Spider-Man should stay white and straight in the movies, says comic book veteran Stan Lee

'I’m just not too happy changing what has already been established'

Andrew Garfield as Spider-Man. The actor’s father is Jewish

A recently leaked memo stating Spider-Man should remain white and heterosexual in the upcoming movie sparked questions about how committed the film industry really is to diversity.

But the superhero’s co-creator thinks it is important that Spider-Man remains as he is.

Former Marvel Comics president Stan Lee said he sees “no reason” why there couldn’t be a non-white or homosexual super-hero in years to come, but doesn’t like the idea of comic book characters changing in the films.

“The only thing I don’t like doing is changing the characters we already have,” he told E! News.

Peter Parker's mixed race replacement Miles Morales has sparked hope a non-white Spider-Man will be cast in the near future (Marvel)

“For example, I’d like Spider-Man to stay as he is, but I have no problem creating a superhero who’s homosexual.

“I have no problem with having a black one, a Latino one, a Chinese one, anything – the whole world is our playground. The whole world has heroes we can draw from.”

He added: “I’m just not too happy changing what has already been established.”

With black-Hispanic teenager Miles Morales re-cast as Peter Parker in Marvel’s major Spider-Man comic book last month, there is hope that a film in the near future could include a non-white actor.

Tom Holland will replace Andrew Garfield as the next Spider-Man (Anthony Harvey/Getty Images)

British actor Tom Holland has been cast as the next Spider-Man in the upcoming reboot of the film due out in 2017.

Read more: Miles Morales to replace Peter Parker as first black Spider-Man in Marvel comics