I think that by taking out the science school aspect, it makes it easier for the movie to have more classical Spider-Man characters. Obviously further changes will be here other than the public school stuff, so bare with me. So here's the changes of this pitch. Here's the ideas God blessed me with:
No "8 Years Later". Just "Present Day". Taking a tip from a video I saw once, that I can't remember, don't have a scene showing the Vulture after the time jump, save that for when he snatches Peter up later.
1. Either Niko Guardado or Shamiek Moore as Flash Thompson. To maintain the more diverse concept of this movie, and in part, because it tickled a part of me that Miles Morales' actor could also play Flash Thompson. His arc presents as different now, no longer the character to be mocked in movie, he's presented as a more intimidating figure here for Peter. Taller than him, he doesn't beat him up, but we allude to a time when he was more of a physical intimidator to Peter and we see his arrogance in the movie. He talks a big game.
2. Zendaya is now classical Mary-Jane, red hair, home life issues, fake party girl persona and all. She's mainly a side character in the movie, like Michelle, but in different ways. She's dismissive of the more nerdy individuals and mocks Ned and Peter in the movie. She now goes to Liz's party because that's her scene.
3. Liz Allan, now played preferably by Naomi Scott, is a smart girl still, though more along the lines of a perfect at a lot of things type girl. She thinks Peter's smart, but has little interest in him personally, though that's shifted when they're paired up for a science project and she begins to like him, seeing him as more of someone on her level. He already likes her and Ned makes the claim about how he knows Spider-Man, and she invites them to her party. Though she's disappointed when Spider-Man doesn't show, and is annoyed with Peter when he lies to her, saying that it was made up because he likes her, she finds him charming. But Peter puts so much emphasis on his Spider-Man identity, not wanting to put much time into it.
4. I think this is a smaller detail, but I'd prefer Haley Lu Richardson as Betty Brant. Maybe she gets an internship at the Daily Bugle at the end. Also, maybe as a running gag, Betty and Ned are paired for the science project and they bicker endlessly, until they're caught kissing at the end of the movie in the bathroom or something.
5. May is less sexualized. We don't have to make her look old or anything, but cut out the the guys attraction to her thing. I think its in character for Tony to do it, but it being done more than once is a bit much to me. We're not going to forget she's Marisa Tomei, movie! You don't have to keep reminding us! Here's the more character difference: May is putting on an act as the cool aunt. She breaks this act when she snaps at Peter after the boat incident. She's, in fact, worried sick about him (his actions, everything), but doesn't want to weigh him down with that stress, after Ben's death.
6. Yes, we mention Ben by name. More, we see a flashback of him. Not the same as in prior versions really. I see this version as a more casual blue collar kinda guy, an idea I heard someone say on a video, potentially to parallel Vulture, maybe played by John Pyper Ferguson, Kyle Chandler, Billy Burke or Tony Goldwyn:
This would be a flashback after May talks to Peter, in which she would tell him that he can't carry the weight of the world on his shoulders:
Ben and May are having a hard time paying the bills, so Peter, fresh off of getting his spider powers, decides to try his hand at making money off of it. Ben is troubled when Peter presents some of the money to him. He tells Peter that it's not his job to do this and tells him that he doesn't want him to get hurt in however he got his money. Peter argues that he's fine, but Ben says that sometimes you have to accept you're place in a situation, to use what you can do responsibly, which can sometimes mean not doing something, as well as doing something. Putting all the responsibility onto yourself isn't the way to accomplish things and you can lose sight of the important things like that. Peter's frustrated at this, not listening. He sneaks out of his room later to go to a talent competition, think small scale "America's Got Talent", maybe even have him show a display of strength in him pinning a wrestler as an easter egg. Peter gets the money and is feeling pretty proud of himself.
This flashback would conclude in the scene where he's crushed by the rubble:
We would do a transition from his reflection in the water, with his mask, to him looking in the mirror of the locker room after the talent show, counting his money. A robber would run past, the security chasing as he says to do something. The robber gets away, and Peter dismisses it as saying "It's not my job." We cut to Peter walking home after that, stopping when he sees police lights at his apartment complex. An ambulance is there. Peter sees May crying in the arms of a neighbor and is face drains of all its color as we transition from his horrified face...
Back to present day as Peter stares in the reflection of the water. And that's the moment when Peter lifts up the rubble.
Now, because the movie is now not so much presented in science school, there isn't a trip to Washington. This situation is now different.
Peter begins looking into potential sales, still by interrogating Aaron Davis, getting info on where the next sale is, and he follows the truck, after the sale, as they go to their next target. This is where the next Vulture confrontation happens, Peter here managing to snag a piece of tech. He's stopped similarly, by Vulture essentially trapping him in the truck.
In this version, Peter's late for school instead because of this.
Peter suits up as Spider-Man, when Shocker #1 and the other guy are looking for the device and he engages them in the school. Shocker lets loose a shock wave and that cracks it, causing energy to essentially cause a fire in the school. Peter then has to disregard Shocker, letting him escape, so he can save a few people and put the fire out. The fire hits the chemical lab and causes a bit of flame, trapping Mary-Jane inside. Flash Thompson sees her... and freezes in fear. Spider-Man breaks down the door and gets her out.
This causes a more direct shift for Flash and Mary-Jane.
This situation shakes Mary-Jane and she sees that she's wasted her life trying to put on act.
Flash realizes he's a coward and sees Spider-Man as a hero, doing something he didn't. This causes a change later on, when Spider-Man takes his car, Flash isn't forced to give it to him, he hands it over willingly, gladly. For MJ, she has a similar end as Michelle, but with a different context. She sits down at lunch with Peter and Ned, and asks how they're doing. They're suspicious of this. But she sasses them and then sincerely tells them that she wants to have real friends.
Shocker #1 is instead now killed after the school scene, not before.
The line is just: TONY: Thank God this place has wifi ...or you would be toast right now.
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