In the lead-up to Spider-Man: Homecoming, we've seen a handful of actors and actresses be cast without any knowledge of who they actually play. Well, that ends today. Director Jon Watts tells Entertainment Weekly that Zendaya (Shake It Up!) plays "Michelle", Tony Revolori (The Grand Budapest Hotel) plays "Flash", Laura Harrier (One Life to Live) plays "Liz", and Jacob Batalon plays "Ned".
Revolori did not divulge last names, but a bit of comics knowledge makes most of them (probably) pretty obvious. Each name matches up well to a character from the main Marvel continuity, most of whom have high school variations in the popular spin-off series 'Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane'. Flash is probably school bully Flash Thompson, while Liz and Ned are likely Liz Allan and Ned Leeds, respectively. Liz is traditionally a close friend of Mary-Jane, and Flash's sometime girlfriend, while the SMLMJ version of Ned briefly dated Spidey's long-standing, main love interest.
There's no way of knowing how closely Homecoming will stick to these interpretations of the characters, though it's interesting that this group in particular has been chosen. If you want a few more details, check out our Spider-Man: Homecoming full cast guide.
I won't spoil what happens in the books, but I highly suggest you pick up a few copies. Even if Spider-Man: Homecoming doesn't follow the 'Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane' plot, the series could function as a sneak peek at how the teen drama tone can work with a spandex-wearing, web-slinging superhero in the mix. Plus, it's a fun read. So, win-win.
Directed by Jon Watts and starring Tom Holland, Marisa Tomei, Robert Downey Jr, Tony Revolori, Laura Harrier, Michael Keaton, Donald Glover and Zendaya, Spider-Man: Homecoming debuts in cinemas on July 7, 2017.
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