Spoilers Ahead

As if Marvel fans needed another reason to rewatch “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” an extended version with 15 minutes of extra content hit theaters last week.

The third edition of Jon Watts’ Spider-Man films made $1.9 billion in box office revenue when it was originally released Dec. 17, 2021, making it the sixth-highest-grossing movie of all time. The film opened up with Tom Holland, who plays the titular character, sharing his appreciation for fans of the movie alongside Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire, who play different versions of Holland’s character. This message was heartwarming, and seeing three actors I adore being vulnerable was a great intro into the film.

It was slightly disappointing that the extended version did not add much more to the plot line and did not offer even a hint as to where the story is going next. With the film ending on a huge cliffhanger, my patience to see how Parker reminds his friends who he is has been tested since my first viewing in 2019.  However, it did add insight and character development through the comedic storytelling these Spider-Man films are known for. The negative repercussions of Jake Gyllenhaal’s Mysterio revealing Spider-Man’s identity becomes more obvious.

The biggest change came from an added interview of students and staff of Midtown High by student reporter Betty Brant, played by Angourie Rice. After talking with staff and other students, Parker himself was interviewed. He told Brant he would thank the spider that gave him powers, a comment that was followed with criticism.

During Parker’s P.E. class, he is met with more ridicule as he is asked to climb the wall of the gym. Some students are amazed, while others call him a freak. Even short scenes like this bring a huge impact to the story and how this new life truly was impossible to handle.

Outside of high school, Parker is met with opposing opinions and hate by citizens of New York. While this was seen in the original, the extended cut goes more into detail with extra scenes dedicated to this. I appreciated these scenes being added because it gave insight as to the hate he was receiving. I was able to better put myself in his situation and feel the difficulty he was facing.

The first scene that shows opposition is right before a pedestrian throws paint on his suit. There was an added moment where the robber he was trying to stop said they were working together, trying to make him look like the villain. The bystanders are less concerned with the crime being stopped and only focus on how young Parker is after discovering he is a high school student and how he should not be making dangerous decisions at his age. It was obvious that no one looks at him as Spider-Man, a hero of the planet, but as a high-school kid who does not know what he is doing.

The public’s distrust of Parker is seen again after he catches Electro, played by Jamie Foxx, from the woods. The Daily Bugle interviewed an electrician fixing the site, who blamed the damage solely on Spider-Man.

These few added scenes help show the ridicule and humiliation Parker felt, making his decision to go to Doctor Strange, played by Benedict Cumberbatch, for help more understandable. It also reminds the audience that he is a young kid under a lot of pressure who does not always make the best decisions but continues to accept the consequences of his own actions.

While the post-credit scene of Tom Hardy as Venom in the bar trying to understand the Avengers remained the same, there was an additional post-post-credit scene. This was the most anticipated change, as the original scene was simply the trailer for “Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness,” which disappointed many fans.

The new scene shows the European trip the school took in the previous film, “Spider-Man: Far From Home,” without Parker in any photo or video, as the world forgot he existed. This filled a minor plot hole from the original version that I had been questioning.

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.