Dana Vasquez-Eberhardt, executive producer ofYour Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, recently discussed how the Disney+ show adapted the popular Marvel hero. The series follows a Peter Parker who is a freshman in high school adjusting to his powers, and it features prominent Spider-Man characters left out of the live-actionMarvel Cinematic Universe films starring Tom Holland. Most importantly,Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Manincludes Norman and Harry Osborn,whose MCU counterparts have not been introduced. Despite this, the series omits two of the most important Spider-Man characters in this continuity: Ned Leeds and Michelle Jones-Watson.
In an appearance onThe Official Marvel Podcast, Vasquez-Eberhardt opened up about the differences betweenYour Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Manand the MCUSpider-Manfilms. She explained that the films' setting was different from that of the show, adding: “We’re starting at a point in the MCU where Civil War has happened, so the Sokovia Accords have been ratified.”
Though the producer was tight-lipped regarding the series' plot, she hinted that the series' timeline branches out from that of the MCU when Peter gets to his first day of school, “but Peter doesn’t end up going to Midtown.” She further clarifies that “it’s a very recognizable world,” but “it’s a world where he never met Ned, he never met MJ.”
What The Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man EP’s Comments Mean
Vasquez-Eberhardt’s comments are certainly intriguing. Thus far, the MCU has made Peter’s friends and love interest a big part of his narrative.Both Ned and MJ have been major players in the last twoSpider-Manfilms,especially inSpider-Man: No Way Homewhere they are responsible for introducing Holland’s character to the earlier Spider-Man leads, Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield. Notably, they served as replacements for typical Spider-Man supporting characters, such as Gwen Stacy and the aforementioned Harry.
Peter Parker’s Newest Origin Story Is Revealed In Marvel’s Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man Trailer
Peter Parker gets a new origin story as he tries to balance high school and being a superhero in Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man.
For the first two films, MJ was believed to be an original character, Michelle Jones, before her name was revealed as Michelle Jones-Watson, establishing her as a multiversal version of Mary-Jane Watson.Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Manis combining the approach of classic Spider-Man with new elements. Harry will be a main character, but so will Nico Minoru, a character most associated with the Runaways in comics. Per Vasquez-Eberhardt, “Nico is such a great fit for Peter. She’s very different from Ned, and they fit so well together.”
Our Take On The Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man EP’s Comments
Given how often the Spider-Man story has been retold,Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man’sapproach, as explained by Vasquez-Eberhardt, is a breath of fresh air. Since Marvel has such a wide roster of characters, surrounding Peter with a new, or at least reimagined, cast is an exceleent way to set the series apart and give audiences something new. If the MCUSpider-Manfilms can redefine Peter’s friend group so successfully,Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Manmight just pull it off, too.
Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man
Cast
Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man follows Peter Parker as he navigates the complexities of heroism, facing a series of extraordinary challenges.
