‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ Trailer Teases Return of Beloved Previous Movie Characters, But Don’t Expect to See James Franco Suit Up Again
Marvel's Spider-Man will swing back into theaters later this year and the newly released teaser trailer offers fans a hint at what to expect when the web-slingin' superhero graces our screens once more.
After footage from the trailer leaked online ahead of schedule, Sony turned around and released the first official glimpse at the highly-anticipated Spider-Man: No Way Home. Displaying a wit characteristic of the beloved hero, the brand even poked fun at the leak on Twitter.
Excitingly, the long-anticipated footage appears to confirm what fans have long speculated: Thanks to the introduction of the multiverse to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, some familiar faces from previous cinematic iterations of Spider-Man will indeed reprise their roles in the upcoming release.
In the trailer, Tom Holland's Peter Parker reaches out to Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) and asks for help making everyone forget that he is Spider-Man. In case you forgot, Spider-Man: Far From Home ends with Holland being outed to the public as the superhero. In the process of working some magic, Parker and Strange cause a rift in the multiverse. This leads to the reintroduction of some familiar faces.
Fans rejoiced upon seeing Alfred Molina's Doctor Octopus, a.k.a. Doc Ock, make a cameo in the trailer. Molina portrayed the signature villain in 2004's Spider-Man 2 and it was rumored he joined the MCU project late last year.
The Hollywood Reporter also revealed that Jamie Foxx will also reprise his role as the villain Electro from 2014's The Amazing Spider-Man 2. Although Electro doesn't appear in the three-minute trailer, fans noticed his signature electrical attacks. A Twitter user also noted that the trailer features a replica of a pumpkin bomb—a weapon used by the Green Goblin in director Sam Raimi's films, fueling speculation that Willem Dafoe will return to the role. (At one point in the teaser, Dafoe's inimitable cackle can be seemingly heard.)
Others expected to revisit the beloved franchise include Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield, who both previously played Peter Parker. Although they're not featured in the teaser footage, there's much speculation on Twitter — and it seems highly likely at this point — that we'll be treated to three Spider-Men in the upcoming film.
It sounds like we're in for a supersized Spider-Man reunion. However, one actor seems unlikely to get an invitation...
James Franco — who played Harry Osborn in Raimi's trilogy— trended on Twitter after the teaser dropped. Unlike the other fan-favorite villains confirmed and nearly-confirmed to make their return to the big screen, fans speculate that Franco won't be involved with the film following multiple accusations of sexual misconduct that have been leveled against him.
Franco's star power has taken a hit after the actor agreed to pay more than $2 million to settle a lawsuit against him by former acting students this past July, per USA Today. He was also recently snubbed by frequent collaborator Seth Rogen, who appeared to signal the end of their creative partnership earlier this year.
Now it looks like a good deal of Spider-Man fans don't want him involved in the series. Several users poked fun at his apparent absence by utilizing screenshots of the actor in character as Osborn. ("I'm ruined," one post reads.)
Check out some reactions and memes about James Franco's apparent absence from Spider-Man: No Way Home, out Dec. 17, below.