'Spider-Man: Homecoming' Title Explained By Sony Head Tom Rothman

After much speculation from fans, Sony and Marvel finally confirmed in April that the new Spider-Man movie would be titled Spider-Man: Homecoming. But since then, we haven't heard much more in the way of details about the new movie. Even as the cast continues to grow, we have precious few details about whom most of these actors will be playing or how they'll all fit together in the new superhero adventure.

But we do finally know a little bit more about that title. Sony chairman Tom Rothman has explained exactly why Spider-Man: Homecoming is called Spider-Man: Homecoming, and it will probably not surprise you to learn that it's a bit of a double entendre. 

IGN caught up with Rothman on the red carpet for the Ghostbusters premiere. Unsurprisingly, Rothman wouldn't give away too many specifics. But he did explain that title:

Here's the thing I can tell you: We're really, really fortunate on this because Marvel and Kevin Feige have really embraced the character and no one knows him as well as Marvel. It is another crown jewel of Sony's for sure. But Homecoming, the name, is a double entendre on purpose, right?

It's relevant to the story because it takes place in high school and there is a scene – that I guess I can give a little thing – at a homecoming dance. I've actually seen the dailies of it because we already did the high school shooting of it in the first couple weeks and it's fantastic. But it's also a homecoming to Marvel. And a homecoming to the cinematic universe that Spider-Man belongs in. So it's a pretty unprecedented deal between two studios, but we're really proud of it. And all I can tell you is, those guys at Marvel – I think the technical term is – they know their sh-t.

I think that's about what fans expected — that the "Homecoming" title would refer both to Spider-Man joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the high school tradition of homecoming. But now we finally have confirmation.

While both previous versions of Spider-Man dealt with high school to some extent, the team behind Spider-Man: Homecoming has been very clear that they intend to play up his teenage status. That's clear even with the casting — at 20, star Tom Holland is several years younger than Tobey Maguire or Andrew Garfield were when they began their tenures, and he'll be surrounded by a supporting cast of actors in their teens and early 20s. To Rothman, that makes Holland's Spider-Man the definitive Spider-Man:

We love all of the pre-existing movies and everybody and all the incarnations, but this is it. This is that character in all his youthful complications and 'I have to save the world and get my chemistry homework done, and which am I going to do.' I truly can't wait 'til next summer.

Previously, director Jon Watts confirmed that Holland's Peter Parker will be 15 years old during the events of the film, and Feige likened Spider-Man: Homecoming to a John Hughes movie. This Spider-Man sounds a lot closer to the classic Spider-Man from the comics, and that's a great thing — the Marvel Cinematic Universe could use a shot of youthful energy, seeing as most of their marquee heroes are in their 30s or 40s.

Spider-Man: Homecoming swings into theaters July 7, 2017.