Two new trailers drop for Spider-Man: Homecoming

The third domestic and international trailers for the upcoming Spider-Man reboot debut online. So how do they stack against each other?

More from Movies

With almost a month away before it’s July 7, 2017 release in theaters, Sony and Marvel Studios released two new trailers for Spider-Man: Homecoming, one for the U.S. and another for overseas. In addition, they’ve also released two new movie posters for both film markets to coincide with the trailers’ debut.

Typically, domestic and international trailers are very similar, often containing the very same clips. But here, Sony and Marvel have opted for an alternative strategy. While both trailers do contain similar clips—specifically the scene showing Peter Parker (Tom Holland) and Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.) speaking in Stark’s limousine—each one highlights a different aspect about the movie.

The domestic one, for example, focuses on Peter as Stark’s young protégé, and the ups and downs that go along with it. It also highlights even more gadgetry built into the suit, including what could prove to be a very controversial addition: its own on-board interactive artificial intelligence akin to JARVIS and FRIDAY:

Now I understand why the filmmakers included Downey Jr.’s Stark as part of this new Spider-Man film franchise. But speaking as a Spider-Man fan, this trailer, and the inclusion of that A.I., paints Peter Parker way too much as a second-rate Iron Man. In fact, the trailer works better when it’s not emphasizing all that built-in Stark tech and “training wheel protocols.”

It’s also very similar to the first domestic trailer, going as far as its music choices—which isn’t a bad thing, necessarily.

Fortunately, Holland’s Peter Parker still comes across as an authentic high school student (showing great chemistry with all the leads) whose Spider-Man is both funny and likable. Also, I really liked the comedic timing with Zendaya’s Michelle character near the end. And we finally get a scene with Donald Glover other than the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moments from the previous trailers.

Contrast this trailer, however, with the new international one:

That opening sequence depicting Peter’s smart phone vlog on Captain America: Civil War from his point-of-view? Brilliant! If that’s how director Jon Watts opens the film, then he deserves some high praise. Plus, you can’t convince me Holland didn’t perform that flip for real.

It’s also the only trailer, in my opinion, which gives you a true sense of Michael Keaton’s portrayal of Adrian Toomes / The Vulture, and his motivations as a villain. This is crucial seeing as how Keaton is one of the film’s bigger name actors and also playing the main antagonist. Thus far, everything I’m seeing regarding the Vulture, and the angle the film is taking with him, appears very promising.

Next: Listen to a snippet of music from Spider-Man: Homecoming

With these two trailers side-by-side, I’d say the international trailer has the distinct advantage. It’s more unique in terms of style, and sets up the film’s main conflicts without spoiling too much (unlike the second official trailer). It also makes me a bit more optimistic about the movie than the domestic trailers have, though I still think the emphasis on Tony Stark and his influence will still be a double-edged sword. At least both trailers will get a better reception than how the film posters are trending on Twitter.

Spider-Man: Homecoming premiers in New York on June 28, 2017 in New York, and opens nationwide on July 7, 2017.

Home/Movies