Spider-Man: No Way Home’s global success was a big win for Sony and Marvel Studios as well as fans, who were treated to one of the strongest entries in the franchise to date. Now as Amy Pascal, Kevin Feige, Tom Holland and the rest of the Spidey team look to the future, they’re not only planning what they’re going to do in the upcoming films, but also what not to do in order to create a successful follow up.
One of the most talked about aspects of Spider-Man: No Way Home was the thrilling way it integrated characters from previous films. The scale of effort that went into making it all work (and keeping it a secret) was massive, which sets expectations for the next time we see Spider-Man on screen. But when The New York Times asked producer Amy Pascal how they were going to top it, she made it clear that upping the ante isn’t the goal:
Not every Spider-Man movie is going to be a multitude of characters. That approach was right for this one. You can’t think about topping yourself in terms of spectacle. Otherwise movies just get larger and larger for no reason, and it’s not a good result. But we do want to always try and top ourselves in terms of quality and emotion. Kevin and I never want to lose sight of one thing: Peter Parker. That he’s a normal kid. That he is orphaned over and over again. That he’s a teenager, so everything in his life is at a heightened pitch and everything matters more than anything. That he’s fueled by goodness and guilt. That he’s striving for a greater cause, and he’s vilified by the press.
There’s no denying the speculation about who would be returning for No Way Home made the movie’s rollout especially fun and exciting. But it’s refreshing to know that the future approach taken by Pascal and Kevin Feige will be centered on what matters the most: the characters at the heart of the story. A big part of what made the latest Spider-Man film work is that despite bringing so many iconic characters and villains back into the fold, Peter Parker’s story still remained the most essential piece of the narrative.
Of course, just because the future plans for Spider-Man may not include an ambition to top the sheer spectacle of the recent installment doesn’t mean we won’t see more mind-bending moments elsewhere in the MCU. It’s natural to wonder how the events of No Way Home will affect future Marvel movies, and what it all means for the broader multiverse plan. While we wait to find out, we can at least take heart that we haven’t seen Tom Holland in the Spidey suit for the last time – even if we have to wait a while to see him again.
If you've yet to see the film, you can still head to your local theater to check out Spider-Man: No Way Home. You can also stream the first two films in the "Homecoming" trilogy on Hulu now.
