Why Molina's Doc Ock Is De-aged In No Way Home (But Maguire Likely Won't Be)

In the Spider-Man: No Way Home trailer, Marvel revealed a de-aged Alfred Molina, but there's a reason why the film won't alter Tobey Maguire's Spider-Man. The new trailer for No Way Home completely changes the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Spider-Man's (Tom Holland) identity was revealed in Spider-Man: Far From Home, and Peter Parker is looking to change that in the upcoming film. To regain his anonymity, Parker turns to Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), whose solution is magically wiping all memory of the web-slinger's identity. Unfortunately, the spell would erase the memories of everyone Parker knows and loves, so he attempts to modify Strange's enchantment. The interference opens up the Multiverse.

Because the spell goes awry, characters from past Spider-Man films break into the MCU. Alfred Molina's Doc Ock, an antagonist from Sam Raimi's Spider-Man 2, appears in the trailer, showcasing his signature metal tentacles. "Hello, Peter," Molina says slyly after emerging from a cloud of dust and smoke. The trailer also hints that Willem Dafoe's Green Goblin, Jamie Foxx's Electro, and Thomas Haden Church's Sandman will all come back. Additionally, Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield, who both previously portrayed Spider-Man, are rumored to return.

Though the trailer de-ages Molina's Doc Ock, it's doubtful the film will do the same for Maguire. It's been 17 years since Doc Ock faced off with Maguire's Spider-Man in Spider-Man 2, with the villain ultimately sacrificing himself at the end of the movie. Because of all that time, a little de-aging technology makes sense for Molina's villain to return to his past form. After all, Marvel regularly de-ages actors for its films. However, there's a significant reason why Marvel probably won't de-age the potentially returning Peter Parker.

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Doc Ock's death likely plays into his de-aging. In Spider-Man 2, Ock is carrying out a nuclear experiment that threatens to destroy New York City when Spider-Man confronts him. Though artificial intelligence in his metal tentacles corrupted Ock, he's able to take enough control to destroy his experiment, dying along with it. Since Ock clearly wouldn't age anymore after dying, Marvel likely needs to de-age him to resemble his look before his death. Because Maguire's Parker didn't die in the original Spider-Man trilogy, he wouldn't need to be de-aged. For him, time should pass regularly.

Of course, there could be more Marvel shenanigans at play. If Maguire does appear de-aged, it could be because Marvel is plucking Spider-Man from a specific period in time. In Spider-Man 2, Doc Ock seems to redeem himself in the end. But in the No Way Home trailer, his "Hello, Peter" hints that he's still a menacing villain. Because of this, it seems Marvel took this version of Doc Ock from a point where he was never redeemed. In all likelihood, Maguire's Spider-Man will look similar to the actor's current appearance. However, if Spider-Man: No Way Home also takes Parker from an earlier point in Spider-Man 2, a de-aged Tobey Maguire could swing onto the scene.

More: No Way Home: Why Doctor Strange Seems Off In The Spider-Man Trailer