Out of the many movies Marvel is developing for its Phase 4, Spider-Man: No Way Home is a strong contender for the most anticipated of them all. Tom Holland's Spider-Man movies within the MCU have been a huge hit, and considering the tenuous deal between Sony and Marvel, this could be Spidey's last solo movie in the cinematic universe. Add to that, there are some very big rumors about what will be included in this third entry. But while there is plenty of speculation about who might pop up, one character who has been overlooked in the MCU deserves to play a role.
Uncle Ben is perhaps the most important figure in Peter Parker's journey to becoming Spider-Man. He raised Peter along with Aunt May following the death of Peter's parents and was very much a father figure to him. When Peter was first struggling with his powers and how they would best be used, it was Uncle Ben who shared the iconic words of wisdom that "with great power comes great responsibility." His death further cements these words as he is killed by a robber who Peter could have stopped earlier but didn't. The importance of Uncle Ben was brought over to the movies as well with Cliff Robertson playing him in the Tobey Maguire movies and Martin Sheen playing him in the Andrew Garfield version. However, not only does he not appear in the MCU, he has yet to really be mentioned.
When rebooting Spider-Man for their own universe, Marvel made a wise decision not to rehash his origin story yet again. When Peter Parker is introduced in Captain America: Civil War, he is already the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man and his uncle has already passed. Given how well known this story is to even the casual viewer, it was refreshing to just hit the ground running with yet another version of the hero.
Uncle Ben's presence also felt unneeded because Peter had Tony Stark in the MCU. For Peter, Tony really fills the Uncle Ben arc quite nicely. He is the older figure in his life who becomes a mentor and teaches him the responsibility of being a hero. Peter then loses Tony and has to learn how to move on without him. But coming into what could be his final solo adventure and with what is known about the Spider-Man: No Way Home, it feels like the right time to address Uncle Ben.
At the end of Spider-Man: Far From Home, Peter watches in horror as Mysterio releases a posthumous video revealing to the world that Spider-Man's real name is Peter Parker. It was a shocking cliffhanger that sets up some big stakes for the next movie. Clearly, Spider-Man: No Way Home will deal with the aftermath of Peter's secret getting out, as well as him being branded as the mastermind of the London attacks.
This is obviously a lot for a young hero to deal with. It feels like he will need that cathartic moment of leaning on a loved one for guidance and Uncle Ben could be that figure. It is known that this movie will follow the multiverse storyline explored in WandaVision and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. There are already confirmations of villains like Electro and Doctor Octopus making their way into the story from the other Spider-Man franchises. It feels like the perfect opportunity to bring Uncle Ben in from a universe in which he is still alive. Seeing his uncle and confronting losing him could be a really powerful moment that could nicely feed into this story where Peter's entire world seems to be falling apart.
Of course, it is impossible to talk about Spider-Man: No Way Home without addressing those other big rumors. Ever since the news of Jamie Foxx and Alfred Molina returning for this third movie, there has been endless speculation and unconfirmed reports that Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield will be reprising their roles as Spider-Man from their respective franchises. While this means there will be even more to stuff into this movie, it seems like another great reason to bring Uncle Ben into the picture. Even if he doesn't appear, this is a figure from each of their lives that they share and that they all lost. Through Uncle Ben, they each have that understanding of each other and why they became Spider-Man.
It's hard to say how the MCU sees the character of Uncle Ben. Though he has been hinted at in some ways, it seems a bit strange that they have seemingly gone out of their way to not bring him up yet. Likewise, the fact that Peter went through a very similar tragedy with Tony Stark without ever mentioning previously losing Uncle Ben suggests they might be trying to distance themselves from previous versions. But there is also the possibility that they have been saving their exploration of the character for a time when it will carry the biggest impact – and that time seems to be here.
Spider-Man: Now Way Home is expected to hit theaters on December 17, 2021.