No Way Home's Ending Was Different Before Surprise Actors Signed On

Warning! This post contains MAJOR spoilers for Spider-Man: No Way Home.

According to the screenwriters behind Spider-Man: No Way Home, the third act was shaped by the previous Spider-Man cast members, Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield. Directed by Jon Watts, Spider-Man: No Way Home marks the third installment to the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Spider-Man trilogy, starring Tom Holland as Peter Parker. The blockbuster film has already broken records within the MCU, for the most pre-sale tickets records since Avengers: Endgame, along with supplementing Star Wars: The Force Awakens as the biggest December opening of all time.

Prior to Holland’s Spider-Man rendition with Sony and Marvel Studios in the MCU, the Spider-Man franchise was kicked off by director Sam Raimi in the 2002 film, Spider-Man, with Maguire starring in the lead role. Following the success of Raimi's esteemed Spider-Man trilogy, Sony rebooted the franchise with director Marc Webb in 2012 with The Amazing Spider-Man, casting Garfield to play the iconic role of the web-slinger for two installments.

In an interview with THR, the screenwriting duo for Spider-Man: No Way Home, Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers, reveal how Maguire and Garfield shaped the ideas and characters for the third act of the film. Although Garfield and Maguire were given the script last minute after secretly signing onto the project, the previous Spider-Man franchise actors were able to transition smoothly into their roles at ease. In addition to embodying their roles, McKenna adds how Maguire and Garfield were able to elevate their roles to assist Holland's Peter on his journey to establishing his morality. Read Sommers’ and McKenna's response below:

"SOMMERS: They had thoughts, and it was really interesting and helpful to see their thoughts. No one knows the character as well as — or gives as much thought to the character — as someone who has to then embody it and sell it. It’s always valuable to hear what the actor is thinking. It definitely shaped what we did.

MCKENNA: They had great ideas that really elevated everything we were going for and added layers and an arc and we really actually started honing into the idea that these two guys were really helping Tom’s Peter on his journey to becoming who he ends up becoming. There’s a crucial, moral moment that they help him get through in the climax of the movie. So much of that was brought by Tobey and Andrew’s ideas and shaping of what they thought their characters could bring to this story."

Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire as Spider-Man

Since the first trailer of Spider-Man: No Way Home, many fans had been anticipating Maguire and Garfield to make an appearance in the film. To their surprise, both actors returned to the big screen to reprise their titular roles, teaming up with Holland’s portrayal of Spider-Man to close the rift in the multiverse by sending back the respective renditions of past Spider-Man villains. It comes as no surprise why the screenwriting was adapted after Garfield and Maguire entered the field, providing insight and suggestions for the team-up scenes, given their experience playing the titular roles, and adding more context and value to their characters. The third act provided some emotional closure for their characters, especially for Garfield’s variant as his adventure was short-lived, ending in two installments. With the lucrative success of the film, many fans have been avidly petitioning to bring back Garfield for a third installment of The Amazing Spider-Man.

Knowing that Garfield and Maguire were given the creative leverage to embody their roles and present their ideas to the screenwriters to alter the ending of the film, this may lead to further appreciation for their returned appearances and involvement in the film, capturing the hearts of many. Recently, Holland shared the brotherhood, instinctively created from the shared experience and bond of playing the wall-crawling hero. With the introduction of the multiverse and the post-credit scenes of Spider-Man: No Way Home, this may not be the last time Garfield and Maguire return to reprise their titular roles.

More: Why Andrew Garfield's Spider-Man Return Is More Likely Than Tobey Maguire

Source: THR