Andrew Garfield felt a lack of closure with his turn as Spider-Man prior to starring in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Garfield first appeared as Peter Parker, a.k.a. Spider-Man, in 2012’s The Amazing Spider-Man, a reboot of the previous Sam Raimi/Tobey Maguire Spider-Man franchise. Despite plans for two more films and several spin-offs, Garfield reprised the role in 2014 for a sequel that would serve as the final part in The Amazing Spider-Man franchise. However, Spider-Man officially joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2015, canceling those plans & paving the way for a reboot of the character starring Tom Holland.
Despite the fact that both Maguire and Garfield appeared to have retired their Spider-Man masks despite never completing their respective Spider-Man franchises, they were able to come back in 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home together with Holland, making their MCU appearances due to the film’s multiverse-centric plot. The presence of both heroes in the film alongside their old foes provided an opportunity for closure on their unfinished stories, which most viewers had never fully considered. Garfield discussed his feelings about the end of his Spider-Man franchise & his return in Spider-Man: No Way Home with GQ. The actor revealed that, while he was open to returning to his role as the webslinger, he wasn’t optimistic about his opportunities, comparing the experience & mixed feelings surrounding it to a break-up. See what he had to say about it below:
“I don’t know if I had an expectation of doing more. I was very open to it being whatever it was meant to be. But there was an undone feeling. Like, What was that experience about? And how do I close that circle in my living room on my own? And I was doing that – and then it was like that classic thing, when you’re getting over a relationship, and you’re first starting to really feel free and untethered from that thing – the person knows to call the hour after the first good night’s sleep you’ve had.”
Could Andrew Garfield Play Spider-Man Again?
Garfield wasn’t the only person who felt his character’s story had indeed been left unfinished, as his words echoed those of the audience. Garfield’s Peter Parker suffered a devastating personal tragedy in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 when Gwen Stacey (Emma Stone) died in his hands after a failed attempt to save her life. Many people found it difficult to accept that event as the final chapter in Garfield’s Spider-Man story, especially since there had been such firm proposals for a continuation prior to Spider-Man’s inclusion in the MCU. Garfield’s return in Spider-Man: No Way Home gave him a second chance when he saved Michelle Jones (Zendaya) in a climactic moment, but many people are still hoping for Garfield’s third Spider-Man film to be released.
Many plot elements and storylines in the Amazing Spider-Man films were left unresolved due to the franchise’s cancellation. Many intriguing elements were included in the unused plans for the bigger extended universe featuring his character, including Stone’s come back as the villain Carnage. Despite the hype surrounding Garfield’s Peter in the aftermath of Spider-Man: No Way Home, The Amazing Spider-Man 3 is unlikely to happen.
Despite his obvious enthusiasm for reprising his role, Garfield’s comments reveal some mixed feelings about his Spider-Man return, as he expresses that he had actually felt “free and untethered from that thing” when he was roped back in. Furthermore, the actor’s Spider-Man: No Way Home presence was only possible in the MCU due to multiverse opening, implying that he won’t be appearing in the MCU anytime soon. If he and the studio were open to it, his Peter could be brought into the Sony-verse, but it’s unlikely that Garfield, or Stone, would sign on because both of their careers have moved on and franchise commitment would just be creatively limiting for both actors. Whether or not Garfield ever puts on the red and blue suit again, his performance in Spider-Man: No Way Home was a fitting, satisfying, and quite well tribute to his character.
Source: GQ