Here’s Why Uncle Ben Was Left Out Of Spider-Man: Homecoming

In a matter of weeks, Spider-Man: Homecoming will swing into theaters, and the film will expand Peter Parker’s presence in the MCU. New characters like Ned Leeds will introduce themselves to moviegoers as returning staples like Aunt May are set to make a comeback. However, it doesn’t look like Uncle Ben will have any place in the film when it drops.

Earlier this week, ComicBook learned Spider-Man: Homecoming would not feature Uncle Ben or Peter’s radioactive spider bite. The president of Marvel Studios is now expanding on that twist, and Kevin Feige says the decision came down to the film’s creative licensing.

During a recent interview with CinemaBlend, the Marvel executive revealed the real reason behind Uncle Ben’s absence. “The truth is, we want audiences to bring their own… let them fill in those blanks right now. They’ve seen the other films. They’ve read comics. They can fill that in,” Feige explained.

“That was a very purposeful decision we made to not retread that ground. There are little things that are said here and there that people can read into. What the specific facts are in the past, we don’t… we haven’t revealed yet.”

The producer’s claims are very similar to the notes which director Jon Watts told ComicBook. “We never talked about showing it, because the MO was always to not show anything we’ve seen before,” Watts said. “If anything ever felt slightly familiar, to try to figure out if there’s a way to avoid it or tackle it in a different way. But that was something that definitely felt like we’ve seen that before.”

Unlike Spider-Man’s previous film outings, Marvel Studios won’t force an origin story onto moviegoers with the feature. Peter will see his backstory revealed slowly over Marvel and Sony’s impending Spider-Man films. Not long ago, Tom Holland accidentally confirmed plans are in the works for the studios to partner over a film trilogy. With three films to look forward to, the MCU has plenty of time to pay homage to Uncle Ben’s comic legacy and explore how his untimely death has influenced Holland’s iteration of Spider-Man.

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You can find the official synopsis for Homecoming below, which has a 4.13 out of 5 on ComicBook.com’s anticipation rankings.

A young Peter Parker/Spider-Man (Tom Holland), who made his sensational debut in Captain America: Civil War, begins to navigate his newfound identity as the web-slinging super hero in Spider-Man: Homecoming. Thrilled by his experience with the Avengers, Peter returns home, where he lives with his Aunt May (Marisa Tomei), under the watchful eye of his new mentor Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.). Peter tries to fall back into his normal daily routine – distracted by thoughts of proving himself to be more than just your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man – but when the Vulture (Michael Keaton) emerges as a new villain, everything that Peter holds most important will be threatened.

The cast includes Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Zendaya, Donald Glover, Jacob Batalon, Laura Harrier, Tony Revolori, Tyne Daly, Bokeem Woodbine, with Marisa Tomei, and Robert Downey Jr. It also includes Jon Favreau, Martin Starr, Kenneth Choi, Michael Mando, Selenis Leyva, Isabella Amara, Jorge Lendeborg, Jr., JJ Totah, and Hannibal Buress.

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