Tom Holland-starrer Spider-Man: No Way Home was an elaborate extravaganza that celebrated the character and the film franchise as a whole. The film not only brought back supervillains from earlier series, but Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield, Spidey actors themselves, also reprised their versions of the web-slinger.
Willem Dafoe, Alfred Molina, and Jamie Foxx, Thomas Haden Church, and Rhys Ifans returned in the roles of Green Goblin, Doctor Otto Octavious, Electro, Sandman, and Lizard, respectively.
Not surprisingly, the film has become a box office behemoth, becoming the sixth biggest film ever worldwide. No Way Home has grossed $1.69 billion up until now.
Now, it has come to light that thanks to the Jon Watts directorial, Tobey Maguire and Willem Dafoe have made individual Guinness World Records for having the longest career as a live action Marvel character. Both actors debuted as their characters in Marvel with 2002’s Sam Raimi film, Spider-Man.
Thanks to No Way Home, the two actors have been playing the role of Peter Parker and Norman Osborn for 19 years 225 days. They beat the previous record by Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart, who first appeared in 2000’s X-Men as Wolverine and Professor X, respectively, and ended their journey together in 2017 with Logan. Jackman and Stewart played the role for 16 years 232 days.
Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield in Spider-Man: No Way Home. (Photo: Sony Pictures)
It is unlikely that this record will be overcome anytime soon.
No Way Home picks up right after the fallout in Far From Home. In that film’s end-credits, the superhero’s real identity was outed by J Jonah Jameson (balding this time) based on a video recorded by Mysterio before his death. Jake Gyllenhaal’s character also blamed Peter Parker for trying to kill him.
Peter approaches Doctor Strange and asks him to perform a spell that can potentially undo the damage. Strange, despite warnings from Wong, performs a spell that would make everybody in the world forget Peter is Spider-Man. Peter, however, interferes, asking that exceptions be made for MJ, May, and Ned. The spell goes wrong, and suddenly everybody who knows Spider-Man is Peter Parker, from every universe, enters MCU.
Strange wants villains to be sent back while Peter, after learning about their ultimate fates, wants them to get rid of their evil personas so they can stay alive in their respective universes.
The Indian Express film critic Shalini Langer gave No Way Home a positive review. She wrote, “With great power comes great responsibility, is the motto Peter Parker aka Spider-Man has lived by. But great power also has great consequences, and if this third instalment in the Spider-Man franchise was when you were hoping Tom Holland would grow up to that realisation, you are in for a disappointment. Yes, No Way Home is all that you have been hearing and talking about. Yes, it gives you bangs to the power of three for your buck. Yes, it is gratifying to indulge in your favourite Spider-Men films of the recent past once more. And yes, Holland’s Peter remains as likable and eager as ever.”
No Way Home was scripted by Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers and also starred Zendaya, Benedict Cumberbatch, Jacob Batalon, Jon Favreau, Benedict Wong, Tony Revolori, and Marisa Tomei.
