Just in time for the Labor Day weekend, Spider-Man: No Way Home swung back into theaters for not just an encore but one with more fun stuff.
Yes, No Way Home's extended cut, which was comically dubbed The More Fun Stuff version, offers a brand-new post-credits scene and 11 minutes of new footage featuring Peter in high school, Charlie Cox's Daredevil, and the Spideys from franchises past.
But is this 11 minutes of new footage actually worth the trip to the theater? Web-slinging fans are seemingly divided on that question, with some loving the Spider-Man threequel's extra scenes while others are clearly disappointed.
Spider-Man Fans Divided Over No Way Home Extended Cut
Following the release of the extended cut of Spider-Man: No Way Home, Marvel fans took to social media to share their takes on Sony's More Fun Stuff version; and it's safe to say that the responses are definitely mixed.
@pj_campbell was more on the positive side of things when acknowledging that nearly a year after its release, No Way Home "STILL plays for an audience" while also appreciating the extended cut's "lots of little character bits:"
"#Spider-ManNoWayHome Extended thoughts: - almost a year later, this movie STILL plays for an audience. Lots of clapping and cheering - extended cut had lots of little character bits I’m glad were put back - this movie matches Avengers in scale & ambition - I love it so much"
@GermainLussier pointed out that much of the extended cut "is composed mostly of bits from before the villains arrive:"
"The #SpiderManNoWayHome extended cut is composed mostly of bits from before the villains arrive. More school. More Flash. More teachers. Mostly funny. Then there are lots of little dabs throughout including more Peter 2 web talk & a new end credits tying back to school. [1/2]
It works as a fun exercise for fans but the added footage really slows down the first act in a way that makes it very clear why it was cut. So the theatrical is better but if you love the movie, you’ll love all this new stuff a lot too. More in a full write up tomorrow. [2/2]"
@RangassamyJ believes that The More Fun Stuff version of No Way Home "should honestly be called 'More Mid Stuff':"
"Just watched all the #SpiderManNoWayHome deleted scenes from the new extended cut and literally all of them should have stayed in the movie. What a shame! So glad I didn’t spend money on the 'More Fun Stuff' Version of NWH, which should honestly be called 'More Mid Stuff'."
Along those lines, @TaylorWhancock seemingly appreciates this new version but doesn't feel it's "really an extended cut:"
"#SpiderManNoWayHome the more fun stuff version is worth seeing if you LOVE no way home. But don’t make the mistake of thinking this is really an extended cut. A couple extra jokes and fun moments in there. Some clarifications and a new post credit scene, but the same great movie"
@nonaprinceyt feels that the extended cut No Way Home is actually a better cut of the film overall, noting that the inclusion of deleted scenes makes it "more comprehensive:"
"The #SpiderManNoWayHome extended cut is so much better paced, those extra moments & dialogues add so much, making it more comprehensive. We spend a lot more time seeing Peter struggling in high school with being outed. Happy to have seen it on big screen. That post credit scene"
@DoomBlazer23 claimed that the extended version is "NOT FUN" but "DEPRESSING." However, unless your Peter Parker, that's not a bad thing:
"#SpiderManNoWayHome The More Fun Stuff Version is NOT FUN ITS DEPRESSING!!! It makes you feel bad for #PeterParker even more it should have been called The More Depressing Version. For real, the extended cut was great it made the pacing better & dives more into Peter’s arc. 11/10"
In regard to the issue of momentum and pacing, @EquesTr0n posted that there was only "one additional scene in the first act that should have been trimmed:"
"The extended cut of #SpiderManNoWayHome was solid. There was one additional scene in the first act that should have been trimmed or remained cut, as it killed the momentum, but the rest was great. Little extra moments with Andrew and Tobey were welcome"
Meanwhile, @TLCG_Hyper loved every new moment which was added to The More Fun Stuff version, particularly the extended scene about "the Spider Web talk:"
"Spider-Man No way home the more fun version is actually really good. No Spoilers but damn the deleted scenes made it so much better and honestly told us more about the storyline. And the Extended scene on the Spider Web talk was JUST AMAZING LIKE 10/10!"
@MikelleStreet also made mention of the Spideys talking about their webs, but perhaps didn't quite feel as excited about it:
"Went to watch the minimally extended version of Spider-Man: No Way Home and Peter 3 telling Peter 2 he wanted to see his web holes made it worth it."
@Cade_Onder thought that the extended cut as a whole was a bit of a disappointment, asserting that "Deleted scenes are deleted for a reason:"
"The new extended cut of Spider-Man: No Way Home is proof that you don’t need to listen to audiences about releasing your longer cut. Deleted scenes are deleted for a reason… and they should have kept them on the Blu-Ray."
While @D21Beast also believed that some scenes just didn't work, with most "glaring" footage being "Betty Brant interviewing school students and staff," other moments could've stayed in the film:
"Saw Spider-Man: No Way Home extended edition today. The most glaring cut footage is a bit with Betty Brant interviewing school students and staff about Spider-Man. It didn’t work for me. But the other 3-4 minutes of extra bits could have stayed. They were a total joy."
@BDeggs1994 echoed many of the previous sentiments, but also pointed out that this release "was just to get it to gross $2 billion, right?":
"I watched the extended cut of 'Spider-Man: No Way Home.' Some of the new stuff definitely should have been left on the cutting room floor for pacing reasons, but there are other things I welcome. This was just to get it to gross $2 billion, right? It’s almost at that number."
Is Spider-Man: No Way Home's Extended Cut Worth Seeing?
Re-releasing Spidey-related films back into theaters has become a sort of trend for Sony Pictures.
Before No Way Home's extended cut, Sony re-released Venom: Let There Be Carnage earlier this year, as well as Morbius following a satirical social media movement.
But Spider-Man: No Way Home is different considering its success and the degree of new footage, particularly those new moments involving Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire's Spideys.
In fact, the two former Spider-Men may be why this version of the film has produced such a mixed reaction from theater-goers.
While some were happy with whatever they could get, the additional footage of the two web-slinging heroes was less than many fans had hoped for. Meanwhile, the front half of the film, which has fewer ramifications moving forward, received the bulk of new No Way Home scenes.
In the end, whether The More Fun Stuff version is worth seeing on the big screen varies from fan to fan and depends on what they hope to see in the extended cut.
The one thing that's not up for debate is the fact that Spider-Man: No Way Home's theatrical journey isn't quite done after all.
Spider-Man: No Way Home - The More Fun Stuff Version is now playing in theaters.
