Spider-Man: No Way Home
would have easily topped $1 billion at the box office before the pandemic. The total haul might have approached $2 billion, given the massive interest around the Sony-Marvel MCU film. That’s all the more impressive when you consider how the studios are marketing the movie. They were late to reveal the title, and the first trailer dropped after being leaked in a pre-VFX form. That’s all the marketing we got until now. We don’t even have a poster for No Way Home.
A key leak that was repeatedly confirmed this year is what’s driving all the excitement. The new Spider-Man will be a multiverse adventure, where Tom Holland, Tobey Maguire, and Andrew Garfield will play Spider-Man versions from different realities. They’ll face the Sinister Six, all of whom were already shown or teased in the first trailer. As we approach that December 17th release date, we’re bound to see a significant increase in No Way Home marketing efforts. The latest example comes in the form of new Spider-Man: No Way Home covers that may very well act as the movie’s first posters. Warning: Some spoilers might follow below.
The big No Way Home spoiler
The Maguire-Garfield secret started leaking months ago to the point where you might have seen it even if you typically avoid spoilers. Keeping this big plot detail under wraps was an impossible task. Of course, the leaks probably help No Way Home more than they hurt it. Sony already confirmed the multiverse angle in the trailer, where it showed us Alfred Molina’s Doc Ock villain from the Sam Raimi Spider-Man trilogy.
But Sony and Marvel do not want to spill too many No Way Home plot details. That’s probably why they’re taking their time releasing an official poster. Another explanation might be that Sony is still considering a potential delay for the film. If that’s the case, Sony would also delay the final marketing push.
Then again, the first No Way Home promo interviews have started to appear, with Tom Holland having already talked about working with Molina. And Empire just published not one but two covers with No Way Home imagery.
The No Way Home poster alternatives
The magazine published the covers on Friday, teasing that the December issue will take “a major, world-exclusive dive into this year’s most-anticipated Marvel blockbuster – boasting old foes, new suits, and all kinds of comic-book chaos.”
Empire also says the magazine is “chock-full of never-before-seen images sure to get you even more excited for a Spider-Man movie like no other.”
The magazine teases the “all-new suit” and mentions “hints of some of the sinister villains” who might appear in No Way Home.
With all that in mind, these covers can easily act as the first No Way Home posters. They might belong to Empire, but the magazine made them with help from Sony. We’re looking at official visual assets used in the film. That means everything you’re seeing is deliberate.
The first “poster” shows a Spider-Man version in the new suit. It’s probably Tom Holland’s Spidey, as Holland will play the main Spider-Man in No Way Home. We also get obvious teasers for two big villains. The pumpkin bomb on the left tells us the Green Goblin is in the film. Then we have the unmistakable Doc Ock robotic tentacles.
Look carefully, and you’ll see lightning that probably teases Electro, as well as dust/sand particles that will remind us of Sandman. Doctor Strange’s (Benedict Cumberbatch) magic is also in there. Finally, the fractured images represent the multiverse.
The second cover
Empire also published a comic book-like cover for subscribers. It’s still centered around Spider-Man. This one also teases the Spider-Man multiverse, with a clear hint we might see multiple versions of Spider-Man. There are also plenty of symbols for the villains. Again, Doc Ock’s tentacles and the pumpkin bomb are clearly visible. On top of that, we get an electricity symbol for Electro and a hand made of sand for Sandman.
All the colors and symbols are clear signs of magic, so they tease Doctor Strange. And yes, there’s an Eye of Agamotto in it just for fun. They also hint at the multiverse.
That’s about everything you’ll find in these unofficial No Way Home posters. They’re fun to see nonetheless, as they seem to suggest that the No Way Home marketing push has begun. More interesting are the interviews in the magazine, but they’re not available yet. And on that note, we have no idea why Howard the Duck gets a mention on the first cover.
