Marvel Studios and Sony recently broke new ground for the MCU when Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield appeared as their respective wall-crawling heroes in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Not only did the returning Spider-Men shock fans in bringing these iconic roles back years later, but it also marked the first significant use of the Multiverse as two past franchises were pulled into the MCU canon, changing the game forever.
Speaking of the Multiverse, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness hits theaters on May 6 and is set to be yet another blockbuster event for Marvel as Elizabeth Olsen's Scarlet Witch, America Chavez, and more join Benedict Cumberbatch's sorcerer.
With promises of plenty of surprises to come in the reality-hopping event, Marvel Studios recently conducted significant reshoots on the highly-anticipated blockbuster to add more cameos in the same vein as Loki and No Way Home. But will Spider-Men Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield be among them in the Doctor Strange sequel, or is it past their time in the MCU limelight?
Will Doctor Strange 2 Feature Tobey Maguire & Andrew Garfield?
Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield both recently made a surprise return to their classic wall-crawler roles in Spider-Man: No Way Home - at least it would have been a shock if it wasn't for the months of leaks and rumors. Nevertheless, audiences everywhere cheered and applauded the return of the Spider-Men of generations past.
As of now, there are no legitimate leaks or rumors to suggest either actor will make a reappearance in Multiverse of Madness. But given the promises of surprising cameos, reality-hopping action, and an Avengers-level blockbuster, it isn't difficult to see how they could fit into Doctor Strange's next adventure.
Additionally, the Multiverse romp has recently undergone significant reshoots with reports saying these were done to add even more surprises and cameos. Given the unprecedented excitement for Maguire and Garfield to return on the run-up to No Way Home, Marvel may wish to capitalize on that nostalgia one more time.
Sony and Marvel Studios' current deal seems to allow the wall-crawler to be used in a limited number of MCU projects in exchange for other heroes popping up in Spider-Man's solo outings. Following Doctor Strange's appearance in No Way Home, it can now be Marvel's turn to use Spider-Man in a project of their own, which could feasibly be Multiverse of Madness.
But given the limited nature of Marvel Studios' current ability to use Spider-Man in the MCU, they probably won't be wasting that one appearance on a cameo. If any Spider-Man were to pop up in the Doctor Strange sequel, it would almost certainly have to be in an extended role to justify the use, which it seems tough to imagine there being space for in an already packed and chaotic blockbuster.
Nonetheless, if Spider-Man were to appear in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, how could he fit into the already-overwhelming plot?
Does Doctor Strange 2 Need Spider-Man?
With Multiverse of Madness teasing a connection to No Way Home, it wouldn't be shocking if at least one of the wall-crawlers were to appear in some capacity just as the sorcerer recently appeared in Spider-Man's solo outing.
As the movie will seemingly assemble an Illuminati-style team of heroes from across the Multiverse, Tobey Maguire's Spider-Man would be a fitting addition to the team due to his experience, intelligence, and time already spent hopping universes. Maguire's potential return would be especially fitting as he reunites with his original Spider-Man director Sam Raimi for yet another superhero blockbuster.
While No Way Home saw Multiversal intruders entering the MCU, Multiverse of Madness will instead take Doctor Strange on a universe-hopping mission. Perhaps one of these timelines could be Raimi's original Spider-Man universe, allowing the director to finally offer an explanation for J. Jonah Jameson's reference to the Doctor Strange's existence in his second wall-crawler epic.
In terms of Andrew Garfield's Peter Parker, it's much tougher to see how he could fit into the Multiversal puzzle aside from being another heroic cameo to throw into the mix. Although recent rumors have suggested Sony and Marvel are interested in using the British actor more in the future, with Multiverse of Madness right around the corner that day could come much sooner than expected.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness hits theaters on May 6, 2022.
