If someone asks you how to watch Spider-Man: Homecoming, your answer ultimately will devolve to this: Few films have garnered the love and attention that 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming did upon its release. Full stop. Though the most recent iteration of the lovable character made his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut in 2016’s Captain America: Civil War, this was the movie that solidified his place in the hierarchy of MCU characters.
At its core, this is a movie about an awkward teenage boy from Queens trying to balance his normal, every-day life with the unusual circumstances of being a superhero. In it, Peter Parker, who’s expertly portrayed by British actor Tom Holland, builds a relationship with his mentor, Tony Stark, following the events of his run-in with the Avengers.
The film doesn’t miss a beat comedically, using the range provided by its cast to the fullest extent. This film is the first time that the MCU introduces a true Spider-Man villain in The Vulture, whose ties to Peter Parker’s personal life lead to some harsh realities for the high-schooler.
So how do you watch Spider-Man: Homecoming, anyway?
How to watch Spider-Man: Homecoming on Disney+
Can you watch Spider-Man: Homecoming on Disney+? No, you cannot.
That perhaps seems a little counter-intuitive, since it's a Marvel movie and Disney+ is the official home for all things Marvel. But this is where lawyers and property rights come into play.
Sony actually owns the rights to the Spider-Man character, and has so since 1985. That means Sony Pictures has the rights to the movies, and the deal Sony Pictures has with Marvel only allows Disney+ to carry the Spider-Man films in which Spidey plays just a supporting roll.
And that's why you can't watch Spider-Man: Homecoming or Spider-Man: Far From Home on Disney+.
How to watch Spider-Man: Homecoming everywhere else
Another easy option is Amazon Prime Video, where you can rent Spider-Man Homecoming for $3.99 or buy it for $13.99. Keep in mind that you have 30 days from the time that you rent the film to begin watching and 48 hours to watch it before your rental expires. If the subscription isn’t worth it in your eyes, this is an easy option.
Other routes include the iTunes store, Google Play and Vudu. The price range is mostly the same with similar features and specifications.
Should you watch Spider-Man: Homecoming on Disney+ or somewhere else?
This is a matter of preference, of course. It's also a matter of Spider-Man: Homecoming not being on Disney+. So on one hand, you have a choice, so long as that choice isn't Disney+.
That's also the other hand. You can watch Spider-Man: Homecoming on most of the services. Just not Disney's.
The four phases of the MCU
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is made up of four phases, with the "Infinity Saga" making up Phase 3. Black Widow is scheduled to be the first movie of Phase 4, but its release was delayed due to the global pandemic shutting down theaters.
MCU Phase 1
- Iron Man (May 2, 2008)
- The Incredible Hulk (June 13, 2008)
- Iron Man 2 (May 7, 2010)
- Thor (May 6, 2011)
- Captain America: The First Avenger (July 22, 2011)
- Marvel's The Avengers (May 4, 2012)
MCU Phase 2
- Iron Man 3 (May 3, 2013)
- Thor: The Dark World (Nov. 8, 2013)
- Captain America: The Winter Soldier (April 4, 2014)
- Guardians of the Galaxy (Aug. 1, 2014)
- Avengers: Age of Ultron (May 1, 2015)
- Ant-Man (July 17, 2015)
MCU Phase 3
- Captain America: Civil War (May 6, 2016)
- Doctor Strange (Nov. 4, 2016)
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (May 5, 2017)
- Spider-Man: Homecoming (July 7, 2017)
- Thor: Ragnarok (Nov. 3, 2017)
- Black Panther (Feb. 16, 2018)
- Avengers: Infinity War (April 27, 2018)
- Ant-Man and the Wasp (July 6, 2018)
- Captain Marvel (March 8, 2019)
- Avengers: Endgame (April 26, 2019)
- Spider-Man: Far From Home (July 2, 2019)
MCU Phase 4
- Black Widow (July 9, 2021)
- Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (September 3, 2021)
- Eternals (Nov. 5, 2021)
- Spider-Man: No Way Home (Christmas 2021)
- Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (March 25, 2022)
- Thor: Love and Thunder (May 6, 2022)
- Black Panther 2 (July 8, 2022)
- The Marvels (Nov. 11, 2022)
