The Comic-Con that just ended this past weekend was a hive of new announcements and forthcoming projects for some of the biggest companies out there. Getting a sneak peek at upcoming developments in the major brands and learning about future plans is always fascinating. In that vein, during Marvel’s presentation they did unveil photos of Spider-Man: Freshman Year and how an animated version of this Peter Parker will shake out on the small screen, so we did got to see the first look at one of Disney+’s most anticipated programs. Additionally, they offered a hint as to some potential plot points and other individuals who would be involved.
The first look at how Marvel envisions Peter Parker in an animated version was provided by the Spider-Man: Freshman Year images, which were released by Marvel (via The Direct). The plan, according to rumors, was to rehire Tom Holland to voice the character for the series, though this isn’t confirmed and may not actually happen. He doesn’t precisely look like what we saw on TV, but he still fits the bill. Of course, there were also images of Spider-Man in his costume, albeit they were of a more basic design given that he was only beginning his career as a vigilante. The mask and outfit more closely resemble pajamas with some basic adolescent stylings over them, giving the ensemble a rather unprofessional appearance. This individual behaves similarly to how Tony Stark did when they first met in Captain America: Civil War. Check it out:
Other jigsaw pieces that were added to Spider-Man: Freshman Year have helped provide light (maybe) on where this new animated series will fit into the canon of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Initially, it was thought that this series would serve as a precursor to the Spider-Man: Homecoming trilogy and the Civil War episode when we first saw Tom Holland’s Peter Parker. Given the context of the title and the way the name itself fits into the larger picture, it made logical. But as of right now, it appears that might not be the case.
The other characters that have been shown create the impression that Spider-Man: Freshman Year may be a different version of the character, potentially an addition to the Multiverse, even though it will be an origin tale. Initial off, Ned isn’t included in Peter Parker’s pals’ first appearances, which wouldn’t make sense within the context of the MCU adaptation. The fact that Peter was bitten by the spider indicates the two were pals. And based on the list of antagonists, it appears that Peter encountered several Spider-Man canon enemies before joining forces with the Avengers. Additionally, the inclusion of Daredevil and Doctor Strange simply doesn’t fit with what Marvel has done. Check it out:
So even if this new tale appears to have a lot of potential, one might assume that Spider-Man: Freshman Year will stand alone in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. At least, that’s what the fresh pictures and revelations would have you believe. We have plenty of time to iron out elements of this new Spider-Man plot because the streamer is scheduled for debut in 2024.
