The Marvel Cinematic Universe forges its own path. If it sees an oppurtunity to do something unorthodox with a character or story, it’s going to pull the trigger if it’s the right move. Just look at Wanda Maximoff, who becomes a member of the Avengers right out of the gate rather than one of the mutants that the world grows to fear. However, walking the road less traveled doesn’t mean the MCU refuses to honor what’s come before. Kevin Feige and Co. wear their nerd hearts on their sleeves, dropping references to old Marvel projects that continue to inspire the world’s biggest franchise.
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The X-Men are about to get their fair share of love on the big screen, with many actors from Fox’s original movies reprising their roles in Avengers: Doomsday. Of course, Patrick Stewart, James Marsden, and a few other familiar faces certainly won’t be the only surprises that the next couple of Avengers movies have in store. But Marvel Studios has to make sure it reins itself in because, in this case, more cameos do not necessarily equal better. In fact, I’m starting to get worried that one of the best Spider-Man movie moments ever is on its way to becoming chopped liver.
Marvel Studios Is Playing Coy About Spider-Man’s Role in the Next Two Avengers Movies
The end of Spider-Man: No Way Home sets up a new status quo for the titular hero. His aunt is gone, and his friends don’t know who he is, so he gets a less-than-ideal apartment, sews a new costume, and kicks off the start of his solo tour. There have been no updates on the Peter Parker front since then, but Spider-Man: Brand New Day is sure to rock the boat when it releases in July 2026. While the focus of the movie will surely be on Spider-Man and his supporting cast, a couple of MCU mainstays, Hulk and Punisher, are going to appear as well, teasing that the Wall-Crawler is still firmly in the center of the action. Well, at least that’s the case in his next solo film because Doomsday is painting a different picture.
As it stands, Spider-Man is not part of the cast of Doomsday. Two Avengers teams are set to go at it, but Peter seemingly handed in his key card following Tony Stark’s death in the Battle of Earth, and there’s no reason to believe that Sam Wilson or Yelena Belova will reach out to him. That leaves a massive void in the movie, as Spider-Man is easily Marvel’s most popular character. While there are a few ways to fill it, such as giving bigger roles to MCU favorites like Captain America and Thor, or bringing Wolverine into the fold, recent reports claim the powers that be are taking a different approach: having Tobey Maguire step in as Doomsday‘s resident Web-Head. That would be a major mistake, as it risks ruining a classic moment.
The Other Live-Action Spider-Men Have Had Their Time in the Sun
What makes No Way Home so special is that it’s a perfect storm of Spider-Man goodness. Great villains from the other live-action franchises return for one last rodeo, pushing Peter to the edge, which forces him to rely on backup. Maguire and Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man make a grand entrance and participate in an epic battle that features too many awesome moments to count. But the real highlight of their visit to the MCU is the lessons they teach Peter 1, including how to handle the loss of a loved one. There’s so much weight between every line of dialogue, and that won’t be the case if Maguire and Garfield return down the line.
Putting Maguire in Doomsday isn’t going to serve any purpose other than to get a few more butts in seats. Garfield, who doesn’t see his name in nearly as many headlines as his predecessor, is in the same boat, as the only way to properly continue his story is in a solo movie, which just isn’t in the cards. The best course of action, then, is to make No Way Home the final appearances for both Maguire and Garfield’s heroes and let Holland continue to stand on his own two feet. Maybe there’s room to introduce a live-action version of a certain Spider-Man mentee in the next couple of years, but that’s as far as it should go.
Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters on December 18, 2026.
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