Michael Keatonis a big deal.
I mean, the guyisBatman.
He helped originate the modern superhero movie with his unique take on Bruce Wayne.
But hes shined in a variety of roles throughout his career, fromMr.
MomtoBeetlejuicetoSpotlight, and through them all his humanity is always evident.
Vulture) andTom Hollands Spider-Man.
Image via Sony Pictures
Keep in mind this interview was conducted in August 2016, so that should provide some context.
Check out the full interview below.
Tell us about the Vulture.
Image via Sony Pictures
MICHEAL KEATON: Can’t tell you.
I’m not allowed.
Okay, tell us about Toomes then.
Image via Sony Pictures
KEATON: You know this is a little bit learning as I go along.
Which was appealing because hes somewhat of a victim.
He takes things in that he feels like a victim, and some of it is justified actually.
Image via Sony Pictures
And there’s a whole lot of folks who are working hard, and don’t have much.
Does that sound familiar to anybody, given the political climate?
Which I think is an interesting way to go about this.
Image via Sony
Well, they gave us the rundown.
We know that he’s a salvage guy.
KEATON: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
That’s pretty much it.
He’s a working guy.
He’s built this business, this company.
And they took it from him.
We were in his hideout over there, and there’s kid’s drawings on the fridge.
I feel like this is the first Marvel villain that’s a dad, and has kids.
I was curious if that makes him one of the more sympathetic villains.
In fact, I have to see in perspective.
But I’m assuming you’ve talked to Jon about that, about him being what he just said?
Um, which when Jon talked about it was really interesting to me.
I’m just here to do the gig, you know?
I was wondering if you were influential in molding that character, or how you affected the changes.
KEATON: Honestly, I don’t know.
I’m kind of sorry to hear that.
So, I kind of had to find it with him after we talked a lot.
Well, we talked a little about it, enough about it.
And I thought I had the general world, you know?
So I go, “Oh, okay.”
I adjusted to him a little more than he adjusted to me.
I think a lot of it gets adjusted in the writing.
I didn’t know that I was being adjusted more than anybody else!
And the thing about me not doing superhero movies, that’s not true at all.
Honestly, it wasn’t working out at the time schedule-wise, because I didThe Founder.
And there will probably be a little promotion for that.
And I’m starting to work onAmerican Assassin.
I guess that’s what that means.
It just wasn’t working that way when it was originally set you know?
The Vulture is more of a blue-collar villain than the MCU has seen before.
I’m wondering if because of your Pittsburgh roots, did that connect to you in a certain way?
KEATON: Probably, yeah.
I would say probably.
I think it’s a really interesting approach.
So since we know there’s a clear gap in fairness.
In a lot of ways, economically, racially, blah, blah, blah.
Not blaming anybody, it just is.
So then you say, that can be interpreted and misinterpreted and used by a lot of different people.
Some people run for office; some people make a run at gain influence.
I generally believe all that’s true.
So, this is a tricky area to step into.
And I’m willing to be representative.
I’m just an actor.
But I hope this isn’t interpreted by people who misrepresent this stuff.
You know what I mean?
It’s interesting that the Vulture’s plan is so rooted in the fallout of the other Marvel movies.
So, were you aware of those other movies?
Had you seen them?
KEATON: I barely know who the Joker is (laughter).
I’ll tell you my source though.
There’s two little girls of a gal who used to work for me.
I check in with them.
One’s eight and the other one is 11 or 12.
So when I have to ask a question about all that stuff, I text ‘em.
They fill me in on who’s who.
That’s my research (laughs).
That’s the best way to do it, listen to the kids.
KEATON: Yeah, totally.
Can you tell us about the scene you’re shooting today?
Tom mentioned it’s Spider-Man’s first meeting with Vulture?
Without giving too much away: this is the first time Tom comes intomyarea.
Not Tom, Peter/Spider-Man.
And this kid isfantastic.
I just love him, as a kid, as a guy.
He’s a good kid, and a talented actor.
Has a sense of being funny.
And fit, the kid is really fit.
Some of them even get powered up with their own suits and stuff.
Can you talk about your loyal compatriots?
They’re his boys, and they are like-minded.
They are just his boys, you know?
I really like the relationship with the Tinkerer, with Michael [Chernus]’s characterit’s great.
He’s real funny, so we goof around a lot and make up very, very funny backstories.
Theyre funny but then you think, Well, that’sprobablytheir relationship.
They probably get on each other’s nerves sometimes.
I have a lot of the ideas and then I just say, “Go make that.
Go make that for me.
I want to have a thing that does all this stuff.
Just go make that stuff for me.”
And he’s great.
I’m having a lot of fun in that relationship.
For more onSpider-Man: Homecoming, peruse the links to the rest of my set visit coverage below.
The film opens in theaters on July 7th.
