Take a closer look at the latest Spider-Man: Homecoming trailer and you'll notice there are a few things hiding in plain sight. Yes, just like the first Spider-Man trailer released back in December 2016, there are a whole bunch of Easter Eggs that are bringing out the Marvel conspiracy theorists in all of us. So many that you'll be impressed by how much symbolism the makers of this film could get into a just over two minute trailer. Also, how much Tony Stark they could fit, who is going full-on Mr. Miyagi, in this one. Can't find the clues all by yourself? Don't worry, I'm here to break down what you should be looking for in the new trailer. After all, with great trailers come great responsibility to point out all the in-jokes and Marvel references that are worth pining over in the months leading to the movie's release.
A lot of the hidden gems in this trailer will likely leave you with more questions than answers, but there are a few things that may help you figure out what the heck is going on. Like what's Iron Man up to now after his showdown with Captain America? And what the heck is "Damage Control"?One thing is for sure: your Spidey senses should definitely be tingling at this point.
1. Tony Stark's Advice For Peter Parker Should Sound Familiar
Listen close, and you'll hear Tony tell Peter to just be the “friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.” Why, yes, that is the tagline from the comics. It's kind of a joke since the city is torn over whether Spider-Man is really a hero or just a menace. (Chalk that up to J. Jonah Jameson's coverage of him, I guess.) Here, though, it's clear that Tony is looking out for Peter and trying to get him to remain a lovable superhero — not like Iron Man and the Avengers who are still feeling the heat from the damage they've caused.
2. Spider-Man's Suit Does Not Make The Man
Tony Stark is quick to let Peter know that if he needs the souped up suit to be a hero, then he's not a real hero at all. "If you're nothing without this suit," Tony tells him as he takes it back. "Then you shouldn't have it." This seems like a clear is a callback to Iron Man 3 ,where Tony becomes consumed by the suit and the power it wields. It leads to Tony losing sight of himself, not to mention the one person who loved him outside of the suit, Pepper Potts. He doesn't want Peter to repeat his mistakes, which sets up the teacher-student relationship these two are going to have.
3. Tony Stark Is Doing Damage Control
This shouldn't surprise anyone, since the public opinion of the Avengers is more bad than good at this point. But this breaking news is also a tease of what's to come in the Marvel Universe. "Damage Control" is Tony's new construction company that cleans up the mess the conflicts between superheroes and villains cause. It was first featured in the five-page story titled “The Sales Pitch” from 1988's Marvel Age Annual #4. In 2015, a Damage Control pilot was ordered, but there's been no talk of it since. Could this mean it's really happening?
In an interview with Fandango, director Jon Watts noted that this was from the comics but wouldn't go as far to say it was the first steps to bringing it to television. Instead, he said it helped him answer some basic questions for his film.
You also wonder after all those huge messes are made, who’s sent in to clean up? Is it the normal people who would be hired to do something like that? Does it become a government operation? Is it dangerous? What do you do with all the alien body parts that you find? I really like asking those practical questions about this world, and then use that to drive the story.
Some have already started wondering if Spider-Man: Homecoming baddie Vulture runs Damage Control, since he's described as a blue-collar worker who gets fed up with Tony Stark. Fun fact: this isn't the first time Damage Control has been an Easter Egg. Comicbook.com noted that it was first featured in Iron Man.
4. Pay Attention To The Book Zendaya's Reading
Zendaya's mysterious character, who is reportedly named "Michelle," is not paying attention to that Captain America fitness video. Instead, she's reading the W. Somerset Maugham book Of Human Bondage. That book, as io9 points out, a is about an orphaned boy who is sent to live with his aunt and uncle. And what do you know? That's also Peter Parker's story.
5. Spider-Man Channels Marty McFly
It's a quick moment but when Spider-Man jumps into his new suit at the :07 mark, he pushes the spider in the middle to make it fit perfectly. Moviepilot.com couldn't help but notice that Spider-Man's slick move echoed a scene right out of Back To The Future 2, when Marty McFly jumps into his self-lacing shoes.
6. That Car's License Plate Is A Slick Reference To Vulture
Of course, Twitter had the eagle eyes to notice that the trailer may tease the first appearance of Vulture in the movie with a clever license plate. That license plate reads "SM2-0563." Vulture's first appearance in the comics was Amazing Spider-Man #2, published May 1963 (05/63)." What may be more telling is what Spider-Man says in that scene, which seems to lay out the whole plot of the movie: "The illegal weapons ferry was at 2:30. You missed it.” Adrian Toomes earned the name Vulture thanks to his scavenging ability. Here, he's searched through broken weaponry (perhaps as part of Damage Control?) and constructed his own weapons. Now, he's trying to sell these Frankenstein weapons on the black market using pieces that could link back to Tony Stark.
With all the Tony Stark appearances and mentions in this trailer, it wouldn't be farfetched to find out this movie is really all about Spider-Man saving him. Now, you have until July 7 to mull what that means for Avengers: Infinity War, because you know it means something.
