Here's every Spider-Man: No Way Home update you need to know as Peter Parker's MCU return edges ever closer. Swinging into the Marvel Cinematic Universe as part of the Captain America: Civil War ensemble, Tom Holland made an immediate impression in his dual capacity as Peter Parker/Spider-Man. Closer to the original Marvel comic character created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko than Tobey Maguire or Andrew Garfield, Holland's friendly neighborhood franchise-crosser has become integral to the MCU thanks to memorable appearances in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame.
Spidey hasn't fared too badly as a solo artist either, enjoying a pair of cinematic chart-toppers with Spider-Man: Homecoming in 2017 and Spider-Man: Far From Home in 2019, pitting Peter Parker against Michael Keaton's Vulture and Jake Gyllenhaal's Mysterio, respectively. Spider-Man's next MCU appearance comes in 2021's Spider-Man: No Way Home, which is rapidly turning into the most eagerly anticipated release in Marvel's long history of eagerly anticipated releases.
As the fated date draws near, here are all of the Spider-Man: No Way Home news and updates so far, and a timeline of development including confirmed character returns, comments from cast members, and multiverse-shattering trailer teases.
Marvel & Sony Reach An Agreement - Spider-Man 3 Is Happening
For a while there, it looked as if MCU Spider-Man 3 might not happen at all. Marvel sold Spider-Man's movie rights to Sony in 1998, and though many other lost properties have since returned home, the Web-Slinger remains with Sony even today. After its The Amazing Spider-Man series got washed down the plug hole, however, Sony was in the mood to do business. An agreement was struck to insert Spider-Man into the Marvel Studios/Disney MCU, with Sony co-producing the character's solo movies.
In the wake of Spider-Man: Far From Home's critical and commercial success, however, the two sides failed to reach mutually acceptable terms and, for a dark couple of weeks in MCU history, Spidey pinged back to Sony. Fortunately, a drunk Tom Holland was on the case. Thanks to the actor's encouragement (and near-universal backlash against Spider-Man's MCU exit), Disney and Sony eventually saw sense, and an extended deal was announced in September 2019. The then-untitled Spider-Man 3 initially landed a release date of July 16, 2021. It wouldn't stay there.
Jon Watts & More Return For Spider-Man: No Way Home
It's a largely familiar lineup behind the camera for Spider-Man: No Way Home. Although his involvement looked precarious while the Sony/Disney deal was in jeopardy, Jon Watts is back to direct his third MCU Spider-Man movie following Spider-Man: Homecoming and Spider-Man: Far From Home. He'll be joined once again by writers Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers, as well as composer Michael Giacchino. Cinematography on this occasion will be handled by Mauro Fiore of Avatar fame.
Zendaya Confirmed To Return As MJ
It was only a matter of time before the usual suspects joined Tom Holland in the MCU's Spider-Man 3, and first to arrive was Zendaya as MJ. Peter Parker and his high school girlfriend ended Spider-Man: Far From Home on the run thanks to J. Jonah Jameson's big mouth, and Zendaya was widely expected to reprise her role alongside Holland in the sequel. Her return became official in March 2020 courtesy of Tom Holland himself, who wouldn't be drawn on the progression of Peter and MJ's relationship in the then-untitled Spider-Man: No Way Home.
Charlie Cox's Daredevil Is Rumored For Spider-Man: No Way Home
Fans quickly deduced how Daredevil could play a vital role in Spider-Man 3, and that Charlie Cox might reprise his character from Netflix's sort-of-not-really MCU Daredevil series. Since Spider-Man: Far From Home ended with Peter Parker accused of crimes he didn't commit, he's going to need a lawyer; and who better to defend an innocent superhero in court than another superhero (with the necessary legal qualifications). The "Charlie Cox for Spider-Man 3" rumors were fanned further by Kevin Smith, and though Cox himself has denied them, that means little when it comes to Spider-Man: No Way Home).
Daredevil's presence remains unconfirmed at the time of writing. Rumors continue to suggest Spider-Man: No Way Home will feature Matt Murdock, but whether he'll actually appear (and whether he'll be played by Cox) remains a mystery. Daredevil fans are convinced that Charlie Cox's superhero lawyer can be briefly spotted in Spider-Man: No Way Home's trailer.
