Spider-Man: No Way Homewas destined to be a global hit, and so no one was surprised when it was announced that it shattered the box office record for 2021. It had it all: a great, emotionally-gutting plot, meticulously realized action sequences and a star-studded team of villains making a return to the franchise. It also undeniably proved that"Marvel fatigue" is not a real thing.
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Most importantly of all, however,Spider-Man: No Way Homeis a movie full of fan service and easter eggs that overjoyed moviegoers all around the world. Those who have spent a fair share of their lives exploring the rich, wide array of Marvel’s comic books, films, and TV series will have probably noticed more of these references than others.
10"I’m Something Of A Scientist Myself"
Willem Dafoe’s portrayal of Norman Osborne is frequently referred to bySpider-Manfans as not only one ofthe best villains in Sam Raimi’s trilogybut also in the entire portfolio of Marvel’s movies and television shows. In recent years, however, the character returned to the spotlight for a reason completely unrelated to his movie appearances.
Keen observers of internet culture will have immediately caught onto the painstakingly obvious “I’m something of a scientist, myself” meme reference during a scene where Osborne casually utters the famous line in a conversation with Peter Parker in Doctor Strange’s basement. The original meme refers to a Norman Osborne scene from the very first live-actionSpider-Manmovie released in 2002.
9Matt Murdock Cameo As A Nod To The Comics
While Daredevil’s presence inNo Way Homeshouldn’t really astonish anyone, seeing as characters from Marvel movies and series tend to make crossover appearances rather frequently, not all MCU fans will be aware that Matt Murdock giving legal advice to Peter Parker is a more complex easter egg than it seemed on the surface level.
Murdock actually defended Peter Parker in court in the comics. InThe Amazing Spider-ManIssue #219, Parker gets arrested while breaking into Ryker’s Island and enlists Murdock’s services to keep himself out of further trouble with the law.
8Doctor Strange Representing His Alma Mater
When fans first saw Doctor Strange wearing a grey hoodie underneath his cape and holding an “Oh, For Fox Sake” mug, many of them didn’t make much of it, dismissing it as yet another display of the MCU’ssignature quirky sense of humor.
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However, once fans started digging into the unclear text and imagery on Strange’s sweatshirt, it turned out to be packed with more meaning. It’s a Columbia University hoodie, and it makes a lot of sense for the magician to wear it since it was established in the comics that Stephen Strange graduated from this particular Ivy League school.
7Andrew Garfield’s Peter Saving MJ
When Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man saved MJ from falling to her death during the climax ofNo Way Home,he seemed to respond to it even more emotionally than MJ herself. It may have confused those who aren’t all caught up with the British actors' two outings as Spidey, but the rest of Marvel fans clearly understood why Peter reacted the way he did.
The entire sequence is an obvious reference to Gwen Stacy’s tragic death scene inThe Amazing Spider-Man 2.MJ falling off of the Statue of Liberty’s scaffolding is nearly a frame-by-frame rendition of Stacy’s fall, except this time,Spider-Man managed to get to the falling girl right on time.
6Infinity Saga Recap
The post-credits scene ofNo Way Homegot Marvel fans all riled up about the prospect of Tom Hardy’s Eddie Brock/Venom appearing in the MCU only to disappoint them by getting him sent back to his movies' universe mere seconds later.
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His cameo, while very brief, was quite entertaining, as it depicted Brock sitting at a bar, attentively listening to a bartender relaying the events of the Infinity saga to him. Many Marvel enthusiasts pointed out the hilarity of the situation and Marvel Studios' self-awareness. After all, the plotlines ofAvengers: Infinity WarandEndgamemust sound like complete lunacy to someone who’s not familiar with this cinematic universe.
5Rogers: The Musical Posters
These are, of course, ads for “Rogers: The Musical”, first introduced and depicted inHawkeye.While no more details about this production emerge in the movie, fans were delighted to see that even the tiniest of details continue to intertwine the stories told within the MCU.
4Damage Control
Despite his death and ultimate sacrifice inEndgame,Tony Stark’s legacy continues to live on in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. InNo Way Home,representatives of the Department of Damage Control, Stark’s very own brainchild, is seen interrogating Peter Parker after Mysterio’s accusations come to light.
This unique unit meant to rectify the damage done as a result of “enhanced conflicts” (which basically means damage done by superheroes fighting villains) was rumored to get its own TV show down the line, but the plans seem to have been canceled sometime around 2016.
3The Queensboro Bridge
In the very beginning of the movie, as Peter and MJ are swinging through New York City, they make a quick pitstop on top of the Queensboro Bridge. The frame in which Spidey jumps off of it while holding an absolutely terrified MJ even made it to multiple promotional materials for the movie.
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There would be nothing unusual about this, if not for the fact that this is the exact same bridge that Green Goblin threw MJ off in an iconic scene from the very firstSpider-Manfilm. Some may brush it off as coincidence, but in a movie full of references and callbacks, there isn’t a whole lot of room for coincidences.
2"Can’t Some People Still Know?"
Doctor Strange casting a spell designed to make everyone in the world forget that Peter Parker is Spider-Man was an event that pretty much kickstarted the main plotline ofNo Way Home.While Strange is working his magic, he gets into a pretty heated (and humorous) exchange with Peter, who wants to make sure that MJ and a few other people retain the knowledge of his true identity.
This is a reference to “One Moment in Time”, a storyline fromThe Amazing Spider-ManIssues #638-641, in which Peter also tries to protect MJ from Strange’s spell that would make her oblivious to the fact that he is Spider-Man.
1"You’re Amazing!"
No Way Homeis full of memorable exchanges between the three generations of Spider-Men, but one of them was particularly wholesome for a couple of reasons. On the Statue of Liberty, Tobey Maguire’s Peter Parker repeatedly tells Andrew Garfield that he is “amazing”.
This easter egg works on two levels. First of all, the Andrew Garfield movies were calledThe Amazing Spider-Man,which turned Maguire’s remarks into a cheeky, self-aware reference. Secondly, the films with Garfield werewidely regarded as the worst ones of the bunch, so it might also be a way of letting this particular Peter Parker (and the actor that played him) that he was not at fault for the failure of theseSpider-Mantitles.
