Four years after reprising his role as Spider-Man, Andrew Garfield successfully kept the secret from everyone, including his former co-star Emma Stone. Stone, who played Gwen Stacy alongside Garfield’s Peter Parker in 2012’s The Amazing Spider-Man and its 2014 sequel, revealed she was unaware of his return in 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home until after the film’s release. This astonishing discretion surprised many, given the intense speculation about Garfield’s involvement.
During a recent episode of Josh Horowitz’s Happy, Sad, Confused podcast, Stone confirmed,
“I asked him if he was going to be in that and he was like, ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about,’”
referencing the Spider-Man: No Way Home project.
“I was like, ‘What? Oh, I guess that means no, right?’ But it wasn’t no, it was yes.”
Guarding the Secret Amidst Fan Speculation
Garfield’s secrecy was particularly impressive amid widespread fan theories that accurately predicted the film’s multiverse storyline, which brought together three Spider-Man actors: Garfield, Tom Holland, and Tobey Maguire. While Holland is known to occasionally drop spoilers, Garfield remained composed, maintaining the confidentiality of his involvement.
In fact, Garfield revealed on Josh Horowitz’s podcast in 2022 that Emma Stone frequently texted him about the project, to which he repeatedly played coy. He said,
“She was like, ‘Are you in this new Spider-Man film?’ And I was like, ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’ I kept it going, even with her.”
Emma Stone Admires Garfield’s Discretion
Despite being kept in the dark, Stone expressed admiration for Garfield’s commitment to secrecy during the podcast.
“Good for him. He kept it really close to the vest,”
she said, acknowledging the difficulty of withholding such a significant secret, especially from someone she was once close to. Stone also admitted that she has yet to watch Spider-Man: No Way Home but intends to do so eventually, possibly holding out to see if Garfield returns for the next film.
Speculation Surrounding Garfield’s Future in the Franchise
Fans remain eager to see Garfield back in the Spider-Man universe following his surprise return, sparking rumors he may appear in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. However, Garfield tempered these hopes in an interview with British GQ, saying,
“I’m gonna disappoint you. Yeah, no. But I know no one’s gonna trust anything I say from now on.”
The upcoming Spider-Man: Brand New Day movie, directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, who previously worked on Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, began filming last month in Glasgow. The film follows the reset ending of No Way Home, where Peter Parker, portrayed by Tom Holland, was erased from the memories of everyone around him.
New Faces Join the Spider-Man Universe
Though Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire are not expected to return for Brand New Day, the film promises an impressive cast. Zendaya and Jacob Batalon will reprise their roles as MJ and Ned, respectively, while Jon Bernthal takes on Frank Castle/The Punisher, Mark Ruffalo returns as Bruce Banner/The Hulk, and Michael Mando will play The Scorpion. Additionally, Sadie Sink from Stranger Things has been cast in an undisclosed role, adding to the film’s intriguing lineup.
Interconnected Storytelling with Marvel’s Daredevil Series
Spider-Man: Brand New Day will further connect with Marvel’s broader universe through Daredevil: Born Again season 2. The crossover was first established in No Way Home, where Peter Parker enlisted the help of Matt Murdock, aka Daredevil, portrayed by Charlie Cox, who combined his legal expertise with vigilante skills to assist the young hero.
Marvel TV executive Brad Winderbaum shared with Entertainment Weekly at New York Comic Con that coordination between the two productions is ongoing. He stated,
“We are communicating a lot with the team on Spider-Man: Brand New Day to make sure that there’s coherence there,”
adding,
“We don’t want to spoil anything, but it very much exists in the same world and it is important.”
Anticipation Builds for the Next Spider-Man Chapter
Spider-Man: Brand New Day is scheduled to premiere on July 31, 2026, continuing the beloved franchise’s evolution. Andrew Garfield’s ability to keep his Spider-Man secret adds to the excitement and mystery surrounding the ongoing multiverse storylines, while fans look forward to how the new film will expand Marvel’s interconnected universe.
