Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)

[Silver Nemesis]

I'll rename this thread once the film's title is announced.

There have been a lot of rumours lately that Tobey Maguire and Alfred Molina will be appearing in the third MCU Spider-Man film, and now The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed that Molina is indeed reprising his role as Doc Ock: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/spider-man-3-alfred-molina-returning-as-doctor-octopus

It now seems very likely that Maguire will also be returning. Disney is scheduled to reveal some of its plans for upcoming Marvel and Star Wars movies on Thursday, so perhaps we'll get confirmation then.

[Silver Nemesis]

Collider is now reporting that Andrew Garfield and Kirsten Dunst are both set to return, and that Maguire is in negotiations to join them.

https://collider.com/spider-man-3-cast-doc-ock-alfred-molina-andrew-garfield/

It's interesting to see some of the comments this news is receiving. Here on Batman-Online, the consensus has always been that the Watts/Holland films were overrated and the Raimi/Maguire films were vastly superior. Following this latest news, some MCU fans finally seem to be acknowledging this.

[BatmanFurst]

It's so weird that they're doing this, and Flash is bringing in different incarnations of Batman. Quite the coincidence.

[The Dark Knight]

This is a Spider-Man fan's dream.

Fingers crossed the Tobey deal gets done. It should. If past reports were true, Tobey was absolutely interested in the project but wanted more screen time. Kirsten is already on board, which would allow them to show where their relationship is now. I grew to like Garfield in the role, especially after TASM2, so I'm glad he's coming back too. When he was dropped for Holland he became a forgotten, rejected man. This appearance helps remedy that.

The inclusion of Emma Stone makes me wonder if she's going to be Garfield's Gwen, or if they're going with Spider-Gwen, which serves as a haunting echo for Garfield. The inclusion of Molina as Doc Ock is fantastic as well. Definitely one of the best on screen comic villains of all time. Did he survive the drowning incident? Or does the Multiverse pluck these characters out at different parts of their timeline? Also don't forget they're giving Garfield Electro to fight - and it's easier to explain his 'death' as something survivable.

Either way, the Maguire and Garfield eras are getting a big showing here, which is reason enough to be excited. When Holland took over, it was very much a case of 'Marvel will show how it's really done, and will be the best interpretation so far'. That didn't come to fruition, from my point of view. Although I understand why they took certain narrative decisions, and there's room for that in the franchise.

My feelings towards the Spider-Man franchise has warmed in recent times, especially with the PS4 game - even though I'm annoyed they changed Peter's face model. With the inclusion of Maguire (hopefully) and Garfield, this is giving a lot of fans what they want. Along with their iconic villains and love interests.

If people loved those films I don't see why they wouldn't be excited about this.

[The Laughing Fish]

It's so weird that they're doing this, and Flash is bringing in different incarnations of Batman. Quite the coincidence.

This is not a coincidence.

The Russo brothers once confirmed that Civil War got made because BvS was coming out. And now The Flash is bringing back multiple Batmen, the latest MCU Spider-Man sequel is bringing back multiple Spider-Men. Anyone who doesn't see a dubious pattern here must be lying to themselves. Plus, the Doctor Strange sequel was the one hyped up to explore the multiverse, but it's appeal has been somewhat undermined now Spider-Man is going to do it first.

I have very mixed feelings about this. As much as I enjoy the prospect of seeing these characters coming back, I really don't like the MCU's take on Spider-Man and would've preferred to get a fourth Raimi film instead. Same thing goes with Garfield, I'd rather see a third Spider-Man film with him starring in it.

None of that will likely ever happen though, so the only thing I hope is the MCU doesn't do anything stupid to Maquire and co. We've seen what they did to Thor, Hulk, Drax, Iron Man and so on.

[Silver Nemesis]

Fingers crossed the Tobey deal gets done. It should. If past reports were true, Tobey was absolutely interested in the project but wanted more screen time. Kirsten is already on board, which would allow them to show where their relationship is now. I grew to like Garfield in the role, especially after TASM2, so I'm glad he's coming back too. When he was dropped for Holland he became a forgotten, rejected man. This appearance helps remedy that.

I see this movie as being as much the concluding film of Garfield's trilogy as of Holland's. Garfield deserves a decent send-off and hopefully this will end his Peter's story on a happier note than TASM2.

The inclusion of Emma Stone makes me wonder if she's going to be Garfield's Gwen, or if they're going with Spider-Gwen, which serves as a haunting echo for Garfield.

I think I'd prefer it to be Spider-Gwen from another reality, then have her and Garfield's Spider-Man get together at the end. They could explain that in Spider-Gwen's universe Peter died under similar circumstances to how Gwen was killed in TASM2. That would give them both the happy ending they deserve.

The inclusion of Molina as Doc Ock is fantastic as well. Definitely one of the best on screen comic villains of all time. Did he survive the drowning incident? Or does the Multiverse pluck these characters out at different parts of their timeline?

Spider-Man 2 (2004) is such a perfect film, a part of me is worried that any sort of continuation will damage it. It might be better to have Molina play a Doc Ock from another universe. Possibly one where he succeeded in killing Spider-Man and destroyed New York with his experiment. Maguire's Spider-Man could recognise him and assume it's the Octavius he knew, only to then realise that this Otto is far more evil and beyond redemption. That way we'd get to see a rematch between Maguire's Spidey and Molina's Doc Ock without undoing the latter's death at the end of Spider-Man 2.

Alternatively, the original Doc Ock might simply have survived the events of SM2. Doc Ock 'drowned' at the end of 'And Men Shall Call Him... Octopus!' (Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man Annual Vol 1 #1, December 1979) when he was dragged to the bottom of the East River after his arms got trapped in the door of a sinking submarine. A few months later he showed up alive and well in 'Arms of the Octopus' (Daredevil Vol 1 #165, July 1980), so I don't see why the cinematic Doc Ock shouldn't prove equally resilient.

