The latest "Spider-Man: Homecoming" trailer definitely packed a lot of action, revealing even more details of the web-crawler's journey in the aftermath of "Captain America: Civil War." We saw a lot of his high-school dynamic with friends and love interests, his family interaction with Aunt May, as well as how he's aspiring to live up to the Avenger' standard against villains like the Vulture.
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A major factor in his newfound role in life is clearly Tony Stark, whose influence as Iron Man is very strong, not just as a mentor, but as a father figure to Peter Parker in what appears to be a coming-of-age story that takes him up a level in the superhero game. With that in mind, here are 15 things we want to see when the reboot swings into town in July of 2017.
SPOILER WARNING: Major spoilers ahead for several "Spider-Man" and MCU movies
15 A SINISTER ROGUES GALLERY
We're already getting Michael Keaton as the Vulture, who seems to have a vendetta against Tony Stark. His depiction is also very tech-oriented, and from what the trailers showed, much more thug-like than the mastermind the cartoons and comics had. Shocker is also due to appear, all making for a pleasant respite from the Osborn family drama previous Spidey directors (Sam Raimi and Marc Webb) flogged to death.
It would be nice if we got other characters appearing, even if they're hinted at or shown in their civilian identities. Kraven (a trophy hunter) is one of those. Others include Mysterio (a master illusionist), Scorpion (a thug with a bio-mechanical suit with a poisonous tail), and even street-level gangsters such as Tombstone. There are several villains Sony could choose from, and hopefully they take their time when they do flesh out these rogues, all in the hopes of getting a Sinister Six movie done right later down the line.
14 NODS TO NETFLIX
The Netflix corner of the MCU has been very popular over the last couple years. It focused on street-level, grounded heroes in New York, such as Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Punisher and Luke Cage, as well as a dash of the mystical in Iron Fist. These shows often make small nods to the Avengers and on a couple occasions, the web-head himself. It's no surprise, given that Peter lives in Queens and his actions usually end up online.
The MCU hasn't really acknowledged the Netflix side of things, so it would be a pretty cool moment if "Homecoming" did this, showing that New York really is a smaller microcosm of heroes than we may think. Connecting such big superheroes to the ones on the street doing the dirty work would also show that they are appreciated. It's not just about the flashy Avengers and their aspiring wannabes, but also about the heroes who fight for justice on the smaller stage. A shout-out to the devil in Hell's Kitchen, or talk about the gun-toting Punisher, would suffice especially if the Daily Bugle shows up.
13 SPECTACULAR EASTER EGGS
With Sony planning a "Venom" movie, there's the potential to tease something like a rocket being launched into space, a newspaper byline by Eddie Brock (a former host for the Venom symbiote), or even the incarceration of Cletus Kasady (who ended up becoming Carnage). These easter eggs are very prominent figures in the mainstream comics and cartoons, and could also pop up in the Daily Bugle newspaper. The outlet would probably be one of the biggest easter eggs in itself, as it's an institution of the highest importance in Peter's world.
We're not sure how much Sony could do with their film rights, but even if they tease at some MCU easter eggs, like Wakanda or Atlantis, that would be world-building on a whole new level. "Civil War" showed Spider-Man that there was a much bigger world out there, and with Thanos arriving, we could see some things in motion hinting at the spectacle to come. Of course, we'd love to glimpse other Avengers in training under Stark's new regime, but that's all down to what Marvel Studios is willing to share.
12 PETE'S ALLEGIANCE
In the "Civil War" movie, we saw Spider-Man and Captain America exchange some words that hinted Peter was in over his head, and ignorant of certain things Stark may have neglected to tell him. This movie continues showing Stark's shadow over Spider-Man, and really, one that may end up molded into a firm grip. During the course of this mentorship, there is a chance that, apart from being a teacher, some of Stark's less altruistic colors may emerge, leaving Spider-Man thinking twice of his choice to align.
In the books, Parker switched sides to Captain America, and seeing Iron Man's philosophies on what it means to be a hero, and his own ones as he explores life without his Spider-Man suit, could lead to Pete actually realizing that Cap may have been right. He's always looked up to Cap in the comics, and while Stark is his tech-daddy here, there's something special that the youth connects with in Steve Rogers; something real, honest and virtuous.
11 TONAL BALANCE
We saw a glimpse of Pete getting what may well be his first kiss from Michelle (played by Zendaya) in the trailer but most of his non-superhero activity came with his bestie, Ned. We see the latter and Pete as socially awkward outcasts, who suddenly have this big secret to keep, and undoubtedly they'll be barreling through high school struggling to protect Pete's superhero identity (which he clearly can't keep under wraps).
