Betty Brant can’t seem to get away from J. Jonah Jameson. In the Sam Raimi Spider-Man universe, she was played by Elizabeth Banks and had to sign Peter’s checks, but in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Betty is played by Angourie Rice and was Peter’s classmate at Midtown High School, where she hosted their news program and dated Peter Parker’s best friend, Ned.
Now? She’s gone full reporter mode (or worst-intern-ever mode) and joined J.K. Simmons’ Jameson at the Alex Jones-esque version of the Daily Bugle. Now complete with social media accounts? Much like Marvel created the WHiH videos to gear up for Captain America: Civil War, the team behind Spider-Man: No Way Home has been getting the information out about the “Spider-Menace” through YouTube videos and TikTok. Oh what I would not give to be a fly on the wall when someone had to explain what an “FYP” page is to J. Jonah Jameson.
But the TikToks have now turned to Jameson apparently blaming Peter Parker for the “supervillain” attacks on Manhattan by chiming into Betty’s TikTok reporting to tell her that there are no villains—it’s just the Spider-Menace trying to trick everyone.
@thedailybugleofficialLightning and sand storms in NYC? ⚡️🌪️ Find out who’s behind it all in our latest report!♬ SpiderMan No Way Home in theaters December 17 – The Daily Bugle
The most recent video featured Coach Wilson (Hannibal Buress) and had Betty asking him why he didn’t realize Peter had superhero abilities.
@thedailybugleofficialDaily Bugle Exclusive: a chat with one of Peter Parker’s teachers, Coach Wilson.♬ SpiderMan No Way Home in theaters December – The Daily Bugle
All of this is par for the course, though, and the beginning of Peter’s connection to the Daily Bugle. The difference is just that they now know who he really is.
The Daily Bugle vs. Spider-Man
From the dawning of the live-action Spider-Man movies, we’ve heard of the Daily Bugle. Simmons brought J. Jonah Jameson to life in the Raimi-verse and demanded that he get pictures of Spider-Man, and we got to see Peter working for him as a photographer. While we never got to Peter working for Jameson in the Andrew Garfield films, his love of photography was still there.
It is, frankly, my one complaint about the Tom Holland movies. Outside of Peter making his home video in the beginning of Homecoming, we haven’t seen his love of photography and his eventual career choice represented yet. But I’m hopeful that the inclusion of the Daily Bugle and with Betty Brant clearly interning there, we can see more of that comic history come to life for Tom Holland’s Peter Parker.
Spider-Man: No Way Home is either going to make Peter Parker’s life easier in the long run or much much worse, and maybe having the Daily Bugle posting slanderous headlines about him is the least of his worries.
(image: Marvel Entertainment)
Want more stories like this? Become a subscriber and support the site!
—The Mary Sue has a strict comment policy that forbids, but is not limited to, personal insults toward anyone, hate speech, and trolling.—
