The Amazing Spider-Man Peter Parker / Spider-Man Characterization

[da3dl3us]

As much as I enjoyed Spider-Man 1 and 2, there were two glaring problems I hope this next movie resolves:

Peter Parker - I hope they make him nerdy-cool rather than awkward-geek. I think the best portrayal of Peter is a fun guy to hang out with who just loves technology/science. And please make him have more than one friend, not just Harry.

Spider-Man - Trash talking please. And not the lame ones from Spider-man 1, but solid smack talk. This is probably one of his strength while fighting his baddies, pissing them off and causing them to mess up. From what I understand, Bendis is involved in this, so this might be a reality.

Anyways, has there been any info about how they're going to portray Peter/Spidey yet?

 

[Gwendolyn Stacy]

I would have to disagree with you on Peter. When has Peter ever been cool? In the first few comics, he didn't have any friends. He didn't even meet Harry until college, but they didn't start out as friends. He probably won't have any friends in the reboot either. The first movie anyway. Well, Gwen might be, but I think she might just be his secret crush. But I do agree that Spider-Man should have more wisecracks this time. All three movies were great without them, but still.

 

[NinjaCarm]

The glaring problem was the actor and the director's ineptness to make Peter Parker have a pulse.

Maguire played Peter Parker like a consistent nerd that had his eyes fixated on some naked woman with large breasts.

It's going to depend on the actor (Garfield) and the director's (Webb) realization that Peter Parker should be a living breathing person with actual personality.

 

[Ajendo]

I would have to disagree with you on Peter. When has Peter ever been cool? In the first few comics, he didn't have any friends. He didn't even meet Harry until college, but they didn't start out as friends. He probably won't have any friends in the reboot either. The first movie anyway. Well, Gwen might be, but I think she might just be his secret crush. But I do agree that Spider-Man should have more wisecracks this time. All three movies were great without them, but still.

You do realise it's not 1962 we're living in right? Spider-Man is a contemporary character. The majority incarnations of the character has made Peter a likeable person easy to resonate with all the while maintaining a degree of social supression, high and creative intelligence and essentially an engaging character to behold. I don't want to see Peter roaming around with a "crew" but I dont want to see him skulking around in the freaking shadows like some vampiric leper.

 

[Troy_Parker]

Peter has actually become increasingly "cool" in the comics. He's smart, cool and witty... but he's also a little bit of a loveable dork at times.

 

[TheIncredibleSk]

I would love for Spidey to trash talk. Thats one thing I didn't like about the first movies.

 

[ETGuy]

I think Spidey's personality is at its best when he's with other superheroes. Mostly they're all serious and stuff and then he just throws in a line and it seperates him from everybody else.

In his own movie I wouldn't like him to do that much trash talking but just be a bit more cheery as Peter Parker.

 

[ironman29758]

I always thought that Spidey's personality in the movie would be a cross between Ultimate Spider-man Peter and the Spectacular Spider-man Cartoon Peter and Movie Peter Parker.

 

[Vid Electricz]

Wow. This topic has been beaten to death in other threads but...I guess I'll contribute anyway *sigh*


Parker should NOT be stereotypically "dorky" like the nerds in John Hughes movies and that lot. It's completely unnecessary to portray Parker this way. It's lazy and insulting to the audience's intelligence (what little intelligence the GA has anyhow). I don't know why all the fanboys persist with this stereotype.

Parker IS a shy, introverted an incredibly intelligent young man who gets picked on by the "popular" students. He's an otherwise normal and "with it" guy with an optimistic attitude.

If Marc Webb is smart (and I believe he is), he would portray the high school "hierarchy" as it seems to be, as one that is not kind to Parker (Refer to the *****ebag guy in the bar that gets punched out in 500DOS). I'd love to see this more accurately represented as opposed to the stereotypical bully/nerd dynamic.

 

[Spiderman6592]

Raimi was so inconsistent with how Peter was handled. Peter was a perfectly normal guy in Spider-Man. He was a super nerd in the beginning but after he got his powers he was more confident and was much more relatable. But for whatever, reason, Raimi reverted him to nerd status again in Spider-Man 2 (especially when he "lost" his powers) and again in Spider-Man 3.

IMO Raimi handled Peter perfectly in the time between the Flash fight and Uncle Ben's death in SM1.

From the looks of it though, Peter is going to be cooler in this film. Albeit, not popular, but definitely not a goofy nerd that no one will relate to.

