Far From Home - MCU moves on after the traumatic Endgame

trailer review

With Avengers: Endgame busy decimating its cinematic competition and destroying box office records in the process, Marvel has unveiled the trailer for its next big screen adventure, Spider-Man: Far From Home. The clip gives us a very brief peek at the upcoming film which serves as the twenty-third instalment in the most successful franchise in movie history.

(Spoiler alert: both the trailer and this article contain Endgame spoilers, so proceed with caution!)

Set after the events of Endgame, MCU’s second Spider-Man episode – following 2017’s Homecoming – explores its titular character’s struggle to come to terms with Tony Stark’s death while finding his place in the post-Endgame world.

In the aftermath of the whole Thanos escapade, Peter Parker (played once again by Tom Holland) is compelled to go from being Tony Stark’s protégé to following in Iron Man’s footsteps. Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau) is there to provide support to the protagonist, as he mourns the loss of his mentor and realizes that the world needs a new Iron Man. A potential candidate to take on that role, Spider-Man seems reluctant to accept that mantle, torn between embracing his superhero responsibilities and just living the life of a teenager.

Several familiar faces are on hand to help steer him in the right direction. Chief among them is former S.H.I.E.L.D. director Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), who appears to be taking a no-nonsense approach in managing his asset. Fury’s associate Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders) is also present, but we’re told that Thor is off world and Captain Marvel is unavailable (as usual).

Peter’s classmates and friends are also back, including best mate Ned (Jacob Batalon) and potential love interest MJ (Zendaya). All of them seemed to have (conveniently) disappeared in The Snap, and are now going on a European vacation along with Peter. The trip should give them a chance to get accustomed to the changes the world has experienced and come to terms with the five years discrepancy, with half the population having lived without their loved ones until they re-emerged half a decade later.

The most prominent newcomer to the franchise here is Jake Gyllenhaal, who portrays the mysterious Mysterio, a man who claims to be from an alternate reality. He is recruited by Nick Fury to help Spider-Man stop the latest forces that are trying to cause havoc on Earth, although his real intentions – and whether he turns out to be a hero or a villain – remain to be seen.

Venturing into the multiverse could open up a lot of possibilities for future adventures. The Iron Spider Suit looks sleek and it should be fun seeing it in action. Plus there’s emotional heft to the tale as prior events cast a shadow on the proceedings.

The trailer for Far From Home gives us the sense that the franchise doesn’t intend to slow down in the absence of some of its most beloved characters. Hopefully the film can also provide the fandom some catharsis over Tony Stark’s death and answer some of the many, many questions left unanswered by Endgame while serving as a bridge to Phase Four. We can hardly wait!

Spider-Man: Far From Home arrives in cinemas on July 2nd 2019.

- Sameen Amer

The Express Tribune Blog - 9th May, 2019 *