No Way Home Set Up Garfield’s Spider-Man Vs. Venom (Before The Credits)

Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man fighting Venom (Tom Hardy) was set up before the credits even rolled in Spider-Man: No Way Home. The Amazing Spider-Man franchise actor revisited his role as the wall-crawler in Jon Watts’ blockbuster. But aside from helping Tom Holland’s version of the hero fight the interdimensional villains who ended up in the MCU, Garfield’s appearance in the film may have also effectively laid the foundations for a potential match-up with Eddie Brock.

Rumors that Garfield and Tobey Maguire were appearing in Spider-Man: No Way Home started before the threequel even got its official title. Marvel Studios and Sony’s decision to be tightlipped about the matter only fueled speculations. When it became increasingly clear that No Way Home will deal with the multiverse, fans became fully convinced that previous Spider-Man iterations will indeed be in the movie. Garfield was haunted with questions about the possibility months leading to the film’s release, but he was adamant that he wasn’t in the MCU movie. That’s until the film finally confirmed his and Maguire’s involvement once it hit theaters in December 2021.

Seeing all three live-action versions of Spider-Man share the big screen was such a treat for Marvel fans, especially since they have great chemistry. On top of that, however, the crossover event reminded viewers of how great Garfield was as Spider-Man. Considering the abrupt end of his stint as the hero after The Amazing Spider-Man 3 was canceled, there’s now renewed interest in seeing the actor continue his stint as the superhero. Sony has yet to officially address the clamor, but Spider-Man: No Way Home may have already set up Garfield’s Spider-Man fighting Venom. In the movie, Holland and Maguire talked about fighting aliens – the latter fought Topher Grace’s Venom in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 3, while the latter was part of the Avengers’ battle against Thanos (Josh Brolin) and his minions. Being the only iteration who hasn’t faced off with an extra-terrestrial villain, Garfield said he also wants to fight an alien. This could come to fruition, if Sony officially brings him back as its primary universe’s Spider-Man and pits him with Hardy’s Venom.

For what it’s worth, Garfield himself has expressed his eagerness to fight Tom Hardy’s Venom. After months of denying his involvement in Spider-Man: No Way Home, the actor can now openly talk about the process of joining the high-profile project, and he has been. As a self-confessed Spider-Man fan, he’s immensely grateful for the chance to play the character again. He also gushed about working with Maguire and Holland, adding that he wants to do more Spider-Man projects them. As for fully coming back as Spider-Man, Garfield is open about the possibility. But he wants his return to be “something very unique, very special, and of service to the audience and the character.” When the specific idea of fighting Venom was suggested to him, his interest was piqued, saying that it’s “a cool idea.”

Between the fan clamor and the narrative set-up, Sony is almost compelled to bring Garfield’s Spider-Man back so he could fight Venom. Given the multiverse as established in Spider-Man: No Way Home, Holland can exist separately in the MCU, while they build their own franchise with their own version of the wall-crawler. When the time comes, the universes can collide again for another team-up from them – and perhaps even with Maguire, as well.