Today is Spider-Monday, the day tickets for Spider-Man No Way Home tickets go on sale before the movie hits theatres December 17. With the COVID-19 pandemic continuing to evolve (we’re side-eying you, Omicron variant), we have no idea what’s going to happen, but here are just some of the reasons Marvel should forgo an in-person premiere all together. 

The Red Carpet-A Spoiler Minefield On It’s Own:

Although it seems most fans have made up their minds that we’ll be seeing Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield reprise their roles as the iconic web-slinging hero. From the trailer, it is confirmed Tom Holland’s Spider-Man will be facing off against Spider-Man villains introduced during both Maguire’s and Garfield’s tenures. There’s definitely a separate discussion to be had about how trailers themselves these days tend to spoil so much of movies on their own.

However, it still has not been officially confirmed that either Maguire or Garfield will be suiting up in the latest Spider-Man outing, and seeing photos of them attending the red carpet will just spoil the fact that they’re in it, taking away from what’s sure to be an epic moment of revealing it while watching the movie. This seems to be a big setup as a very significant moment not just in this movie but in the context of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), and it would pretty anti-climatic to see the actors themselves walking the red carpet.

The Eternals– A Blueprint for Disaster:

When Eternals was released, spoilers abound from the premiere weeks before fans had a chance to see the movie. Social media was filled with references to Superman being a canon part of the MCU, and Harry Styles being featured in the end credits scenes. While admittedly neither of these necessarily took away from the story as a whole, it highlighted an even bigger problem these larger premieres have. 

Although most of the time, reviews may be embargoed until a certain date before the film’s wide-release date, there’s clearly little to no enforcement of what people post on their personal social media accounts. However, Eternals demonstrated that even official news and reviews sites will post spoiler-filled reviews well before the movie was widely released. If certain critics and industry professionals are going to still be invited to these premiere events, there should be some form of, if not regulation, at least consequences for posting spoilers far in advance of a movie’s wide release. Maybe people who post these spoilers repeatedly shouldn’t be invited to future movie premiere events. 

Average Fans Don’t Have Access to These Premieres:

Relatedly, so many regular fans don’t have access to a lot of these premiere events. For starters, they typically will take place in New York and Los Angeles. Although this makes sense logistically since so much of movie culture is centred around these two cities, there are millions of fans who neither live in these cities, nor have access to means to travel there. It also makes sense for the cast and crew to be limited in their own travels so they don’t get burned out. From a fan perspective though, it severely limits the options to see premieres in person, and creates a divide between them and fans who can’t get to a premiere, whatever the reason. 

Even if smaller premiere events are held in other major cities around the world, again, many fans don’t live in those cities or have access to get to them. Movie fans living outside of cities often don’t even live near a theatre. Seeing a movie, then, requires significant planning and time that fans based in cities can take for granted. Although given the choice many fans will choose to see bigger blockbusters, like the latest Marvel entry, there simply isn’t a way for millions of fans to up and travel to movie hotspots to be first in line to see the latest movie.

The COVID Pandemic is Very Much Still Happening:

With the news this past week about a new COVID 19 variant of concern, called the Omicron variant, we’d all do well to remember we’re very much still in the middle of a world-wide pandemic. In many areas of the world, protective measures are being re-imposed to limit the spread of the virus. This may be the most practical reason for foregoing an in-person premiere, packed together with thousands and thousands of people in one place. The safety of fans, actors, and anyone else with reason to be at an in-person premiere should always come first.

It’s disappointing that so many movie studios and distributors are electing to push the theatre-only experience, which includes an in-person premiere, for the online screenings that for many were far more accessible. As this pandemic continues, it begs the question why these in-person events and screenings can’t at least be a hybrid in-person and online event. Although it would lack the pomp and circumstance of an in person premiere, an online premiere would be more accessible to so many more people and keep an even greater number of people safe. 

As an alternative to a massive red carpet event for Spider-Man No Way Home’s premiere, perhaps they should stick to a lowkey event, open only to those involved. This would both acknowledge the work that has been put into one of Marvel’s most anticipated entries, and would prevent spoilers and the spread of a deadly disease. Although it’s a near certainty that the premiere will go ahead as planned, maybe cancelling would be a better option.

What do you think? Do you think Spider-Man No Way Home should have a premiere? Let us know in the comments, and watch the trailer below!

Spider-Man: No Way Home is in theatres December 17, 2021.