Spider-Man Tom Holland
(Photo : Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

With "Spider-Man: Now Way Home" dropping Friday, December 17th, it's been a minefield trying to navigate the internet and real life without running into spoilers for the upcoming Marvel blockbuster. Even without seeking out trailers, I was receiving random information about "Spider-Man: No Way Home" purely through cultural osmosis.

So, if you're like me and you're determined to avoid spoilers in the days leading up to the film's release, here are some pointers from the Enstarz team.

The Enstarz Official Guide to Avoiding Movie Spoilers

1. Go dark with the internet and social media

In this age of social media and the internet, this tip might sound like blasphemy. Unfortunately, with the advent of these technologies, discussions about pop culture properties like films often take place online. Therefore, if you're trying your hardest to avoid movie spoilers, you'll need to avoid these online forums.

Aside from uninstalling social media apps from your phone, you can also consider:

  1.  Muting tags related to the movie on Twitter
  2. Blacklisting tags related to the movie on Tumblr
  3. Muting your favorite film critics on social media
  4. Actively not looking up trailers on YouTube

These steps should help keep exposure to news about the film in question to a minimum and avoid spoilers.

2. Watch the movie as soon as you can

Another method to avoid spoilers is to book tickets to the film and watch it on opening night. Being one of the first people to view a film guards you from others watching it first and excitedly spoiling what they saw. Look for midnight screenings of the film or advance screenings. These viewing environments should ensure that you're one of the first to watch.

Additionally, be careful about international releases and how that may affect spoilers. I can't count the number of times I've seen an American movie marketed in Taiwan as being released in Taiwan first, ahead of American audiences. (Remember that time John Cena had to apologize to China for calling Taiwan a country when he happily mentioned that Taiwan would be the first country in the world to see "F9?") So, if you have any friends living in Taiwan or any other country that seems to get movies faster than the U.S., you might want to be careful about discussing movies with them.

3. Wear noise-canceling earphones when watching trailers at the theater

This is a tip I sourced from the office. According to Adam, he has a friend who is so antsy about spoilers that he wears noise-canceling earphones when watching trailers at the theater. While this is certainly an above-and-beyond way to insulate yourself from possible spoilers, the merit to this is that once you close your eyes, there's absolutely no way for spoilers to reach you and you can enjoy the movie you're actually there to watch in peace. Just make sure you have someone who can alert you when the trailers are over, so you don't miss the rest of the movie!

4. Avoid conversations about the movie

Like Adam, I also have a good friend who wanted to ensure that he would not have "Spider-Man: No Way Home" spoiled for him. He told me about a story where he was on the train and literally walked away from a couple discussing Spider-Man because he was worried about accidentally overhearing spoilers.

We can all learn from my friend and actively avoid conversations about the movie. For instance, for office water-cooler conversations, avoid where those conversations take place, whether in-person or in a Slack channel, because your coworkers are likely to discuss movies and spoilers there. If you're hanging with friends, then let them know that you're not about to launch into a deep dive on Spider-Man ahead of the film's release. Hopefully, your friends and coworkers will understand.

5. Go in with no expectations

Even if you heard something already, preparing yourself to enter the movie watching experience with no expectations can also help you avoid spoilers. After all, the whole reason people avoid spoilers in the first place is so they can go in without knowing what's about to happen and preserve the sanctity of their movie-going experience. As soon as the lights go up and the opening scene plays, try to forget anything and everything you've heard and just go along for the ride.

"Spider-Man: No Way Home" drops this Friday, December 17, 2021 in theaters.

So, what do you think? Did this guide help you find new ways to avoid movie spoilers? Let us know! For more entertainment news and commentary, follow Enstarz! We bring you the latest on your favorite celebrities, TV shows, and films in a hopefully non-spoiler fashion.