Aunt May is one of the most beloved and pivotal characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. She has been the rock and cornerstone of Spiderman’s alter ego, Peter Parker for his entire life.
Fans have adored her strength and resilience, kind nature, boldness, wisdom, and unconditional love for her nephew. Hearts broke when she became widowed, losing her husband, Ben. But watching her and Peter lean on each other and work to get through their grief was one of the most endearing arcs in comic history.
When Aunt May first hit the big screens in 2002’s Spider-Man, she was portrayed by 75-year-old Rosemary Harris, which closely aligned her to the characters comic appearance. She would feature in two more films before Aunt May would receive a new face in 2012’s The Amazing Spider-Man. That face was 66-year-old Sally Field. So, the character got younger and lost the grey hair, but was still similar to the May fans knew and loved.
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Then came Spider-Man officially becoming a part of the MCU, and in 2016’s Captain America: Civil War, fans got their first introduction to hot Aunt May. Played by Marisa Tomei, who was aged 52 at the time of filming but did not look a day over 40, the audience was equal parts stunned, annoyed, and thrilled. But the decision to have a more youthful and attractive Aunt May was not immediately explained. In fact, it would take another five years and four more films for the casting decision to make sense…
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Spider-Man: No Way Home was the movie that finally had the younger Aunt May feel like she fit. Because it was the one that featured her epic fight scene with Norman Osborn as the Green Goblin. The scene that showed how fiercely she loved her nephew and wanted to protect him; literally fighting for him until her last breath.
It was sad, but also so deeply moving. And incredibly logical that Aunt May was a younger woman. The elderly Rosemary Harris version could never have fought Green Goblin so viciously. Even the slightly younger Sally Field incarnation of the character would have struggled. But Marisa Tomei’s youthful Aunt May was strong, determined, and fought hard. Sadly, the battle ultimately saw her lose her life; but she did not die as a frail, old lady. She died a warrior. A brave, robust, warrior who loved her nephew so much she literally gave her life for him.
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Clearly, the MCU making Aunt May younger was about far more than just making her more physically attractive. It allowed the audience to see a different version of her, heroic and strong. And the five-year wait to see this come to fruition only makes the character even more likeable, deeper, and more real.
