Same Parker Luck, Different Face
Look up and take a gander at all those Spider - Men over the years. Different Interpretations, different voices, different suits and looks, but all the same essence of Peter Parker / Spider - Man.
After the Sony hacks, we all had high hopes that one day a bonafide official MCU Spider-Man would be added to that list of ever - growing Spider - Men. Rumours say its confirmed and that he's a done deal for Avengers 3. Others say that’s just a rumour and don't buy into as Sony has denied all those talks as being confirmed.
But because of all these Spider - Men, it got me looking at to what Marvel has been doing with Spider-Man where they DO have control of him. You know, the comics, games, and animated series.
All of them have one thing in common:
Multi Verse Spider - Men
Here have a look at it all
The Games:
The Comics:
The Animated Series:
So what am I getting at? Marvel has always been showing us, even most recently that there have always been more than one Peter Parker and that they exist in more than one universe. And looking at Marvel Studio's upcoming slate, one movie comes to mind when dealing with alternate universes. That movie is none other than....
What if after establishing the multi-verse in that film, Marvel and Sony come to terms and make a tv series instead of a movie?
Bringing the Web Head Home
We all know Marvel wants a new young Spider - Man to fill in the shoes so we're looking at *sigh* another reboot. But is it really necessary? Don't get me wrong, a Web-head MCU version would be awesome but the Avengers and Marvel don't really need him. After Sony's latest entry into their Amazing Spider - Man Series, I think people have had enough of Sony's "Untold Story". Having Spider-Man in the MCU but under Marvel direction would be awesome and I'd love to see their take on him. But we just have to accept the fact this all his to do with business and money with Sony, not what the fans want.
Well I'm here to propose a new idea that honours what Sony did from Raimi's and Tobey's Spider - Man (still the best live action Spider-Man to me) to what Webb and Andrew Garfield tried to accomplish with their take while still giving the fans something new. Granted this idea only works if Sony and Marvel come to an agreement, and I propose they do a TV series ala Netflix or stick it on ABC. But do all this after the Dr. Strange movie, you'll see why in a bit.
Marvel will heading up the Defenders on Netflix starting with Daredevil, and an MCU Spider-Man could definitely use a serialized format. If they're sticking with his teenager days and him growing up learning his powers along with life lessons he'll need to become the Spider-Man we all know, then a longer narrative will be needed.
With the success of Arrow and Flash on tv, considering a tv budget, they could also do a weekly Spider-Man with good production values. It would be best though to keep Spider-Man a street level hero, and not have too many tie-ins with Agents of SHIELD, at least not right away. MCU Spider-Man series would need to stand on its own two feet before dipping into the bigger MCU Pool. Who knows, maybe Sony could make a deal where it could be streamed from Sony devices like the PS4, Vita, or Xperia Smartphones.
Considering another reboot and rehash of old stories, they should just jump into the series and hit the ground running. What do I mean? Skip showing the full origin, and skip the full Uncle Ben's death scene (not altogether mind you, you'll see what I mean in a bit) and just have him in high school as a developing Spider-Man right off the bat. But DO tell those stories in flashback glimpses ala Arrow / Flash and pepper them throughout the season.
Start the episode with an intro, a quick story of his background and some flashbacks and cutscenes just like how Arrow and Flash's openings start up? Don't believe me? Check this out:
But Imagine it as Spider - Man swinging through the city going like this:
"Hi, my name is Peter Parker, I was once your average every-day teen until one day I was bitten by a radioactive Spider. I changed and developed strange abilities. I used to use them for fun and made a mistake that cost my Uncle his life, but before my Uncle Ben died, he told me with Great Power Comes Great Responsibility. Now, I'm making it up to him as your Friendly Neighbourhood Spider-Man!"
Now here's the kicker, since Dr. Strange will deal with alternate dimensions, that element should be brought on the show. At the same time Peter is in high school, introduce Madame Web and hint that he isn't the only Spider-Man that’s; ever existed. They could use old clips from the Spider Man movies of Tobey and Andrew to show him, which will have validated the Sony movies somewhat and a sort of passing of the torch to the MCU. It could be a good explanation to the general audience who isn't really aware of the Studio rights, etc. as to why another Spider-Man story is happening but different from the movies. They can have Madame Web be a sort of advisor and guardian as he grows to be Spider-Man and prepare him for a bigger villain like Morlun or the Spider Hunters or even Venom/Carnage. This way they can keep it contained and give Spider-Man his own little world within the greater MCU.
And here's the twist. Introduce Miles Morales in the series as well, as a friend and student of Midtown High. But not shown as Spider-Man, well at least not right away.
He could become a Spider-Man who was brought by Madame Web in secret to watch over Peter. As the Peter of Miles Morale's Universe was killed.
Over the series they could have different Spider - Men (Spider - Women, Gals, and even the Pigs, Monkeys, whatever) drop in the series and he could visit their universes. This could show why he hasn't been so prominent in the MCU, because well he wasn't been hero-ing in THIS universe to begin with if he's out helping in others!
So Who Inherits the Web Shooters and Mask?
Obviously Marvel will be updating or creating a new suit altogether to differentiate it with the Sony films, but here's hoping they get the big old red back spider this time. And get it the right shape!
But who gets to be the next Spidey? I'll end this article with two fancasts. Let's start with Miles.
Donald Glover! Seriously if you have to ask then you'd have to be living under a rock... but anyway...
A fan suggested he audition for the role in Amazing Spider-Man which (eventually went to Andrew Garfield) and the campaign #donald4spiderman went viral.
A year later, Miles Morales appeared and comic writer Brian Michael Bendis acknowledges that Donald influenced his look. And now Donald Glover voices Miles Morales in the Ultimate Spider Man animated series. So having him jump to live action would be something welcome by the comic's community (see what I did there).
And for the coveted role of Parker?
This isn't an original pick either, as I've seen others mention him as well. I've recently seen the Maze Runner, and I might now try watching Teen Wolf the series.
This one goes to:
Dylan O'brien!
He's got the Peter Parker look down. He can prove to be sincere and heroic in scenes, while still showing his vulnerability. And with the Maze Runner he proved he could lead an action series if ever Marvel decide to bring him in after an Avengers 3 for a solo film.
Well that was a long article, thanks for sticking with me.
And to Sony, here are my parting words...