If 2027’s Avengers: Secret Wars blends previous cinematic franchises into the MCU, Tobey Maguire should become the next official Spider-Man.
With Avengers: Secret Wars slated for a 2026 release, fans are eager to see how this multiversal-shattering event will reshape the MCU. The much-anticipated film is expected to lean more heavily into Marvel’s 2015 crossover rather than the 1984 comic of the same name, so viewers can expect a cosmic event that will forever redefine the MCU and its heroes.
As 2015’s Secret Wars brought multiversal variants such as Miles Morales into mainstream Marvel continuity, much excitement exists regarding how this could translate to the MCU. Spider-Man: No Way Home, in particular, set the gold standard cinematically by reintroducing characters such as Tobey Maguire’s much-beloved Spider-Man. Moving forward, many feel a wise and bold move from Kevin Feige would be to reinvent the hero as the MCU’s premier Web-Slinger.
10Tobey Maguire Offers a Refreshed Take on the Hero
When Tom Holland debuted as Spider-Man, he was undoubtedly a breath of fresh air. Fans responded ecstatically to seeing an iteration of the hero truly in line with Stan Lee and Steve Ditko’s original intention for the character. However, Holland now has a whole trilogy under his belt, and fans are longing to see something new.
One of the key criticisms of The Amazing Spider-Man comics is the writers’ unwillingness to let Peter Parker grow up. Through reimagining Tobey Maguire as the MCU’s Spider-Man, fans of the comics and movies alike could witness a more mature Parker navigating problems previously unseen within the Raimi Trilogy or MCU, resulting in a more rewarding and engaging viewing experience.
9Tobey Maguire And Tom Holland’s Dynamic Could Work As Spider-Men
Given the runaway success of Insomiac’s Spider-Man 2, Miles Morales now stands as a highly popular incarnation of Spider-Man. However, the character has never made a live-action debut, being relegated to the superb but animated Spider-Verse movies. Kevin Feige hasn’t expressed any intention to bring Morales into the MCU’s fold, but having Tobey Maguire as the franchise’s Spider-Man may serve as a compromise.
Tom Holland could come to serve as a Miles Morales-esque hero under the guidance and tutorage of the more seasoned Tobey Maguire. This would additionally fill the void left in Holland’s life after the passing of Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man. Until Miles Morales finally makes his MCU debut, this could serve as a fresh spin for fans.
8The MCU is in Dire Need of Veteran Heroes
Tobey Maguire becoming the MCU’s Spider-Man could rectify this. Spider-Man: No Way Home implies Maguire has engaged in a host of adventures since he was last seen in Spider-Man 3, and he could bring this experience to the table. Maguire could serve not just as the MCU’s Spider-Man but also as a potential Avengers leader in future movies.
7Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man Could Be a Fun and Poignant Fish Out of Water
MCU films like Thor and Captain America: The Winter Soldier have demonstrated that the franchise knows how to play the fish out of water trope to both amusing and touching effect. This could be translated to Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man if he finds himself trapped in the MCU’s mainstream continuity following the events of Avengers: Secret Wars.
Humor and poignancy could easily be achieved in such an approach. What if Maguire becomes trapped in the MCU’s universe without MJ by his side? Tom Holland’s Spider-Man could help Maguire navigate this strange new world, with an intriguing interplay between learner and mentor existing between the characters.
6Tobey Maguire Could Offer the Tragedy Fans Expect From Spider-Man
One of the most refreshing aspects of Spider-Man: No Way Home was witnessing a more mature Peter Parker with his life seemingly together. It was implied that his relationship with MJ was still going strong, and the hero appeared more at peace than he ever presented during Sam Raimi’s trilogy.
However, all this could be turned on its head post-Avengers: Secret Wars. Maguire could easily find himself thrust into the MCU’s mainstream continuity without the presence of his loved ones. This could provide the devastation and misfortune fans have come to expect from the wall-crawler’s life. The two heroes could even help each other through their grief given the tragic ending of Spider-Man: No Way Home.
5Tobey Maguire Could Help Tom Holland Navigate His Greatest Threats
A hilarious moment in Spider-Man: No Way Home came when Tobey Maguire made a flippant remark about once fighting a black alien goo. However, outside of the gag, this scene reminded viewers there’s a lot of Spider-Man lore that Tom Holland’s version of the hero has not yet faced.
Tobey Maguire’s mentorship could prove the difference between life and death for the young hero. The emergence of Venom has already been teased, and what if the MCU’s own Green Goblin eventually surfaces? Tobey Maguire’s experience in these matters could prove invaluable to Tom Holland, treating fans to a fresh angle regarding the treatment of these popular villains in the process.
4A Different Spider-Man Means Different Methods
While Spider-Man: No Way Home laid bare the inherent similarities between Tobey Maguire and Tom Holland’s Spider-Men, the two are vastly different characters. Maguire’s maturity and experience mean he approaches problems differently from Holland’s teenage hero. This was made evident when Maguire stayed Holland’s hand during his climactic battle with the Green Goblin.
With villains such as the Vulture and Mysterio already established in the MCU, these villains could return but be more interesting, given they’ll be up against a new iteration of the Web-Slinger. The confusion and disparate fighting styles that could arise from this would lead to a higher sense of drama and avoid treading the same ground.
3Tom Holland’s Interactions With Tobey Maguire’s Supporting Cast Would Be Moving
If Tobey Maguire’s supporting cast is also pulled into mainstream MCU continuity following Avengers: Secret Wars, this could perhaps provide more intriguing dramatic avenues than if Maguire becomes trapped alone. Spider-Man: No Way Home ended tragically, with Aunt May dying and the rest of Peter Parker’s nearest and dearest completely forgetting who he is.
How would Tom Holland’s Spider-Man react were he to be suddenly thrown back into the fold with multiversal variants of these characters? Seeing an alternate Aunt May alive and well could be devastating for the young hero. Furthermore, there would be something torturous in seeing Maguire’s Spider-Man very much in love with his own MJ. This could lead to moving moments of tragedy in line with Spider-Man’s characterization.
2Maguire’s Presence Would Offer More Fantastic Fan Service
Spider-Man: No Way Home proved that when fan service is done right, it’s something truly magical. Fans relished seeing the Spider-Men of previous franchises swinging into the MCU to interact with Kevin Feige’s established characters. Rather than a novel one-off, screenwriters could use this as the blueprint for Maguire’s future in the MCU.
There are still so many characters for Maguire’s Spider-Man to interact with, and the confusion stemming from a new Spider-Man on the scene could lead to some of the classic hero-on-hero fights that made Captain America: Civil War so popular. Spider-Man has a long history of battling heroes such as the Hulk in the comics, and many fans would love to see this finally adapted for the big screen.
1Tobey Maguire Would Set a Precedent for Other Live-Action Debuts
Movies such as Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse have proved the popularity of enjoying multiversal variants of Spider-Man on the big screen. Seeing Tobey Maguire pulled into mainstream MCU continuity after Avengers: Secret Wars could pose an interesting question: what if he weren’t the only Spider-Man to suddenly find himself in the MCU?
This could pave the way for introducing popular multiversal variants such as Miles Morales, Spider-Gwen, and Spider-Man 2099 organically without the need for gratuitous exposition. With so many Spider-Men in the MCU, Maguire could even find himself leading an Avengers-esque team of webbed heroes, a moment of fan service that many fans would no doubt enjoy immensely.
