TV NEWS BULLETIN

EXT. NEW YORK CITY - INTERCUT

Rio and Jefferson watch the news. Miles sits up in bed.

NEWS ANCHOR #2 (V.O.): We interrupt this broadcast for a special report. Sad news tonight. The hero known as Spider-Man has died after injuries related to another powerful earthquake in Brooklyn.

Over a montage of people around the city finding out Spider-Man died, we hear...

NEWS ANCHOR #2 (V.O.): Multiple sources are confirming that Peter Parker, a 26 year old grad student and part time photographer, operated as SpiderMan for at least a decade, saving by some counts thousands of lives around the world. With these tragic seismic events on the rise, one can only wonder, is there anyone who can keep New York safe?

People look at cell phones in Times Square.

MULTIPLE NEWS ANCHORS (V.O.): Peter Parker, Spider-Man, is dead. / He is survived by his wife Mary Jane and his aunt, May Parker. / Our hero Spider-Man is gone.

EXT. ELECTRONICS STORE - DAY

Miles stands in front of a TV display at a store window. All the TVS are playing the news about Spider-Man’s death. Miles looks at the TVs, his reflection appearing between photos of Spider-Man and Peter Parker.

MJ (V.O.): My husband Peter Parker was an ordinary person. He always said it could have been anyone behind the mask. He was just the kid who happened to get bit.

INT. STAN’S COSTUME STORE - DAY

Miles looks at a Spider-Man costume, deciding. Then BUYS IT from a COMIC BOOK OWNER who looks A LOT LIKE...

STORE OWNER: I’m going to miss him.

MILES: Yeah.

STORE OWNER: We were friends, you know.

MILES: Can I return it if it doesn’t fit?

STORE OWNER: It always fits. Eventually.

Beat. Stan head tilts to a sign: NO RETURNS. He smiles.

INT. BATHROOM

Miles puts the costume on and stares at himself in the mirror.

MJ (V.O.): He didn’t ask for his powers. But he chose to be Spider-Man.

He experiments, crouching in a classic Spider-Man pose. He relaxes then quickly tries another pose.

EXT. CATHEDRAL - DAY

Miles walks in a sea of well wishers in full costume, many also in Spider-Man costumes, homemade and store bought.

MJ: My favorite thing about Peter is that he made us each feel powerful. We all have powers of one kind or another. But in our own way, we are all Spider-Man. And we’re all counting on you.

MILES: (to himself) They’re counting on me.

FUNERAL ATTENDEE: (whispers to Miles) Probably not you specifically. I think it’s a metaphor.

MJ backs away from the dais. Aunt May comforts her.

EXT. ALLEY

Miles rounds a corner and takes out the Spider-Man Origins comic book. He flips to a page that depicts Peter testing his new powers by jumping from a building.

INT. BUILDING - DAY

Miles RUNS UP A FLIGHT OF STAIRS, eyes determined. He BURSTS THROUGH A DOOR AND onto--

EXT. ROOF - DAY

Miles walks to the edge, looks DOWN and then ACROSS to the neighboring roof, calculating the jump.

He BACKS UP. Cracks his neck. Waits there. As the MUSIC CRESCENDOES.

INT. BUILDING - DAY

Miles RUNS DOWN A FLIGHT OF STAIRS.

INT. BUILDING - DAY

Miles, disappointed in himself for chickening out, eyes a SHORTER BUILDING.

INT. BUILDING - DAY

Miles RUNS UP ANOTHER FLIGHT OF STAIRS.

EXT. ROOF - DAY

He BACKS UP. Cracks his neck...then RUNS, gaining speed and TRIPS on his untied shoelace, FALLING TO THE GROUND BELOW. We make a meal of the fall, comics-style.

Miles lands with a CRACK (BURST CARD), and pulls out the key which is now TOTALLY BROKEN.