Dan Slott says Peter Parker should be open to be played by anybody!
By Daniel Wood
In a recent interview Dan Slott was asked by the Latino Review what his thoughts were on Marvel possibly taking Spider-Man in a new direction by having Peter Parker played by a non-white actor, or even by having Spider-Man be someone else entirely. His response was typical for anyone who understands the appeal of Spider-Man!
"“That said, one of the things I’d be interested in seeing is, I hope they make the casting open for everyone. There’s nothing inherently white about Peter Parker. Peter Parker is a nerdy outcast. Anybody, from any walk of life, can be a nerdy outcast. One of the reasons why Spider-Man speaks to everyone around the world is that mask”"
"I’ve met so many young Spider-Man fans over the years. People that grew up and are now old, but when they first met Spider-Man, they kind of didn’t know who was under that mask. And that gives him the freedom to be anyone. That gives him the freedom to be someone just like you. It’d be really nice to see that as a possibility. Even if they end up casting someone who, at the end of the day, looks just like Peter Parker. It would be nice if the door was open and they just [said] , “Spider-Man can be anybody.”"
Now it’s interesting to note that this isn’t strictly a debate over whether or not the already existing ethnically diverse Spider-Men like Miles Morales or Miguel O’Hara should get the nod over Peter Parker, this is a question over whether or not Peter Parker could be played by anyone and I’ve got to say as much as I agree with the principle and central message of Slott’s words, I’m not for needlessly changing a character purely for the purpose of appearing diverse.
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