As a longtime fan of Spider-Man, I can actually say that I like the best way Tom Holland’s portrayal has been dealt with within the Marvel motion pictures so as to this point. Inducting him into the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Captain America: Civil Battle and seeing him work together with the Avengers was a superb transfer, and his trilogy of solo flicks is a slam-dunk so far as I’m involved. Consequently, Peter Parker’s fourth MCU journey, Spider-Man: Model New Day, is definitely among the many upcoming Marvel motion pictures I’m anticipating probably the most.
Nonetheless, it’s loopy to consider simply how completely different Holland’s Spider-Man motion pictures might have been if one among Jon Watts’ unique concepts for 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming had not been scrapped. As a substitute of creating Tony “Iron Man” Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) the teenager superhero’s mentor, the director had one other necessary Marvel character in thoughts that will have created a complete completely different sort of dynamic. Did Watts and Marvel Studios make the proper name by leaving this idea on the chopping room flooring for Peter Parker’s first solo MCU outing? Learn on and determine for your self.
Nick Fury Was Going To Be Peter Parker’s “Imply Substitute Trainer”
Previous to the official launch of Spider-Man: Homecoming, Jon Watts revealed to io9 that, earlier than incorporating Tony Stark into the story, he hoped to convey again Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury and workforce him up with Peter Parker as a substitute. Two years later, whereas selling Spider-Man: Far From House, the filmmaker would additional elaborate on his imaginative and prescient for this idea with the next quote from USA As we speak:
A part of my pitch for the very first film was bringing Nick Fury in and making him the imply substitute trainer.
Earlier in that very same 2019 interview, Watts compares and contrasts Stark’s relationship with Peter to that of Fury’s with the webslinger. He refers back to the “genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist” as a “cool uncle,” whereas the previous director of S.H.I.E.L.D. serves as one thing of a merciless stepfather. These drastically differing dynamics actually had been key to creating Spider-Man: Homecoming and its first sequel entertainingly distinctive from each other, amongst different issues, in fact.
What Does Watts Imply By “Imply Substitute Trainer”?
You recognize, Jon Watts’ remark about making Nick Fury Peter’s “imply substitute trainer” in Spider-Man: Homecoming truly has me slightly confused. I imply, is that this meant to be taken figuratively and nothing greater than a method to describe the character’s extra demanding strategy to mentoring Peter Parker? Or does he imply it actually, like how a submit by the Instagram account Marvel True Information interprets the quote as saying Fury would have saved tabs on Peter by going undercover at his highschool?
I can’t discover any direct quotes from Watts to substantiate one or the opposite, but when the latter had been true, that will have resulted in some loopy highschool film hijinks. Simply think about Fury, who would have been a well known determine at this level as the person who introduced the Avengers collectively, making an attempt to mix in among the many school. I can see him now, disguised underneath a short-sleeved costume shirt and tie and perhaps a toupee. I assume he would additionally want a contact lens to cover his broken eye, because the eyepatch would simply give him away.
The extra I give it some thought, I can’t think about that is truly what Watts meant. The hoops that Fury may need to leap by as a way to pose in its place trainer with out getting caught can be subsequent to unimaginable. Plus, an undercover op corresponding to this doesn’t sound like his fashion, though it might have made Homecoming into one of many funniest superhero motion pictures of all time if performed proper.
I am Glad Tony Stark Ended Up Being Peter’s Mentor
General, no matter what the complete intentions of Nick Fury’s finally scrapped position in Spider-Man: Homecoming would have been, I believe most would agree that bringing in Tony Stark was absolutely the proper choice. For starters, it looks like the pure means of issues to see the movie proceed to observe their relationship past their preliminary assembly in Civil Battle, which was already boasting “mentor-mentee” vibes by the best way the veteran vigilante trusted him to assist along with his battle in opposition to Steve Rogers (Chris Evans).
On prime of that, dialing again to Watts’ description of Stark as a “cool uncle” to Peter, that’s the precise sort of grownup determine {the teenager} wanted at that time in his life. We by no means noticed Holland’s iteration of the character lose his Uncle Ben, since each the Sam Raimi motion pictures and 2012’s The Wonderful Spider-Man had their very own interpretations of that pivotal tragedy. Nonetheless, its implied results on him had been clear within the actor’s portrayal, and seeing Iron Man present him the assist he craved at the moment made for a satisfying dynamic.
Plus, let’s not neglect that, if Homecoming had not established Stark as Peter’s father determine, we’d not have gotten the now iconic, heartbreaking second from Avengers: Infinity Battle ending after they embrace proper earlier than Thanos’ snap causes Spider-Man to dissolve out of existence. And, in fact, that led to their heartwarming reunion in Avengers: Endgame, bringing this deeply necessary MCU relationship full circle.
Whereas I can actually perceive Watts’ need to make a film with Nick Fury and work with the Samuel L. Jackson, I’d say it was greatest for the franchise to save lots of that collaboration for the sequel. I additionally suppose most would agree that the Oscar nominee actually introduced the proposed “imply substitute trainer” vitality to the display screen when that point got here.
Then once more, as revealed within the Far From House post-credits sequence, Peter was by no means truly speaking to the actual Fury, however his Skrull ally Talos (Ben Mendelsohn), however that’s inappropriate. Perhaps, in some unspecified time in the future sooner or later, we’ll see one other upcoming superhero film that may formally convey these heroes collectively.