‘Spider-Man’ Reboot Will Not Be Another Origin Story, Thank Goodness

With Marvel and Sony’s deal firmly in place to reboot Spider-Man yet again, one of our primary concerns has always been with the possibility of having to sit through yet another Spidey origin story. But we can all breathe a sigh of relief as the writers of the new reboot have confirmed that we will not have to endure a retelling of how Peter Parker became the web-slinging hero.

Writers John Francis Daley and Jonathan M. Goldstein have been making the press rounds to promote their latest film, Vacation. Recently the pair confirmed that Tom Holland has already shot his Spider-Man cameo in Captain America: Civil War, which they’ll be checking out over at Marvel this weekend.

Meanwhile, on Andy Greenwald’s Grantland podcast, the duo revealed that fans won’t be sitting through the third telling of Spidey’s origins. Goldstein said:

I think that everybody feels like, you know he got bit by a spider and you know Uncle Ben died. We probably don’t need to revisit that.

This version of Peter Parker will spend his first solo outing entirely in high school, where previous iterations have sent him straight off to college as soon as possible, forgoing a classic, integral part of the character’s development. Daley added:

I think it’ll be a fun departure from the Peter Parker you’ve seen. Now he is truly a kid and I think the stakes are increased in that his struggle through high school is very real and isn’t just sort of a side note. It matters now.

Goldstein went on to describe the new Peter Parker as “clumsy,” a “geek,” and a “bit of an outcast,” whose newfound powers only make it more difficult for him to fit in with his peers.

Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige previously promised that the Spider-Man reboot’s tone will be similar to the classic teen films of John Hughes — a rather lofty goal, but one which might succeed under the guidance of director Jon Watts, whose upcoming film Cop Car deftly explores adolescent boyhood.

Spider-Man will make his debut in Captain America: Civil War on May 6, 2016, followed by his new solo film on July 28, 2017.