‘Spider-Man’ Reportedly Wants Marisa Tomei For Aunt May

The next Spider-Man movie is going to give us our youngest big screen Peter Parker yet in the form of actor Tom Holland (who just turned 19), but he’s not the only character who is going to be younger this time around. Variety is reporting that Marvel and Sony have already offered the role of Aunt May to Oscar winner Marisa Tomei.

Naturally this has some fans a bit confused since Aunt May, both in the comics and the movies so far, is traditionally supposed to be an older, more frail woman. Apparently Tomei hasn’t fully signed on the dotted line just yet, but if she does, she’ll easily be the youngest big screen version yet. Tomei is 50, Sally Field was 66 when she took on the role in The Amazing Spider-Man, and Rosemary Harris was 75 at the start of Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man. 

In a way it actually makes a bit more sense that May is younger. It’s a tad strange, though certainly not impossible, that Peter Park’s aunt is usually 60+ years older. One that’s only 30 years older seems more natural, though it does soften the need for Peter to constantly be saving her. Tomei may be 50, but she is a very vital 50 and still looks like she can take care of herself. Basically, she doesn’t look like she’s going to break a hip if Doctor Octopus walks past her. It’s not a bad dynamic by any means, it’s just a different one. And since we’ve now had five Spider-Man movies that have all had pretty much the same dynamic between Peter Parker and an old Aunt May, it could be refreshing to see a different approach.

It probably won’t be too long before this casting becomes official one way or another, especially since The Hollywood Reporter is saying that the deal may actually include a spot in Captain America: Civil War, where the new Spidey has been rumored to make his first appearance. If she doesn’t pop up there, though, we probably won’t see her until the solo Spider-Man’s July 28, 2017 release.