Marvel fans are convinced that a brief shot of a ruined New York City in the latest Avengers: Doomsday trailer is a dark omen for Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man. The trailer, released yesterday, is packed with action and grim-faced heroes, but it’s the opening image of a destroyed city that has set the internet abuzz.
Fans on social media have latched onto the theory that the charred skyline belongs to Earth-96283, the reality where Maguire’s Spider-Man has operated since his 2002 debut. That version of the character helped launch the modern superhero box-office boom and was last seen in Spider-Man: No Way Home, assisting Tom Holland’s Peter Parker against the Green Goblin.
Fan theories point to Tobey’s New York
The speculation started almost immediately after the trailer dropped. On X, @sabooschin asked, “Is this Tobey Maguire’s New York then?” while @1610SPlDEY joked, “If you squint, you can see Tobey’s charred corpse.” On Reddit, user LemonIcy2942 shared a screenshot of the ruined cityscape and wrote: “From the looks of it, this could be Earth – 96283, Tobey Maguire Spider-Man’s world.” They added, “Dear God, they’ve done a ton of damage if this really is it. I still hope my GOAT survives.”
Why would Marvel blow up Tobey’s Manhattan? Rumours have circulated that the older webslinger has a role in the film, though neither Marvel nor Maguire has confirmed this. Given the movie’s multiverse-destruction premise, fans expect numerous cameos, and the possibility of Tobey’s Earth falling to doom is not off the table.
Fox X-Men and Deadpool hints
The trailer already confirms the Fox X-Men’s involvement, showing Patrick Stewart’s Professor X and Sir Ian McKellen’s Magneto looking glum as other mutants battle Sentinels. Additionally, hints suggest Deadpool and Wolverine may appear. Ryan Reynolds showed up at San Diego Comic-Con in July to campaign for a role, and yesterday Hugh Jackman appeared onscreen at D23 to ask if his claws were needed.
In a pre-recorded video at D23, Jackman said: “Hey Kevin, hey D23, hope you’re all having a great time. I just wanted to check in, totally unprompted, and just wondering if you might need some help rounding out the cast.” Off-screen, Reynolds could be heard joking about them being “the golden ones, we’re special.” A slightly exasperated Jackman then added: “I would love to join, and I might be able to convince Ryan to appear in Avengers: Doomsday.”
Release date and what’s next
Whether Jackman and Reynolds get their wish, and whether Tobey’s universe is really the one in ruins, remains to be seen. Avengers: Doomsday is scheduled for release in cinemas on December 18.