This social aspect needs to be toned down so that Spider-Man can focus on family (mostly his secret that's hidden from Aunt May), as well as how he charts a course forward with Iron Man. Too much high school and teen angst was what diminished Webb's reboot, and we've seen it explored a lot in the recent cartoons as well. This revamp should touch on his high school pressures, but still leave Parker in a state of flux with his superhero career and rogues. We don't want something that's too immature , because this Spider-Man, while young, feels much more grand and meant for a graver tone.
10 AUNT MAY-ZING
Aunt May (played by Marisa Tomei) is a younger version of what we know from the books. Still, for some reason, it was uncomfortable for some fans to watch Stark hit on her in "Civil War" because she's a pillar of Pete's strength, and of course, it's hard shaking the tag off her as Uncle Ben's one-and-only. With those jokes out of the way, we're hoping they aren't regurgitated by Stark in this movie, because that would be lazy storytelling.
There's nothing that can push the story along by hitting on her, especially as Pepper Potts (played by Gwyneth Paltrow) may still appear for Marvel Studios. This also prevents the cheapening of Aunt May. Sony should treat Aunt May, regardless of what she looks like, with a level of respect, and not just a target for juvenile pick-up lines. It would be pretty terrible if Aunt May was the object of... well, being objectified. Aunt May isn't just a person, she's an institution of virtue in Marvel Comics, and some of that should be maintained.
9 WEBS!
We saw some pretty epic action and fight sequences in the trailers so far, but we're eager to see what else is waiting in the wings. Watching Parker fight in the air on a plane against the Vulture, on the seas trying to save a ship from splitting, and on land inside of elevators and, well, just about everything else; it all felt like we were seeing Spider-Man truly unleashed from the books and cartoons.
We're hoping these released clips don't do the rest of the movie justice, though. Trailers usually sell out a lot of the movie's big scenes ("Civil War" and the "Transformers" franchise are great -- or terrible -- examples) so director, Jon Watts, better have kept the even more awesome stuff for the cinemas. Spidey's using a lot of tech as well (as per his chest symbol), so there is a lot of potential for more fluid and dynamic action spots, especially using his webs. When he debuted and took down a major portion of Team Cap, Spidey's entire battle disposition felt better than his past incarnations, so we do hope Sony raised the bar even further.
8 SPIDENTITY
The MCU definitely prides itself on characters connecting to each other and uplifting them, but this movie needs to be more than just Iron Man's little mentor or science buddy being groomed. Sony shouldn't go too nuts on the Stark because he has a chance of overshadowing Pete's coming-of-age story. The last trailer was very Iron Man-heavy and we saw him taking back Pete's suit, which led to the youngster approaching things with a Scarlet Spider-esque homemade outfit, showing that it's the man, not the suit, that makes a hero.
In the comics, they're both established and part of a bigger narrative, so it doesn't feel condescending if Stark tries to offer Pete advice. Here, Spider-Man is in his nascent stage as a hero and developing his formative identity, so nothing or no one, should be detracting from that, even if their intentions are good. Iron Man and Spidey make for a great team-up, but at the end of the day, we need the web-crawler to be his own man, doing his own thing, and not living in Stark's shadow.
7 NO MORE ORIGINS
We've already seen Spidey's origins done twice before and they basically told the same story. It's not a bad one, but honestly, do we need to see him in regret over Uncle Ben's death again? Cutting forward and having him living life, but not with Ben's memory holding him back is a pretty clever move. It also helps him to become his own person, unshackled and determined. The message of "with great power, comes great responsibility" still needs to reverberate, though.
As for Stark, we're hoping he isn't a replacement for Ben, with all the wisdom he's sharing. While he and Pete work their own issues out, Sony doesn't need to jolt us from the present to the past with the radioactive spider-bite backstory again. That's also repetitive, unless they engineer it as the bite somehow due to Stark Industries (which failed for Webb and Oscorp). That would feel forced, and also throw us back into a "Spider-Man 3" territory of a plot, trying too hard to connect dots (with Sandman and Ben's death).
6 PETE SIGNING THE ACCORDS
Stark officially recruited and suited up Parker off-screen in "Civil War," so it would be nice to see that exact moment. This should also highlight Parker and him going through the Sokovia Accords, and the teen signing it. We're eager to hear what Stark manipulated and sold to him, because it surely can't be the same pep talk he gave in Parker's bedroom, when he surprised him with an introduction to the Avenger initiative.
