Spider-Man Writers Explains Maguire, Garfield & Holland’s Relationship

The brotherly bond between the different Spider-Men seen in Spider-Man: No Way Home has been explained by the film’s writers. Spider-Man: No Way Home opened in theaters in December 2021, and has smashed box office records having grossed over $1.5 million worldwide. The third installment in Tom Holland’s Spider-Man trilogy has received an overwhelmingly positive reception, with fans claiming that the film could be the best Spider-Man film ever, as well as one of the MCU’s best overall. 

While Spider-Man: No Way Home seems to conclude the story of Holland’s Spider-Man, it also brings back Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield as their versions of the webslinger, and adds to their narratives as well. Maguire and Garfield’s Peter Parkers are brought into the Holland’s MCU universe as the consequence of a miscast spell from Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange. They help Holland’s Spider-Man to combat, and eventually cure villains from previous films who have also come to Holland’s universe, such as Doc Ock, Curt Connors, Electro, and The Green Goblin. The interaction between the three Spider-Men, and their shared dynamic has been lauded by fans and critics, and the inclusion of Maguire and Garfield was able to remain a (mostly) well kept secret up until the film’s release.

Now, in an interview with The Wrap, the film’s screenwriters Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers have discussed the relationship between the three Spider-Men. The writing duo shared their idea that the Spider-Men would have an older-brother middle-brother younger-brother dynamic, with Maguire and Garfield helping Holland with the use of their greater experience. The writers also revealed that it was clear they should continue with the characters where previous films had left off, for example with Garfield’s Spider-Man still struggling with the death of Gwen Stacey. Check out McKenna and Sommers’ full comments on the topic below:

“Then Andrew and Toby came [onboard] and we had ideas about how to dig into their characters, and they, obviously, had their own ideas that were great and it was a “yes, and …” With this whole idea of three brothers, older brother, middle brother, younger brother, really I think just worked for us, worked for them. Toby bringing this Zen-like attitude, he’s been through a lot, but he is this elder brother. Organically, looking at where Andrew was, where we were coming from, he obviously was on the same page and just built on it, the idea of after “Amazing Spider-Man 2,” let’s be true to where he was at the end of that movie and maybe he’s not in the best place right now and maybe he has something to prove to himself and to others, maybe he’s cut himself off from other people and this is an opportunity.

I think that line where he’s like, “I’ve always wanted to have brothers.” I think he’s leaning into that idea of he’s cut himself off from others after the end of “Amazing Spider-Man 2,” and this can be a journey for him too to start healing and finding a light in that darkness that he’s found himself in. Leaning into all those things were just part of our conversation with each other, making sure that each character was distinct and specific and it wasn’t just a curtain call for any of these characters. We really wanted to just organically pull them out of their movies and their lives and their journeys, where they are, be specific to that and it can’t just be showing up without any context.”

Fans will appreciate the chance to learn more about the creation of Spider-Man: No Way Home’s action-packed and emotional story, and the relationship between the Spider-Men. One of the aspects of the film that has received the most praise has been the re-introduction and development of Garfield’s Spider-Man, after the unsuccessful The Amazing Spider-Man series. As McKenna and Sommers reference, Spider-Man: No Way Home sees Garfield’s Spider-Man dealing with the loss of Gwen Stacey and his redemption has become one of the film’s stand-out moments and has led to calls for more Garfield-led Spider-Man movies. Similarly, Maguire has moments where he is able to lean into his character’s wealth of experience to help Holland’s Spider-Man make the right decisions, most memorably in the film’s final battle with Green Goblin. 

Now that Spider-Man: No Way Home has been released, attention will soon turn to the future of Spider-Man on film and in the MCU. Unlike Spider-Man: Far From Home, the film ended with an end to the story arcs of most recurring characters, and without a cliff-hanger to a sequel. Holland has suggested that his time might be up as the webslinger, but another Holland-led MCU Spider-Man trilogy is also a potential option. Regardless of what happens, fans will be eager to see the character’s future, now that Spider-Man: No Way Home has concluded the stories of characters from the past.