Arts & Entertainment
Sony reportedly planning to introduce bisexual ‘Spider-Man’ in next movie

According to a report from geek fansite We Got This Covered, the entertainment giant is looking to develop their return to the superhero franchise as a live-action movie in the vein of 2018’s “Into the Spider-Verse,” the Oscar-winning animated film featuring multiple versions of the superhero who are brought together from their respective dimensions to join forces against an enemy seeking to destroy them all.
The first “Spider-Verse” film was widely praised for its emphasis on diversity, bringing the first Spider-Man-of-Color to the screen in the form of Brooklyn teenager Miles Morales. Now, according to WGTC, the studio wants to continue the trend by making the beloved superhero bisexual and giving him a boyfriend.
According to the website’s sources – whom they cite as having a reliable track record for information, having previously provided several rumors that later proved to be true, such as the upcoming She-Hulk series set to debut on Disney Plus and the identity of the villain in this summer’s long-awaited “Black Widow” movie – Sony is looking to use the “multiverse” premise to bring together all three actors that have played Spidey in the big-screen franchise, uniting current webslinger Tom Holland with his two predecessors in the role, Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield.
The buzz further indicates that Sony is particularly interested in getting Garfield to return and play his version of the character as bisexual. Garfield said in 2013 that he believed Spider-Man could be portrayed as gay.
He’s not the only one who has had the thought. Last year, Holland also made comments saying that he would like to see “a gay Spider-Man,” later going on to elaborate, “I think that would be a very progressive way to kind of create a new character. So yeah, I think there should be one one day and I hope I get to share the screen with that person.”
If the latest rumor is true, both he and Garfield could get their wish. Not only that, but if Sony truly gives Spidey an onscreen boyfriend, it will be a welcome change after multiple promises to introduce LGBTQ characters to big action franchises that have ended up as disappointing, blink-and-you-miss-them moments that essentially only give lip service to the idea of inclusion – such as in last year’s “Avengers: Endgame” and “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.”
It’s a little too early to get excited, of course – the information at this stage is only a rumor, with no word on whether any of the players involved would be interested or have even been approached.
Still, according to WGTC, the same source that gave them this information also told them that “National Treasure 3” was going to happen – and if something that far-fetched turned out to be true, then there’s hope for a non-hetero superhero yet.

The 2025 Baltimore Pride Parade was held on Saturday, June 14.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)








































































You’ve done your share of marching.
You’re determined to wring every rainbow-hued thing out of this month. The last of the parties hasn’t arrived yet, neither have the biggest celebrations and you’re primed but – OK, you need a minute. So pull up a chair, take a deep breath, and read these great books on gay history, movies, and more.
You probably don’t need to be told that harassment and discrimination was a daily occurrence for gay people in the past (as now!), but “American Scare: Florida’s Hidden Cold War on Black and Queer Lives” by Robert W. Fieseler (Dutton, $34) tells a story that runs deeper than you may know. Here, you’ll read a historical expose with documented, newly released evidence of a systemic effort to ruin the lives of two groups of people that were perceived as a threat to a legislature full of white men.
Prepared to be shocked, that’s all you need to know.
You’ll also want to read the story inside “The Many Passions of Michael Hardwick: Sex and the Supreme Court in the Age of AIDS” by Martin Padgett (W.W. Norton & Company, $31.99), which sounds like a novel, but it’s not. It’s the story of one man’s fight for a basic right as the AIDS crisis swirls in and out of American gay life and law. Hint: this book isn’t just old history, and it’s not just for gay men.
Maybe you’re ready for some fun and who doesn’t like a movie? You know you do, so you’ll want “Sick and Dirty: Hollywood’s Gay Golden Age and the Making of Modern Queerness” by Michael Koresky (Bloomsbury, $29.99). It’s a great look at the Hays Code and what it allowed audiences to see, but it’s also about the classics that sneaked beneath the code. There are actors, of course, in here, but also directors, writers, and other Hollywood characters you may recognize. Grab the popcorn and settle in.
If you have kids in your life, they’ll want to know more about Pride and you’ll want to look for “Pride: Celebrations & Festivals” by Eric Huang, illustrated by Amy Phelps (Quarto, $14.99), a story of inclusion that ends in a nice fat section of history and explanation, great for kids ages seven-to-fourteen. Also find “Are You a Friend of Dorothy? The True Story of an Imaginary Woman and the Real People She Helped Shape” by Kyle Lukoff, illustrated by Levi Hastings (Simon & Schuster, $19.99), a lively book about a not-often-told secret for kids ages six-to-ten; and “Papa’s Coming Home” by Chasten Buttigieg, illustrated by Dan Taylor (Philomel, $19.99), a sweet family tale for kids ages three-to-five.
Finally, here’s a tween book that you can enjoy, too: “Queer Heroes” by Arabelle Sicardi, illustrated by Sarah Tanat-Jones (Wide Eyed, $14.99), a series of quick-to-read biographies of people you should know about.
Want more Pride books? Then ask your favorite bookseller or librarian for more, because there are so many more things to read. Really, the possibilities are almost endless, so march on in.
Music & Concerts
Indigo Girls coming to Capital One Hall
Stars take center stage alongside Fairfax Symphony

Capital One Center will host “The Indigo Girls with the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra” on Thursday, June 19 and Friday, June 20 at 8 p.m. at Capital One Hall.
The Grammy Award-winning folk and pop stars will take center stage alongside the Fairfax Symphony, conducted by Jason Seber. The concerts feature orchestrations of iconic hits such as “Power of Two,” “Get Out The Map,” “Least Complicated,” “Ghost,” “Kid Fears,” “Galileo,” “Closer to Fine,” and many more.
Tickets are available on Ticketmaster or in person at Capital One Hall the nights of the concerts.