As with any reboot of a major property, Spider-Man's first entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe needs to distinguish itself from its predecessors. Fortunately, even though there’s still approximately a year and a half to go until the Wall-Crawler’s next solo cinematic adventure is released, the creative minds at work already have the tone in mind to separate the movie from the rest of the pack. Director Jon Watts has previously said it will be similar to a John Hughes movie, and working off that, actor Tom Holland says that won’t feel as big or epic compared to most superhero movies.
Noting how the MCU’s Spider-Man reboot won’t be anything like The Dark Knight, Tom Holland compared the movie to an independent film to The Daily Beast, specifically through its exploration of Peter Parker’s life. As he put it:
One of the special things about what we’re going to try and create is that you’re going to see the biggest independent film ever. It’s not going to be an epic thing; it’s going to be a film surrounded by these incredible things, but that follows this boy and his life. Peter Parker is a favorite of many because everyone can relate to him, and we’re going to try to make everyone relate to our Peter Parker. And John Hughes is a perfect example of what we’re going to try and do.
While plot details for the 2017 reboot are still being kept secret, Holland comparing Spidey’s new adventure to an independent film makes sense, as lately some of the Marvel movies have fit more closely into established genres. Captain America: The Winter Soldier was a political thriller, Guardians of the Galaxy and Ant-Man veered more heavily into comedy territory and next year’s Doctor Strange will have a lot of horror elements under Scott Derrickson’s direction. Jon Watts has also described the new Spider-Man movie as a "coming of age" tale, which makes sense given how this universe’s Peter Parker is back to being a teenager. Of course, independent films usually don’t have the budget to show a teen swinging on webs or fighting superpowered criminals, but if the new Spidey flick can feel as personal as these kinds of films, then mission accomplished.
As Tom Holland also noted, Peter Parker is also one of the more relatable comic book characters, and taking him back to his high school days will undoubtedly help with the story feeling more down to earth. It’s true, the main draw of the Web-Slinger’s movies has always been to see Peter Parker fight for justice as New York’s Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, but when he’s not taking on the bad guys, he’ll deal with being a social outcast among his peers. So watching Holland’s Peter deal with these personal obstacles will be a nice balance to the more fantastical elements.
Spider-Man will swing into the MCU next year during Captain America: Civil War, and his solo movie will hit theaters on July 28, 2017.
