Extra content is not void of criticism for some Spider-Man: No Way Home fans who have seen the film's extended cut, The More Fun Stuff Version. Originally released during the 2021 holiday season, the third Tom Holland-led Spider-Man film was a landmark success for Sony and Marvel. No Way Home grossed just over $1.9 billion at the global box office during its initial theatrical run thanks to its tie-in with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and the surprise appearances of alternate universe Spider-Men Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield.
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The 148-minute-long film capped Sony's first Spider-Man trilogy in partnership with Marvel in stunning fashion, seeing Peter Parker disappear from the world's collective memory. However, just like Peter's existence, director Jon Watts ultimately cut much from the final product to create a concise-enough story for Marvel fans, leading to the eventual re-release of No Way Home with 11 minutes of extra footage. Sony released the extended cut, labeled The More Fun Stuff Version, over Labor Day Weekend, where it generated a strong showing at the box office.
While critical reactions to the theatrical cut were largely positive, More Fun Stuff viewers appear to have divided opinions over the extended edition's "new" footage. Fans took to Twitter to share their thoughts, which range from pure bliss over the lengthier dialogue scenes and a new end-credits scene to relief that certain scenes were cut short or removed from the film entirely. Check out the reactions below:
The most consistently-mentioned bonus footage appears to be an extended conversation about Maguire's organic web-shooters, new clips of Betty Brant's interviews at the high school, and additional scenes of Peter's struggles after being publicly revealed as Spider-Man. While many fans wish specific conversations remained in the original No Way Home cut, like the one about Maguire's "holes," others argue that most of The More Fun Stuff Version's new footage is too laborious and throws off the film's pacing. Some even call the re-released version depressing thanks to the focus on Peter's misery.
At 159 minutes, the extended cut is undoubtedly pushing the limits on audiences' patience, especially when most of the additional content is the extra dialogue that some fans claim doesn't add much – if anything – to the film's overall plot. Overall, though, general reactions appear favorable, which poses a question about the theatrical cut's performance if Watts included certain well-received scenes from The More Fun Stuff Version. Regardless, Spider-Man: No Way Home still did incredibly well at the box office, and the extended cut's #3 position after Labor Day weekend proves that the film is still beloved by fans of Marvel's web-slinger. Moreover, it should help the studios attain the lofty $2 billion gross revenue goal they are likely striving to hit.