Spider-Man: Homecoming: 8 Things It Must Learn From The Sam Raimi Originals

Beyond Mary Jane (and possibly Harry Osborn), Peter Parker's main relationship is with his Aunt May and Uncle Ben. With his parents absent, these are the people he grows close to and who act as his family. And, in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man, these characters are well-written and brilliantly performed by Cliff Robertson and Rosemary Harris; when Ben dies, we feel the immense impact this has on Peter's home life, and how it greatly contributes to his embracing of the Spider-Man alter ego.

Even after Ben dies, Aunt May continues to be a central part of Peter's existence. Many of the most moving moments in the trilogy involve May, like when she tells Peter about his childhood infatuation with Mary Jane or when she gives him money for his birthday despite being in serious debt. Raimi hones in on these quiet, human moments to effectively develop the character and the story.

It'll be interesting, then, to see how Homecoming deals with this dynamic, given how Uncle Ben will surely already be dead since we're skipping the origin. Whether or not the film tries to retroactively establish his significance to Peter is questionable, but his absence provides more room to work on Aunt May. Giving her plenty of screen-time early on is important, showing how much she means to Peter (especially because of his young age). Spider-Man's familial vulnerability is essential, and it can also be used to create threat by having Aunt May put in danger.