Spider-Man: No Way Home Features 'Three Generations Coming Together,' According To Tom Holland

This article discusses major rumors and leaks that have been swirling "Spider-Man: No Way Home" for several years. If you're trying to know as little as possible, click away. And maybe turn off the internet for the next month or so.

Last night, a big ol' batch of supposedly leaked images from Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios' forthcoming "Spider-Man: No Way Home" made their way online, appearing to show off big spoiler-y proof of certain former Marvel screen characters interacting with Tom Holland's webslinger. Now, in a bit of suspicious timing, Total Film has revealed a new quote from Holland where he was asked about the rumors of Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield returning to their original roles as multiverse versions of Peter Parker. He also technically confirmed that Jamie Foxx's Electro from "The Amazing Spider-Man 2" will officially be back alongside Alfred Molina's Doc Ock and the just-revealed Willem Dafoe-era Green Goblin. 

Here is how the famously spoiler-prone Holland replied to the question:

"Everyone puts their trousers on in the same way in the morning. It was interesting having those guys come in because they have a certain ownership over Spider-Man in their own way, and... I'm talking about Alfred and Jamie and those guys. To see Alfred come in, and have to adapt and change to the way that the films are made, but also change director, and also [the fact that] I'm now Spider-Man. It was really interesting to see these actors adapt and change what they were doing to fit the modern era."

That pivot to clarify who "those guys" is referring to was very pointed, and Holland continued to tow the official company line that Maguire and Garfield are not in the film, contrary to about two years of solid rumor, leaks, trade reports and on-set conjecture. He added: 

"People don't believe me when I say that [Maguire and Garfield] are not coming back. But people are going to have to believe me at some point. It means a lot to me. The first time you see Doc and the rest of the characters that come back, it's so exciting – and it's such a huge moment in cinematic history. It's three generations coming together."

It is one thing to tell fans that you're keeping mum to preserve the surprise of the first experience of seeing "Spider-Man: No Way Home," but it is another to outright lie to people by saying those actors are not in the movie. A white lie, to be sure, and in the grand scheme of things not the worst thing in the world. But if Maguire and Garfield have in fact not shot any material, Sony and Marvel should get on that quickly, because if all we get is Electro and Goblin and Ock, there will be literal nerd riots when the film opens in theaters on December 17, 2021.