SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING Writers Reveal Details of Their Conversation With Stan Lee Before Crafting the Script

The film Spider-Man: Homecoming was a pivotal project in the MCU. It fully introduced this generation’s Peter Parker, and set the tone for what fans could expect from his storyline.

It was extremely well-received by fans, and it laid important groundwork for the characters within the film. But ahead of its release, writers Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley had some anxiety about making the right film set inside the MCU with a character we could all relate to.

The pair talked about their approach in a recent interview with CinemaBlend, with Daley beginning: “I think from a tonal standpoint, it was really fun to sort of create a new tone for what these Spider-Man movies could be.

“It's truly the only superhero in all of the Marvel superheroes that you can fully relate to because he's a person that found their powers. He comes from our time, and he is very much like the people that watch these movies, who sometimes feel misunderstood.”

They coolest part of their preparation in crafting the story was that they were able to meet with the great Stan Lee, creator of Spider-Man, before his death in 2018 at the age of 95. Goldstein said of their conversation:

“We were actually fortunate enough to meet Stan Lee while we were writing the movie. And, that's what he told us. He basically created this character because he wanted to create something that was like the kids who read the comic books. Nobody had done that.”

It has now been nine years since the release of that first film, and we have had three more since. But the characters they wrote for in the first film have very much stayed true to themselves in the sequels. Peter Parker, MJ and Ned have been through a lot, and have remained relatable and beloved to their viewers. Goldstein said of setting the tone:

“We take great pride in having sort of laid the groundwork for everything that came after. We really wanted it to be a high school movie with superpowers, and that's what Homecoming was.

“And, I think people really responded to the relatability of that. We always said while we're writing it, that just because you get superpowers doesn't mean you become an adult. And, that was sort of Peter Parker's journey.”

It’s so special that the writers were able to have their instincts reaffirmed by Stan Lee, and the popularity of each of the Spider-Man MCU films can, in part, be traced back to them. Spider-Man: Homecoming is available to view on Disney+.