Haiku Thursday
With great power comes
great responsibility;
don’t leave us, Toby!
The internets are buzzing–it’s a series of tubes, you see–with the unofficial announcement that Tobey Maguire is just about done with his role as Peter “Spiderman” Parker. The question: Do we care? The answer: Maybe. Maguire makes a good Peter Parker. He’s rocks the Larry King glasses, but we’re not begging him to put a shirt on, either (a rare combination, to be sure). He’s sensitive, but the man flies through the air on a string of spider web secreted from his own arm, which speaks of a certain masculinity to me. He’s nailed the most important element of superherodom, in the opinion of this blog: he plays the hero and the alter ego equally well. Nicely done, Maguire.
On the other hand, surely he’s not the only actor in Hollywood who looks like he can read a book while also doing pleasant things with spandex, right? If the ratings for his show are any indication, Black Donnelly Jonathan Tucker should be available soon. Jake Gyllenhaal’s looking a little too world-weary and too well-paid by now, but since he’s basically The Other Toby Maguire, he’d do in a pinch. Justin Long is busy smugging it up opposite John Hodgman in the Mac commercials, but surely he’d give that up for a shot at the Big Insect? One would hope. I’m not saying that Maguire won’t be missed around town, just that I’m sure there are a few young men hanging around who wouldn’t mind a shot at the Spidey Suit.
March 12th, 2007 at 4:55 pm
You are completely right to say that the hero must be both a great hero AND a great nerd/billionaire playboy (aren’t there other options for alter egos?) — but Spiderman? That’s mostly just voice-over isn’t it? (putting Michael J. Fox in the running… eek!) I mean it’s mostly a little acrobat dude in PJs, really.
And further, if they can make a dude fly through New York on a web… they can make ME look good without a shirt.
I love Toby’s smitten nerd, too… but it’s the writers who are making or breaking (Spider Man I & II respectively) the brand.