Spider-Man: No Way Home Secretly Created Another MCU & DC Connection

Another link between the MCU and DC Comics was made in Spider-Man: No Way Home thanks to Tobey Maguire's Peter Parker. The MCU has referenced DC's heroes several times in the past, and No Way Home was the latest to continue the trend. The movie was one of the most talked about additions to the MCU leading up to its release, with audiences analyzing everything Marvel revealed, whether they meant to release information or not. The most exciting rumor was about the inclusion of Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield reprising their roles as Peter Parker, which when confirmed created another DC connection.

In 2002's Spider-Man, movie audiences were introduced to the Web-Head for the first time alongside iconic characters like Aunt May. During the film, Aunt May tells Peter that "you're not Superman", referencing DC's own red and blue hero. By introducing Maguire's version of Spider-Man into the official MCU, Marvel made Superman as a character part of the same world as well, thus creating another meta MCU and DC connection. It's nice to see that even as Superman makes his return in Black Adam, and Marvel is beginning to build toward their next climactic event, both companies can still poke fun at one another. Marvel and DC have a long history as rivals, but they've regularly collaborated and shown that the Marvel vs. DC rivalry is healthy for decades. References like this keep that friendly rivalry alive even on the big screen.

Why Raimi's Spider-Man References Superman

It's no secret that Spider-Man and Superman are two of the most famous comic book heroes of all time, and the similarities don't stop there. Both wear red and blue costumes, have become synonymous with American patriotism several times during their existence, and have a strong belief that their abilities are gifts meant to help others. Since they're each the most iconic hero in their company's lineup, they've constantly been compared to one another.

When Peter first tries controlling the webs he can shoot from his wrists, he shouts "Up, up and away!", an iconic Superman line. Raimi's Spider-Man is filled with references to other Marvel and DC superheroes, showing off just how much love and appreciation for the character and comic books as a whole went into the movie. While it's hard to imagine now, Spider-Man's story wasn't known by general audiences at the time. By referencing other heroes like the extremely famous Superman, Spider-Man gives references to comic book fans and gives movie fans more to look into and enjoy.

Superman Has Been Referenced In The MCU Before

Chloé Zhao's The Eternals is also filled with references to other comic book heroes. Ikaris, the former leader of The Eternals, shares many similarities with the Man of Steel, such as flight, the ability to shoot beams of energy from his eyes, and incredible feats of strength and endurance. When fellow Eternal Phastos' son sees Ikaris in person, he excitedly exclaims "Dad, that's Superman!". References to other comic book heroes keep the MCU feeling interesting, especially now that the MCU is exploring the multiverse. While Superman probably won't appear directly in a Marvel movie anytime soon, it's nice to see that Marvel and DC can still respect one another.

Next: Sam Raimi Referenced Doctor Strange In 2004's Spider-Man 2