From major plot points to surprising character appearances, Spider-Man: No Way Home is filled with secrets. In the months leading to its premiere, the MCU threequel was bombarded with rumors and leaks that ultimately boosted fans' anticipation for the movie. Part of those rumors was the involvement of Charlie Cox's Matt Murdock in the movie.
Murphy's Multiverse first reported Cox's inclusion in No Way Home, thus leading to widespread speculation about his role in the movie. As a result, the report also served as a challenge for Cox during press interviews, with him trying his best to deflect questions about his rumored appearance in the MCU flick.
No Way Home's first official trailer further amplified the rumors of Cox's presence in the movie, with some fans speculating that his forearm was seen during a blink-and-you'll-miss-it shot. However, the Daredevil actor was quick to shoot it down, promising viewers that it was not his forearm.
Eventually, the secret was confirmed during No Way Home's theatrical release as the film showcased Cox's return as Matt Murdock to help Tom Holland's Peter Parker with his legal battle.
Now, Cox has shared more interesting details about trying to keep his MCU return as a surprise. This time around, it involves another Spider-Man actor: Andrew Garfield.
Charlie Cox & Andrew Garfield's Spoiler-Related Bond
Daredevil star Charlie Cox sat down with The Hollywood Reporter to talk about the challenges of trying to preserve his surprise appearance in Spider-Man: No Way Home during press interviews.
Cox first admitted that he hates lying, but he pointed out that he doesn't "want to ruin it for anyone." The Marvel actor also expressed his relief that the press queries about his Daredevil role are now over:
“I hate lying. But I really don't want to ruin it for anyone. My feeling is if someone asks you, and you say, ‘I don't know … We'll have to wait and see.' That gives it away! It's obvious! No one is going to say that if you're not in it. I am relieved it's over.”
Cox then shared a funny story involving his good friend Andrew Garfield while they were both in Atlanta when their No Way Home production days overlapped.
The actor revealed that he and Garfield met one day for lunch, with both of them realizing that this normal catching up could further fuel the discussion about their rumored appearances in No Way Home.
Fortunately, Cox and Garfield worked together to find a hilarious solution to their dilemma:
“While we were sitting down, it occurred to both of us, ‘Oh, shit. If we're filmed here together, that's not a good sign.' So we ended up sitting, facing the wall, both of us."
In a separate interview with Digital Spy, Cox shared more details about his friendship with Garfield, while also revealing that he sent the Spider-Man star a YouTube video of them in interviews trying to deflect questions about their No Way Home inclusions:
"We've been mates for many years. Someone sent me a video… Someone had cut a video on YouTube of me and him, not together, in interviews and stumbling over questions, trying not to answer. It was like, someone had cut together a video of us going, 'I… well… I don't know. I can't say.' And just stumbling. Someone sent it to me. I thought it was very funny, and I forwarded it to him. But we haven't actually talked about it."
Charlie Cox & Andrew Garfield vs. Marvel Snipers
Charlie Cox and Andrew Garfield have never had a movie together, but it's safe to say that the pair have a solid friendship off-screen. Cox's story about him and Garfield's lunchtime shenanigans in Atlanta is proof that the actors tried their best to preserve the No Way Home surprise, and they did it in hilarious fashion.
Doing press interviews for highly anticipated movies like No Way Home is like avoiding landmines for actors. This has been apparent to the film's stars such as Tom Holland and Zendaya, as well as actors like Cox and Garfield. After trying their best to fend off the Marvel snipers, the stories that come out from the stressful experience are interesting, and Cox's latest one should drive the point home.
Cox has always been an advocate of not ruining surprises for fans. Jessica Henwick, Cox's co-star in Defenders, previously revealed that Cox knew about his own opportunity to return "years ago." This further confirms that Cox can keep a secret for a long time, which serves as a good sign for his future appearances in the MCU.
It would've been interesting to witness a scene where Matt Murdock encounters all three Spider-Men, especially considering the grounded nature of the character. Still, as the MCU embraces the Multiverse in its next wave of movies, it's possible that Cox's Daredevil will be given the chance to experience alternate realities alongside Earth's Mightiest Heroes down the line.
Spider-Man: No Way Home is now playing in theaters worldwide.
