Spider-Man Far From Home marks Tom Holland’s fifth outing as the beloved, teenage web-slinger. It feels like just yesterday that audiences were introduced to the third (and most arguably comic accurate) cinematic iteration of the friendly neighborhood superhero. With Spider-Man’s second solo film just months away, the internet has wasted no time being abuzz with rumors and speculations that range from fantastic to futile fan fiction.
Prepare for a rundown on all things hearsay, and remember it’s just that. The rumors provided are in no way confirmed, my guesses to the plot and character arcs are most likely false. Take everything piece of information with a grain of salt. Before you keep reading, be aware that this article will have major spoilers from both Spider-Man Homecoming and Avengers Endgame.
The Rumors
MJ is Nick Fury’s Daughter
File under: please don’t. Michelle Jones (Zendaya) is the MCU’s rendition of Mary Jane Watson (both versions of the character loving share the nickname ‘MJ’) who made her debut in Spider-Man Homecoming. MJ’s inclusion in a modern day Spider-Man film definitely called for a few character updates, which were exceptionally well received. The once sultry, damsel in distress has been replaced by a sharp-as-a-whip, STEM enthusiast who is onto the fact that Peter lives a double life as Spider-Man, as seen in the Spider-Man Far From Home trailer.
Potentially making Michelle a Fury robs the character of an important backstory. Coming from an abusive household, Mary Jane Watson used her difficult upbringing and natural good looks as a catalyst to chase her dreams as a model/actress. This same origins can be applied to Michelle, and might serve as a great way to show audiences you can be channel the weight family problems into being an exceptional scholar. Unlike the original MJ, Michelle can make a better life for herself using her brain, opposed to her physical appearance.
Although Nick might not be around much in regularly having to save the world—its unlikely that he’d be a deadbeat dad, making this storyline null and void. It’s important to represent women who come from very little, want better for themselves, and achieve goals by their own merits. MJ is not incredibly brainy because her dad is S.H.I.E.L.D. intellect Nick Fury, she’s brilliant because she’s Michelle, and that’s enough.
Another negative point worth mentioning, if Nick ends up being MJ’s father, Peter’s world becomes substantially smaller. Scenarios such as these are often referred to as the “Star Wars Effect”. Not everyone has to be related, especially two badass people of color. Plus, we just saw this trope used in the prior Spider-Man film with the Vulture and his daughter Liz Allan. Been there. Done that. Give the fans something else.
Spider-Man Will Become Iron Man
Although the trailer outright teases it, this rumor won’t come to fruition. Tony Stark is Iron Man and Peter Parker is Spider-Man. The closest Peter will come to being Iron Man is dawning the Iron Spider costume from time to time. There’s a huge selection of people out there to continue Tony’s legacy (my vote being Harley from Iron Man 3), but Peter has a journey of his own—and the writers will surely respect that.
Meet Jessica Drew…or Felicia Hardy?
Hardcore fans will recognize theses names. Jessica Drew is better known as the crime-fighting Spider-Woman. The rumor that she may make her debut in Far From Home began circulating in January 2019, when a character description sheet leaked online stating that Marvel was looking for a “international/European in her early 20’s opposite Tom. Bond Girl type”. If your mind immediately assumes that description to be of Felicia Hardy aka Black Cat, that’s because it just might be.
While Far From Home was shooting, Sony was developing Silver & Black, which followed the Spider-Man anti-heroes Silver Sable and Black Cat. Given that Sony had ‘dibs’ on these characters, fans considered the likelihood of seeing these women appear in the MCU next to none. Then, that possibility changed when suddenly Sony shelved Silver & Black without explanation. So, are those characters benched? Moreover, why was the project tossed aside? Could it be that Marvel Studios wanted to include Silver Sable or Black Cat in an upcoming film? Possibly.
In early May, rumors began swirling on Instagram and tumblr that actress Amelia Rose Blaire is playing Felicia Hardy in Far From Home, but official evidence via casting sites has yet to be found. Blaire remains tight-lipped on the issue, probably because her appearance is planned to be a giant surprise. Regardless of this recent news, many Marvel enthusiasts still prevail that we’ll wind up seeing Jessica Drew. My money is on the later.
Mysterio is Not the Main Villain
We know that Quentin Beck aka Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal) will be introduced much like he is in the comics, a hero trying to do good—but will he stay good? As revealed by Far From Home director Jon Watts, Mysterio is “not the main villain” of the film. Instead, he and Spider-Man will face off against The Elementals, a dangerous quartet who wield fire, water, rock/mineral, and air based powers (shoutout to Aang who could do all of that standing on his head). Are we supposed to believe that The Elementals are the primary antagonists in this movie? Are they even real? I wouldn’t be shocked to discover they’re just illusions constructed by Mysterio himself.
Wait, What World Are We On?
According to Watts, most of the key teenage Spider-Man characters like Flash, MJ, Ned, etc. we’re all snapped away by Thanos, still rendering them in high school given the five year flash-forward. There’s no disputing, something about that just seems hard to take at face value. With the introduction of the multiverse, fans have been speculating that our story could start by following a set of characters from a “like-universe” where the snap never transpired at all? Our Peter, trapped in a universe almost the same as our own? Too weird for a casual viewer to comprehend. Cool idea, though.
Personal Theories/Predictions
Who is Dimitri?
Upon casually perusing the Spider-Man Far From Home IMDb page (as one casually does) a specific character’s name caught my eye, “Dimitri” (Numan Acar). Named fourteenth on a very long cast list, it’s safe to assume this actor has a decent amount of lines, but who is he playing? There’s only one prominent Dimitri in the Spider-Man universe, Dmitri Smerdyakov, aka the Chameleon. Premiering in 1963, The Chameleon made his debut as a dubious supervillain and the master of disguise. Known for his masks and elaborate costumes, this bad guy hides in plain sight by taking on the form of Spider-man’s closest friends and allies.
Could a character in the Far From Home cast actually be the Chameleon incognito? Hypothetically, let’s say it’s Nick Fury. Is Chameleon positioning Peter to work alongside Quinten Beck in taking down The Elementals? While the Chameleon would hopefully get to see The Elementals (who end up being Mysterio-based illusions) kill Spider-Man in action, what would Mysterio get out of it? The promise of being united with his late wife from another universe? Maybe the Chameleon is the only one who knows the functionality of this “hole in our dimension”. Is Beck merely a pawn in Dimitri’s bigger game? Am I rambling over a bizarre theory that is completely off base? All I’m saying is, the plot sounds too good to be made up, Chameleon has to be the secret big bad of this film.
Tony Stark Cameo
In a recent interview, Tom Holland commented that there’s a scene in Far From Home that fans will “hate”. Going out on a limb, let’s assume that this is a surprise Tony Stark cameo by Robert Downey Jr. himself. But there’s a catch—he’ll be from the multiverse. Maybe this Iron Man will be evil and Spider-man will have to face-off against him? Maybe not. Either way, prepare yourself to watch Peter come to the terms with the sentiment that even though a Tony appears before him, his Tony is really gone. He’ll probably die again, too. Happy web trails.
What’s your favorite/least favorite Spider-Man Far From Home rumor? Let us know in a comment below.
Spider-Man Far From Home hits theaters July 2, 2019