Marvel’s Kevin Feige: ‘Spider-Man Will Be the New Harry Potter’

Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige wants the rebooted Spider-Man to be in the mold of the Harry Potter films.

British actor Tom Holland, 20, debuted as Peter Parker and his alter-ego Spider-Man in the studio’s latest comic book blockbuster Captain America: Civil War earlier this year.

The character had not appeared in any of the previous 12 Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) movies due to the film rights to the character having been previously owned by Marvel’s rival studio Sony Pictures.

However, Spider-Man is now back under the Marvel banner, and work is already underway on the MCU’s first solo Spider-Man movie, due out next year.

And Feige hopes Holland’s incarnation of the schoolboy turned superhero will follow the template of the Harry Potter films in following Parker and his schoolmates on their journey from adolescence into adulthood.

Spider-Man surprises #SDCC! Here's the first look of the Concept Art featuring the Vulture in #SpiderManHomecoming pic.twitter.com/RDVEVsDHQa

— Spider-Man Movie (@SpiderManMovie) July 24, 2016

“The next step is making a great Spider-Man: Homecoming and a great film that showcases Spider-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and makes everybody fall in love with him all over again,” he told Collider.com.

“Should we be able to make more after that? Sure. This is sophomore year, is the next one junior year? Is the next one senior year? Is there a summer break between each of those? I don’t know what, but it was sort of how do we do a journey for Peter not dissimilar for what the students of (the school in Harry Potter) Hogwarts would go through each of their years, which was one of the early ideas we had for the movies.”

Spider-Man: Homecoming will see Peter Parker battle teenage angst as well as the super-villain Vulture, played by Birdman star Michael Keaton.

Talking about his role in the new movie, Holland told the film website, “This is a very different side to Spider-Man because you’re going to see a kid dealing with everyday problems that a 15-year-old deals with as well as trying to save the city.”

As if the problems facing your average teen weren’t enough, Holland also revealed that Vulture, who has the ability to fly due to advanced engineering, will be a tough foe for his character to fight.

“I first saw it in the concept art room and I was mind-blown,” he explained. “You haven’t seen anything yet. You haven’t seen anything yet. It is so cool. The suit allows us to incorporate so much more physical presence from the Vulture. He’s a real formidable villain.”

Spider-Man: Homecoming is scheduled for release in the U.S. on July 7 next year.