Peter Parker possibly talks to Matt Murdock in the Spider-Man: No Way Home trailer
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Fans Are Comparing Arm Hairs to Figure Out if Matt Murdock Is in Spider-Man: No Way Home

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Kaila Hale-Stern
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Published: Aug 24, 2021 04:25 pm

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Never doubt a Marvel fan’s dedication to their calling. While we comb through the Spider-Man: No Way Home trailer searching for clues and Easter eggs, with many on a hunt for signs of Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield’s Spideys, another legion of fans are feverishly investigating arm hairs.

They’re looking for proof that Charlie Cox’s lead character from Netflix’s Daredevil series, Matt Murdock, is making the leap into Spider-land. Cox possibly showing up in No Way Home has long been rumored, so this isn’t the wildest of goose chases.

If Matt Murdock is indeed in the new movie, the MCU is keeping it under wraps, as we don’t see Murdock’s face in the trailer. But perhaps they should have given one man we do see some sleeves?

Many fans noticed that in a scene where Peter appears to be in legal trouble amidst a mountain of documents, some (potentially) familiar-looking forearms are in view.

Charlie Cox smiles as Matt Murdock in Netflix's Daredevil

It would make a certain kind of narrative sense for Murdock, lawyer by day, to help out Peter if he’s in need of representation. They’re both superheroes, after all, as well as proud natives of their respective areas of New York City. They both lost their parents, and they both have worked hard and used their intelligence to get ahead in life (in addition to engaging in some clandestine crime-fighting). I’m actually getting emotional right now about the possibility of Murdock stepping in as a new sort of mentor for Peter. All this because of some arm hair!

However—not to rain on anyone’s Murdock parade, because I, too, hope that he’s in the film (Charlie Cox is on the whole delightful in everything)—we have to consider that this forearm tease is just a continuation of Peter’s interrogation by the police. In which case, those arms could belong to an officer grilling Peter. This does seem likely, if it’s the same man seen standing outside the observation window.

However again, it would be amazing if Peter is under investigation in this scene, and then no less than Matt Murdock swoops in to help out his new client pro bono, with a ton of paperwork already in hand to overwhelm the cops. Considering the fans who are comparing arm hair patterns know far more about Charlie Cox’s forearms than I do, I want to believe alongside them.

The memes have already begun:

But some fans are also rightfully tired of being teased, considering so much about No Way Home is still being kept secret, and there’s a lingering bitterness about how the popular Netflix Marvel series were dropped from production.

Daredevil’s creatives and cast were shocked and disappointed when their show was axed in 2019, though Cox’s reaction back then may give us a further glimmer of hope

“These characters mean a lot to people. It’s weird to think there’s a chance I won’t be playing Matt Murdock ever again,” Cox said upon Daredevil’s cancellation. “That’s a bizarre feeling because that character has been such a huge part of my life for the last four and a half years.” So at least we know he was likely keen to come back if the chance was offered.

If nothing else, the explosion of fan interest here—”Matt Murdock” even trended post-trailer—should demonstrate to Marvel Studios and Disney the ongoing affection and dedication that fans have for the Netflix Marvel characters and the shows that got left behind. It’s never too late for a revival, Disney+.

(image: Netflix/Marvel Studios)

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Author
Image of Kaila Hale-Stern
Kaila Hale-Stern
Kaila Hale-Stern (she/her) is a content director, editor, and writer who has been working in digital media for more than fifteen years. She started at TMS in 2016. She loves to write about TV—especially science fiction, fantasy, and mystery shows—and movies, with an emphasis on Marvel. Talk to her about fandom, queer representation, and Captain Kirk. Kaila has written for io9, Gizmodo, New York Magazine, The Awl, Wired, Cosmopolitan, and once published a Harlequin novel you'll never find.
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