If you haven’t seen Spider-Man: Far From Home, SPOILERS ahead.
It’s not common for Marvel Studios to place two plot-driving post-credit scenes in their movies, but that’s exactly what they did in Far From Home. One scene deals specifically with Quentin Beck aka Mysterio exposing Spider-Man’s true identity to the world. It’s a shocker delivered hot and heavy by a furious J. Jonah Jameson broadcast on the national news!
Spider-Man’s storyline in the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been shaken to its core and it can only get more exciting from here. While there’s no possibility of him joining the Daily Bugle now, there are a few interesting ways this plot can go in the next solo Spider-Man film.
10 Peter Parker The Scientist
We’ve had seven solo live-action Spider-Man movies and one fantastic animated feature on the big screen, yet we’ve never seen Peter Parker truly realize his scientific potential. In the comics, Peter is often portrayed as a brilliant scientist capable of inventing his own gadgetry.
We also saw this side of him in the insanely successful Spider-Man PS4 videogame. Now that his job as an underpaid photographer at the Daily Bugle is out the window, maybe it’s time for Tom Holland’s iteration of Peter Parker to throw on a lab coat and put all that genius to good use.
9 Peter Parker The Celebrity
Mysterio dropped a bombshell when he announced the true identity of Spider-Man to the world… but who says that has to work in Mysterio’s favor? In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, secret identities aren’t really a big deal. Ever since Tony Stark confirmed himself as Iron Man to the world, superheroes have been treated like celebrities everywhere they go.
While it’s going to be hard to explain Mysterio’s doctored footage of Spider-Man ordering the extermination of London, some clever damage control is all it will take to put Spider-Man back in the spotlight. As proven by Peter A. Parker in Into The Spider-Verse, the life of a celebrity Spider-Man can be pretty rewarding... Christmas album and all.
8 Peter Meets Doctor Octavius
One of the most complicated relationships in Spider-Man canon is that of Peter Parker and Doctor Otto Octavius. Octavius is one of the few people who not only recognizes Peter’s genius, but is constantly in awe and maybe even slightly envious of it. This brings an added depth to the rivalry that eventually ensues between the two.
If there’s anyone who will believe Peter Parker innocence, it’s Octavius. It’s also what will make their rivalry the most difficult for Parker to handle. It's unlikely for Marvel Studios to give Peter Parker yet another father-figure to look up to, but Peter finding employment under Octavius' guidance isn't a stretch.
7 Proof: Peter Parker Is NOT Spider-Man
Broadcasting doctored footage of Spider-Man ordering the extermination of millions of people is pretty horrifying, but there’s nothing a couple of shapeshifters can’t fix. We know the Skrulls are back on Earth in search of Kree sleeper cells and we know they’re in touch with Nick Fury in space.
A simple press conference showing Spider-Man standing next to “Peter Parker”, played by a Skrull, is all it will take to prove Parker’s innocence and render Mysterio’s footage as fake. The Skrulls have been tasked by Fury to aid Spider-Man… and if there’s anyone who can get the webcrawler out of this mess, it’s Talos and his clan.
6 Peter Parker Is A Criminal
The most obvious reaction to Mysterio’s footage is public outcry and the raising of pitchforks. The world will turn on their friendly neighborhood hero and the authorities will hunt him down. Spider-Man will be branded a criminal.
Of all the storylines, this would be the most compelling to watch. It will also be the most deviating Spider-Man arc from the source material. It’s hard to imagine Spider-Man on the run and operating as a vigilante, especially when he can find refuge within the walls of Stark Industries. Let’s leave that to the creatives at Marvel Studios to figure out.
5 Spider-Man Vs Mayor Osborn
It’s often said that if you think comic books and movies aren’t political, you aren’t paying enough attention. Pop-culture always draws inspiration from real life. The revelation of Spider-Man’s true identity was done by riding on the “fake news” concept.
Although played again by J.K. Simmons, the MCU’s J. Jonah Jameson resembles an internet personality famous for spewing hot takes on controversial socio-political issues. As such, the introduction of a ruthless Mayor Osborn bent on eradicating New York’s newest criminal, Spider-Man, would serve as the perfect commentary to recent happenings in US politics. It’ll also be cool to see the origins of the Goblin all over again.
4 Return Of Mysterio
When E.D.I.T.H confirmed that “all illusions are down” at the end of Spider-Man: Far From Home, what exactly did she mean? She never said Quentin Beck was dead. Mysterio is a master manipulator and a con artist. Just because he looked dead doesn’t mean it wasn't a performance by the disgruntled ex-Stark employee.
With Spider-Man branded as a criminal and traitor, no one would benefit more from a resurrected Mysterio. It would also be the perfect way for Spider-Man to clear his name. All he’d have to do is outsmart Beck and make the world see the truth - that the true villain is the dome-wearing special effects artiste. It’s also hard to believe that someone of Jake Gyllenhaal’s caliber was only asked to sign a single-film contract.
3 The Sinister Six
To stop a superhero, you need to put together an opposing group of superhumans. Realizing the Sinister Six has been a dream project over at Sony’s studios for almost a decade now. Their villain-only lineup was supposed to make its debut back when Andrew Garfield was swinging all over New York but that didn’t pan out.
With Michael Keaton’s Vulture still alive and the Scorpion already hinted at, what’s stopping a twisted Mayor Osborn from putting together a band of baddies to take down the vigilante known as Spider-Man? If Marvel Studios wants to go big with Spider-Man’s third solo film in their cinematic universe, why not pit the webcrawler against not one, not two, but six villains at the same time!
2 Spider-Man Goes Away
Watching Spider-Man work from the shadows as a fugitive would be a pretty entertaining movie all by itself. What if the webslinger needs to leave New York, and the public eye, for them to realize how much they need him back as their hero. On the flipside, what if Far From Home was the last solo Spider-Man movie we’d see for a while.
With Marvel Studios’ Phase 4 mapped out and Phase 5 looking jam-packed already, maybe the studio is looking to give Spider-Man a little break? It’s highly unlikely seeing as Far From Home is a billion dollar success, but branding the webhead as a crazed criminal might be enough to send him away for a while… at least until he’s able to save the universe from its doom all over again.
1 Miles Morales Takes Over
The debut of Miles Morales in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is inevitable. His existence has been hinted at by Donald Glover’s Aaron Davis in Spider-Man: Homecoming. With the “Blip” allowing survivors to age five years while the “Blipped” stayed the same age upon their return, Miles could be just a couple of years younger than Peter Parker at this point. Since Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse was such a massive, award-winning success, there’s no reason why Marvel Studios wouldn’t want to give Miles Morales his due. If Peter Parker is in hiding or on the run, New York will still need its friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. And there’s no better person to take that mantle than a kid from Queens known as Miles Morales.