Lin-Manuel Miranda Reveals The Truth About Andrew Garfield's Infamous Lie

"Spider-Man: No Way Home" has been out for a minute now, so we're not spoiling anything by telling you about Andrew Garfield's surprise appearance in the film. Now, for those who don't know, Garfield starred in "The Amazing Spider-Man" series, the first of which came out in 2012. He then reprised his role in "The Amazing Spider-Man 2" in 2014. Since then, the popular Marvel series has been helmed by Tom Holland. The third installment, "No Way Home," came out in December, and so far, it's generally received positive reviews.

Over the years, Marvel producers have cleverly built an entire universe around their superheroes with different characters appearing in each other's films, as well as joining up for ensemble movies like the "Avengers" series. In "No Way Home," for example, Benedict Cumberbatch appeared as Doctor Strange.

The guest appearance that really got fans going, though, was that of Garfield, who also played Peter Parker — albeit a sadder version. His appearance (along with that of Tobey Maguire, who also reprised his role as Spider-Man) came as a shock to fans. For months, there had been rumors that Garfield would join the cast, but nothing was confirmed until the film premiered. Apparently, the only person who wasn't surprised by the extra Spider-Man was none other than Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Lin-Manuel Miranda claims he had a hunch Andrew Garfield would be making a surprise appearance in "Spider-Man: No Way Home" long before anyone else did. Speaking on "The Tonight Show," Miranda described how Garfield had tried (and failed) to keep his "No Way Home" role a secret on the set of "Tick, Tick ... Boom!" Miranda told Jimmy Fallon, "The day [the news] leaked he might be involved, he was on my set. And, between shots, I kind of quietly went over to him and was like, 'Andrew, are you in the new Spider-Man?' His exact reaction was, 'What?! Shut up! Shut up! Hahaha! Shut up!'"

Miranda didn't find Garfield very convincing. "I walked away thinking, 'Oh, he's in the new Spider-Man,'" Miranda laughed. While he was positive Garfield would be in "No Way Home," Miranda got a kick out of watching him deny the rumor in the press over the next several months. "When I saw him on your show, he was a total pro at denying [the rumors]," Miranda told the host. "He had to get there."

So, the question that remains: Is this the last time we'll see Garfield as Spider-Man? Garfield told Variety that he's open to returning in a more permanent way — but only if the role focused on Parker's working-class roots. "If there was an opportunity to step back in and tell more of that story, I would have to feel very sure and certain in myself."