The Neighborhood is getting less friendly for Spider-Man.
Anticipation for 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming is overwhelming considering that Peter Parker has yet to have a movie accepted by everyone. Perhaps this time, Marvel and Sony are taking the upcoming Jon Watts film more serious than ever. In addition to Michael Keaton playing the villainous Vulture, Michael Chernus (Orange is the New Black, Captain Phillips, Aloha) will join the cast as The Tinkerer.
For those new to the character, The Tinkerer is a superior weapons manufacturer who Spider-Man encountered for the first time way back in Amazing Spider-Man #2 (1963). The web-slinger figured out that the kind old Tinkerer who ran a radio repair shop was actually the leader of an alien invasion. The Tinkerer and his alien gang would place espionage software in radios to spy on government military plans for the ultimate bad guy trophy: world domination.
It’s a wise decision to have The Tinkerer in Spiderman: Homecoming. Since the film chronicles Peter Parker (Tom Holland) still coming to terms with his powers in high school, it’s smart to have Spider-Man’s battling earlier foes. Instead of focusing on well-known bad guys like the Green Goblin or Venom for an instant box-office draw, the selection shows how much thought is being put into the story by choosing two villains who make their debut in Amazing Spider-Man #2. The sacrifice of authenticity over popularity is a move that will not only make die-hard Spider-Man fans happy, but it’ll provide a slow build-up for Peter Parker’s character which will establish a deeper emotional connection as we watch his the super hero develop on-screen – again.
Spider-Man: Homecoming is expected to hit theaters July 7, 2017.