Film Phase 3B — Civil War & Fallout (2016–2018)

Spider-Man: Homecoming

Name: Spider-Man: Homecoming
Released: 2017-07-07
Duration: 133 min
Cast: Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Robert Downey Jr., Marisa Tomei, Jon Favreau

"Homework can wait. The city can't."

Released July 7, 2017 2h 13m ✦ Recommended

Following the events of Captain America: Civil War, Peter Parker, with the help of his mentor Tony Stark, tries to balance his life as an ordinary high school student in Queens, New York City, with fighting crime as his superhero alter ego Spider-Man as a new threat, the Vulture, emerges.

Watch note

Peter's first MCU solo film. Tony mentors him, then steps back. The foundation for who Peter is when No Way Home breaks him.

Why It Matters in the MCU

The MCU's Spider-Man reboot works because it is the first adaptation to commit fully to Peter Parker as a fifteen-year-old — a kid who is legitimately in over his head and not simply performing youth. Michael Keaton's Vulture is the franchise's most working-class villain: a contractor displaced by the superhero economy who turns to weapons smuggling not out of ideology but economic necessity. The twist about Liz's father lands as a genuine dramatic shock because the film builds the relationship before the reveal. It is also the only Spider-Man film that genuinely understands John Hughes.

Where It Fits in the MCU

Spider-Man: Homecoming sits at position 52 of 133 in the MCU's story-chronological order, placing it within the Phase 3B — Civil War & Fallout (2016–2018) era. It is rated Recommended — enriches the story but not strictly required. Watching in story-chronological order provides the most coherent character development experience — individual arcs build naturally toward the franchise's major crossover events, with each film's post-credits scenes carrying forward into what follows.