Where exactly does Spider-Man: Far From Home sit in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) timeline? We've had conflicting reports about it – some have claimed it takes place after the recent Avengers: Endgame, while other rumours have suggested it precedes the events of Avengers: Infinity War.
That's sure to become clear in the weeks between now and the movie's release on 2nd July. What has been confirmed is that Far From Home, not Endgame, will conclude phase three of the MCU, opening the door to potential new characters and scenarios in the mysterious phase four stage.
Let's assume it takes place after the events of Avengers: Endgame. It therefore goes without saying that the remainder of this piece will entail spoilers, so if you've not watched it, go away and come back later on.
Got that?
Good.
At the end of Endgame, following the funeral of Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr), the various characters set about returning to their daily lives prior to Thanos' (Josh Brolin) decimation. A key moment involves Peter Parker/Spider-Man (Tom Holland) returning to school and making an emotional reunion with best friend Ned (Jacob Batalon).
There's just one question – Peter was dusted five years prior to this event, and having been brought back into the present, doesn't appear to have aged. So why then does Ned look like he hasn't aged either?
Endgame director Joe Russo has given his answer: Ned was one of those dusted by Thanos. It just so happens we didn't see the result in either Infinity War or Endgame.
So... Ned disappeared as well," Russo told Entertainment Weekly. "That's the two of them seeing each other for the first time after having disappeared."
But what does this mean for the remainder of Tony's classmates that we see in the Far From Home trailer? Because they don't appear to have aged a day either – we're talking the likes of potential love interest MJ (Zendaya) and bully Flash (Tony Revolori). Surely with five years having gone by, they would be old enough to have graduated?
Just because half the population got wiped out, "that doesn’t mean that everyone that they went to high school with didn’t disappear," Russo says.
He adds: "There could be kids who are now much older than them and no longer in high school. But Ned and he both disappeared and are returning in that moment."
Certainly, if we assume that Far From Home takes place after Endgame, this poses a few confusing questions. Why, exactly, in the Far From Home trailer, does Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) make it sound like he's been vowing to make contact with Peter Parker for a while, when Endgame makes it clear (via that funeral tracking shot) that they were both in the same place at the same time? Surely they would have broken the ice then?
And if it takes place after Tony Stark's death, are we to assume the breezy-looking movie (at least judging from the trailer) will be undercut with notes of trauma and anguish, as Peter copes with the death of his mentor and surrogate father figure?
Certainly there's no indication of that in the trailer as Peter and friends set off on a European school vacation, where he's recruited by Fury to battle the Elementals and runs into Quentin Beck/Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal).
Questions, questions. No doubt all will become clear when Spider-Man: Far From Home is released on 2nd July.
If this has got you thinking, there's only one thing for it. Click here to book your tickets for Avengers: Endgame, watch it again and hit us up @Cineworld with your thoughts on how the two films will potentially connect.
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