Silicon Valley’s Martin Starr Discusses Spider-Man: Homecoming Role

04/16/2017 10:10 pm EDT

In the previous trailers, we've seen Martin Star -- the 34-year-old actor who portrays acerbic and sarcastic Gilfoyle on HBO's Silicon Valley -- sporting a bright yellow jacket and accompanying students from Midtown School of Science and Technology (the school Peter Parker attends) through airport security and sightseeing at the Washington Monument. Footage from the latter shows the monument getting attacked (probably from the Vulture) while Starr's character, Liz Allen (Laura Harrier), and other classmates of hers are taking the elevator to get to the 500' observation deck at the base of the pyramidion.

So, we've always assumed that Starr is portraying a teacher in the film, and now he has confirmed it. "I'm the academic decathlon coach," he told The Wrap, "and one of the teachers at the school so I have a bit of a thing in it."

And even though this is Spider-Man's third film series, Starr thinks Homecoming has taken a unique approach to the character and is telling a fresh story. "It's capitalizing on popularity and a story that's very rich and dense, so there's a lot left to tell," he said. "And this isn't a familiar take on it — this is a unique kind of take of a younger Spider-Man trying to figure out life again." He added, "The story has a lot of action and fun in it, but it's also a sweet, coming-of-age story of a kid."

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 features Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Robert Downey Jr., Zendaya, Donald Glover, Jacob Batalon, Laura Harrier, Tony Revolori, Tyne Daly, Bokeem Woodbine, Logan Marshall-Green, and Marisa Tomei.

The film is being directed by Jon Watts (Cop Car), based on a screenplay by Jonathan Goldstein & John Francis Daley (Vacation reboot) and Jon Watts & Christopher Ford and Chris McKenna & Erik Sommers.

MORE: Spider-Man: Homecoming Director Discusses The Film's Diverse Cast / First Official Look At Flash Thompson / Peter Parker Writes His Own Theme Song In Spider-Man: Homecoming

Spider-Man: Homecoming will be released on July 7, 2017.

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