As both Marvel Studios and DC Studios (née Films) embrace the multiverse concept in their movies, they have an opportunity to change the way people see major characters like Batman or Spider-Man. In uniting past actors who’ve played these roles, the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the DC Universe can turn their heroes into James Bond.
Spider-Man: No Way Home already did something that James Bond has never pulled off. This film united the three most well-known actors to play the character live-action. Yet, the emotional payoff for that moment wouldn’t work as well without nearly two decades of prior films. No Way Home took what was perceived as two “failures” and gave them a new ending. Not only that, but this was a mega-blockbuster film that, for lack of a better term, redeemed the ignominious end to those previous two Spider-Man franchises. Rumor has it that DC Studios will be doing something similar with Batman actors Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton. This moment of unity between the generations could allow both Marvel and DC to reframe their constant reboots and recasts from “starting over” to merely “passing the torch,” as James Bond actors do.
The Response to Spider-Man and Batman Recasting or Reboots Is Predictable
Each time a new Batman or Spider-Man actor is cast, the entertainment press and fans go through a similar arc. First, they break down where the last iteration “went wrong.” Then they speculate about how the next actor will embody the role and eventually get to a place where they question the need to recast them at all. James Bond recasting, however, is an event. Typically, Bond actors announce they are leaving before their replacement is cast. The first time this happened with Spider-Man was when Sony signed the deal with Marvel Studios. Fans of The Amazing Spider-Man universe were bummed, but they understood why it had to be done.
So, Marvel Studios rewarded those fans, and Tobey Maguire’s, too, by uniting the characters for a triumphant finish. What this subtly suggests is that from now until the end of cinema as we know it, Spider-Man is going to be in the movies. And, if fans are really lucky, a bunch of them get to hang out together every so often. Spider-Man is already one of the single most popular heroes in the world. However, if news breaks tomorrow that Tom Holland is done with the role, no one will say the franchise is again “broken.” They will mourn his Spidey and look to the next one with eager anticipation. Give it five or, like with Michael Keaton and Batman, 30-plus years, and they just might come back.
It goes beyond Spider-Man and Batman, too. DC and Marvel should present every character recast as an “event,” like the search for a new James Bond. Because, for all his charm, even 007’s continued success has not always been a sure thing.
Recasting James Bond Became an Event After Sean Connery
When Sean Connery grew tired of playing James Bond, producers found George Lazenby and tried to sign him to a seven-movie deal. His agent told him that Bond would never persist in the culture, so he left after a single film. They backed up the money truck to Connery’s house, getting one more performance out of him until finally finding Roger Moore. There is a direct parallel here to comic book characters each time the iconic actor who first brought them to life moves on from the role. Separating the character from the actor is a big hurdle, and Spider-Man and Batman have the advantage of masks.
After 12 years as Bond, Moore left the franchise. His exit was announced before Timothy Dalton stepped in. From that moment on, the idea of James Bond ever “going away” became preposterous. Even when Connery stepped back into the role of Bond for Never Say Never Again for a rival studio (after a long legal battle), fans didn’t care. The more Bond, the better. DC and Marvel Studios both need to reframe a recasting, such as Harrison Ford stepping in as Thunderbolt Ross, as the inevitable result of these characters’ enduring popularity. A film like Spider-Man: No Way Home reinforces this idea by embracing and celebrating each previous iteration.
Spider-Man has yet another advantage. Whether the former cast returns or not, the next actor cast to play Spider-Man in live-action will almost certainly play Miles Morales. Those who think superhero movies will eventually go the way of the western need only look to James Bond (and his imitators) to see otherwise. And superheroes have a lot more source material to pull from than a few dozen novels and short stories.
