One particular fan is so convinced of the inclusion of Tobey Maguire in an image that he has posted it on social media, which fueled the speculations of other fans. What are the details that have been revealed anew in said promotion and TV spots? Check them out below.
Hidden head?
It seems every day, there is a new crumb scrutinized by the Marvel fandom that might point to confirmation that the two older Spider-Men, Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield, will be appearing in Spider-Man: No Way Home. With how long the film’s runtime will be, there does seem credence to that, providing enough room to develop such an epic multiversal story. Although neither Marvel Studios/Disney or Sony/Columbia Pictures have officially given a statement, signs do point to this happening. After all, the villains for the upcoming film have been confirmed to be from their individual film series. But the production and studios involved have been very tightly-lipped about it, and even the actors have denied their participation consistently. Still, these have not stopped fans from looking at every possible angle that might support their theory. Whether it is one of the Spider-Man: No Way Home trailers, such as the one massively leaked in August, or tangentially connected promotional material such as toys, accessories, and everyday items. But one eagle-eyed fan, specifically, provided an arguably interesting discovery. A Bark Box pamphlet officially themed with Spider-Man: No Way Home design features mostly Tom Holland’s version of Spidey with his different suits that will be worn in the film. But there is a little something extra. Twitter user @Dominic_kravitz posted the image and specified a key section. If you look very closely, there is what appears to be the shape of the top from another Spider-Man mask. Check the Twitter post with the images below:
— Dom (@Dominic_kravitz) November 25, 2021 The said shape is notably different from Tom Holland’s own costumes. Zooming in and flipping the image shows it is very similar to the embossed web patterns of Tobey Maguire’s costume since the first Spider-Man (2002). Bark Box does indeed have a promotion running that is themed with the Spider-Man: No Way Home content. Bark Box provides goodies for dog owners, similar to how Loot Crate does the same for pop culture subscribers. According to the promotion, the Spider-Man: No Way Home Bark Box will include 2 toys, 2 bags of treats, and a dental chew. The contents have designs inspired by Spider-Man, Doctor Strange, and the Daily Bugle. The piece of image, however, is very small and the fact that it is in black and white does not help to determine if this is on the money. But it is certainly sufficient to support the possibility of what it might actually be: Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man appearing in the film.
TV Spot snippets and IMAX
Aside from the Bark Box promotional flyer, there has been a slew of 30 second to 1 minute long TV Spots and IMAX promos since the first trailer was officially released. Each new TV Spot shown in the U.S. and internationally have added tidbits of character interaction and dialogue that form the picture of the plot threads of Spider-Man: No Way Home.
— Heroic Hollywood (@heroichollywood) November 24, 2021 Of the most compelling bits of information, are the following highlights:
Otto Octavius will comment on the Iron Spider’s arms as competition. This is a callback to the Superior Spider-Man storyline where Doc Ock took over Peter’s body and spent some time masquerading as Spider-Man, but with updated tools, including using the mechanical spider-arms on a regular basis. Doctor Octopus will realize early on that the Spider-Man he encounters is not his universe’s version by unmasking him. This revelation is further confirmed when Doctor Strange specifically asks Doc Ock “Do you know a Peter Parker who is Spider-Man?” and the latter responds yes, but follows up that it is not the MCU Peter Parker, teasing his version is the one played by Tobey Maguire.
The villains will be adopting technology from the MCU, as Doctor Octopus’s arms now have a red highlight, similar to Iron Man’s. Moreover, Electro has an Arc Reactor on his harness (another of Tony Stark’s technologies). This will likely explain how he is able to look normal instead of the blue-skinned version from The Amazing Spider-Man 2. Electro even comments on the possibilities the MCU version of Earth has to offer. Another beneficiary of updated tech will appear to be Norman Osborn/Green Goblin. The villain will be eliminating his cumbersome mask and opt for a hoodie and goggles look instead. This is reminiscent of the appearance of the comic book Hobgoblin (as the original Green Goblin costume wore a pointy hat, not a hoodie). Jonah Jameson will encounter The Lizard for the first time, mistaking it for a dinosaur.
The Statue of Liberty construction is for the purpose of adding Captain America’s Shield to the historic landmark. Doctor Strange tasks Peter, MJ, and Ned to capture the visitors from the multiverse. MJ quips that Peter should have told them of his plans and Ned calls these visitors Multiverse Men. There is a point that Peter states he is going to need some help. But is he referring to his friends… or reinforcements from somewhere else?
Andrew Garfield is no help… or perhaps he is?
In an interview with Variety, one of the veteran Spider-Men, Andrew Garfield, was asked to weigh in on his involvement with Spider-Man: No Way Home: That seems to be the typical canned answer that actors give when they are obligated not to give any spoilers, and Garfield acknowledges this:
— Variety (@Variety) September 8, 2021 This follow-up answer seems to be less of a denial on Garfield’s part. Could the actor merely be reaffirming his statement that is not in the film or is it a subtle hint to keep fans guessing? With 20 days left for the film to take its bow and new projects like Spider-Man: Freshman Year being announced, leaks and even the smallest hints just keep the fires of speculation burning. Based on the Marvel Comics superhero created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, Spider-Man: No Way Home stars Tom Holland (Peter Parker/Spider-Man), Zendaya (MJ), Jacob Batalon (Ned Leeds), Marisa Tomei (May Parker), Jon Favreau (Happy Hogan), Willem Dafoe (Norman Osborn/The Green Goblin), Alfred Molina (Otto Octavius/Doc Ock), Jamie Foxx (Max Dillon/Electro), Rhys Ifans (Dr. Curtis Connors/The Lizard), Thomas Haden Church (Flint Marko/Sandman), Benedict Cumberbatch (Doctor Stephen Strange), and Benedict Wong (Wong). Also starring Toni Revolori (Flash Thompson), Angourie Rice (Betty Brant), Martin Starr (Roger Harrington), J.B. Smoove (Julius Dell), Hannibal Buress (Andre Wilson). Directed by Jon Watts and produced in collaboration between Marvel Studios/Disney, Columbia Pictures, and Sony Pictures, Spider-Man: No Way Home is swinging into most theaters this December 17, 2021.