Spider-Man 3 Delayed Until December 2021
March 2020 began with exciting Spider-Man rumors, but ended with a global pandemic, the effects of which are still being felt on a global scale today. As movie theaters closed and productions shut down, studios were forced into reshuffling their entire slates, and the joint production of Sony and Marvel made that process even more fraught. In April 2020, Spider-Man 3's official release changed from July 16, 2021 to November 5, 2021. By July 2020, it was apparent that COVID-19 wasn't vanishing any time soon, and Spider-Man 3 slipped back even further to December 17, 2021, where it has remained ever since.
Jamie Foxx's Electro Is Returning For Spider-Man: No Way Home
Spider-Man: No Way Home's first big gambit and the news that revealed the threequel's ambitious direction - James Foxx officially joined the MCU in October 2020, reprising his role as Electro from Sony's The Amazing Spider-Man 2. Foxx's comeback signaled Marvel's intention to move away from the traditional MCU format and adopt a Spider-Verse style approach for Spider-Man: No Way Home, incorporating choice elements of Sony's past franchises. The superhero world was rocked by the news, and rumor mills kicked into overdrive as fans wondered who else might step through the forbidden door.
Soon after his return was announced, Foxx corroborated the news, but also promised a different version of the character than the divisive villain who shocked audiences in 2014. Spider-Man: No Way Home's Electro will be closer to the comic book original and feature yellow lightning instead of The Amazing Spider-Man's blue sparks. Though Foxx doesn't appear physically appear in Spider-Man: No Way Home's trailer, his trademark lightning does.
Tobey Maguire & Andrew Garfield Among Rumored Spider-Man 3 Additions
Predictably, an open door between Spider-Man movie franchises fueled theories that Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield might return, echoing the hugely successful Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse, which starred multiple versions of the web-crawler from different realities. As well as the Spider-Men themselves, potential cameos have been touted for Kirsten Dunst's Mary Jane Watson and Emma Stone's Gwen Stacy.
Jamie Foxx hyped excitement by sharing a fan poster featuring all 3 big screen Spider-Men facing off against Electro, but Sony representatives denied any legacy Spider-Man actors were "confirmed." In December 2020, a Sony YouTube channel uploaded a video teasing Maguire, Garfield and Holland as part of a "Marvel Multiverse." Needless to say, that was swiftly taken down. True to form, Kevin Feige has deftly avoiding providing a meaningful answer.
At the current time, Maguire and Garfield remain heavily linked to Spider-Man: No Way Home, but neither has explicitly confirmed their presence, and the trailer offers no clues. Cast members have remained tight-lipped too (even Tom Holland), with Zendaya refusing to confirm or deny their involvement, and Holland simply pleading ignorance.
Spider-Man's MCU Supporting Cast Are Returning
With Tom Holland and Zendaya already in place, other MCU Spider-Man regulars quickly started following suit. In October 2020, various reports claimed Jacob Batalon (Ned Leeds), Marisa Tomei (Aunt May) and Tony Revolori (Flash Thompson) had all signed on to appear in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Ned and Aunt May have since been included in trailer footage, which also unveils Jon Favreau's Happy Hogan and Angourie Rice as Betty Brant. Merchandise leaks would later let slip Benedict Wong once again playing the long-suffering assistant of Doctor Strange. J.B. Smoove and Hannibal Buress are back among the Midtown High teaching staff.
Benedict Cumberbatch's Doctor Strange Appears In Spider-Man: No Way Home
Another big slice of Spider-Man: No Way Home news dropped in October 2020, confirming the inclusion of Benedict Cumberbatch's Doctor Strange among the cast. Given the multiverse gimmick teased by Electro's return, many had guessed Strange would be somehow responsible, either opening the multiverse himself or putting a stop to it. Many also assumed (correctly, as it turns out) that Strange would succeed Tony Stark as a mentor to Peter Parker following Iron Man's death in Avengers: Endgame. The presence of a mystic arts master also strengthens continuing rumors that Spider-Man: No Way Home will smash open the walls of reality to allow Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire into the MCU.
Spider-Man: No Way Home's trailer featured Cumberbatch prominently throughout, cementing his status as a main character, but some scenes also alluded toward an evil version of the MCU's resident sorcerer.
The Far From Home & Iron Spider Suits Are Back
In an image posted to Tom Holland's Instagram in November 2020, the actor confirmed his final costume from Spider-Man: Far From Home (the one he made all by himself with Tony Stark's technology on Tony Stark's plane) would be dusted off for another outing, albeit with minor alterations to the design. Several months later, set photos surfaced revealing Peter in his Iron Spider getup from Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame.
