Filmmaker Destin Daniel Cretton says Spider-Man’s greatest strength isn’t his ability to cast a web, but his power to make people believe they too can be a hero, explaining why the friendly neighborhood superhero has inspired generations around the world.
A local resident who recently went viral after dressing up as a superhero to manage traffic, warn motorists of hidden potholes and help commuters navigate flooded roads after heavy rains has made it clear that Spider-Man belongs in New York as much as Mumbai.
“I think it’s so cool that people can see themselves behind the Spider-Man mask. If there’s a character to emulate, I can’t think of a better character than Spider-Man,” Cretton, director of the new superhero film “Spider-Man: New Day” starring Tom Holland, told PTI in an interview.
He added: “I think it’s really beautiful that someone is helping someone else at a very difficult time in their life, and it speaks to the heart of Peter Parker.”
Like millions of fans around the world, Creighton, who is of Japanese, American, Slovak and Irish descent, grew up in Hawaii and said he spent his childhood imagining himself wearing a Spider-Man mask.
“…Even though I come from a very different culture than Peter Parker, there’s something so universal about him that makes me imagine myself behind the mask,” he added.