Four Spider-Man Variants We Want to See in the MCU (And Two We Can Skip)
The likelihood of seeing Spider-Man variants in the upcoming film Spider-Man: No Way Home is, let’s face it, pretty high at this point. After the first teaser trailer was released late last month, the speculations about the film’s plot have only increased. Will we be getting a live-action Spider-Verse, or will the popular comic storyline Spider-Geddon reach big screens?
Unfortunately, we won’t have answers to the many questions fans have until the film’s December 17 release, but speculating the contents of the film is a great way to pass the time while we wait. To help you pass that time, check out our list of a few Spider-Man variants we want to see in the film, and a couple we can go without.
1. Want – Cosmic Spider-Man
Cosmic Spider-Man, aka Captain Universe, is widely regarded as the most powerful iteration of the beloved web-slinger. In the Acts of Vengeance storyline, Peter Parker absorbs a mysterious power known simply as the Enigma Force. Enigma Force multiplies Parker’s powers exponentially while also granting him some extra abilities. Cosmic Spider-Man’s spider-senses become so powerful Parker can practically see through time and space, he can fly at basically the speed of light, he can manipulate matter down to the atom, and so much more. Cosmic Spider-Man is so strong he punched Gray Hulk into orbit.
We would be fine with seeing Cosmic Spider-Man as a variant, or even seeing Tom Holland’s Peter Parker evolve into Captain Universe eventually. This would definitely level the playing field Peter Parker now has to fight in featuring powerful beings like Scarlet Witch and Kang the Conquerer.
2. Want – Patton Parnel
The MCU is not all rainbows and sunshine, and in recent years we have seen the films and series take scarier turns and explore the darker themes present in the comics. As such, we think now would be the perfect time to introduce Peter Parker’s darkest variant: Patton Parnel. While Parker is child-friendly, funny, charismatic, and caring, Parnel is the opposite. Parnel is depressing, sociopathic, and just downright terrifying.
And in case you couldn’t tell by the photo of Parnel above, his personality isn’t the only thing that makes him different from Parker. Following his spider bite, Parnel is able to transform into a grotesque eight-limbed, eight-eyed, fanged spider-like creature with organic (not technological) webbing. Parnel doesn’t last long (three days) but in that time manages to eat multiple people and implant spider babies into his love interest just by biting her neck. Overall just a neat variant of the classic character that would be interesting to see on the big screen.
3. Skip – Man-Spider
What if, instead of a human being bitten by a radioactive spider, a spider was bitten by a radioactive human? Marvel, of course, essentially has a terrifying answer to this question: Man-Spider. This version of Spider-Man has various backgrounds. In the comics, he was created by/as a result of Erik Lehnsherr/Magneto. In Spider-Man: The Animated Series Peter Parker devolves into Man-Spider as time goes on from his original spider bite.
While Man-Spider also has the powers of our Peter Parker, he can also do completely terrifying things like spit acid and shoot webs out of every limb without the aid of web-shooters. Unfortunately, Man-Spider does not retain Parker’s memories or intelligence. Where he lacks intelligence, though, he makes up for with brute strength. While this is certainly one of the more powerful versions of Spider-Man, in terms of man-spider hybrids, we would definitely prefer to see a live-action Patton Parnel first.
4. Want – Spider-Man 2099
In another alternate universe set in the future (2099) Miguel O’Hara is the man to take up the Spider-Man mantle. Rather than gaining spider-powers through a bite, O’Hara actually had his DNA mixed with the DNA of a spider. His powers are similar to the Spider-Man of Earth-616 that we all know and love, but he gains quite a few extras that would translate to the MCU well, in our opinion.
One such extra power is telepathy: O’Hara is able to communicate through the minds of others. Additionally, O’Hara actually has talons and fangs which he uses frequently to immobilize his enemies. The icing on the cake? Spider-Man 2099 has organic webs, just like Tobey Maguire’s portrayal of the Earth-616 Spidey in 2002’s Spider-Man. With the likelihood that we will see Maguire’s Parker in Spider-Man: No Way Home ever-increasing, it would be nice to have more than one Spider-Man with organic webbing.
5. Want – Miles Morales
Next to Peter Parker, Miles Morales is perhaps the second most popular iteration of NYC’s friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. Morales stepped into the spotlight following 2018’s Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse, so much so that Sony and Insomniac Games gave Morales his own spin-off video game: Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales. Audiences love this iteration of Spider-Man, and now is perhaps the best possible time to introduce him into the MCU.
In addition to having all of the same powers as Peter Parker, Morales actually has quite a few extras that make him surpass Parker in strength. Morales is capable of becoming practically invisible thanks to Spider-Camouflage, as well as Bio-Electrokinesis abilities and perhaps even immortality. With the looming threat of Alfred Molina’s Otto Octavius/Doc Ock appearing in Spider-Man: No Way Home, our Peter Parker could surely use all of the help he can get.
6. Skip – Golden Spongecake Spider-Man
Earth-51914 is certainly a unique version of Earth in Marvel lore, and definitely one of the strangest. In 1975, Marvel and Hostess assembled to create a crossover advertisement for the latter’s tasty treats. In Earth-51914 everyone loves Hostess snack cakes and the superheroes take down their foes using only Hostess products.
Yes, you read that right. In Earth-51914 superheroes only fight with cakes, including our very own Spider-Man. Obviously, it is well established that this is an unrealistic fighting method. Therefore, Golden Spongecake Spidey is just too weak to make it in the MCU.
Bonus Variant: Spider-Ma’am
Anything is possible in the multiverse, including Peter Parker forgetting his school lunch on the day his class takes a field trip. In the sacred timeline Peter does not forget his lunch and is bitten by a spider, and the rest is history. In an alternate timeline where Peter does forget his lunch, however, his sweet Aunt May could obviously not let him go hungry and tracked down his class at their field trip to ensure her nephew could eat. The result is May Parker being bitten by the spider rather than Peter.
While technically Spider-Ma’am does have the same strength and powers as Peter Parker, her fragile body and old age definitely hinder her crime-fighting capabilities. That doesn’t stop her from trying to make her neighborhood a better place, though. While perhaps seeing this older version of Spider-Ma’am isn’t high up on our list, it is intriguing to envision Marisa Tomei taking up that mantle as a younger version of the character.
What Spider-Man variants do you hope to see in Spider-Man: No Way Home? Be sure to let us know in the comments or on social media, and follow along with our continued coverage for the upcoming film here!