Aaron Davis
Donald Glover Debuted As Aaron Davis In Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
While Tom Holland's first solo MCU movie as Peter Parker's Spider-Man was incredibly exciting anyway, the introduction of Donald Glover as Aaron Davis made it even more brilliant. In Marvel Comics, Aaron Davis is the brother of Jefferson Davis and the uncle of Miles Morales.
The latter becomes Spider-Man after Peter Parker's death in the Ultimate Universe of Earth-1610, so Aaron Davis' debut in the MCU hints at Miles Morales already existing on Earth-616, which could set him up to be Peter Parker's successor in Marvel Studios' upcoming Spider-Man 4 and beyond.
Miles Morales is voiced by Shameik Moore in Sony's animated Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and its sequel, Across the Spider-Verse. Moore will voice the character in the upcoming sequel, Beyond the Spider-Verse, but is too old to portray the character in live-action.
This is a thrilling concept, but Aaron Davis hasn't reappeared in the MCU since his debut back in 2017's Spider-Man: Homecoming. Donald Glover did appear as Aaron Davis in his costume as the villainous Prowler in 2023's Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, but it's unclear if this version of the character will return to the MCU proper.
Aaron Davis mentioned his nephew in Homecoming, so Marvel Studios now runs the risk of Miles Morales becoming too old to bring into the MCU, as he originally becomes Spider-Man as a young teen.
Donald Glover's portrayal of Aaron Davis in Spider-Man: Homecoming adds a surprising layer to the MCU, hinting at the broader Spider-Verse. In Marvel Comics, Aaron is crucial to Miles Morales' origin, increasing speculation about his appearance in future films as Marvel Studios explores new storylines. With characters like the Prowler making appearances in the animated films and Glover's duality as a live-action actor, fans are eager to see how these threads connect. Miles Morales, originally a young teen and pivotal in the face of Peter Parker's legacy, must be handled carefully by Marvel's storytellers to fit within the evolving narrative of the MCU, particularly regarding age and character development. Additionally, with Miles being a fan-favorite, the challenge remains for Marvel to balance development time and age appropriateness as audiences await the next Spider-Man installment. The future of Aaron Davis and his nephew will undoubtedly shape the MCU's direction, contributing to the excitement for upcoming Marvel projects.
