Consider this - The Amazing Spider-Man 2 was arguably the best thing that could’ve happened to the Spider-Man franchise. The sequel was not only the lowest grossing installment to date but also the worse reviewed. If it wasn’t for TASM2, the fantasy of Spider-Man joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe would still be a fantasy. So, thank you, Marc Webb and Sony for this blessing in disguise.
Yesterday’s news of the Marvel-Sony deal was huge. It’s a new lease on life for Spider-Man movies. A homecoming. The Marvel logo above the title of his new franchise and joining a proven and established universe should reinvigorate everyone’s favorite wall crawler on the big screen.
Currently scheduled for July 28, 2017, the question becomes which Peter Parker will we see? There are a number of ways the studios could handle a reboot. The idea of a teen Spider-Man is one that’s caused a divide amongst fans. Some are dead set against it. “I’m sick of high school Spider-Man”, you've probably heard.
But I suggest high school Spider-Man is the best way to go. Here are a few reasons why:
WE HAVEN’T SEEN SPIDER-MAN IN HIGH SCHOOL
You’re probably saying “Umm…the last two franchises were Spider-Man in high school”. And you’re right. Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man introduced audiences to “teenage” Peter Parker. So did Marc Webb’s The Amazing Spider-Man. But here’s the thing - neither of them got it right.
In Spider-Man Peter’s in high school for about an hour of the film. In TASM, high school was really just a backdrop. Webb could’ve set the film in college, told the exact same story and nothing would’ve been lost. High school was nothing more than a stage for the story to unfold.
How many of you remember the animated show The Spectacular Spider-Man? You know…”Spec-tac-u-lar, Spec-tac-u-lar Spider-Man”.
That show captured teen Peter Parker balancing being a superhero and life in high school brilliantly. Midtown High wasn’t a backdrop in Spectacular, it was part of the story. The characters there affected how Peter’s life unfolded.
None of the Spider-Man films took advantage of this and it’s a shame because it really would’ve put a unique stamp on either franchise. Which brings us to my next point.
IT WOULD HELP SET THE FRANCHISE APART
How many superhero franchises are centered around a teen hero? A grand total of 0.
With more and more superhero movies on the way, a major concern for studios is trying to stand out. Audiences have pretty much seen it all. You can’t really grab them with special effects anymore and most of the stories nowadays are angst driven. If CBM fatigue does set in over the coming years, this will undoubtedly contribute to it.
Standing out is crucial to a new franchise in any genre. Putting Spider-Man in high school would help his stand out. It would set him apart from every other superhero franchise. Let’s not forget when Spider-Man was introduced to the world he was a teenager. It’s one of the reasons readers gravitated towards him.
He’s not a billionaire playboy or a super soldier or Asgardian or Kryptonian. He’s a kid not that different from the people paying for his comics, watching his cartoons or getting tickets to see his movies. That’s another thing…
Spider-Man is just kid. The stories the last five films told were very adult. Especially TASM2. You have moments like Peter and Gwen talking about moving to London together. “They have crime there” Peter jokes. What’s overlooked is they’re supposed to be 17, fresh out of high school. There’s a reason it’s overlooked - I’ll get to that in a bit.
The stories that should be told are the same ones that made the Harry Potter books and movies global phenomenons. They tackled themes of adolescence and discovery. One of the reasons Harry, Hermione and Ron’s adventures stood out is because they were only kids. That influences the way a story is told.
One of the great things The Spectacular Spider-Man show conveyed so effectively was how overwhelming being Spider-Man is for a 16 yr old boy. He has to hurry to beat the tardy bell at school. He’s in the middle of a fight with Electro and he’s worried about making curfew.
Youth is an effective tool. People cherish it. There’s an inherent need to protect it, especially amongst adults. Youth = innocence and vulnerability, and when that’s threatened it conjures a particular set of emotions.
THE FRANCHISE WOULD CARRY A UNIQUE EMOTIONAL WEIGHT
None of this will matter unless the studios and the new director get this right - Casting.
It just won’t work unless Marvel-Sony cast young. 19, 18 even 17. Peter, Gwen, MJ, Harry, Flash. Across the board. I said youth is effective, well so is authenticity and casting young would make the new franchise authentic.
Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield are both great actors. But, at 26, neither of them fit the teen Peter role. I know Hollywood has been casting early to mid 20s actors as teenagers forever but something is always lost in projects like those. It’s the difference between seeing kids on the screen and adults. Young adults, but adults nonetheless.
On one hand you have what the filmmakers are asking audiences to believe and, on the other, you have what our eyes are actually telling us.
Jennifer Lopez’s The Boy Next Door takes on a drastically different complexion with someone age appropriate in the role. Put Kodi Smit-McGee opposite her and it’s less erotic thriller and more, “sexual predator”, “you ought to be ashamed of yourself, Ms Lopez”.
There’s a different emotional weight to films like Harry Potter, Super 8, and E.T. Watching Hugh Jackman, Chris Evans and Henry Cavill in danger isn’t the same as watching Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson in danger.
Take the clock tower battle in TASM2 - it’s a heart wrenching scene as Emma Stone’s (26) Gwen Stacy falls to her death. Andrew Garfield (31) does a great job in selling it. But so much gets left on the table and it’s not Stone or Garfield’s fault. What’s lost is the fact Gwen died at only 17. And, at that same age, Peter’s already had three people he cared about die in his arms.
Now take out Garfield and Stone and play the clock tower battle with actors Asa Butterfield and Elle Fanning instead. The tragedy of it is much more centered. A unique emotional weight audiences wouldn’t be able to find anywhere else.
IN CLOSING
(Jacob Kogan as Peter Parker/Spider-Man, Elle Fanning as Gwen Stacy, Bella Thorne as Mary Jane Watson and Zachary Gordon as Harry Osborne)
Just to be 100% clear, I’m not saying this should be another origin story. Not at all. The Spectacular Spider-Man picks up after the summer Peter gets his powers. He’s already Spider-Man in the 1st episode. The same could be done here.
Don’t dismiss the idea of teenage Spider-Man based on the past films. Like I said, the filmmakers didn’t get it right. Done well and with the right cast, a “High School Spider-Man” franchise could be a Harry Potter level success.
With the Marvel logo you know families will see it and with a young cast, you’re tapping into the lucrative tween and YA novel demographics. That gives each installment the potential to reach the coveted $1B mark.
Let’s hear your thoughts. How would you feel about an authentic Spider-Man in high school reboot? Sound off below and, as always, thanks for reading!