Is Spider-Man: Homecoming Basically Iron Man 4?
This week we got a new trailer for Spider-Man: Homecoming, the first Spider-Man movie to be set [...]
Starkology
Once just the name of a great song from Ghostface Killah, "Starkology" actually seems to be the thematic center of Spider-Man: Homecoming.
In trailer #2 and the official latest synopsis, it's revealed that Adrian Toomes (Michael Keaton) becomes the Vulture after Tony Stark puts him out of business by starting the MCU version of "Damage Control," a company that specializes in cleaning up after superhero/supervillain battles. This leads Toomes and his crew of junk haulers (Bokeem Woodbine's Shocker and Michael Chernus' Tinkerer) to use the advanced tech they've salvaged to become supervillains.
In a telling line of dialogue, Toomes makes reference to how the Tony Starks of teh world are leaving men like Toomes 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 is all conflict that revolves around the idea of the new stage of Tony Stark's technological arms race. It's a theme that has been echoed in every Iron Man movie, and it clearly influences both the hero and villain storylines of Spider-Man: Homecoming. So while Homecoming isn't an Iron Man movie, it certainly carries on the thematic legacy of that franchise.
prevnextDark Iron Man 4
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) - but the Iron Man trilogy was particularly on-the-nose about it, with villains like "Iron Monger," "Russian Iron Man (Whiplash)" and "Tony Stark Wannabe (Aldrich Killian)."
Looking at 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.
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...
MORE: Spider-Man Homecoming Producer Compares Vulture to Dark Tony Stark
prevnextTony's Next Chapter
Spider-Man: Homecoming 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 about Homecoming, the more it seems that Tony plays a much bigger role in the story.
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 fans would've guessed.
More than that, though, Homecoming 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's presence in the film something much more significant than that Captain America cameo: it makes Homecoming the next Civil War - i.e., a way for Downey to carry on Tony's character arc in the MCU, without having to carry an entire Iron Man movie.
By the time Homecoming is done, Tony will be in position for what's coming in Avengers: Infinity War, surfing the wave of a Spider-Man movie, all the way there.
prevnextMore Spider-Man
In 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 – 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.
Spider-Man: Homecoming opens in theaters July 7, 2017. It currently holds an impressive 4.07/5 in our user anticipation ratings - 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 giving Spider-Man: Homecoming your own anticipation rating below.
More Spider-Man: Homecoming:
- Venom to Launch New Shared Universe
- Captain America Cameo in Homecoming Revealed
- Will There Be 3 Homecoming Costumes?
- MCU's Damage Control Confirmed
- New Poster