This week we got a new trailer for Spider-Man: Homecoming, the first Spider-Man movie to be set within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Every since Sony and Marvel partnered to make Spider-Man: Homecoming happen, there’s been the question of how the filmmakers would integrate Peter Parker/Spider-Man into the existing Marvel Cinematic Universe. Specifically, fans have been wondering if Homecoming can balance its standalone introduction of Spider-Man’s world with its larger obligations to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
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Now that the second Spider-Man: Homecoming trailer is out, fans have quickly discerned a potential with the film’s story. If you haven’t seen it yet, rest assured the question in chat threads and memes will soon reach you, too: Is Spider-Man: Homecoming basically Iron Man 4?
Starkology
![Spider-Man Homecoming Vulutre with Iron Man Mask Spider-Man Homecoming Vulutre with Iron Man Mask]( http://media.comicbook.com/2017/03/spider-man-homecoming-vulutre-with-iron-man-mask-987075.jpg)
Once just the name of a great songย from Ghostface Killah, “Starkology” actually seems to be the thematic center ofย Spider-Man: Homecoming.
In trailer #2 and the official latest synopsis, it’s revealed that Adrian Toomesย (Michael Keaton)ย becomes the Vulture after Tony Stark puts him out of business by startingย the MCUย version of “Damage Control,”ย a company that specializes in cleaning up after superhero/supervillainย battles. This leads Toomesย and his crew of junk haulers (Bokeem Woodbine’s Shocker and Michael Chernus’ Tinkerer) to useย the advanced tech they’ve salvaged to become supervillains.
In a telling line of dialogue, Toomesย makes reference to how the Tony Starksย of teh world are leaving men like Toomesย and his crew behind – unless they change with the times. Peter Parker/Spider-Man faces a similar dilemma when Tony takes away his advanced tech suit.
This isย all conflict that revolves around the idea of the new stageย of Tony Stark’s technological arms race. It’s a theme that has been echoed in everyย Iron Manย movie, and it clearly influences both the hero and villain storylines ofย Spider-Man: Homecoming. So while Homecomingย isn’t an Iron Man movie, it certainly carries on the thematic legacy of that franchise.ย
Dark Iron Man 4
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You know one way to tell if you’re watching a Marvel Cinematic Universe Iron Man movie? If you look at the villain, and he/she is basically a dark reflection of Iron Man. Now, that’s not something unique to that franchise (superhero franchises in general have a “mirror villain” problem) – butย theย Iron Manย trilogy was particularly on-the-nose about it, with villains like “Iron Monger,” “Russian Iron Man (Whiplash)” and “Tony Stark Wannabe (Aldrich Killian).”ย
Looking atย Spider-Man: Homecoming and its version of The Vulture – the guy is basically another “Dark Iron Man” character, with his pilfered tech and flight exoskeleton, and commitment to evolving to survive in a world of advanced tech and aliens.ย
In fact, it’s a good thing that Peter has to ditch his hi-tech suit and fight with just the basics – otherwise the final act would basically be an Iron Man movie battle where the sidekick does most of the work…ย
MORE: Spider-Man Homecoming Producer Compares Vulture to Dark Tony Stark
Tony’s Next Chapter
![Spider-Man Homecoming Tony Stark Peter Parker Scene Spider-Man Homecoming Tony Stark Peter Parker Scene]( http://media.comicbook.com/2017/03/spider-man-homecoming-tony-stark-peter-parker-scene-987077.jpg)
Spider-Man: Homecomingย made it initially seem like Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark/Iron Man would just be popping in for a few cameo scenes in the movie – but the more we see and learn aboutย Homecoming,ย the more it seems that Tony plays a much bigger role in the story.ย
Aside from the entire plot being galvanized by Tony’s decisions to both form Damage Control and upgrade Peter’s tech, there seems to be more to Tony’s mentoring/policing of Spider-Man than fansย would’ve guessed.ย
More than that, though,ย Homecomingย holds actual stakes for Tony and chronicles the next phase of his character arc, as he will have to take account of his actions inspiring villains like The Vulture, and putting the good citizens of New York in danger, as a result. That makes Downey’sย presence in the film something much more significant than that Captain America cameo: it makesย Homecomingย the nextย Civil War – i.e., a way for Downeyย to carry on Tony’s character arc in the MCU, without having to carry an entireย Iron Manย movie.ย
By the timeย Homecomingย is done, Tony will be in position for what’s coming in Avengers: Infinityย War, surfing the wave of aย Spider-Man movie, all the way there.ย
More Spider-Man
![Spider-Man Homecoming Need Leeds in Spider-Man Suit Spider-Man Homecoming Need Leeds in Spider-Man Suit]( http://media.comicbook.com/2017/03/spider-man-homecoming-need-leeds-in-spider-man-suit-987080.jpg)
Inย Spider-Man: Homecoming, 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 โ distracted by thoughts of proving himself to be more than just your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man โ 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, Michaelย Keaton,ย Zendaya, Donald Glover, Jacobย Batalon, Laura Harrier, Tonyย Revolori, Tyneย Daly,ย Bokeemย Woodbine, with Marisaย Tomei, and Robertย Downeyย Jr. It also includes Jonย Favreau, Martin Starr, Kennethย Choi, Michaelย Mando,ย Selenisย Leyva, Isabellaย Amara, Jorgeย Lendeborg, Jr., JJย Totah, and Hannibalย Buress.
Spider-Man: Homecomingย opens in theaters July 7, 2017. It currently holds an impressive 4.07/5 in our user anticipation ratingsย – but hat number may rise significantly with the release of the new trailer! Let us know how excited you are to see the film by givingย Spider-Man: Homecoming your own anticipation rating below.
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Moreย Spider-Man: Homecoming:
- Venom to Launch New Shared Universe
- Captain America Cameo in Homecoming Revealed
- Will There Be 3 Homecoming Costumes?ย
- MCU’s Damage Control Confirmed
- New Poster