Aunt May just keeps getting younger and younger.
Oscar-winning actress Marisa Tomei has been offered the role of Peter Parker's guardian in the upcoming Spider-Man reboot, starring up-and-comer Tom Holland, Variety reports. The film will be released on July 28, 2017.
Tomei's casting is on trend with the new film's younger approach. It will focus on Peter Parker's high school years and will feel like a "John Hughes movie," Marvel president Kevin Feige revealed.
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Holland is only 19 years old, so perhaps it makes sense to scale down Aunt May's age. Tomei is 50 years old, much younger than the last two actresses to play Peter Parker's aunt. Sally Field was 65 years old in 2012's The Amazing Spider-Man, and Rosemary Harris was 75 when she first played the role in 2002's Spider-Man.
Numerous commentators have chimed in on the casting news on Twitter. Some are in favor of it, while others...not so much.
Marisa Tomei is playing the same role at 50 that Sally Field just played at 65. https://t.co/U6LpiXP7AB
— Kevin O'Keeffe (@kevinpokeeffe) July 8, 2015
@kevinpokeeffe and Rosemarie Harris was 79 in her last Spider-Man movie!!!
— Scott Rising (@Rising) July 8, 2015
When I think of an elderly widow with a heart condition Marisa Tomei is first in my mind. Aunt May In New Spider-Man http://t.co/hTsoVLv8K8
— Jason Roach (@JasonRoach77) July 8, 2015
If Marisa Tomei's playing Aunt May, is Matthew McCounaughey going to play Uncle Ben?
— Jason Loo (@Rebel_Loo) July 8, 2015
Y'all, this Marisa Tomei as Aunt May news is just making me feel SO SO SO SO OLD.
— jennifer abella (@nextjen) July 8, 2015
To be fair to Marvel/Marisa Tomei, why has Aunt May always been so old? She's not his great aunt.
— Scott Rising (@Rising) July 8, 2015
If Spider-Man is the youngling they've already cast, then Marisa Tomei IS the right age to play Aunt May. Still. It... feels... WEIRD.
— Geonn Cannon (@GeonnCannon) July 8, 2015
If you have a 15-year-old Peter Parker, Aunt May is not going to be elderly. Marisa Tomei is 50 - a perfectly reasonable aunt for a 15yo.
— Caitlin Fitz Gerald (@caidid) July 8, 2015
I'm over the moon with this Marisa Tomei as Aunt May casting news. Love it. And makes everyone realize that character doesn't have to be 70.
— Noldorian (@noldorian) July 8, 2015