Speculation abounded about which character Remy Hii was playing in Spider-Man: Far From Home ever since his casting announcement last August, but now his role has finally been confirmed by the producers themselves. Because this film signals the end of Marvel’s Phase 3, not to mention because it’s so connected to the end of Avengers: Endgame, details of the plot have been kept under wraps until the latest trailer debuted this week.

Hii caught many viewers’ attention after his turn as Alistair Cheng in Crazy Rich Asians, but he had previously made his mark as Prince Jingim in Netflix’s Marco Polo. Furthermore, his casting is another indicator that the creative team behind Far From Home is committed to the diversity of the first Spider-Man film. Considering that Peter grew up in Queens, the fact that his high school is full of students and teachers of various ethnicities is the most realistic aspect of his story.

Remy Hii will be a crucial part of those realistic high school dynamics, as he’s playing a student named Brad. As producer Eric Carroll explained during our set visit to the UK over the Summer, “He is the kind of guy [that] guys like me and Peter hated in high school. His hair is always looking right, the clothes always fit the way they’re supposed to, he always would have something funny to say, and he’s read all the same books as MJ - or at least he lies and says he’s read all the same books as MJ.”

It seems clear with the addition of this extra element of teenage shenanigans that Spider-Man: Far From Home will not be losing touch with Homecoming’s roots, despite taking place oceans away. “We wanted to keep that sort of high school soap opera thing alive in this movie,” Carroll added. “So, if you really look back at the old Spider-Man comics, that side of it is really as important as the superhero.” As for the character of Brad himself, Peter’s rivalry with him is complicated by the fact that he’s not a stereotypical bully. “He’s not mean-spirited. He doesn’t pick on Peter or shove him in lockers. He just happens to make the girls Peter likes laugh a lot, which makes Peter uncomfortable.”

Carroll also teased a “fun character set piece” where Peter, accompanied by an imposing driver (played by Numan Acar) and impressive technological access courtesy of Nick Fury, tries to use his new advantages for less-than-noble purposes. “Basically, he tries to make Brad look bad. And almost blows up his bus by launching some weaponized drones that this spy team has access to.” If the scene he described is anything to go by, it may be Peter who resorts to a bullying tactic or two in order to get one over on Brad.

Spider-Man may defeat the villains with ease now that he’s gone up against Thanos, but whether he’ll be able to win MJ’s heart is another matter entirely. And if Brad’s his competition, then he’s going to need all the luck he can get.  Either way, it’s good to know that as large-scale as Spider-Man: Far From Home may get, Peter Parker will remain as relatable as ever.

More: Spider-Man: Far From Home Trailer Breakdown - 16 Story Reveals & Secrets

  • spider-man homecoming 2 Release Date: 2019-07-02