Yesterday I wrote up a list of five reasons why Spider-Man joining the MCU was a good idea, and while I stand by my points, I couldn’t shake the feeling in the back of my head. Cold and cynical as I am, it felt weird just accepting this hype train head on. You see, for as many reasons thinking it’d be a good idea, there are a strangely equal amount of reasons why it’d be a bad one.
As more of the Sony/Marvel deal has been clarified with Sony indeed retaining majority creative control, and the two companies deciding to recast the titular character, I figured I should also go through five reasons why Spider-Man joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe is a bad idea.
Marvel’s Films are Kind of Bland
As much as folks disliked The Amazing Spider-Man 2, I really enjoyed how many risks it took. It was messy and chocked full of half baked ideas, but it was all full of the humor and cheese that I’ve been wanting out of the Spider-Man movies for years (To be fair, the Raimi movies were full of this awesomeness too). Marvel’s films don’t really have that same charm. Having the films relate to one another is a blessing and a curse. It’s great to have the connectivity, but it’s at the expense of each film’s uniqueness. Even their weirdest film, Guardians of the Galaxy, still has to reign in its eccentricity with a by-the-numbers plot and generic framework in order to align itself with the other films. It’s like there’s a sense of restraint on everything, and the loss of creativity is leading to the “Marvel fatigue” a lot of moviegoers are succumbing too.
When Spider-Man joins up, there’s a good chance we won’t get the crazy Spider-Man that shoots a mini web hand to save his girlfriend, speaks through a megaphone for some reason, and is full of the quips and quirks that Tony Stark already does for the Marvel films.
It’s Hard Imagining a Better Peter Parker than Andrew Garfield
Casting Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone was the best decision Sony will ever make. Their natural chemistry (and great direction from Marc Webb) helped anchor the two films. And while I agree that he may have been “too cool” of a Peter Parker, Garfield nailed everything else. His awkward, stuttering delivery as Parker was great especially when he shed it under the mask. He may not have written those Spidey quips himself, but a lot of them wouldn’t have worked without his great delivery. A sarcastic tone couple with a Spider-Mouth only a mother could love, he was kind of perfect. Shame he’s getting the boot.
We’re Getting Another Origin Story
As much as I want a different kind of origin story, it’s still another origin story. Since reboots usually have to start from the beginning, I would’ve been fine had we at least been given a different character (which is why I’m pushing for Miles Morales so much), but looking at Sony’s current prospects (who are both young and white), we’re getting another Peter Parker who’s in high school. As we can tell from The Amazing Spider-Man’s overall box office performance, audiences are getting tired of being told the same story over and over. They’re getting smarter, too. Another Spider-Man? Then again, none of this could matter since there’s a possibility he’s getting shoved into the worst story ever.
The Civil War Storyline is Pretty Dumb
Multiple sources have confirmed (or at least what the Internet considers as confirmed) that Spider-Man’s first Marvel movie appearance will be in Captain America: Civil War. But that story itself is kind of the worst. I think folks are more in love with the core concept (Captain America and Iron Man fight each other) than the actual story. Sure Spider-Man is a major part of the event, but his involvement in the story is also what sent Marvel fans into a huge, years long huff and eventually led to Marvel’s version of the devil taking away his long time marriage to Mary Jane. You see Spider-Man reveals his identity as a way of showing support for Superhero Registration, but it’s also at the expense of his own intelligence. The law only pushed for regulation and not full blown identity reveals. Also in the Civil War comic, a robot Thor kills a giant Black man.
What I mean to say is, Civil War just better be in name only. We don’t need a huge film where characters just make decisions based on what the companies want rather than have them feel organic. Just because the films are acting like comic books, doesn’t mean they should succumb to the same pitfalls. These movies are hard to follow enough as it is, so they shouldn’t lump Spider-Man in that mess. His franchise has its own problems.
Sony is Still Pulling the Strings
At the end of the day, it’s still Sony making the final decision. Rather than a full on partnership, it’s like Sony is lending out its characters in exchange for some of Marvel’s stuff and a unified plan. Sony still has plans to release its Sinister Six and all female Spider team film, but is nixing Amazing Spider-Man 3. But do you realize how weird that is? If they’re going to start with a fresh new take on the universe, why not just axe all of those things completely? And that’s one of the many weird predicaments Sony has already put itself in just days after the deal was announced. Marvel may get to use the character sometimes (although we won’t know in what capacity until much, much later), but the Spider-Man films are still in the same hands. Let’s hope they’re capable ones.
But hey this is, once again, a guy just yelling in the dark. It’s far too early to see the true effects/ramifications of this business deal. And Marvel and Sony will always make decisions based on what’s good for business instead of what some Spider-Nerd like me says. I will admit this, however. This news has me more interested in Marvel’s 20 year plan than anything they’ve ever announced. I was growing tired of superhero films and now look what’s happened! I’m writing about comic books on the internet! Look ma! Look at your boy and be proud!
What do you think Flixist Community? Spider-Man or Spider-Meh?
