In addition to being packed with amazing action and thrills, James Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy succeeded in a big way last summer thanks to the simple fact that it also made a special effort to be really, really funny. Obviously we can expect the upcoming sci-fi sequel to strike the same tone - but if quotes from the writers of the new Spider-Man movie are any indication, the webhead may give the outerspace group a run for their money where jokes are concerned, and could wind up becoming Marvel's funniest comic book movie yet.
While speaking with NPR, Vacation writer/directors John Francis Daley and Jonathan M. Goldstein were not only happy to finally confirm that they are indeed writing the script for the new Spider-Man movie, but also talked about their approach to the webslinger's famous sense of humor. Discussing Peter Parker's personality, Daley explained,
He's a sharp kid and witty and kind of deals with the fact that he's an outcast and a geek through humor. It is sort of the safety net for geeks like us, so I think we can totally relate to where he's coming from. As well as the superpowers, which we also have.
Given the duo's history making movies like Vacation, Horrible Bosses, and Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs 2, it's not a huge surprise that they are particularly looking at Spider-Man through a humorous lens. That being said, Marvel has confirmed in the past that one particular area that they are looking to focus on with their "reboot" is the fact that the character is super funny. Talking with IGN at the press day for The Avengers: Age of Ultron back in April, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige said,
When he puts that mask on in the comics, he has a non-stop wit that is almost as troublesome to the bad guys he is fighting as his webs and agility. And we feel we really haven't seen that in the movies. That's just the tip of the iceberg.
Analyzing these quotes, I really find myself wondering about the direction that Marvel Studios is going with the new Spider-Man solo film. We saw them make Captain America: The Winter Solider as a 1970s conspiracy thriller, Ant-Man as a heist film, and Iron Man 3 as a noir detective story, so what if Spider-Man is, at its deepest core, an action movie that is actually driven by comedy? It would be a very different approach than the previous franchises, making it feel special, and it could be a great flavor for the Marvel Cinematic Universe to experiment with.
Jon Watts is directing the new Spider-Man movie, which is set to star Tom Holland in the titular role and Marisa Tomei as Aunt May. The film is currently scheduled for release on July 28, 2017, and production is scheduled to start next year, so stay tuned for more updates!
