As expected,
Spider-Man: Far From Home features Mysterio as the movie's lead villain and he takes the wall-crawler to some very interesting and unexpected places. While comic book fans obviously saw that twist coming a mile off, many regular moviegoers have been left reeling, and Marvel Studios arguably did a great job of legitimising Quentin Beck in a live-action setting.
Asked about the decision to use Mysterio in the sequel, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige shed some light on his characterisation and the handling of that big reveal about his true nature.
"How exciting for us to actually do Mysterio," he says. "The fishbowl illusionist who everybody rolls their eyes at in the comics; the green smoke trails, we were like, 'We gotta do that. We gotta swirl them around.' Which we really wanted to do, and showcase his illusion powers in a way that it kind of was in the comics always too: science-based, not necessarily magic."
"And also [we used the father-son dynamic] to make the turn not just an obvious “Well, of course he’s going to be bad, he’s bad in the comics,” but also to make it more of a heartbreak," Feige added, referring to Beck's betrayal. "Because even though you know on some level it must be coming, you like that relationship so much that it hurts you when it happens."
Watts, meanwhile, finally talked more about utilising some of the villain's classic illusions in Spider-Man: Far from Home, as well as pulling from the comic books for inspiration.
"There’s so many frames that are almost direct pulls from Mysterio comics," he says. "I think that’s the first time I sat there and felt like I was living in a comic book that I had read. That’s the reason why you have Mysterio as your villain. It’s the excuse to do that kind of crazy visual sequence."
That was actually one of the best sequences we've seen in the MCU, so it's fair to say that the filmmaker succeeded in doing the character justice. What did you guys think of Mysterio's portrayal?
Hit the "View List" button to check out some unanswered
questions we have after watching Spider-Man: Far From Home!
Wouldn't People Realise That Elemental Was An Illusion?
During the final battle between Spider-Man and Mysterio, the wall-crawler starts destroying Quentin Beck's drones and reveals that the final Elemental is little more than a hologram/illusion. London is one of the most highly surveilled cities in the world and so some footage of that must have been recorded, thereby debunking Beck's claim that he sent it back through the interdimensional rift.
Throw in the fact that at least some of the drone's remains must have been found and there's definitely evidence that Mysterio was a fraud. The problem is, people wouldn't necessarily know what an "interdimensional rift" would look like, and it could boil down to some believing Beck's story and others not. That could factor into future stories in a big way, but we'll get to that later in this post...
Does The Multiverse Even Exist?
It doesn't take any time at all for us to learn that Mysterio was lying about the Multiverse, so there go those theories about the events of
Avengers: Infinity War and
Avengers: Endgame creating multiple timelines that will be explored in future movies! Does this mean the Multiverse is fake, though?
Beck is clearly just using it to explain where he's come from to Nick Fury and company, and we highly doubt he's basing his claims on anything concrete. As a result, it really doesn't appear as if the Multiverse is going to be something Marvel seriously explores moving forward, and that's sure to disappoint some.
Will Nick Fury Return To Earth?
Nick Fury allowed Talos to take his place so he could have a "vacation" of sorts in outer space, but it seems like he's in command of that Skrull spaceship and that could mean a lot for the MCU's future.
For starters, there's a very good chance that he's planning to replace S.H.I.E.L.D. with S.W.O.R.D. in order to stop another invasion happening again, and that could easily tie into plans for Captain Marvel. Alternatively, we might just see Fury join Carol Danvers in space in a fun role reversal where he's on her turf this time and coming to grips with protecting a much, much wider universe.
What Is Spider-Man Going To Do With E.D.I.T.H.?
Spider-Man regains control of E.D.I.T.H. at the end of
Spider-Man: Far From Home and that means he has access to all of Tony Stark's technology and creations. The question is, what is he going to do with it all? Honestly, the most likely explanation is that he will probably hand it over to Pepper Potts or have it taken away from him once the government tracks the wall-crawler down.
Alternatively, he could continue using it to his benefit and that has a lot of potential as well. After all, it would make Spidey one of the most formidable heroes in the entire MCU and means that he can access different suits and weapons on a whim. However, just like Karen/"Suit Lady" was abandoned in this sequel, there's a very good chance that Marvel Studios will end up brushing over this.
Is Iron Man The New Uncle Ben?
During that illusion sequence with Mysterio, Peter Parker falls in front of a grave, and I can't have been alone in thinking that would belong to Uncle Ben, right? Instead, it's Iron Man's, and the deceased Avenger rises up from the ground to terrorise the wall-crawler. Yet again, there's no mention of Ben in this movie, so is Iron Man really taking on his role in the hero's story from here?
