I think it is safe to say, the end of Avengers: Infinity War left a lot of us feeing punched in the gut when we saw Spidey turn to dust like so many others before our eyes. There was something different about his departure, at least for me. The emotional send off, the kid saying goodbye to a mentor he looked up to, and desperately not wanting to fail him…and the world. Many of us heard “Far From Home” and I am sure a lot of us thought maybe it pointed somewhere else. I know I did, I was thinking Quantum Realm or some other reality perhaps. Maybe on an alien planet. Then again maybe my imagination got the best of me and it’s just Spidey’s European Vacation.
As this trailer gets going it looks like it seems to be independent of the MCU to an extent, at least for now. While we do have some familiar faces, there doesn’t seem to be much tie in to anything, at least not yet. Aunt May introduces Spider-Man at a fundraiser, and it’s clear that unlike Spideys of past, people are in on the secret of who is behind the mask. Aunt May seems to be enjoying the new role she finds herself in, and honestly I think Aunt May is long overdue for a new role in cinema. One thing I did notice during this scene that I felt was important to note…the big check Happy brings in backstage, while it appears to maybe be a Happy Hogan foundation, it is signed by Pepper Potts. I’m curious where the timelines go and if Tony is still around. Maybe we get an answer or two.
Back to the man behind the mask… In 2019, I really don’t know how much good a mask would do anyway? People on subreddits can seemingly crack cases that could take years elsewhere so I’m guessing a teenage Parker would be discovered pretty quickly. I digress, the trailer cuts to a teenager in Parker packing for a trip abroad. In true teenager form, he looks to be waiting until the last minute and doing the crucial checks of “doesn’t smell awful, let’s pack it”.
We soon see Spidey and his classmates taking in the sights abroad and things unfold like you’d expect. Peter awkwardly flirts with MJ. Ned serves us some quality Ned. Nick Fury is waiting in the dark to tranquilizer dart Ned and introduce himself to Peter.
Wait. What?
Yeah, I’m still trying to figure out the timeline here. I’m not sure if this is before Infinity War or after the fallout but it isn’t long after the Fury introduction that we realize he needs Spider-Man’s assistance. We get some quick glimpses of some massive villains.
At first it seemed to tease Sandman, but as we see a liquid and fire monsters appear too, could it possible be Mysterio conjuring up these illusions? Soon after, his arrival is confirmed and we see the world now trying to figure out who this new person is! Comparisons are tossed out that he’s like a combination of Iron Man and Thor.
For an Independence Day weekend opening I’m hoping they go all in and deliver an amazing iteration to the Spidey series, but I’m admittedly hesitant after watching how other Spider-Man sequels have fared. Maybe future trailers will ease some fears, but right now this left me with more questions than answers. What did you think, and where do you think this sequel will take us?
