Spider-Man’s greatest strength is not his ability to shoot webs but his ability to make people believe he can be a hero too, says filmmaker Destin Daniel Cretton, explaining why the friendly superhero has inspired generations around the world.
That Spider-Man belongs to Mumbai as much as he does to New York was revealed recently when a local man became seriously ill after dressing up as the hero to watch out for traffic, warn motorists of hidden potholes and help pedestrians on flooded roads when it rains.
“I think it’s really cool that people can see themselves behind the mask of Spider-Man. If there is going to be a character to emulate, I can’t think of a better character than Spider-Man,” Cretton, who directed the new Tom Holland-starrer superhero movie “Spider-Man: Brand New Day”, told PTI in an interview.
“For someone to help other people at a very difficult time in life, I think it’s very beautiful and represents the heart of Peter Parker,” he added.
Like millions of fans around the world, Cretton, who is of Japanese, American, Slovak, and Irish descent and grew up in Hawaii, said he spent his childhood imagining himself behind the Spider-Man mask.
“… Even though I’m from a very different culture than Peter Parker, there’s something about him that allows me to imagine myself behind the mask,” he added.