This signing shows that Stark has evolved into a director's role like Nick Fury, and this exchange could mimic what he tried to do to Cap's rogue squadron to get them to sign. It's a deal with the devil, echoing what Spidey did with Mephisto in the "One More Day" comic event. Sony could even hint at a more duplicitous and villainous side of Stark, playing off Pete's ignorance, because at that point, if he was forced to use a high-schooler in war, he must have been desperate.
5 EPIC STINGER
The MCU movies are famous for those mid and post-credit scenes, but Sony is fair game to take a crack again. One option that pops to mind would be seeing Pete looking back at footage of him fighting Cap, or when he stole his shield (which Pete clearly holds as his defining moment so far). In the books, Cap guided him on the ideals of freedom and why superhuman registration encroached on it, so it would be awesome seeing Spidey contemplate those words. It could also help shape him as the bridge for Cap and Stark to reconcile.
Another potential scene could be something related to Oscorp and the Osborn family. Chances are this could end up pointing to the serum that produced the Green Goblin. We don't need the add-ons to be Avenger-centric so in this case, an Osborn angle would be fine, or maybe him encountering Mary-Jane, who proceeds to tell him about hitting jackpot! Whatever it is, it needs to continue expanding Pete's horizons.
4 ELECTRIFYING SHOCKER
Bokeem Woodbine is taking on the role of Shocker, who'll be making his first appearance on the big screen. Herman Schultz was an inventor and engineer who designed super-powered gauntlets that emitted high-frequency blasts. We're not sure if he'll be doing this in the film, or just stealing, like Keaton's Adrian Toomes/Vulture seems to indicate. He often teamed up with the likes of Doctor Octopus, and even got into the Masters of Evil with villains such as Moonstone and Tiger Shark.
We already saw so many thugs in the old Spidey flicks. Sandman and Venom are prime examples from the Raimi era, while Electro was from Webb's time. We'd love to see Shocker with proper motivation, which these others lacked. It's not just about donning tech and then gunning for Spider-Man. Shocker has a mean disposition to him, but he can be cold and calculating at times, too. Fingers crossed he isn't just an average lackey, and he actually adds to the threat of Vulture.
3 LESS UNMASKING
The "Homecoming" trailer also revealed that Spider-Man will be fighting Vulture a lot without his mask. It was a pretty disappointing reveal to some because in the older films, his identity was found out by almost everyone. The Osborn family, Otto Octavius, Sandman and Eddie Brock all fought him unmasked, so we were hoping this would be rectified. The Webb movies followed the same formula, making the Spidey story overly emotional and connected to his civilian identity. That's why we're hoping the unmasked battle with Vulture is just one bit kept for the end.
Ned has also found out Pete's identity pretty easily in his room, which makes you wonder if his spider-sense is actually working right! That said, with so many people knowing his identity, it just makes them susceptible to attack, so it's in Sony's best interests to limit this. Let's please try to keep him masked as much as possible, because even if he's registered with the Accords, that won't stop attacks on his home, school and loved ones in general.
2 THE HUMOR
Sony and Watts need to get the humor right! Pete has always been quippy against his villains, but in this reboot, he's younger. While his wit and banter have always been seen as juvenile (especially to his fellow heroes), the studio needs to ensure it isn't too childish. When he took on Cap's team, it was a joyous encounter, and showed why Stark wanted him. His banter with Bucky and Falcon was enjoyable and organic, so we're eager for more of that energy here.
Again, he's young, so we expect him to be slightly childish, but let's just hope it doesn't go into overdrive with cliched jokes and predictable one-liners. We've already got Stark belting out his dry brand of comedy. Their exchanges should be awesome together, but when separate, Sony better keep it vintage Stark, and classic Pete. Balancing the humor with the gritty villains is also something we would like to see finessed to keep the momentum going with action and laughs.
1 IRON SPIDER
In the "Civil War" comics, Stark presented Pete with the Iron Spider suit after the young man unmasked to the public and registered as a superhero. This suit amplified his powers and gave him new features that took it up a notch to something that was more ruthless and explosive. This upgrade left Cap's team facing an assertive and brutish Spidey like never before, and Stark got himself a prizefighter.
However, this was short-lived because when Pete turned on Iron Man, the suit was still controlled by Stark. It was a nasty twist that showed how conniving he was, and it proved to Pete that he couldn't trust the philanthropist. It was all about keeping tabs on Pete and manipulating him with the illusion of power. It would be amazing to see that suit offered here as it would show that Stark is willing to throw Pete a tech-facade to keep him lured in and on a short leash to Stark Industries. It would be exploiting the youngster, but we can't put it past him after his fallout with Team Cap on screen.
Let us know what you'd like to see in "Spider-Man: Homecoming" in the comments!