Until now I assumed the Jameson J. K. Simmons is playing in the MCU was a different version from the one he portrayed in the Raimi trilogy, but now I'm not so sure.

Also, remember the reference to Doctor Strange in Spider-Man 2?

Were they referring to the Cumberbatch Strange all along? After all, Sam Raimi is directing his next movie.

[thecolorsblend]

This is a Spider-Man fan's dream.

Fingers crossed the Tobey deal gets done. It should. If past reports were true, Tobey was absolutely interested in the project but wanted more screen time. Kirsten is already on board, which would allow them to show where their relationship is now. I grew to like Garfield in the role, especially after TASM2, so I'm glad he's coming back too. When he was dropped for Holland he became a forgotten, rejected man. This appearance helps remedy that.

The inclusion of Emma Stone makes me wonder if she's going to be Garfield's Gwen, or if they're going with Spider-Gwen, which serves as a haunting echo for Garfield. The inclusion of Molina as Doc Ock is fantastic as well. Definitely one of the best on screen comic villains of all time. Did he survive the drowning incident? Or does the Multiverse pluck these characters out at different parts of their timeline? Also don't forget they're giving Garfield Electro to fight - and it's easier to explain his 'death' as something survivable.

Either way, the Maguire and Garfield eras are getting a big showing here, which is reason enough to be excited. When Holland took over, it was very much a case of 'Marvel will show how it's really done, and will be the best interpretation so far'. That didn't come to fruition, from my point of view. Although I understand why they took certain narrative decisions, and there's room for that in the franchise.

My feelings towards the Spider-Man franchise has warmed in recent times, especially with the PS4 game - even though I'm annoyed they changed Peter's face model. With the inclusion of Maguire (hopefully) and Garfield, this is giving a lot of fans what they want. Along with their iconic villains and love interests.

If people loved those films I don't see why they wouldn't be excited about this.

I hang my hat on many fandoms. But while I enjoy certain Spider-Man comics, movies, etc, that character has never been a major player for me.

This whole thing seems a little try-hard to me. There's the keeping up with the Joneses bit of trying to top Flashpoint and there's also the angle of trying to drum up as much enthusiasm as possible for the MCU, which people seem to be gradually tiring of.

Superhero teamups used to be rarer than gold in live action. Idk about anybody else but I'm starting to look back on that era with something akin to fondness and nostalgia.

[The Dark Knight]

My love of Raimi's Spider-Man is what caused my up and down relationship with the franchise. That trilogy was my ideal representation of the character. It was perfect in my mind, from the tone, the music and casting. I was anticipating 4, then the studio cut the cord and rebooted right back to the beginning. I was gutted. That automatically put me at odds with Garfield. Then Holland appeared.

We all know why this crossover is happening but I couldn't care less. If this is what it takes for Tobey to return in any capacity, let's do it. Could we get more media from Tobey and also Andrew afterwards? Hopefully. Let's take this first step. We can't change the past with Tobey, but at least this is something. It serves to make the films connected and not seperate entities, which gives things a whole new perspective.

[BatmanFurst]

It's so weird that they're doing this, and Flash is bringing in different incarnations of Batman. Quite the coincidence.

This is not a coincidence.

The Russo brothers once confirmed that Civil War got made because BvS was coming out. And now The Flash is bringing back multiple Batmen, the latest MCU Spider-Man sequel is bringing back multiple Spider-Men. Anyone who doesn't see a dubious pattern here must be lying to themselves. Plus, the Doctor Strange sequel was the one hyped up to explore the multiverse, but it's appeal has been somewhat undermined now Spider-Man is going to do it first.

I have very mixed feelings about this. As much as I enjoy the prospect of seeing these characters coming back, I really don't like the MCU's take on Spider-Man and would've preferred to get a fourth Raimi film instead. Same thing goes with Garfield, I'd rather see a third Spider-Man film with him starring in it.

None of that will likely ever happen though, so the only thing I hope is the MCU doesn't do anything stupid to Maquire and co. We've seen what they did to Thor, Hulk, Drax, Iron Man and so on.

I'm fine with Spidey 3 being the last chapter of the Raimi series. However, I'd still like to see a Spider-Man 4 with an older Peter.

[thecolorsblend]

My love of Raimi's Spider-Man is what caused my up and down relationship with the franchise. That trilogy was my ideal representation of the character. It was perfect in my mind, from the tone, the music and casting. I was anticipating 4, then the studio cut the cord and rebooted right back to the beginning. I was gutted. That automatically put me at odds with Garfield. Then Holland appeared.

We all know why this crossover is happening but I couldn't care less. If this is what it takes for Tobey to return in any capacity, let's do it. Could we get more media from Tobey and also Andrew afterwards? Hopefully. Let's take this first step. We can't change the past with Tobey, but at least this is something. It serves to make the films connected and not seperate entities, which gives things a whole new perspective.

SN and I batted our views of the editor's cut of Raimi's Spider-Man 3 back and forth in some other thread. And one thing I got from that cut of the movie is the possibility that Peter and MJ broke up as a result of the events of the film. There's a lot of water under the bridge. Possibly too much.

What I hope for from anything that brings Maguire back to the role is some kind of development on that front. I don't need resolution. Because I never rly needed the Raimi series to end. But touching upon the leftovers from Spider-Man 3 would be a highlight for me.

Word is that both Molina and Dunst are back. One wonders what point there is in letting the genie out of the bottle if some sort of agreement with Maguire isn't almost finalized. I won't be shocked if that news comes out soon.