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The Classic Theme Tune Might Return In ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’, But Not In The Way You Expect

In case you’ve been living under a rock for the past few months, it may interest you to know that Spider-Man is coming home to the Marvel Cinematic Universe this summer.

By Max FarrowPublished 6 years ago 5 min read
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In case you’ve been living under a rock for the past few months, it may interest you to know that Spider-Man is coming home to the Marvel Cinematic Universe this summer. Indeed, Tom Holland’s first solo outing as the superhero-in-training is shaping up to be something special, crammed with enough Easter Eggs and filmic references to please even the most cynical of cinema-goers.

But Homecoming may also feature a harmonious hallmark of Spider-Man’s past, albeit with an unexpected twist...

“Spider-Man, Spider-Man, does whatever a spider can...”

Admit it; the song’s in your head already, isn’t it? Yup, Paul Francis Webster and Bob Harris’s tune is without a doubt, one of the catchiest and corniest superhero theme tunes ever written. With its upbeat tempo and kitschy lyrics, it’s easily as recognizable — and just as beloved — as the theme for Adam West’s #Batman. So with Homecoming set to reintroduce #SpiderMan to audiences everywhere, you might be wondering if the filmmakers will include some reference to the theme in Homecoming.

Spider-Man: Homecoming [Credit: Sony & Marvel Studios]

Will the lyrics be recited in passing or could we hear the entire song featured in Homecoming? If a recent find is to be believed, then neither approach will be taken. Instead, the iconic Spider-Man theme will be present in written form. Wait, come again?!

Indeed, Tokyo recently hosted a quick fire Spider-Man: Homecoming event which featured many of the movie’s original props. From these, we’ve already gleaned that a certain Miss Stacy may appear after all, and that the Daily Bugle does exist in the MCU. To cap it all off, it now seems that — in this universe at least — Peter Parker is the composer of his own theme song.

Spotted by the eagle-eyed Twitter user Tom Holland Source, there was a sheet of paper tucked amidst the other memorabilia, on which some partially obscured — but very familiar — lyrics were written.

Found among several other papers belonging to the young Peter Parker, it seems that the MCU has taken a pretty meta approach to the song. Though parts of it are unreadable, we can make out the majority of the words, suggesting that Parker’s own version does differ slightly from the original composition.

For instance, the original tune goes:

“Spider-Man, Spider-Man,Friendly-Neighbourhood Spider-Man,Wealth and fame - he’s ignored,Action is his reward... “

Whereas #TomHolland’s Peter has gone with the following lines:

“Spider-Man, Spider-Man,The original action man,Fame and glory - not his way,He just wants to save the day...”

Whilst some purists may deride the new version for its discrepancies, the song still contains the same message, so it’s not a complete re-write... And let’s face it; This is still pretty damn brilliant. Sure, it’s not exactly Shakespearean, but the new version is suitably dorky, and just the kind of thing that an overeager, super-powered teenager would write if they were on the verge of celebrity status.

Peter and Ned in Spider-Man: Homecoming [Credit: Sony & Marvel Studios]

The new written version of the Spider-Man theme song is an unexpected — but not unwelcome — way to reference Spidey’s past, as well as being a nice easter egg for the fans, but how will it ultimately feature in Homecoming? Will the words just lurk in the background, will Ned (Jacob Batalon) find this sheet and make fun of Peter’s song-writing skills or could it even feature in the soundtrack?

See Also:

Could We Hear the Original Spider-Man Theme Again In Spider-Man Homecoming?

Spider-Man falls victim to his song's catchiness [Credit: Marvel Comics]

Covered by the Ramones, crooner Michael Bublé and even Homer Simpson, the Spider-Man theme may not be the most awe-inducing of tunes, but it has become as synonymous with our hero as his quips and costume.

Indeed, the comics have referenced its existence many times, and even though Sam Raimi and composer Danny Elfman didn’t utilize the theme in the original Spider-Man trilogy, they still recognized how important it is to the character. As such, we heard street buskers and even a brass band playing it throughout the series. The song even featured in #MarkWebb’s Amazing Spider-Man series as the wall-crawler’s own ringtone.

So could we hear an orchestral version of the Spider-Man tune, or at least some reference to it, in Spider-Man: Homecoming? Let’s weigh up the possibilities, especially in light of renowned film composer Michael Giacchino being hired to score Spider-Man’s next outing. In fact, Giacchino actually took to Twitter to announce that he had begun recording for the film fairly recently.

Via: Twitter

What’s the significance of this? Well you only have to listen to Giacchino's soundtrack for The Incredibles, or look at his countless punny track names on the backs of his CD’s to see that he has a good sense of fun when he’s composing for films. Today, the original Spider-Man theme is seen as the very definition of fun and silliness, so it might well appeal to his sensibilities.

Furthermore, Giacchino has a strong history of replicating the methods used by other composers. For example, if you check out a sample of his amazing score for #RogueOne below, you'll hear how closely Giacchino has mimicked the strains of John Williams’s scores. The track is ultimately his, but the score complements the orchestral voice of #StarWars rather than contrasting with it.

With this in mind, Giacchino may very well be able to rework the original Spider-Man theme and marry it to the new iteration of the titular hero. Sure, it’s still unlikely given that Sony and #Marvel tend to use new orchestral pieces for their movies, but we can’t fully rule out it’s return in Spider-Man: Homecoming.

Certainly, with its heavy deference to the comic styling of John Hughes’s movies, the minds behind #Homecoming may yet choose the cheesy tune to emphasize the more farcical aspects of Spider-Man. And this is set in the #MCU, a place where a #CaptainAmerica movie features the toe-tapping jingle of 'The Star Spangled Man With A Plan' in pride of place. I’m sure that if Marvel can make that track work, then they’ll have no problem with the Spider-Man theme of the 1960’s!

But what do you think?

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About the Creator

Max Farrow

A fanatical film-watcher, hill-walker, aspiring author, freelance writer and biscuit connoisseur.

These articles first appeared on Movie Pilot between Jan 2016 and Dec 2017. Follow me on Twitter @Farrow91

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