Spider-Man: No Way Home's finale needed major changes in order for the film to be cleared for release in China, a new report claims. Marking the end of Tom Holland's Spider-Man trilogy, which began with Spider-Man: Homecoming in 2017, No Way Home saw the titular hero taking on his biggest challenge yet. After Mysterio revealed Peter Parker's identity to the world at the end of Spider-Man: Far From Home, the Web-slinger enlists the help of Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) to use magic to make everyone forget his alter-ego, which accidentally opens the multiverse and unleashes a variety of past Spider-Man villains.

The film was a hit with both audiences and critics because of its action spectacle, emotional moments, and the inclusion of past Spider-Man actors Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield. The final battle, which takes place almost exclusively on Liberty Island on an under-construction version of the Statue of Liberty, features an epic team-up of all three Spider-Men as they attempt to return each villain to their correct universe. The action-packed Spider-Man: No Way Home finale ultimately ends with the scaffolding surrounding Lady Liberty crashing down, and all the multiverse characters being transported back to their respected universes.

Related: Marvel Was Right To Give Daredevil Such A Small Role In No Way Home

According to Puck News' "What I'm Hearing" newsletter, Chinese authorities required some major adjustments to Spider-Man: No Way Home if the film was to be approved for release in the country. The newsletter reveals that their main point of contention was how prominent the Statue of Liberty was in the climax. After first demanding that Sony remove Lady Liberty entirely, which the company refused, Chinese authorities then asked for a number of smaller changes, mostly focused on editing Statue of Liberty shots that had been deemed too "patriotic." Although Sony considered making the changes, the report says, the company ultimately declined.

the three versions of Spider-Man as seen in Spider-Man No Way Home get ready to fight

While their market has lost some of its prominence, the Chinese theatrical box office typically represents a significant portion of a movie's international gross. By not censoring the film, as per Chinese requests, Sony is likely missing out on significant revenue. While Spider-Man: No Way Home's lack of a Chinese release will hurt the film's bottom line, any major acquiescence on Sony's part in terms of editing parts of the film would likely cause a significant backlash in the U.S., especially considering the nature of the changes being requested.

Although the lack of a Chinese release means less revenue for the film, Spider-Man: No Way Home is estimated to have made Sony around $610 million in profit so far, meaning the film is still performing exceptionally well without a Chinese release. The recent revelations about Spider-Man: No Way Home are also nothing new when it comes to the relationship between Marvel films and China. Movies like Black Widow, Eternals, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, and Venom: Let There Be Carnage were also not cleared for release in the country.

More: Spider-Man: No Way Home's Ending Suit Is Even Deeper Than You Realize

Source: Puck News

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