Spider-Man’s Super Men

BY: Zak Wojnar

This summer, Spider-Man: Homecoming will bring New York City’s most famous crime fighter to the big screen for his first solo adventure in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The character was originally played by Tobey Maguire in the original Spider-Man trilogy directed by Sam Raimi, and then Andrew Garfield donned the spandex for the short-lived Amazing Spider-Man series, and now Tom Holland is the latest young actor to play Peter Parker.

For Homecoming, Tom is joined by a slew of hunky co-stars who helped to elevate the movie from a standard Hollywood comic book movie to one of the biggest and most highly-anticipated blockbusters of the year. Let’s get the low-down on Spider-Man and his amazing friends while we eagerly await the July 7 release of the film.

Tom Holland as Peter Parker/Spider-Man

At only 21 years old, Tom Holland is the youngest actor to play Spider-Man by a wide margin (Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield were 27 and 29, respectively, when they made their Spider-Man debuts), befitting for a character who is supposed to be a sophomore in high school. Prior to taking on the iconic role, Tom first broke out on the scene in 2012’s The Impossible, the disaster drama based on the real-life 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, and also starred alongside Chris Hemsworth in Ron Howard‘s whale of a tale, In The Heart Of The Sea.

While this is Holland’s first time playing Spider-Man in a lead role, the character initially appeared in 2016’s Captain America: Civil War, to which the new film is functionally a sequel. Holland will return in Avengers: Infinity War, due out in May 2018, and The Avengers 4, which is slated for May 2019, as well as the currently-untitled Homecoming sequel, which is set to launch in July 2019. Spider-Man is back, and he’s here to stay. Prepare to watch young Tom Holland grow up before your very eyes!

Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark/Iron Man

Today, the Marvel Cinematic Universe is a multi-billion dollar enterprise and the biggest brand in modern Hollywood, but back in 2008, it was just one man in a cave, fighting terrorists with a hand-made metal suit. Robert Downey Jr. turned Tony Stark, AKA Iron Man, into a household name and global icon.

After starring in three Iron Man movies and two Avengers team-up films, RDJ co-starred in Captain America: Civil War, where Stark was pitted against his ideological rival and personification of the American spirit, Captain America. In Homecoming, Tony Stark is the older and wiser mentor to the young and plucky Spider-Man. He designed Spidey’s suit and its wide array of technologically advanced gadgets and gizmos, and he plays a supporting, but significant, role in the film.

Jon Favreau as Happy Hogan

It may be difficult to fathom now, since Robert Downey Jr. is literally the highest-paid actor in Hollywood and quite possibly the biggest star on the planet, but just a decade ago, he was “persona non grata” in the movie business due to his personal issues with addiction essentially derailing his career.

However, when it came to putting together 2008’s Iron Man, about a middle-aged has-been who turns his life around in an effort to do good, director Jon Favreau saw what RDJ could do with the material, and convinced Marvel Studios to take a chance on the former would-be superstar. Needless to say, the decision paid off, and Marvel Studios immediately became the unstoppable hit factory we all know and love today.

Jon Favreau directed the first two Iron Man films, and also played the role of Happy Hogan, Tony Stark’s long-suffering bodyguard and chauffeur. Even after he passed the reigns to Shane Black for the rule-breaking Iron Man 3, Favreau remained onboard as Happy, and returns to this role for Spider-Man Homecoming. Fun Fact: Favreau, like Peter Parker, is a native of New York’s Queens borough.

Michael Keaton as Adrian Tooms/The Vulture

Nearly 30 years ago, Michael Keaton changed the way that cinema saw comic book heroes when he starred as the title character in Tim Burton‘s 1989 gothic pulp noir extravaganza, Batman. His take on the Caped Crusader, perhaps the most famous superhero of them all, was a defining performance for an entire generation of moviegoers.

In 2014, Keaton starred in Alejandro Iñárritu‘s meta superhero-inspired drama/comedy, Birdman. In what may or may not be a coincidence, Keaton’s character in Homecoming is known as The Vulture. He wears heavy armor and a jetpack which is powered by stolen alien technology. He is basically a villainous, working-class version of Iron Man; he ran a salvage operation, but when Tony Stark’s Damage Control initiative partnered with the government to take unilateral control over superhero battle clean-up duties, Tooms lost everything. Thus, he turns to crime to feed his family and line his pockets. He’s still overtly villainous (and downright terrifying in his winged suit), but his motivations are relatable, and even – at times – righteous.

Donald Glover as Davis

To some viewers, the appearance of Donald Glover in Spider-Man: Homecoming is little more than a minor supporting role from the beloved star of Atlanta and Community. However, comic book fans know that Glover has an interesting relationship with the character.

Back in 2010, when production was gearing up on The Amazing Spider-Man, Glover had campaigned hard to land the title role, and he mustered up a surprising amount of support in his endeavor. Ultimately, the role was given to Andrew Garfield, but a new Spider-Man, the African-American Miles Morales, was introduced in the comics. Legend has it that Morales was a direct response to, and affirmation of, the prospect of a black Spider-Man.

Fast-forward seven years, and Donald Glover has a role in Spider-Man: Homecoming. He’s a bit too old to be playing Miles, but his casting, in a small-but-juicy role, is absolutely in tribute to his association with the character.

Chris Evans as Captain America

Last but not least, Captain America himself, Chris Evans, makes a brief appearance in Spider-Man: Homecoming. Unlike Iron Man, Cap doesn’t play an integral role in the story, but he instead appears in a humorous cameo as a pre-recorded PSA for the students of The Midtown School of Science and Technology.

Chris Evans was a controversial choice back when he was first cast as the paragon of patriotism, since he had previously already appeared as a superhero, in Tim Story‘s decent – but forgettable – Fantastic Four movies. In the end, though, Evans won over any and all naysayers with his sincerely heartfelt take on the scrappy underdog who becomes history’s greatest war hero. Also, it’s worth mentioning that his initial shirtless scene in 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger is one of the most iconic moments in the Marvel Universe…for a variety of reasons.