Spider-Man: No Way Home's Rooftop Scene Was Rewritten 10 Times

Spider-Man: No Way Home writers Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers reveal that the rooftop scene, during which all three Peter Parkers meet for the very first time, had to be rewritten "at least 10 times." Swinging its way into the number-three spot of the highest-grossing films of all time domestically, Spider-Man: No Way Home has had an incredibly successful theatrical run despite the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Two months on from its initial release, the highly anticipated Spidey sequel has garnered an eye-watering $1.8 billion at the global box office.

Spider-Man: No Way Home saw the return of Spider-Man alumni Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield, as they teamed up with Tom Holland's Peter Parker to take down a number of villains from their pasts. In what was possibly the worst kept secret in MCU history, the pair entered Holland's Spider-Man universe during his hour of need, thanks to the help of Ned and MJ (played by Jacob Batalon and Zendaya, respectively), and helped get their fellow Peter back on his feet following the tragic death of his Aunt May. The trio first meet on a rooftop, in a tear-jerking scene that sees the three Peters bond over their shared trauma, before reciting the iconic Spider-Man mantra, "with great power comes great responsibility."

Now, it's been revealed that this particular scene was actually rewritten a number of times in order to truly tap into each Spider-Man's mindset. During a recent IGN Fan Fest panel, Spider-Man: No Way Home writers McKenna and Sommers reveal that writing the scene involved a lot of thought as to how each Peter would be feeling in that moment. Sommers shares that Maguire, Garfield, and Holland also had their own input as to "where they'd be coming from," which was ultimately factored into the final script. Check out Sommers' full quote below:

When they got pulled into this movie, what condition were they in? What were they doing? What was their mindset? The end of the last Amazing Spider-Man had this really nice speech from Gwen about staying hopeful and everything. And immediately it became interesting to us. Well, what if Andrew Garfield's Spider-Man, if his Peter Parker couldn't do it, he couldn't keep that hope. He was too hurt by what happened. And so, that led us to the attitude that we found for him. And then we also had to think long and hard about where Tobey's Spider-Man would be in. And that was a more difficult question 'cause more time has gone by. And what has that guy been up to? And then of course the actors had opinions about what their Spider-Man, what their Peter Parkers should have been up to, and where they'd be coming from as well. [This led to] a lot of conversations and a lot of writing. I would say we must have written that scene at least 10 times.

Tom Holland, Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire in the final battle of Spider-Man No Way Home

During the panel, McKenna and Sommers also reveal that, once it was confirmed that they had Maguire and Garfield on board, they always knew the pair would be introduced in the film's third act, as they were conscious of the fact they had "an MCU Peter Parker story to tell." The three Spider-Men coming together during one of the more pivotal moments in the film makes it all the more emotional when it plays out on screen, with the pair then accompanying Holland's Parker through his final battle. Holland recently revealed that he was initially nervous about the three actors having to play the same character opposite one another, before stating that he ultimately had "nothing to nervous about."

For many, the rooftop scene in Spider-Man: No Way Home ticked a lot of boxes as it offers a raw, emotional look at the harsh realities of putting on the Spider-Man suit. It's certainly not surprising to hear that the scene was a key focus during the writing process and that it took so many rewrites to perfect it. It is fair to say that both Sommers and McKenna's hard work certainly paid off in the long run, as what the scene ultimately offers audiences is a deeper glimpse at each Parker's motivations as well as truly setting the tone for the film's final act.

Next: Spider-Man 4: How Maguire & Garfield's Influence Will Change Peter Parker

Source: IGN