Spider-Man: No Way Home's Tobey Maguire has shared his reaction to the internet's Bully Maguire meme.
Last December, cinema's original Spidey swung back in the theaters for the Multiversal blockbuster, Spider-Man: No Way Home.
Not only had fourteen years passed since Tobey Maguire had last worn the mask, but his introduction to the MCU marked the actor's Hollywood comeback as well.
This December, Maguire is back on the silver screen once more in Babylon; and in promoting the Damien Chazelle film, the actor ended up fielding some interesting questions about his web-slinger's internet legacy.
Tobey Maguire Comments On "Bully Maguire"
When asked how he felt about his internet memes in an AMA on Reddit, Spider-Man star Tobey Maguire admitted, "I did see the Bully Maguire videos:"
"Fairly neutral. I did see the Bully Maguire videos, which was a funny discovery."
Bully Maguire is a meme title applied to internet videos and the like featuring Maguire's symbiote-infected, and surprisingly emo, Peter Parker from Spider-Man 3.
He's often shown acting arrogant and aggressive, while also performing that infamous dance from the threequel.
In addition to inquiring about the enduring appeal of his original Spider-Man trilogy, a fan kept with the theme and recommended the actor check out r/raimimemes.
This prompted Maguire to not only express that "he's grateful" but also that he is, in fact, "checking out r/raimimemes:"
"I've had a lot of memorable experiences with people, and they've shared what the films have meant to them. I've had some funny and touching experiences from spontaneous encounters in public and someone being surprised to sharing how I've helped them through hard times. It's sweet, and I feel grateful. Especially with kids, it's almost like magic, it's amazing to see their eyes light up.
Also, I'm checking out r/raimimemes."
Lastly, when the actor was questioned as to whether he can still do the infamous dance from the 2007 film, Maguire responded, saying, "Every morning when I wake up" and referenced a certain viral video:
"Every morning when I wake up. Just trying to capture the joy of this little guy."
Tobey Maguire Accepts Bully Maguire & Meme Culture
No doubt Bully Maguire wouldn't have been nearly as gracious as Tobey in this AMA.
While Spider-Man 3 memes are probably the last thing the actor wants to be asked about, Maguire didn't ignore these fan questions or feign ignorance.
Instead, he refreshingly embraced it from taking a fan's recommendation as to where to find memes to claiming he does the dance every morning and even contributing his own internet video.
Not only has Maguire seemingly accepted meme culture, but the Spider-Man brand has as well, and even found new life in a scene from 2018's Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
While the actor will probably never fully separate himself from Bully Maguire, the fan reception to his No Way Home cameo - and the ongoing love for his Spidey films - prove that his legacy extends beyond that of internet culture.
And, if the animated Spider-Verse sequels and Avengers: Secret Wars rumors are true, his Spider-Man tenure might not be over quite yet.
