The Hopeful Watch for Spider-Man's homecoming

       Last May, a writer named Max Landis posted a random Twitter comment asserting that the film rights to Spider-Man had reverted to Marvel Studios. People blew it off. But then rumors picked up again, and by the end of the year, the Sony Pictures hack released confidential data into the public domain. There was confirmation that Spider-Man was in talks to appear in Captain America: Civil War.

       If it’s to be believed that there really will be a “Spidey Summit” this month between Marvel Studios and Sony, then that’s exciting. Aside from Max Landis, there’s one clue that’s cropped up last year in light of this news. Robert Downey, Jr. posted a pictorial collage of scenes in New York City where filming of The Avengers took place. Among them is an interesting find: the scene between Tobey Maguire and Stan Lee in Spider-Man 3. A fan comment points out that the photographs were not from Downey, Jr. but by a photographer named Christopher Moloney, with the link: http://philmfotos.tumblr.com/post/33156411567/the-avengers-2012-image-178-posted-by

       Mr. Moloney snaps unique pictures of famous locations throughout the cities where movies like, When Harry met Sally and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off have been shot. A November 4^th, 2014 Twitter post by Moloney comments that Downey, Jr. is taking credit for his pictures.

Collage on Downey, Jr's Facebook

       I don’t like that most of what I’m saying is conjecture, but I also don’t think that it’s coincidence either. Did someone at Marvel have a hand in the Tobey Maguire/ Avengers album? Newsweek has reported that Marvel Studios president, Kevin Feige was pleased with Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man series. I’m Team Tobey. Despite the inevitable groans and jeers, I think it would be a coup if Marvel Studios would hire Tobey Maguire and Sam Raimi to take up the franchise again for the MCU. Folks love to hate Spider-Man 3, but I appreciate the innovative way they chose to illustrate arrogance in Peter while making a way for him to choose forgiveness at the end of the movie. The dance scenes were an exaggerated analogy of our pretenses, and I suspect that’s the real reason why people were so ticked off. Granted, it didn’t work so well. But for that reason alone, I liked it. I’ve always liked Andrew Garfield, but his portrayal is low on humility. What some might call “street smart” is really code for “bully”, and it doesn’t resonate because Peter isn’t that guy. Marvel could adapt the Raimi films into the MCU, and catch up with Peter as a young man having graduated from college, while working full time for the Daily Bugle. Who doesn’t want to see J.K. Simmons return as Jameson? The only thing that would have to be explained is where Spidey was during the Chitauri invasion of New York. 

       No matter how you view it, Spider-Man coming to the Marvel Cinematic Universe is an enthusiastic win for everyone.