Alfred Molina's Doctor Octopus Confirmed For Spider-Man: No Way Home
December 2020 saw another major Sony Spider-Man villain confirmed for the MCU, with Alfred Molina's Doc Ock joining the fun. Refreshingly, Molina himself made little attempt to hide his Marvel comeback after the initial story broke. Entering Spider-Man: No Way Home as the first announced representative of Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy, Molina's casting prompted a huge reaction, with Spider-Man 2's Doc Ock widely considered one of the greatest comic book movie villains of all time. Molina's presence only increases the likelihood of more familiar faces returning.
Subsequent details have elaborated on the recasting, reiterating that Molina is playing his Spider-Man 2 character, and will be de-aged in order to recreate his younger 2004 self.
Spider-Man: No Way Home Set Photos Emerge
In early 2021, a series of on-set photos taken from afar by eager fans began to circulate on social media, giving small glimpses at Spider-Man: No Way Home's potential plot. These include pictures of Peter in his Spider-Man: Far From Home suit, swinging through New York with MJ in tow. There's a cameo from Tom Holland's younger brother as a drug dealer, Mysterio posters reading "I BELIEVE," a New York tourism poster featuring the Statue of Liberty with Captain America's shield, and the inclusion of FEAST - a homeless shelter set up by Mr. Negative. Another photo appeared to tease a Christmas setting, and while this is partially true, the Spider-Man: No Way Home trailer reveals a wider time frame which incorporates Halloween too.
Dane DeHaan Denies Harry Osborn Return
Denials have been a dime a dozen in the build toward Spider-Man: No Way Home, but one sticks out as genuine. Rumors previously suggested Dane DeHaan could follow Jamie Foxx from Sony's The Amazing Spider-Man into the MCU, but the actor himself quashed these reports and questioned how such a crossing of worlds would even be possible. Where other actor denials have come across as toeing company lines, it seems DeHaan's version of Green Goblin really won't be appearing in Spider-Man: No Way Home, and this is supported by the return of a very different pumpkin-tossing villain.
Ned Leeds' Hobgoblin Teased By Sony
MCU fans have long theorized how Jacob Batalon's lovable Ned Leeds could eventually transform into Hobgoblin, as per his comic counterpart. This transition was teased by Sony's marketing department, which posted a graffiti-covered picture of Ned on an Instagram account belonging to "Flash Thompson." The image had been doctored to show Ned wearing a long, orange hat, eerily similar to the one Hobgoblin is famous for.
Tom Holland Hails Spider-Man's Ambition & Scale
It's nothing new to see actors bigging-up forthcoming releases, and far too many stars have tried to sell absolute stinkers like the second coming of Citizen Kane to take such comments seriously. But a couple of choice quotes from Tom Holland hit different, with the actor touting Spider-Man: No Way Home as the most ambitious standalone superhero movie ever made. Holland also described spending a month filming a single fight scene, which he believes is the most impressive he's witnessed in a superhero movie.
First Official Spider-Man: No Way Home Images Revealed
Though a bunch of less-than-official images had already found their way online, the first legit stills from Spider-Man: No Way Home dropped in late February, 2021. Unfortunately, these gave little away, showing only Tom Holland, Zendaya and Jacob Batalon together once more. One interesting note, however, is that one snapshot appears to show the trio in Doctor Strange's snow-covered Sanctum Sanctorum.
Spider-Man 3 Confirmed (Eventually) As Spider-Man: No Way Home
With fans desperately trying to guess Spider-Man 3's proper title, Holland, Zendaya and Batalon teased a trio of fake titles - Spider-Man: Home-Wrecker, Spider-Man: Phone Home and Spider-Man: Home Slice. Shortly after, the proper name was unveiled as Spider-Man: No Way Home. The title provided another hint toward the importance of the multiverse in Peter Parker's MCU future.
Spider-Man: No Way Home Wraps Filming
For obvious reasons, filming on Spider-Man 3 took longer than anticipated, as numerous pandemic-related delays hit Marvel's Phase 4 slate hard. In the summer of 2020, Tom Holland mooted a possible September 2020 start date, but filming notices (under the working title of "Serenity Now") revealed Spider-Man 3 starting principle photography in New York by mid-October. That same month, Holland confirmed his return to MCU duty shortly after completion on Uncharted, and was spotted filming Spider-Man 3 in Atlanta a week later.
