17 details in 'Spider-Man: No Way Home' you'll only notice if you read the script

Publish date: 2024-07-29

The script confirms that the plural of Spider-Man is Spider-Men.

The "No Way Home" script refers to the trio of Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield, and Tom Holland's characters as Spider-Men. Colombia Pictures, Insider composite by Kirsten Acuna/Insider

Even Insider considered how we should collectively refer to the Spider-People. 

Though Tom Holland's Peter refers to the three as "Spider-Mans" in the script, all other mentions of the trio are "Spider-Men."

Magazine and newspaper covers call Peter Parker "two faced" and "Iron Man Jr."

Here's what the newspaper says after Peter Parker's identity is revealed. Columbia Pictures, composite by Kirsten Acuna/Insider

Early in the film when Peter Parker is framed for murdering Mysterio, we get quick flashes of a few news headlines. The script goes into more detail on three of them, which are enjoyable to read.

"The New York Daily News: The school photos of Peter, MJ, and Ned have been photoshopped into mug shots under a headline that reads, 'Trio of Terror: Parker's cronies revealed!'"

"Time Magazine: An illustration of Spider-Man as a crying baby in a diaper under a headline that reads, 'Iron Man Jr.? How did a reckless teenager become Tony Stark's heir apparent?'"

"In-Touch Weekly: Half of Spider-Man's mask over half of Peter Parker's face. The headline reads, 'World Exclusive! Two Faced — How Parker maintained his duplicitous double life and why he can't be trusted.'"

The Department of Damage Control (DODC) took the glasses Tony Stark left Peter in "Spider-Man: Far From Home."

Tom Holland in "Spider-Man: Far From Home." Sony Pictures

The E.D.I.T.H. (an acronym for Even Dead, I'm the Hero) glasses gave Holland access to Stark's global satellite network of defense missiles and drones. 

When the DODC entered Aunt May's apartment, the script reveals that they apprehended the E.D.I.T.H. eyewear.

The brick thrown in Peter Parker's apartment has a spelling mistake.

Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) catches a brick in "Spider-Man: No Way Home." Barry Wetcher/Netflix

Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) catches the brick that flies in from an open window. 

You may have noticed that the brick had a message on it, saying that they believe Mysterio. You may have missed that the message was purposely misspelled to read: "We believe Mysterio."

The small detail suggests a larger commentary on conspiracy theorists who choose to believe the false hero.

Doctor Strange is surprisingly a hot cocoa fan.

That's not coffee in that fox mug. Columbia Pictures, composite by Kirsten Acuna/Insider

When Peter visits Doctor Strange, he's drinking out of a mug.

You probably thought it was coffee. It turns out the rather intimidating superhero likes a comforting warm cup of cocoa.

Happy knew May's fate the moment he pulled up to the lobby of his condo building.

Marisa Tomei as Aunt May in "Spider-Man: No Way Home." Marvel/Sony

The script reveals that, from his car, Happy spots May with Peter moments after the Green Goblin's attack, which killed her.

"Instantly, Happy knows. His heart breaking," the script reads.

Ned's Lola calls him a magician when he opens a portal.

Throughout "No Way Home," Ned insists that he's magic. Columbia Pictures

Lola yells out "Salamangkero!" to Ned after he opens a portal using Doctor Strange's sling ring. 

If you don't know Tagalog, a language native to the Philippines, or (more likely) if you were screaming too loudly in theaters at this point of the film because of Andrew Garfield's return as Peter Parker, you likely missed this line altogether.

Earlier in the film, Ned tells Doctor Strange that his nana told him magic runs in their family, saying, "Sometimes I get these tinglings in my hands." 

Strange dismisses the thought early in the film, but multiple moments throughout "No Way Home" hint that there may be something larger in store for his character down the line. 

You can read more on our theories about Ned here.

Later in the film, Dr. Strange is "quietly impressed" to learn that Ned could open a portal.

It's tough to impress Doctor Strange. Columbia Pictures

Onscreen, Strange simply goes "Hmm" after asking if Ned opened a portal using his sling ring. The script reveals he was holding back his true feelings a bit.

If you watched 2016's "Doctor Strange," you'll recall it took a lot of practice for a frustrated Strange to open portals.

Growing up as a man of science, he probably had a more difficult time freeing his mind to something otherworldly as opposed to an imaginative and creative teen like Ned.

The script refers to Tobey Maguire's Spider-Man and Andrew Garfield's Spider-Man films as the Raimi-Verse and Webb-Verse, respectively.

Here's how the return moments for Garfield and Maguire appear in the script. Columbia Pictures, composite by Kirsten Acuna/Insider

During the movie, the three Spider-Men refer to themselves as Peter 1 (Tom Holland), Peter 2 (Maguire), and Peter 3 (Garfield) — not Peter 1, Peter 2 like in the film.

That's not how their dialogue is laid out in the script. When Maguire or Garfield speak, they're referred to as Raimi-Verse Spider-Man or Webb-Verse Spider-Man.

Peter (Holland) originally "sets aside" a potential cure for Norman Osborn/Goblin, suggesting he didn't want to make a cure for him.

