Spider-Man Homecoming: 8 Reasons Why It's Basically Iron Man 4
1. Peter Parker's Iron Man 2 Cameo Sows The Seeds
The synthetic web ties which bind Homecoming to the Iron Man movies date back to 2010 when Tony Stark rescues a kid at the end of the second movie.
Recent confirmation from Marvel Studios head honcho Kevin Feige that the youngster was in fact a pint-sized Peter Parker indicates the filmmakers are keen to highlight the reboot's intrinsic connection to the Robert Downey Jr trilogy.
It may have been borne out of mathematical convenience (that kid would be about the right age to pass for Tom Holland circa 2017) and a credible fan theory which gained traction online, but it rings true on many levels.
Peter's early encounter with Iron Man helps explain his obsession with Stark in Homecoming - why wouldn't you want to be just like somebody who performed a heroic act right in front of you while you were at such an impressionable age?
The cameo has ended up being a nice bit of fan service that adds to the DNA Homecoming shares with the Iron Man movies, albeit in a small way.