Spider-Man 3: Rumor Explains True Meaning of Cryptic Title 'No Way Home'

By Tom Drew Posted:
Green Goblin, Electro, Lizard, Doc-Ock, Peter Parker, Spider-Man: No Way Home logo

Despite Spider-Man: No Way Home still being far off from its December 17, 2021 release date, information about the upcoming Spidey flick has not slowed down.

The multiverse-themed adventure is set to bring together a plethora of characters from the webslinger's rogues gallery and supporting cast, with new rumors suggesting that Willem Dafoe's Green Goblin will headline the film as the primary villain.

Evidence from the film's production and other rumblings have also suggested that past wall-crawlers could come to the aid of Tom Holland's Spider-Man, leading many to expect past Spider-Man actors Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield to rear their heads.

Comments from the leading stars of the Amazing duology have cast doubts on potential appearances, though, with both Garfield and Emma Stone denying any involvement in the project.

Following on from Spider-Man: Homecoming and Spider-Man: Far From Home, the Spider-Man threequel continues the trend of its predecessors by incorporating the word 'home' into the title. 

The meanings of the previous films' names were relatively clear in meaning, but No Way Home's title still remains a bit obtuse.

A new rumor may now reveal what the title of Spider-Man's third outing actually means...

SPIDER-MAN'S VILLAINS HAVE NO WAY HOME

Spider-Man Tom Holland Electro Doc Ock
Marvel

On a recent episode of Collider's The Sneider Cut podcast, host Jeff Sneider discussed rumors that he had heard about the upcoming Spider-Man: No Way Home. 

Sneider noted that "six Spider-Man villains from the past [films wind] up in Peter Parker's universe" and explained that "they are the ones who have no way of getting home," giving some insight into the meaning behind the threequel's title.

The full quote can be seen below:

"It doesn't really make sense to introduce new villains necessarily in this movie, but six Spider-Man villains from the past winding up in Peter Parker's universe or whatever. They are the ones who have no way of getting home. So yeah, we will see. I hope I didn't let the cat out of the bag. Spoiler alert. I take it all with a grain of salt, but that was the word on street at one point."

NO WAY BACK THROUGH THE MCU'S MULTIVERSE?

With the meaning of the previous Spider-Man films mostly being centered around Peter Parker himself, it is interesting that the focus of Spider-Man: No Way Home's name is put squarely on the villains. 

This seems to suggest that the film will put a lot of emphasis on its central antagonists, which makes sense considering that No Way Home seems to be building its own multiversal version of the Sinister Six if rumors are to be believed. 

So, why can't the villains make their way home? Perhaps the multiverse only acts as a one-way door, effectively trapping them in the MCU once they have crossed the border. Alternatively, something, or someone, could be preventing them from returning to their original universes, which could be the reason for the villains seeking out this universe's Spider-Man. 

If Spidey's adversaries can't make their way back, is there a chance that the villains could remain in the MCU for good? Many have longed for Norman Osborn to appear in the franchise, so perhaps Willem Dafoe could stick around to cause more long-term trouble for Marvel's heroes.

Spider-Man: No Way Home swings into theaters on December 17, 2021, potentially bringing a whole host of villains along for the ride.

- In This Article: Spider-Man: No Way Home
Release Date
December 17, 2021
Platform
Theaters
- About The Author: Tom Drew
Tom Drew is the Executive Editor at The Direct. Tom writes for The Direct's Marvel, Star Wars, and DC branches while specializing in all things movies, from blockbuster to indie darlings.