Peter (Holland) rethinks curing Osborn, hinting at his final duel with Goblin by the film's end. Columbia Pictures, composite by Kirsten Acuna/Insider

Tobey Maguire's Peter Parker soon after volunteers to make a cure for Dr. Osborn. The script points out that Maguire's Peter notices a "conflicted look" on Holland's face, prompting him to say, "We gotta cure all of 'em, right?"

Even though Holland's Peter agrees, the script makes it clear that he was "playing it off." His true feelings towards Goblin over the death of Aunt May are really shown here in the script even before his brief convo with Maguire's Peter as it says he initially sets aside the idea of a cure for Osborn.

These subtle details may not have come across as strongly during a first watch, even if you picked up on Peter's (Holland) hesitancy when he converses with Maguire's character. But they're important because they help foreshadow Peter (Holland) and the Goblin's final showdown to come at the film's end.

Garfield's Peter is reminded of his relationship with Gwen when he sees MJ and Peter together in the lab.

Peter (Andrew Garfield) thinks of his relationship with Gwen when seeing Peter (Tom Holland) with MJ. Columbia Pictures, composite by Kirsten Acuna/Insider

This moment is a bit obvious in the film, but it's a nice confirmation to see the following written in the script to know exactly what's going on in the character's mind: 

"On Webb-Verse Peter, watching them with a tinge of longing. The kind of love he had ... and lost."

The famous pointing Spidey meme is written into the script.

Andrew Garfield as Spider-Man/Peter Parker in "The Amazing Spider-Man." Sony Pictures Releasing

When Ned calls out to Peter in the high school lab, all three Peter Parkers respond. Realizing they don't know who Ned is speaking with, they point at each other, recreating an iconic animated Spider-Man meme.

Many fans shared a moment from later in the film, during the villain battle, with the trio sort of gesturing to one another, but the script labels the lab scene as the official meme moment. 

"All three point at each other: Him? Memes!"

On the "Happy, Sad, Confused" podcast, Garfield said he helped suggest using the lab scene to recreate the meme.

Garfield's Spidey is "proud" of Ned when he says he won't become a villain.

Ned fears becoming a future antagonist to his friend, Peter. Columbia Pictures

According to the script, Ned's really concerned about becoming a villain after listening to Maguire's Peter vaguely discuss the death of his best pal, Harry, in his arms.

Taking that to heart, Ned promises he won't turn into a super villain and try to kill Peter. Garfield's Peter pats him on the back.

In the script, it says Peter's "proud of him."

The script heavily hints that we'll see a live-action version of a Black Spider-Man in the future.

Miles Morales in "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse." Sony Picture Animation.

When Electro learns Spider-Man isn't Black, he's bummed. He tells Peter (Andrew Garfield) there's "gotta be a Black Spider-Man somewhere out there."

In italics, almost knowingly, the script reads: "There probably is."

Sony's Oscar-winning animated Spider-Man movie, "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" introduces a half-Black, half-Puerto Rican web-slinger named Miles Morales. A sequel to the film is out later this year.

"Spider-Man: Homecoming" hinted at Morales' existence by introducing his uncle, Aaron Davis (Donald Glover), who becomes a Spidey villain in the comics. Davis mentions he has a nephew, presumably Morales.

We learn Peter's (Garfield) thoughts when he saves MJ.

Andrew Garfield's Spider-Man gets some closure after saving MJ. Columbia Pictures, composite by Olivia Singh and Kirsten Acuna/Insider

Saving MJ brought Garfield's Spidey right back to the end of 2014's "The Amazing Spider-Man 2" when he failed to catch the love of his life, Gwen, before she fell to her death.

When he sees MJ start to fall in a similar manner in "No Way Home," he doesn't hesitate to save her to save Holland's Peter from going through a similar fate. 

His inner monologue after catching MJ is revealed in the script: 

"Overwhelmed with emotion, Webb-Verse Peter nods. Having just relived the worst moment of his life when he lost Gwen Stacy in 'The Amazing Spider-Man 2.' But this time, he prevailed."

You can read more on how this moment, and the film at large, redeemed Garfield's Spider-Man for fans and the actor here.

Dr. Strange's heart breaks for Peter when he sacrifices losing everyone who knows him to save the world.

Doctor Strange does have a heart. Columbia Pictures

The usually super serious and cold Strange shows a rare moment of affection when Peter tells him he's OK with everyone forgetting about his own existence. 

In the film, viewers notice his voice breaking a bit as he realizes what Peter just asked him to do, but a line in the script shows how hard that moment hits Strange: 

"Dr. Strange reluctantly nods, his heart breaking for Peter."

Perhaps Strange, taken aback, is aware that he wouldn't be able to make the same sacrifice as Peter.

There's a Stan Lee lookalike purposely in the film.

MJ speaks with a Stan Lee lookalike at the film's end. Columbia Pictures, Insider composite by Kirsten Acuna

Near the film's end, MJ is seen speaking with a customer in the donut shop where she works. 

In the script, it says he's "a Stan Lee lookalike."

Lee, the former president and chairman of Marvel comics, used to cameo in many MCU and Marvel projects until his death in 2018.

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