Warning: possible spoilers for Spider-Man: Homecoming are ahead!
The Tinkerer was first rumored to appear in Spider-Man: Homecoming back in May, but yesterday it was reported that Orange is the New Black actor Michael Chernus will play the eccentric inventor. Now that Tinkerer has been added, the next question on our minds is how exactly he'll fit into the movie. While we were obviously expecting him to create all kinds of nasty weaponry like his comic book counterpart, now there's word that he may have a connection to Tony Stark, a.k.a. Iron Man.
According to information published by Heroic Hollywood, Spider-Man: Homecoming's version of Phineas Mason is a former Stark Industries employee who was personally fired by Tony Stark several years ago. Upset with his dismissal, Phineas has now resorted to providing technology to the movie's two other super villains, The Vulture and The Shocker, to prove to Tony he made a mistake firing him. The report didn't mention anything else, though it address the May rumor's claim that Tinkerer's inventions will be made from Chitauri technology left over from their invasion in The Avengers.
Robert Downey Jr. was added to Spider-Man: Homecoming's cast in April, and following Captain America: Civil War, most people assumed he was appearing because of the connection Tony Stark had formed with Peter Parker during the superhero conflict. However, if the above information is true, then it sounds like Tony could be drawn into The Tinkerer's machinations. As in the comics, Tinkerer will presumably plot from behind the scenes, but through Vulture and Shocker, he'll be unleashing destruction to prove how capable he is. Of course, Phineas won't be the first person to seek revenge against Tony Stark. In the years before he donned his mighty armor, the quick-witted industrialist pissed off a lot of people.
If Tinkerer is Spider-Man: Homecoming's behind the scenes menace, does this mean that Tony Stark will become Iron Man during the movie? Peter Parker proved how capable he is in Captain America: Civil War and we're guessing he'll take down Vulture by himself, but Tony may feel it's his personal duty to stop The Tinkerer from causing more harm. It also begs the question of why Tony fired Phones in the first place. The best guess is he was probably creating something he was given express orders not to, but did it involve that Chitauri technology or something else? Whatever may be going on here, with two villains out on the streets with Tinkerer's technology and the inventor scheming something fierce, Spider-Man is going to have his hands full with these threats.
Directed by Jon Watts and penned by a giant writing team, Spider-Man: Homecoming swings into theaters on July 7, 2017.
