Spider-Man: No Way Home may have cracked open the Marvel Multiverse; but in this reality, Andrew Garfield has been at the center due to his roles in The Eyes of Tammy Faye, Tick, Tick... Boom!, and, of course, Spider-Man: No Way Home. Following the latter film's release, the fan demand to revive The Amazing Spider-Man franchise dominated social media and was even acknowledged by Sony's social team.
Fans aren't the only ones eager for more of Garfield's web-slinger. The MCU's current Spider-Man, Tom Holland, has also given his "full support." The question, however, was whether both Sony and Garfield were interested.
When asked about his potential return, The Amazing Spider-Man star claimed that there were "No plans, that's the truth," while also acknowledging the fact that no one would believe him after his viral denials of being in No Way Home.
However, following Sony's lack of Spider-Man announcements at CinemaCon 2022, Garfield's latest claim has fans doubting his desired return more than ever.
Spider-Man: No Way Home's Andrew Garfield Announces Break
On the heels of his crowd-pleaser reprisal in Spider-Man: No Way Home and his Oscar-nominated role in Tick, Tick... Boom!, Andrew Garfield told Variety that he's "going to take a break" from acting "to rest for a little bit:"
“I am going to take a break though… I’m going to rest for a little bit… I need to recalibrate and reconsider what I want to do next and who I want to be and just be a bit of a person for a while. Because as you know, that is a washing machine, that awards season... [It’s] so fun, and you get to hang out with people that you love and admire. You get to be a part of a conversation that is so privileged and you get to experience all the first-hand, visceral… kind of, being part of that community and the dynamics within this community is so cool. I feel so privileged and lucky… but now I need to just be a bit ordinary for a while.”
Andrew Garfield's latest project, Under the Banner of Heaven, is set to release on Hulu on Thursday, April 28, where the actor plays a Morman detective who investigates the murder of a mother and her child by followers of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
More Parker Luck for Spider-Man Fans
Clearly, Andrew Garfield has been going nonstop the past few years. And, while Spider-Man: No Way Home was a lighter film in terms of subject matter and also allowed the actor much-deserved redemption in the eyes of the fans, the role came with a great deal of pressure as well.
No doubt the actor deserves a much-needed break; and the fact that he expressed the need "to just be a bit ordinary for a while" sounds like a healthy move as well.
Of course, this isn't what Spidey fans wanted to hear. Even though it's "a break" and not a retirement, it adds new doubt to the possibility of him working with Sony again in the near future.
However, considering how the studio has handled Venom and Morbius separately from Marvel Studios, it may be for the best. After all, the reason why The Amazing Spider-Man films weren't well-received was due to the studio, not its star. Considering where Garfield is in his career, there's no reason to risk repeating the problems of the past, especially when No Way Home allowed his Spider-Man closure.
Whether audiences have seen Garfield's final bow as the web-slinger or not remains to be seen; but in the meantime, it's a credit to the actor that he's willing to make the best choices for himself and his career.
Spider-Man: No Way Home is now available for digital and physical purchase.
