If Sony want their new Peter Parker to be of the goofy, awkward, authentically teen variety, then it would make sense to look to the cinematic home of goofy, awkward, teens: coming-of-age movies. Which is exactly what they may well do with Liam James, who hit the big time thanks to his part in 2013's The Way, Way Back. The directorial debut of Oscar-winning The Descendants screenwriting duo Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, James starred as 14-year-old Duncan, reluctantly dragged on the traditional family holiday. Finding himself a little too grown up for the pleasures of the beach and water parks, and disenchanted with the fact that his mother (Toni Collette) brought along new boyfriend Trent (Steve Carrell), who constantly belittles him, he seeks solace with Sam Rockwell's Owen, who takes him under his wing and gives him a job at this water park. It's basically Adventureland, only on a beach. And Jesse Eisenberg's playing Lex Luthor now. But then Liam James has a more immediately sympathetic and less sinister face than Eisenberg. Between The Way, Way Back and early roles on TV shows The Killing and Psych, he's more than paid his dues in playing an awkward, bullied young man. It's about time he got the chance to fight back. Even if it is whilst dressed in the easily-mockable get-up of a five-foot-something red arachnid with big cartoon eyes on his mask.
Tom Baker is the Comics Editor at WhatCulture! He's heard all the Doctor Who jokes, but not many about Randall and Hopkirk. He also blogs at http://communibearsilostate.wordpress.com/
