Spider-Man: No Way Home hit Digital platforms today, a week earlier than planned (you can "thank" pirates for that). While the deleted scenes are being held back for the Blu-ray, we now have access to the special features and bonus content that was mostly kept under wraps last year in an effort to avoid spoilers.
There's a lot there we recommend delving into, especially as you'll find valuable new insights from the likes of Tom Holland, Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield, Willem Dafoe, Alfred Molina, Jamie Foxx, Zendaya, and director Jon Watts.
Here, though, we've collected some truly spectacular behind the scenes images that have never been seen before. Each tells its own story and offers an undeniably fascinating glimpse into how Spider-Man: No Way Home was made. You'll find plenty more in the Digital release itself, of course, but these are just some highlights that stood out to us.
Take a look at these amazing images by clicking through the slideshow below!
10. Green Goblin's Helmet
This might not be the most exciting shot on the surface, but it sure is interesting that VFX were used to deliver the classic color scheme of the Green Goblin's helmet.
This wouldn't have been the case back in the early 2000s, but as technology has advanced so much since then, it was likely easier to do it this way and get the perfect look for the helmet rather than having to paint out reflections and whatnot in post-production (especially as this looks like a brightly lit set).
Unfortunately - or fortunately, for some of you - this scene was all we saw of the helmet in Spider-Man: No Way Home.
9. Spider-Men Assemble
Don't lie, you totally thought the shot of the three Spider-Men leaping on top of the Statue of Liberty was fully CG, didn't you? The film's special features reveal the opposite was true and that Tom, Tobey, and Andrew (or presumably their stuntmen) actually did it for real.
As you'd expect, wires were used to make the sequence a reality, though the scene no doubt underwent some enhancements in post.
Given the restrictions faced by the Spider-Man: No Way Home team in the midst of the pandemic, it's actually pretty surprising how much of what we see in the film was done practically. Director Jon Watts clearly didn't want to rely too much on VFX, something our next slide backs up...
8. When It Rains, It Pours
Spider-Man: No Way Home is a spectacular ride on a number of levels, but one of the most gorgeously shot scenes comes when Holland's Peter Parker sits in the rain, illuminated by the glow of a billboard featuring J. Jonah Jameson reporting on his Aunt May's death.
That rainy sequence also gave us one of the film's best posters, and we see here that it was shot for real.
It can't have been an easy day for Tom sitting there being bombarded by water, but his performance during this tragic moment in Spidey's life was sublime. You have to believe having "real" rain also helped the actor nail this crucial chapter in the young hero's life.
7. Spider-Man vs. Green Goblin
The film's deleted scenes aren't included in Spider-Man: No Way Home's Digital release, as it appears they're being saved as an exclusive for the eventual Blu-ray.
In this behind the scenes shot, we learn that Tobey's Spider-Man was going to leap atop the Green Goblin's glider, only to be attacked from above before a fight ensued on the flying weapon. Unfortunately, this rematch didn't make it into the final cut, though the Goblin didn't waste taking a shot at revenge when he stabbed his world's wall-crawler in the back.
This "reunion" was probably cut to keep the focus on the MCU's Spidey battling the Goblin, but we'd have still loved to see more of this. Fingers crossed for those deleted scenes.
6. The Villains
Spider-Man: No Way Home's featurettes make no mention of Sandman and The Lizard, likely confirming that Rhys Ifans and Thomas Haden-Church were very late additions to the film.
Here, though, we get an insanely cool shot of this story's three lead bad guys. It's easier now to see how much green and yellow was incorporated into Electro's new costume, and while Doctor Octopus looks very much the same, we're definitely appreciative of that shot of the Green Goblin.
The villain clearly made a lot of changes to his suit, with the addition of all that purple giving him a welcomed comic accurate appearance. Throw in the helmet and we'd call it perfect.
5. Spider-Man Defeated
There's nothing new revealed by this shot, exactly, but you can't deny it's pretty freaking cool.
The featurettes in Spider-Man: No Way Home's Digital release do an astonishing job of revealing more about how Spidey's battle with the Goblin was shot inside Happy Hogan's condo, and this image shows the villain taunting the teenager as his Aunt May watches on.
Tragedy would follow, of course, but this is, without a shadow of a doubt, one of the MCU's best fight scenes and both Holland and Willem Dafoe's work was out of this world amazing.
4. Spider-Man Meets Spider-Man
When Sony Pictures finally revealed release plans for Spider-Man: No Way Home on Digital and Blu-ray, the news was accompanied by Tom, Tobey, and Andrew recreating the iconic "Spider-Man Pointing" meme.
Well, there are even more shots of the three actors during that photoshoot in the film's special features, and this might just be our favorite.
While there were leaks prior to No Way Home swinging into theaters, it is hard to believe nothing like this found its way out into the world. We're also at a loss as to why Sony didn't decide to use some of this imagery to create a spectacular new poster or Blu-ray cover for the film!
3. Tobey Maguire Returns To Action
It's rare that Tobey Maguire acts these days, so Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures convincing him to return as Spider-Man is an undeniably impressive feat on their part.
The actor is enthusiastic about playing Peter Parker again throughout every interview included with this Digital release, and it's great to see he actually spent a lot of time in the suit (rather than just providing voiceover down the line). Maguire certainly didn't sit back and just let a stuntman step in for him, anyway, which this image makes clear.
This isn't something any of us thought we'd see on screen again, so it's not hard to appreciate a shot like this one.
2. Another Deleted Scene?
Pushed to the brink of madness by the Green Goblin's heinous actions, the MCU's Spider-Man comes close to impaling the villain on his own Goblin glider in the film.
Luckily, it's then that Tobey's Spidey steps in, stopping the hero from making a mistake he'll never be able to come back from. However, in this sequence, it almost looks like that web-slinger was going to step in sooner, intervening in the fight before Peter could consider using the glider as a weapon.
It's hard to say for sure without additional context, but again, we hope to see more in the deleted scenes.
1. The Hug
'Nuff said, right?