 

[Ajendo]

Sam Raimi just about understood the grass roots of spider-man but everything else, he just didn't understand and failed to lay out just how dynamic the mythology is imo.

 

[Mary Jane Watson]

*sub*

 

[Spider-Aziz]

Peter here will use a skateboard, and have a job in Oscorp, the job Maguire turned down in the first movie

 

[ETGuy]

Really looking forward to the skateboard part.

 

[NinjaCarm]

Sam Raimi just about understood the grass roots of spider-man but everything else, he just didn't understand and failed to lay out just how dynamic the mythology is imo.

Pretty much you nailed it.

 

[Spider-Aziz]

Really looking forward to the skateboard part.

Marty McFly in Back to the Future

 

[TheWiseGuy487]

Marty McFly in Back to the Future

Man, if Michael J. Fox was 30 years younger, he would've made an awesome Peter Parker. His character in Back to the Future is essentially Peter Parker without spider powers.

 

[WarriorDreamer]

Yeah I hope they make him more of a 'hip' nerd, if that makes any sense. Like in the Raimi franchise he always came across as just an oversensitive 'put-upon' guy.

I hope in the reboot he at least has a sense of humor and is really into his science and nerdy stuff. We never really got that much of Peter's strong interest and knowlage of science.

I like what they did in the Raimi franchise to be fair; showing Peter as a much more sensitive hero than all the others. But I hope he's not as much of a wuss in this one and can stand up for himself.

 

[Oscorp]

I expect Peter to be more likeable this time. That's the least one can expect.

 

[Ajendo]

Yeah I hope they make him more of a 'hip' nerd, if that makes any sense. Like in the Raimi franchise he always came across as just an oversensitive 'put-upon' guy.

I hope in the reboot he at least has a sense of humor and is really into his science and nerdy stuff. We never really got that much of Peter's strong interest and knowlage of science.

I like what they did in the Raimi franchise to be fair; showing Peter as a much more sensitive hero than all the others. But I hope he's not as much of a wuss in this one and can stand up for himself.

Peter in Raimi's movies was a big fat cry baby.

 

[©KAW]

And he peed himself.

 

[Troy_Parker]

And needed help being fed.

 

[Troy_Parker]

...

:s

 

[PSYLENTGuardian]

If Peter Parker existed in my high school, he'd be the Photography class Honors student that everyone flocks to for help with their science homework. And considering his taste in music, he'd hang out with people with similar taste.
Obviously, my school doesn't set an example for any New York high school, but it would be interesting to think about who Peter would be in this day and age.

 

[DACrowe]

The glaring problem was the actor and the director's ineptness to make Peter Parker have a pulse.

Maguire played Peter Parker like a consistent nerd that had his eyes fixated on some naked woman with large breasts.

It's going to depend on the actor (Garfield) and the director's (Webb) realization that Peter Parker should be a living breathing person with actual personality.

If you dislike the Raimi movies fine. But that is a terrible generalization of that performance and character. It was clearly based on the Lee/Ditko Peter (awkward, but lovable geek) and less the more popular incarnations that came with Romita and especially after Lee left the book (geek chic). With that said, those movies were hugely successful and popular beyond their opening grosses because of that central performance and direction. He created huge amounts of empathy for the character and his tribulations. It is why people latched onto those movies upon their release and they are far more beloved than say....the Transformers movies that are just special effects.

With that said, I am more than ready to see an interpretation of modern Peter.....at least pre-Quesada....make that pre-Clone Saga....Peter. And a lack of wisecracking was always the biggest weaknesses of the first two Raimi films IMO. But I wouldn't be so dismissive of Raimi and Maguire that hit a pop culture nerve that will be very hard to duplicate. Really, only The Dark Knight has since in the genre.

Sam Raimi just about understood the grass roots of spider-man but everything else, he just didn't understand and failed to lay out just how dynamic the mythology is imo.

I disagree with the paragraphs mostly explaining why. But I do think another interpretation is welcomed. Raimi did a great job of capturing those early '60s comics and their zany, manic, soap opera-ish feel. But a slightly less self-deprecating version that allows Peter to tell jokes instead of being the butt of them, I am fine with. However, duplicating both the sense of scope he created with the Osborns and side characters and the sense of pathos and urgent nobility he brought to his protagonist will be hard to match or surpass. Though not impossible.