Spider-Man: No Way Home is slated to come out in December of this year, and it has already built up a ton of hype around its potential release. With the multiverse as a likely stage for the movie's conflict, there is a lot of potential to have every Spider-Man and villain imaginable appear. The incentive for Sony to do this is huge as the studio is involved in all things Spider-Man, right down to the most recent series of games. With the success of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, the new No Way Home movie feels like an opportunity to acknowledge other Spider-Man stories that have been done recently.
One of the most successful of these stories, outside of the movies in recent years, is PlayStation’s Spider-Man series. Spider-Man on PS4 was a joyride and love letter not only to the character of Peter Parker, but the entire brand that is Spider-Man. Spider-Man: Miles Morales carries itself in much the same way and delivers a well-written and heroic Miles for fans to play as. The success of both these games makes their acknowledgment or crossover with No Way Home a fantastic possibility.
Spider-Man: No Way Home Crossovers
There are a few ways that such a crossover could happen. Some of them would be exciting inclusions while others could be based around a small-nod or cameo. The latter two might not feel as rewarding, but they do seem like they would be the most likely for the incorporation of videogame characters in an established Hollywood franchise.
Marvel movies have touched on video games in the past with scenes like the chase in Guardians of the Galaxy 2 and Avengers: Endgame. Endgame’s crossover with Fortnite, while a funny one-off, is also a great example of how No Way Home could handle a pseudo-crossover of the Spider-Man games with the cinematic releases. While having a character like Peter Parker or Jacob Batalon’s Ned Leeds playing a Spider-Man game might not be the most spectacular way to accomplish a crossover, it would still be a fun treat for fans.
With the world’s knowledge that Peter is Spider-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it is also something that could track well in terms of meta-storytelling. Peter’s want to support himself and his family could directly influence his choice to franchise his likeness. As a result of this, his humility and altruism could also affect how he feels about the game and its depiction of him. It would most likely be a minor part of the movie but could create a running joke and precedent for the personality mix of the Avengers' Tony Stark and Steve Rogers that Peter seems to be developing as.
Spider-Man 2 PS5's Story
The other likely inclusion of both universes is Spider-Man 2 acknowledging the events of No Way Home. Phase 4 of the MCU looks like it will be setting up incredible multiverse stories, and it would not be surprising to see the next Spider-Man game pull a page out of the same book. The creative freedom that the videogame narratives have as separate entities from the interconnected MCU allows for events to happen on their own timeline.
It is a story that worked well for Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, and the immersive world of Spider-Man on PS5 could do it just as well. Should the Spider-Man sequel delve into the multiverse, it seems highly likely that the game would at least acknowledge the MCU if not outright show a glimpse of it. This could be done by showing past events or a quick look at what someone like Doctor Strange is up to. The introduction of Spider-Man’s PlayStation Universe to the MCU is blocked by some significant obstacles, so the game peeking into the MCU universe could be an easier option.
Small nods like this could be the best way to go to keep things clean and simple. These interactions might not be the most jaw-dropping way to introduce the two universes, but past easter eggs like Tom Holland’s suit in the first game, saw positive responses from fans. This is also something that feels feasible thanks to the diverse number of suits that Spidey wears throughout his career. The first game delivered some incredible iterations of those suits and more MCU-style threads would probably be an advantage for Spider-Man 2.
Venom
It may be hard to accept this with how loved Spider-Man is in all his media, but one of the most likely situations to see video game and movie crossover content might not even come in the form of a Spider-Man movie. The first Venom movie demonstrated that its best feature was the chemistry that Eddie Brock and the symbiote Venom had. Their tense companionship set a solid foundation that will likely be built on in the new Venom: Let There Be Carnage.
While some fans continue to hold out hope for the movie’s major crossover potential, a comedic depiction of Eddy playing Spider-Man on PS4 could be possible. With both titles under Sony’s umbrella, it feels more plausible than any of the games being included in Spider-Man: No Way Home. A scene would likely play for a similar comedic effect as Korg and NoobMaster69 did in Endgame, but it would still be a solid nod.
The tie-in would also feel appropriate given the current state of Harry Osborne’s health in the Spider-Man games. It has been heavily alluded to that Harry Osborn will take on the role of Venom in the series. While the Osborn family has traditionally carried the mantles associated with Green Goblin, this change could very well lead into future Spider-Man games. The character has grown in popularity and the redemption of Harry and Venom would feel better to play through instead of his death as Green Goblin, like in the Sam Raimi Spider-Man films.
Even with all this potential, the future for crossovers is up in the air. Spider-Man: No Way Home and Spider-Man’s sequel on PS5 are both a ways away. Spidey titles are generally a lot of fun and right now that seems to be all that fans are really guaranteed. Even if J. Jonah Jameson would rather see everyone suffer in a spider-free world.