With Marvel and Sony reaching an agreement that has a new Spider-Man joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe, a new direction has to be decided on — and it looks like that direction will send Peter Parker back to high school. According to a new report from Variety, Sony Pictures is looking for Peter Paker/Spider-Man to spend more time in the high school environment and explore his "akward" relationship with other students, while also fighting crime outside of the classroom.
Variety wrote:
Sony has put the character, played by Tobey Maguire and Garfield, in Midtown High School before, but the plan is to spend more time in the setting and explore his awkward relationship with other students while fighting crime out of the classroom. Midtown is a major setting in the comicbooks, and Peter Parker also returns to the school to become a science teacher in storylines.
Casting for this young Peter Parker has to begin soon if Marvel plans to include the new iteration of Spider-Man in Captain America: Civil War. Andrew Garfield, 31-years-old, last played Spider-Man, and Sony has final say over casting despite the new solo film being co-produced by Marvel's Kevin Feige. However, with this deal between Sony and Marvel, Marvel Studios won't pay Sony Pictures for the rights to have Spider-Man appear in Captain America: Civil War, or any of the Avengers movies. But at the same time, Marvel doesn't receive money from the box office for Sony's Spider-Man films. Likewise, Sony doesn't receive any of the Disney money off of Marvel's films featuring Spider-Man.
The deal allows some good things for both sides. Sony needs Marvel to help shape the direction of Spider-Man, and after a lackluster showing in Amazing Spider-Man 2, some new life is needed in the franchise. The Avengers and Marvel can provide that. Marvel, while they would have liked to have film rights to Spider-Man back completely, at least gets to use the character, help mold him for their best interest in their films, and give fans what they've been asking for: Spider-Man with the Avengers.
As for who will be playing the new, younger Peter Parker / Spider-Man, two names have been rumored already — Dylan O'Brien and Logan Lerman. O'Brien is best known for Teen Wolf, and he's starred in the Maze Runner. Lerman's film credits include the Percy Jackson films and Fury. Both seem like fine choices, given Sony and Marvel go with Peter Parker and not a different Spider-Man, like Miles Morales.
The Spider-Man solo film will hit theaters July 27, 2017. Captain America: Civil War releases May 6, 2016.
