Sometimes gamers can be a little too passionate about their favorite characters.
This concept was on full display this week when PlayStation and Insomniac Games showed off a scene from the remastered PlayStation 5 version of Marvel’s Spider-Man. It revealed in that scene that they had recast the face actor for Peter Parker, citing motion capture issues.
However, the new face model is a dead ringer for Spider-Man movie actor Tom Holland, which might be part of the reason for the switch.
The voice acting remains the same, with Yuri Lowenthal still giving his truly epic career defining performance. But when it comes to appearance, the character looks totally different.
A lot of fans seemed to take the change to this iconic and beloved game in stride, showing understanding or even indifference. Others were happy to see the new visual direction for the character.
Then there were the detractors, most of whom seemed to be annoyed, but still acted like normal human beings about it.
Then came the others.
Marvel’s Spider-Man director Bryan Intihar took to Twitter yesterday to basically ask fans to stop sending him death threats.
Yes, death threats.
To our Spidey fans: I totally appreciate your passion, but sending me threatening notes that you will “HUNT YOU DOWN AND WE WILL FIND YOU! YOU FIX THIS NOW!” isn’t cool. With what’s happening in today’s world, let’s be a force for good and be respectful of each other. Thank you.
— Bryan Intihar (@bryanintihar) October 3, 2020
“To our Spidey fans,” he said in the tweet. “I totally appreciate your passion, but sending me threatening notes that you will ‘HUNT YOU DOWN AND WE WILL FIND YOU! YOU FIX THIS NOW!’ isn’t cool. With what’s happening in today’s world, let’s be a force for good and be respectful of each other. Thank you.”
UK model Ben Jordan, who is the new face of Peter Parker, has also been getting a share of the outrage, with people writing things like “the fans hate your face, bro,” and “your look is douchy as hell and this is all completely unnecessary,” on his social media channels.
Intihar’s call for civility was echoed by Marvel Games VP Bill Rosemann, who reminded Spider-Man fans what the character stands for, asking them to not be like the villains of the story they love so much.
You know who would send threatening notes to my Spider/Bro? Norman Osborn, Mr. Negative & Doctor Octopus. #SpiderManPS4 fans, in your life story are you the villain or are you Peter Parker, the hero you love so much? Be Peter. Be the hero. #BeGreater https://t.co/uAjDGhTOeo
— Bill Rosemann (@BillRosemann) October 3, 2020
“You know who would send threatening notes to my Spider/Bro?” he asked rhetorically. “Norman Osborn, Mr. Negative, and Doctor Octopus. Spider-Man PS4 fans, on your life story are you the villain or are you Peter Parker, the hero you love so much? Be Peter. Be the hero.”
Social media has given fans unprecedented levels of access to celebrities over the years. As such, it has given fans a sounding board to spew threats and ugliness. Star Wars actors Daisy Ridley and Kelly Marie Tran were run off of social media because of abuse like this from a toxic element of the Star Wars fanbase.