After a long period filming in the midst of a pandemic, Spider-Man: No Way Home officially wrapped in late March 2021, as confirmed on Instagram by stunt coordinator, George Cottle.
Merch Leaks Confirm Peter Parker's New No Way Home Costumes
Spider-Man: No Way Home merchandise has been particularly generous in revealing salient plot details and character returns - especially with regards to new costumes. Peter Parker's wardrobe now includes a total of 3 new suit varieties - a black and gold number, a blend of the Iron Spider with gold mystic enhancements (the Integrated Spider-Man suit), and an outfit packing a magical Doctor Strange contraption in the center, as well as modified web-shooters. A LEGO set also hints toward Scorpion's return via a suspicious-looking robot.
Spider-Man: No Way Home Trailer Releases - Confirms Multiverse Plot
Anticipation for the Spider-Man: No Way Home trailer hit fever pitch, as other MCU teasers came and went with no sign whatsoever of neighborhood Spider-Men, friendly or otherwise. Finally (after someone leaked it online and forced Marvel into a frantic clean-up operation), the Spider-Man: No Way Home trailer landed in August 2021, confirming the multiverse premise. Tom Holland's Peter Parker visits Doctor Strange to undo the impact of Spider-Man: Far From Home's identity mishap, but as he meddles in the spell casting, something breaks within the multiverse, opening the MCU to Sony's Spider-Man franchises.
The trailer shows Alfred Molina's Doctor Octopus in all his de-aged glory, and all-but-confirms Willem Dafoe's Green Goblin with a pumpkin bomb and a familiar laugh. Less obvious villain hints confirm Electro (with his yellow lightning), Sandman, and Lizard. Some also believe Charlie Cox's arms can be seen slamming a stack of papers in front of Peter Parker as his defense attorney, which would confirm those aforementioned Daredevil rumors. Though it's not clear why, Parker and Strange appear to be fighting in the Spider-Man: No Way Home trailer, perhaps teasing an evil version of the sorcerer, or Spidey abusing the multiverse and earning himself a magical chewing out.
Green Goblin, Lizard, Sandman & More Confirmed For Spider-Man: No Way Home
Over the past two years, Spider-Man: No Way Home rumors have become more common than web stains on New York City's skyscrapers, but an especially tasty story emerged in the final weeks of 2020, teasing possible returns from Willem Dafoe and Thomas Hayden Church as Green Goblin and Sandman, respectively. Both hailing from Sam Raimi's Spider-Man movies, the report emboldened theories that Spider-Man: No Way Home would be a Sinister Six movie, as well as a Spider-Verse adaptation. Willem Dafoe was later spotted on-set in February 2021.
Sure enough Dafoe was locked-in by the Spider-Man: No Way Home trailer, and a fight between Spidey and Electro seems to include Sandman among the action. By slowing the footage down and turning the brightness way up, Lizard can also be spotted jumping out at Peter from behind. It's not yet clear whether these are the familiar Thomas Hayden Church and Rhys Ifans incarnations, but with CGI rendering the original actors surplus to requirements, that's an easier secret for Kevin Feige to keep.
Finally, Spider-Man: No Way Home's first trailer sets up a glorious return for J.K. Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson, whose Daily Bugle news show can be spotted on TV at Peter and Aunt May's apartment. Simmons had already hinted at more MCU cameos, but hadn't offered any clues as to when or where those might come.
Spider-Man: No Way Home Trailer Breaks Records
In a clear indication of Spider-Man: No Way Home's cultural presence, the first trailer broke a record held by Avengers: Endgame, clocking up 355.5 million global views within the first 24 hours compared to the 289 million Earth's mightiest heroes could manage. For a solo movie to beat the MCU's grand 2019 crossover event is quite something, and proves how excitement for Spider-Man's return to the big screen is growing.
Key Release Dates
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Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Release Date:2021-09-03 -
Eternals
Release Date:2021-11-05 -
Doctor Strange In the Multiverse of Madness
Release Date:2022-05-06 -
Thor: Love and Thunder
Release Date:2022-07-08 -
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Release Date:2022-11-11 -
captain marvel 2
Release Date:2023-07-28 -
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania
Release Date:2023-02-17 -
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Release Date:2023-05-05
