Spider-Man: No Way Home Was The Worst Thing To Happen To The MCU

Spider-Man: No Way Home Was The Worst Thing To Happen To The MCU

As a gamer who’s lived through the golden age of superhero movies, I can’t help but feel a pang of nostalgia tinged with disappointment when it comes to the current state of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It was once the shining beacon of innovative storytelling and groundbreaking filmmaking, and now it seems like a desperate attempt to squeeze every last penny out of its beloved characters.


The current situation of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is quite challenging. It’s a colossal media conglomerate that boasts some of the most cherished fictional characters ever created, yet every good thing must eventually come to an end. A franchise as financially successful as this one can’t help but notice that its continuous expansion isn’t sustainable forever. Disney is now under immense pressure, needing each movie to outperform previous box office records. Their recent decision to bring back Robert Downey Jr. suggests a leaning towards the past. The release of Spider-Man: No Way Home seemed like a joyous celebration, but it might have been the franchise’s swan song.

Most other cinematic universes have either failed or are struggling. The DC Universe briefly revived, but most others will likely remain defunct. Marvel was the exception, pioneering a unique approach that quickly caught the eye of other studios. However, without a compelling example to follow, many studios were unwilling to start from scratch and build towards success. Now, after Marvel concluded its storyline with Endgame, they too seem to have fallen into the same trap of short-term greed that doomed all their competitors.

Spider-Man: No Way Home was a massive hit

Director Jon Watts
Writers Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers
Stars Tom Holland, Zendaya, Benedict Cumberbatch, Jacob Batalon, Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield
Release Date December 17, 2021
Budget $200 million
Box Office $1.923 billion

Providing audiences with what they desire can be effective, at least for one instance. The film “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” released in late 2021, became Sony’s highest-grossing movie ever, ranking sixth among all films globally. Two other Marvel productions surpassed it, yet it was a significant financial success. Given the lingering apprehension about theater visits at that time, its success was highly anticipated.

Spider-Man: No Way Home is a terrible model for future sequels

Spider-Man: No Way Home Was The Worst Thing To Happen To The MCU

Similar to how the film ‘Endgame’ required years of prior development, some Marvel productions lose their impact if they become a regular occurrence. The highly anticipated ‘No Way Home’ introduced two Spider-Men following underwhelming conclusions for their respective series. Regrettably, the concluding episodes of ‘Spider-Man 3’ and ‘The Amazing Spider-Man 2’ were disappointments for their franchises. Reuniting the original Spider-Men was a move primarily driven by financial gains, yet it was marketed as a fitting farewell. However, its success could lead Disney to repeat this strategy repeatedly, with no compelling reason other than profit. Rumors suggest that an earlier script for ‘Avengers 5’ featured Tobey Maguire again. This is a downside of the multiverse concept, which was intended to broaden the universe and open new possibilities, but now seems to limit it by focusing on actors and characters beloved two decades ago rather than creating fresh content. Marvel appears intent on exploiting this trend instead of introducing something original.

Deadpool & Wolverine made things worse

Spider-Man: No Way Home Was The Worst Thing To Happen To The MCU

Deadpool and Wolverine, like No Way Home, employ a similar strategy to entice audiences with the return of well-known actors. Hugh Jackman’s portrayal of Wolverine has been a box office hit, but his swan song in Logan provided a fitting conclusion. However, this film seems more focused on garnering applause for insignificant cameos rather than delivering a heartfelt farewell to the Fox films. It mirrors the self-indulgence of No Way Home, though without a valid reason. While No Way Home introduced the multiverse to numerous cameos, Deadpool and Wolverine introduce the concept of an “anchor,” a single individual who maintains the dimension’s integrity. This is their new justification for keeping actors like Robert Downey Jr. on board until they retire. It’s a disappointing use of resources, trading potential for cheap audience appeals that might not have occurred if No Way Home hadn’t been as financially successful.

Spider-Man: No Way Home isn’t a natural continuation of its trilogy or progression in Spider-Man’s narrative. Instead, it seems more like a cash grab, combining several characters for financial gain. The movie’s finale significantly alters the primary characters to accommodate the tense negotiations between Marvel and Sony. Essentially, the script was shaped around a business decision. While the film does have its merits, it garnered praise for what might be the most self-indulgent display of intellectual property ownership ever, earning nearly $2 billion. The financial success of this movie could potentially impact Marvel’s future productions negatively.

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2024-08-24 17:05