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Ben There, Done That: Marisa Tomei Reflects On Uncle Ben's Legacy In 'Spider-Man: Homecoming'

Marisa Tomei will be playing the sassy and single AILF (aunt I'd like to...) — but have we all forgotten about poor Uncle Ben?

By Tom ChapmanPublished 6 years ago 2 min read
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'Spider-Man: Homecoming' [Credit: Disney]

As Jon Watts prepares to bring yet another web-slinging reboot to our screens with Spider-Man: Homecoming, the MCU is opening its arms to fully welcome Peter Parker into its fold of Hollywood hunks and comic book battles. Disney is certainly going for a "down with the kids vibe" with this updated take on Stan Lee's original creation: The 21-year-old #TomHolland will be offering a younger take on Web-Head, and will be joined by a much younger version of Aunt May. Marisa Tomei will be playing the sassy and single AILF (aunt I'd like to...) — but have we all forgotten about poor Uncle Ben?

Gone But Not Forgotten

We only recently found out the real reason Kevin Feige has nixed Ben from the MCU, and we barely had time to lay our flowers at his fictional grave before Aunt May was making goo-goo eyes at Tony Stark in Captain America: Civil War. However, although everyone is shipping Aunt Stark as we move on from the events surrounding Ben's demise, Tomei revealed to Screen Rant that the second most killed man in superhero films — Thomas Wayne wins — will still have a huge effect on the Spideyverse:

“We’re really picking up — in Captain America [Civil War], we really talked about the backstory, I mean the recent back story of losing Uncle Ben and now we’re kind of moving forward as a duo. We’re the real dynamic duo.”

Anyone who plays the de facto father to Peter Parker was always going to be in for a short stint — as Cliff Robertson and Martin Sheen will tell you — but the MCU went and took the middleman right of the equation with Ben passing before we met Peter and May.

Manning Up

Thankfully, #SpiderMan has a new role model and our pubescent Peter Parker will be mentored by Iron Man. However, with Robert Downey Jr. apparently sitting out for the Homecoming sequel, don't expect him and Aunt May to be getting jiggy with it. While Tomei's character may be ready to move on from her husband, it is a great tribute to Ben's legacy that he will still be there in spirit:

“I think there’s a shared understanding of what we’ve both been through, and it makes us very reliant on each other, and watch out for each other, and really enjoy each other as well. She’s got to be sure he’s still having fun in the midst of all his studies. Even though he’s so capable and has so much potential as a student and as a protégé of Stark Industries. But he also has got to get out there and have a party.”

Basically, May is the cool aunt who would probably stay out later than you and stumble in drunk at 3am — certainly a million miles away from the woolen version we are used to. Homecoming is clearly homaging Marvel's #comicbook storylines, but not afraid to move it its own direction. With a younger and tech-savvy version of Adrian Toomes as Vulture, Spidey getting his own app, and Iron Man taking center stage, Watts is reinventing the past 55 years of the Spider-Man brand while still incorporating nine years of MCU legacy.

The decision to cut all the Spidey origins is certainly a brave one for newcomers to the series, but let's be honest, we all know how it goes down. The death of Uncle Ben may have shaped Peter into Spider-Man during the comics and previous cinematic outings, but it looks like that role has been filled by the events of Civil War and Homecoming. Everyone loves Uncle Ben, but no offense, Tony Stark is a much cooler father figure.

(Source: Screen Rant)

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About the Creator

Tom Chapman

Tom is a Manchester-based writer with square eyes and the love of a good pun. Raised on a diet of Jurassic Park, this ’90s boy has VHS flowing in his blood. No topic is too big for this freelancer by day, crime-fighting vigilante by night.

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