It’s no secret that comic book movies are everywhere, with various studios forming their own cinematic universes. But there was a time when these blockbusters were more of a risk, like with Sam Raimi’s 2002 Spider-Man movie. Actor Joe Manganiello played Flash Thompson in that beloved flick, and recently revealed his favorite part about Tom Holland’s run as Peter Parker.
Prior to his Magic Mike and True Blood fame, Joe Manganiello had a small but iconic role in the original Spider-Man movie. Since then he’s made his way to DC to play Deathstroke, but he’s stayed in touch with the web slinger’s current adventures on the big screen with Tom Holland. Manganiello praised the work done in the current trilogy, saying:
Jon Watts is a former producing partner of mine. In Raimi’s universe, Peter Parker is the only one, he doesn’t live in a world of superheroes. What I really thought was genius about the new Spider-Man films, the burden on the character is different. He’s a kid living in the age of Avengers where there’s Iron Man and Thor and Captain America. He wasn’t the only one. I think that was a really cool take on that.
He’s got a point. Rather than being just a friendly, neighborhood Spider-Man, Tom Holland’s version of the character is living in a world full of superheroes and villains. As such, that “great responsibility” Peter’s Uncle Ben so often talks about takes on another meaning. And the upcoming sequel No Way Home will definitely highlight the weight of being a hero-- especially with Peter Parker’s identity revealed to the public.
Joe Manganiello’s comments to Variety make some solid points about how the different film adaptations of Spider-Man have differed. Tom Holland is the third actor to play Peter on the big screen, preceded by Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield. Although he’s the only one who has crossed over with other heroes like Iron Man and Doctor Strange.
Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy was the first of its kind, although Joe Manganiello unfortunately didn’t appear in the sequels. But the 2002 original marked his first big movie gig, and he made a strong impression as Flash Thompson. Although some casual fans might do a double take since Manganiello is missing his signature beard. Check out his big scene below.
What a classic. As his comments mention, Joe Manganiello continues to have a connection to the current Spider-Man trilogy. Namely because he works often with director Jon Watts, who has helmed all three installments including No Way Home. And with Sam Raimi also joining the MCU with Doctor Strange 2, it all comes full circle.
With Spider-Man: No Way Home so close to theaters, the marketing campaign has definitely kicked up. A number of villains from the previous two franchises will be included, which further connects the current trilogy to Sam Raimi’s original. We’ll just have to wait to see how antagonists like Green Goblin and Doc Ock ultimately factor into the story. Plus there are those ongoing rumors about Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield possibly appearing.
Spider-Man: No Way Home is currently expected to arrive in theaters on December 17th. In the meantime, check out the 2021 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.