Spider-Man: Homecoming made it clear that something happened to Peter's uncle, while
Captain America: Civil War also alluded to his death. He's clearly dead in the MCU and definitely existed, but we have no idea if Peter was indirectly responsible for what happened to him. Either way, it seems as if the burden of following in Iron Man's footsteps will be a key part of future adventures.
Who Owns Avengers Tower?
It seemed as if
Spider-Man: Far From Home would provide some answers in this respect, but they never come and it instead looks like Avengers Tower is still undergoing re-construction (to be fair, if Norman Osborn and most of Oscorp's executives were dusted, work on it was more than likely halted).
Of course, there's nothing to say it is owned by Osborn and this reveal we're waiting for might never come. The Fantastic Four are another likely candidate for who could have bought the building from Tony Stark. Either way, it now appears as if we'll have to wait for a future MCU movie before getting answers, and
Spider-Man 3 seems a strong contender.
Is Mysterio Really Dead?
Mysterio takes a bullet from one of his drones and E.D.I.T.H. later confirms that he's died. However, is it not possible that this Master of Illusion could have faked his own death? It's been known to happen in the comics and he had so many tricks up his sleeve, I find it hard to believe there isn't one more!
For the purpose of that mid-credits scene, it's important that the world believe Mysterio is dead, but I can easily imagine him making a return in a future instalment, something that would come as a huge surprise to fans at that point - especially if Marvel Studios manages to keep it fully under wraps.
Will The World Believe That Peter Parker Is Spider-Man?
Thanks to Mysterio and TheDailyBugle.net, the world now knows that Peter Parker is Spider-Man. The question is, will anyone believe that the high school student is a superhero? Well, Mysterio has fooled them into thinking that he sacrificed himself to save the planet from the Elementals so there's really no reason to believe that they won't buy into the villain's "dying" words.
Even if Peter/Spidey denies it, the press are bound to be on his tail as are the authorities! The best thing Marvel Studios can do is embrace this plot thread rather than backing out in a third instalment, because this opens the door to a lot of huge stories and seeing people's reactions (like Flash Thompson) promises to be priceless. It was a bold move, but the pay off needs to be huge!
Where Are The Avengers?
Talos mentions in the post-credits scene that he didn't know what to say when he was asked about the whereabouts of The Avengers, so what has become of the team since
Endgame?
Well, the Avengers Compound has been destroyed and the man who bankrolled the team - Tony Stark - is dead. Captain America, meanwhile, is M.I.A. so it's going to be up to someone else to assemble the team. That could be a hero like Black Panther (he certainly has the wealth) or even the new Captain America, Sam Wilson, albeit on a smaller scale as a team of "New Avengers."
Is Spider-Man A Criminal Now?
Well, it's hard to imagine that not being the case! As I said at the start of this post, I believe that some people will view Spider-Man as a hero, while others are sure to brand him a menace. Sound familiar? That's something that has plagued the web-slinger for decades in the comics, and it feels like Marvel Studios just moved him one step closer to being like his comic book counterpart.
After all, Peter Parker isn't a superhero for the adulation and attention; he does it because he's a good person and has a responsibility, something which means he's willing to be chased down by the police so long as he can still do the right thing. It will be tough for Peter to adjust to that status quo, and I wouldn't be surprised if the next movie kicks off with him actually on the run!
Continue reading below for an in-depth explanation of
Spider-Man: Far From Home's post-credits scenes!
The Daily Bugle Is A Website Now
After the wall-crawler drops off MJ, a news report starts playing which reveals that the "controversial news website" TheDailyBugle.net has shared an exclusive video from that final battle between Spider-Man and Mysterio. That's right, the MCU's version of the newspaper isn't a newspaper at all, and, honestly, that's a timley update that does make sense.
It seems that TheDailyBugle.net is similar to something like
The Alex Jones Show, and even the design of the set looks somewhat similar. J. Jonah Jameson being portrayed in this way seems fitting given how things are these days, and the way "news" outlets report information online across platforms like YouTube and social media. Talking of Jolly Jonah...
J.K. Simmons Returns As J. Jonah Jameson
Marvel Studios clearly realised that no one could replace J.K. Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson, so they decided to make the shocking decision to bring the actor back to play a new version of the character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
He looks a little different, however; his moustache is still there but he's now balding and dressed in a somewhat more contemporary manner. Still, this is very much the JJJ we know and love from the comics and while it's unclear whether he'll make his presence felt elsewhere in the MCU, it definitely seems fitting for him to be the one to drop the bombshell about Spider-Man's secret identity.
