
What Is The Animation Style?
Marvel's What If...? showcased what the animation department of the studio can actually achieve but it's clear that Freshman Year will be taking a different approach. The logo for the show teased a style that looks as if it was stolen from the early art within the comics.
Will the animation techniques used here reflect that art style retro fans are familiar with? Or will the show boast a modern reinvention of the familiar imagery, perhaps ditching hand-drawn techniques for a 3D, CGI program of development instead?
Will Peter Suit Up?
Every one of Peter's actions in the comics taught readers an important life lesson. At such a pivotal period of time in his life, the show Freshman Year could achieve something similar. Through this coming-of-age story, Peter will have to find his identity.
Will that identity transform into the Avenger MCU fans now knows and loves? In theory, it's possible that Parker never suits up as Spider-Man throughout the Disney+ show. On the other hand, he may at the very least develop his web-shooters and don the prototype costume seen in Spider-Man: Homecoming.
When Will It Release?
Unfortunately, much like plenty of other shows on Marvel's slate, The Walt Disney Company did not give fans a release date for Spider-Man: Freshman Year. Animation can take years to develop and it's clear that the project is in its earliest stages.
Considering the schedule is pretty packed over the next few years the show may release in 2023 at the earliest, but perhaps 2024 is a very real possibility. Marvel fans are definitely patient though, so many of these questions won't be answered quite at this stage.