Tom Holland’s rendition of Spider-Man in Captain America: Civil War was a true gift to the Marvel franchise – arriving at the perfect time to a fandom that was already soaring at the peak of its heightened frenzy. And though it is difficult to imagine anyone else doing justice to the role, there have been innumerable actors in the race to take on the mantle of the wall-crawler for the first time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Among them rests familiar and new and unexpected faces but none more so than the Amazing Spider-Man himself, Andrew Garfield.
Tom Holland as Spider-Man
Tom Holland vs. Andrew Garfield: MCU Spider-Man
It is truly a clash of the titans when Andrew Garfield, the most definitive comic-book-accurate Spider-Man in live-action, is pitted against Tom Holland, who is certifiably the most beloved among the netizens for his realistic portrayal of an adolescent high-schooler with superpowers. But before Holland gave us his version of the superhero and proved himself worthy of walking in the fabled web-slinger’s shoes, Andrew Garfield’s name had come up in the context of the role in MCU as far back as 2012’s The Avengers.
Andrew Garfield as the Amazing Spider-Man
The $1.5 bn film was not only the first live-action Avengers movie but also the project that delivered the first taste of the culmination of Marvel’s most epic success story. And an outcome of such magnitude would not be without its fair share of grand thrills and surprises. As such, the film had rightfully hinted at a Spider-Man entry in the first assembly of the Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. And Garfield, coming off of the success of The Amazing Spider-Man seemed like the perfect fit, if not the only irrefutable choice in the matter.
However, luckily for every faction involved, Marvel relented on that decision and waited for the right time. And instead of overstuffing the first Avengers film with a hero of the scale of Spider-Man, the narrative waited for 4 years – a patience that would go on to be rewarded beyond means.
The Easter Egg That Almost Brought Andrew Garfield to MCU
The Marvel fandom has grown sharp in detecting every visual cue left behind on the screen that plays out mostly in the background of the central plot. These little treats left behind by Marvel’s clever planners make up the Easter Eggs that either serve to hint at something grand and anticipatory that lies ahead or makes for a fun bit to excite the fandom with little clues hidden in plain sight.
Oscorp Tower
The 2012 film, too, had essentially included a similar Easter Egg and it was supposed to be neither little nor hidden from the fandom. Rather, the Oscorp Tower that was originally intended to be depicted in the New York City skyline in the film had directly framed Sony’s Amazing Spider-Man universe within the MCU, making the fandom at the time go wild in anticipation at Garfield’s arrival. The Disney-Sony agreement had still not been locked into place which could explain why the actor never made an appearance and an Easter Egg was all that Marvel could aim for at the time.
However, it all works out in the end since the anticipation building up to the premiere of No Way Home was truly and utterly one of the most defining moments for the entirety of the Marvel fandom and once again explains just why the franchise has the capacity to unite the world in an event that is as sensational as it is groundbreaking in its execution.
