Andrew Garfield says he is not suiting up for Spider-Man: No Way Home. For months, rumors have swirled that the upcoming sequel will not only include Tom Holland’s webslinger, but also include original trilogy star Tobey Maguire as well as Garfield, who played the hero in two Amazing Spider-Man films from 2012-14.
The idea that No Way Home features three Spider-Men has become so widespread that talk show hosts such as Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon have pumped No Way Home stars for information, and Twitter’s official account has joked about it, too.
After months of sitting back and observing, Garfield is weighing in.
“I can’t speak for anything else, but for myself. They might be doing something, but I ain’t got a call,” Garfield told MTV’s Josh Horowitz on Tuesday’s episode of the Happy Sad Confused podcast.
Andrew Garfield is ready to talk about those rumors about his return as Spider-Man. You might be surprised to see what he has to say. Watch the full interview on the brand new #happysadconfused patreon! https://t.co/e84Wokl1SQ pic.twitter.com/Civpe3Am5p
— Josh Horowitz (@joshuahorowitz) May 4, 2021
Actors usually play coy about high-profile projects, but Garfield’s reaction felt stronger than a merely pro forma denial.
“I see how often Spider-Man is trending and it’s like people freaking out,” said Garfield. “And I’m just like, ‘guys, guys, guys’ — I wish I could just be able to speak to everyone and say, ‘I recommend that you chill.’”
Garfield’s denials are unlikely to put to rest hopes that No Way Home will feature multiple Spider-Men. After all, the film is confirmed to feature Alfred Molina as Doctor Octopus, the villain he played in Maguire’s Spider-Man 2. Jamie Foxx is also confirmed as Electro, a villain from Garfield’s The Amazing Spider-Man 2.
To add more fuel to the fire, after THR reported his casting in October, Foxx shared an Instagram post he quickly deleted that showed three Spider-Men together. Meanwhile, William Spencer, Garfield’s Amazing Spider-Man stunt double, apparently was on the set of No Way Home per an Instagram post that Spencer has since deleted.
Still, Garfield insisted he is not in the film, due out from Sony and Marvel on Dec. 17.
“I would’ve gotten a call by now. That’s what I’m saying,” said the actor.
If Garfield were in No Way Home, it would mark a remarkable turn of events for the actor, and his take on the character. While Garfield’s performance and passion for Spider-Man was praised, his 2014 sequel Amazing Spider-Man 2 underwhelmed at the box office. Its soft box office — and fallout from the Sony hack of 2014 — led to Sony and Marvel signing a landmark deal to allow the character to appear in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. That led to Garfield exiting as Spidey, and paved the way for Holland’s casting in Captain America: Civil War.
Since leaving Spider-Man behind, Garfield has earned an Oscar nomination for Hacksaw Ridge and worked with Martin Scorsese on Silence, among other noteworthy projects. His latest, Mainstream, is from filmmaker Gia Coppola and is available from IFC on Friday.
Garfield’s appearance on Happy Sad Confused comes as the seven-year-old podcast known for its in-depth yet relaxed interviews launches a Patreon page featuring video version of those conversations. (The podcast will remain free.)
As for Garfield, he joked that perhaps the fan outcry will lead to Marvel and Sony deciding to give him a call.
“I don’t want to rule anything out,” said Garfield. “Maybe they are going to call me and say, ‘Hey, people want this. … maybe they are doing like a market research thing.”