Spider-Man: Homecoming will bring classic costume element to the screen

The upcoming ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ will be a landmark movie for the beloved superhero for a number of reasons.

For one, thanks to the landmark deal struck between rights holders Sony and the character’s natural home Marvel Studios, it’s the first Spider-Man movie to officially count as part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with Robert Downey Jr’s Tony Stark/Iron Man confirmed to cameo.

Secondly, it sees the traditionally teenage character at last portrayed by someone close to that age, with young British actor Tom Holland (only just turned 20 this June) taking the lead, following his scene-stealing cameo in ‘Captain America: Civil War.’

However, it has now come to light that ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ will bring to the screen an old aspect of the Marvel hero that has never been used in any of the character’s live-action appearances to date.

Recent days have seen reports surface online about an exclusive ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ preview which screened at Comic Con Experience 2016 in Brazil, which reportedly sees Holland’s Peter Parker meet Tony Stark’s bodyguard Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau), who presents the young hero with a gift from his employer: a new suit with “some minor upgrades.”

The upgrades in question? Web wings, running “from the waist to the middle of the arm” giving Spidey gliding ability to go facilitate his web-slinging. (Quotes via Collider, translating a footage description from Brazilian site Omelete; multiple sources have confirmed the description as accurate.)

While this aspect of the Spider-Man suit has never been used in the movies and has been absent from many comic book takes on the character in recent decades, it was an original element of artist Steve Ditko’s design.

Omelete’s description says the wings “maintain the blend of retro and technological of the uniform seen in ‘Captain America: Civil War.'” In any case it should make for a new and interesting change for a character which, after 5 feature films, some have feared was in danger of getting stale.

Holland will star alongside Marisa Tomei as Aunt May, Michael Keaton as The Vulture, and Zendaya maybe (or maybe not) as Mary Jane, with director Jon Watts (‘Clown,’ ‘Cop Car’) calling the shots.

‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ opens in UK cinemas on 7 July 2017.

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