Culture December 16, 2021

'Spider-Man: No Way Home' swings into theaters: Everything you need to know

WATCH: Tom Holland, Zendaya and Jacob Batalon talk working together on ‘Spider-Man’

Are your Spidey senses tingling? They should be, because Tom Holland returns to theaters as Peter Parker in "Spider-Man: No Way Home" on Dec. 17.

"No Way Home" is a third standalone Spider-Man film directed by Jon Watts, following 2017's "Homecoming" and 2019's "Far From Home." Holland was first introduced in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2016's "Captain America: Civil War" and also appeared in two Avengers films, 2018's "Infinity War" and 2019's "Endgame."

After the world finds out Peter is Spider-Man, he turns to Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) to use his magic to make everyone forget about his superhero identity. But the spell goes awry and the multiverse is split open, leading to villains from past Spider-Man movies converging in Peter's universe.

Columbia Pictures/Marvel Studios
Tom Holland stars in Columbia Pictures movie "Spider-Man: No Way Home."

Here's all the information you need on "Spider-Man: No Way Home" as you head to the theater.

Who's in the cast?

Holland is of course back as Peter Parker/Spider-Man, with Zendaya returning as his girlfriend MJ, Jacob Batalon back as his best friend Ned and Marisa Tomei returns as Aunt May. Cumberbatch reprises his role as Dr. Stephen Strange, while Benedict Wong is back as Wong and Jon Favreau is back as Harold "Happy" Hogan.

Based on the trailer, we know that at least three past Spider-Man villains return: Willem Dafoe as Norman Osborn/Green Goblin, Alfred Molina as Otto Octavius/Doctor Octopus and Jamie Foxx as Max Dillon/Electro.

Rumors were rampant ahead of the film's release that Tobey Maguire, from Sam Raimi's trilogy, and Andrew Garfield, from Marc Webb's two movies, would be back as Peter Parker/Spider-Man, but that has not been confirmed.

Where does this film fit into the MCU timeline?

"No Way Home" picks up right after the events of "Far From Home" and continues the multiverse plot covered in Marvel TV projects "WandaVision" and "Loki" from earlier this year.

What is clear though is that Doctor Strange's involvement, and the fact that it's the first time we've truly explored multiple universes converging in the MCU, will lead into the next Marvel movie, "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness."

Matt Kennedy/Columbia Pictures/Marvel Studios
Tom Holland, Zendaya and Jacob Batalon star in the 2021 Columbia Pictures film, "Spider-Man: No Way Home."

What comes next from the MCU?

"Spider-Man: No Way Home" is the final MCU film of the year, but fans can get excited for what next year has in store. Three more Marvel films are slated for 2022, including the aforementioned "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" on May 6, "Thor: Love and Thunder" on July 8 and "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" on Nov. 11.

There's also a new Captain Marvel film on the way -- this time called "The Marvels" -- and more from the Guardians of the Galaxy, Ant-Man and the arrival of Blade and the Fantastic Four in the MCU.

While you wait for more Marvel goodness, you can watch the backlog of films over on Disney+. "Eternals" will be available to stream Jan. 12.

Disney is the parent company of Marvel, ABC News and "Good Morning America."