During a set visit last summer, the Spider-Man: Far From Home producers revealed that the Audi commercial that aired as part of Spider-Man: Homecoming’s promotion left such a lasting impression on Marvel Studios it earned comedian J.B. Smoove a role in the sequel. With the release date of Peter Parker’s next adventure approaching, and the spoiler ban from Avengers: Endgame lifted, all kinds of casting tidbits and behind-the-scenes previews have been coming out of the woodwork.
The promo, which featured Smoove as a harried driver’s ed teacher who wouldn’t have passed Parker if not for Tony Stark’s ultra-advanced vehicle and the distraction of a few bank robbers, directly inspired the producers to write him into the next Spider-Man film. Based on the role he’s taking on, it’s clear that no matter how Far From Home Peter and his friends may be, the high school side of his character won’t be left behind.
Producer Eric Carroll confirmed that Smoove is playing a teacher named Mr. Dell, who accompanies the Midtown School of Science and Technology students on their European field trip - and he won’t be alone. “We’re also bringing back Martin Starr as the hapless Mr. Harrington,” Carroll said. “Together [with Mr. Dell], they constitute the least-capable group of chaperones ever to be sent to Europe with a bunch of kids.”
Of course, Martin Starr’s memorable turn in Homecoming made him an obvious candidate for the world’s unluckiest guardian. “When we knew we wanted a teacher to be escorting these kids across Europe, he was our first choice,” the producer explained. Then the laughs provided by the Audi commercial seemed to pair perfectly with the kind of tone set by Starr’s school antics, “So, sure enough, now we’ve got these two as this amazing comedic pair showing these kids around Europe.”
Carroll even teased a taste of the dynamic duo, calling Mr. Harrington understated and Mr. Dell very much exaggerated. “Martin Starr, he’s like, ‘Okay, kids, there’s a water monster. So, maybe we’ll-’, and then you’ve got J.B. Smoove doing the exact opposite. ‘Are you guys seeing this?!’” As funny as each of these actors have proven to be on their own, it’s certain that they’ll be even more hysterical as a unit.
Considering that in-world content is rarely produced by partners, according to Carroll, the Audi commercial in and of itself was a surprise. But soon fans will be thanking both it and Smoove for contributing that extra dash of humor to Spider-Man: Far From Home when it hits theaters this summer.
More: How Tony Stark Can Still Be In Spider-Man: Far From Home
- spider-man homecoming 2 Release Date: 2019-07-02
