Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures are nearly through the first week of their long-awaited theatrical run for Spider-Man: No Way Home, which has quickly become the must-see event of the year. Tom Holland’s third solo adventure is giving fans a deep look into the hero’s cinematic past, present, and future as it pays tribute to both Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield’s web-slinger movies of the 21st century.
Although it was expected to be a milestone movie in Marvel Studios' cinematic journey, No Way Home truly became the outing that brought fans all over the world back to movie theaters in a big way. In impressive fashion considering the state of world affairs, it finished with the second-highest domestic opening weekend ever, only behind Avengers: Endgame, and has a real shot to be the first billion-dollar blockbuster in a long time.
Additionally, almost overshadowing every other rumor were the potential returns of Garfield and Maguire themselves, who brought cheers in theaters everywhere as they first appeared on-screen. Following that monumental occasion, two MCU mainstays shared their thoughts on working with a comic book movie OG.
Tom Holland on Tobey Maguire's No Way Home Return
Marvel officially published an interview in which Spider-Man: No Way Home's lead stars Tom Holland and Zendaya spoke about Tobey Maguire's return as Peter Parker/Spider-Man from the Sam Raimi Spider-Man trilogy.
Holland and MJ actress Zendaya looked back on how "funny" and "cool" Maguire was, along with how this return "really meant a lot" to Maguire:
Holland: "Tobey was so funny."
Zendaya: "So cool.
Holland: "We have so many little in-jokes that came up from working with Tobey. ‘Definitely not your dad.’"
Zendaya: "T-McG!"
Holland: "T-McG. Man, he was so funny. He was really excited to be back. You could tell it really meant a lot to him. Him putting the suit on again. Us getting back together. It was awesome."
Zendaya: "That first day, I was nervous for you."
Holland: "Yeah, I was stressed."
Before one of Holland's first rehearsals with Maguire, Zendaya compared seeing them work together to "dropping [him] off at kindergarten," as she and Ned Leeds actor Jacob Batalon took pictures of them. In the end, they came back to just how funny and great Maguire was to work with on set:
Zendaya: "We had to do a rehearsal, and me and Jacob [Batalon] felt like your parents."
Holland: "Dropping me off at school?"
Zendaya: "Like dropping you off at kindergarten for the first day. Like, ‘I hope the other kids like him.’ And like, ‘I hope he doesn't come back crying.’ And so we were just there, and I was taking pictures of you guys so that you could have it. It was so cute."
Holland: "You have some amazing pictures of us."
Zendaya: "I do, I do. But yeah, he was so lovely and hilarious. Unintentionally, sometimes."
Holland: "He's hilarious."
Tobey Maguire's Spider-Man is Back
Warning - this section contains plot-specific spoilers from Spider-Man: No Way Home.
In No Way Home's darkest moments after Aunt May's death, fans had the opportunity to celebrate in a big way as Ned brought Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire's web-slingers into his house with Doctor Strange's Sling Ring. Even more emotional was their first meeting with the MCU's Spidey before their big team-up moment in the third act.
Maguire helped to usher in the modern era of superhero movies when he first suited up as the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man in his 2002 solo movie with director Sam Raimi. Now returning to the role nearly two decades later, the comic book movie veteran made a clear impact on his new MCU costars as he delivered his older and wiser Spider-Man.
The nerves that Zendaya and Holland spoke about were clearly out of respect for someone who influenced their own careers so heavily, considering how much success Maguire's solo movies had from 2002 to 2007. Having the chance to experience a present-day superhero movie with someone like that was a once-in-a-lifetime experience and one that they thoroughly enjoyed all the way through.
As more fans see the movie over the coming weeks, Marvel is likely to slowly provide more behind-the-scenes looks and interviews featuring Maguire and Garfield as they get to share details about their time on set.
Spider-Man: No Way Home is now playing in theaters across most of the world.