Mysterio's Final Manipulation
Before we get to that, the reason TheDailyBugle.net has landed an exclusive is thanks to Quentin Beck. He's manipulated the footage of Spider-Man stopping those drones to make it appear as if he was the one attacking London, and Mysterio - dubbed the world's greatest hero by Jameson - claims to have sent the Elementals back to his Earth before being taken down by the wall-crawler.
In reality, Beck died (at least it seems that way) from his wounds after being hit by a stray bullet, but the world now believes Spider-Man was responsible for murdering the man who saved Earth simply because he doesn't want anyone else to be seen as the new Iron Man.
Spider-Man's Identity Is Outed
At the very end of Jameson's report, he shares a clip of Mysterio revealing that Spider-Man's real name is Peter Parker! A photo of the high school student is shown on the screen (and presumably on televisions around the globe) and that's where things end. Now, the world knows the truth, not only about Spidey being a "menace," but also who is beneath the mask.
In the comics, Spider-Man willingly chose to reveal his identity and later regretted it, hence why he used Doctor Strange's magic to once again hide it from the world. This is something completely new, though, so where on Earth can the wall-crawler go moving forward?
Where Things Could Go Next
Peter can obviously try to deny that he's Spider-Man, but that's pretty compelling evidence and with o way of proving that Quentin Beck was a fraud, we can probably expect him to have to go on the run, and that no doubt means his time in high school is over. However, hopefully that won't mean that the likes of Flash Thompson and Ned Leeds disappear from our screens!
While you would hope that they might know better, it's entirely feasible that the next MCU cameo in this franchise will be from a hero attempting to hunt the web-slinger down to make him pay for his crimes. Throw in the fact that he's probably wanted by the authorities, and it will be interesting to see whether Spidey will fight to clear his name or have his hands full with a new villain.
Talos And Soren
The second post-credits scene reveals that the Nick Fury and Maria Hill we've been spending time with are actually Talos and his wife Soren, the Skrulls from
Captain Marvel. Neither of them have aged, and before you go jumping to conclusions about them being revealed as villains, guess again!
They've actually been dispatched by Fury to take his place and were simply supposed to hand over E.D.I.T.H. to Peter Parker in his absence. Instead, they (mostly Talos) crossed paths with Mysterio and chose to trust him, something which obviously caused things to go pretty wrong for Spider-Man.
Nick Fury's Vacation
Fury has actually been on vacation and is shown chilling out on a beach with a nice drink. However, that's just a simulation and the former S.H.I.E.L.D. Director is actually aboard a Skrull ship in outer space. He hangs up on Talos, and it's unclear whether he's planning to return to Earth or simply doesn't want to hear about how badly the shape-shifter has screwed things up.
We don't learn where Hill is so perhaps that's a question that will be answered somewhere down the line. Either way, it's now hard to imagine the
Captain Marvel sequel not being set in the present, even if there are a few gaps in her history (like that eventual confrontation with Ronan the Accuser). After all, the stakes are definitely lessened now we know Talos survives that conflict.
How Many Skrulls Are On Earth?
"Fury" briefly mentions that there are Kree sleeper cells on Earth and it's hard not to wonder whether there are other Skrulls impersonating key figures, especially following the events of
Avengers: Endgame. Kevin Feige has alluded to there being villainous versions of the aliens, and they could have easily replaced the dusted and taken them out when they returned.
Ultimately, that feels like a story for the next
Captain Marvel movie to tell, and even though this scene was played for laughs, there's a small possibility that the stage has been set for a
Secret Invasion!
What About Captain Marvel?
She's nowhere to be seen in this post-credits scene, but it's safe to assume that Fury is on a ship she commands and that the Skrulls are still following her. Whether this means her next solo adventure will be set in outer space remains to be seen, but it certainly seems likely, and now that we've seen her in the present, it's hard to believe the sequel will spend too much time in the past.
It definitely feels like we need to see what happened when Yon-Rogg returned to Hala and how the Supreme Intelligence feels about Carol's newfound freedom, but it would also be good for this post-credits scene to be addressed and to see what she and the Skrulls are up to following
Avengers Endgame; perhaps that's something Marvel Studios is holding off on showing until
Captain Marvel 3!
Secret Invasion
Had Fury and Hill been revealed as evil Skrulls, Marvel Studios could have set something very exciting up, but the scene is played for laughs and that might mean it won't have too many ramifications.
That's a shame, but at least the idea of the Skrulls posing as familiar faces has been introduced to moviegoers, so it's definitely a plot point that can be touched on somewhere down the line if we're lucky.