In an alternate vision forSpider-Man: No Way Home, Michael Keaton’s Vulture was slated to join forces with Peter Parker (Tom Holland) in a bid to confront the menacing Green Goblin, Doc Ock, and Electro, who had entered their world through the shattered boundaries of the multiverse. The film begins with Peter grappling with the exposure of his secret identity by Mysterio in the previous installment,Spider-Man: Far From Home. Seeking a solution, Peter turns to Doctor Strange for magical assistance, hoping to erase the world’s knowledge of his true self. However, this seemingly well-intentioned spell goes awry, unleashing chaos and paving the way for the arrival of supervillains from different dimensions.
Concept artist Phil Saunders offered a glimpse of what could have been in an ArtStation post (viaInstagram), showcasing a scene featuring Peter Parker and Vulture collaborating to tackle the multiverse villains. The duo would have embarked on a journey, with Peter leveraging Doc Ock’s hacked tentacles to escort the multiversal villains across the city. However, as often happens in complex projects like this, the script evolved over time to align with the broader MCU plan and adapt to various challenges. Saunders wrote:
“On any project of this complexity, the script will go through numerous changes as story direction adapts to the greater MCU plan and challenges such as actor availability. An early version of Spiderman: Far From Home [sic] had Peter enlisting the aid of a former foe in rehabilitating the captured multiverse villains. Much fun would have been had watching him frog-march the multiversal miscreants across town with the help of Doc Ock’s hacked tentacles. It was a great joy to attempt to capture the diverse attitudes of these incredible actors.”
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How the Pandemic Altered Plans for Spider-Man: No Way Home
Originally, the Marvel Cinematic Universe had an intricate plan in place, whereDoctor Strange in the Multiverseof Madnesswas set to debut beforeSpider-Man: No Way Home.As costume designer Graham Churchyard explained, within this framework, there were exciting prospects, including a cameo byTom Holland’s Peter Parker in Doctor Strange’s multiverse escapade. Additionally, Doctor Strange and America Chavez were slated to be integral parts of the storyline inSpider-Man: No Way Home. However, the unforeseen disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic threw these well-laid plans into disarray.
The release schedules for both films underwent significant reshuffling due to the pandemic’s impact on the industry.Spider-Man: No Way Homeended up hitting theaters first, causing the cameos and crossovers between the two films to be abandoned.
“Spider-Man: No Way Home was supposed to come out after Multiverse [of Madness], and then with COVID [changes], it then came out before. So Doctor Strange in his new costume and America Chavez were supposed to go into [No Way Home], and Spider-Man was supposed to come in – for a very brief cameo appearance into Multiverse. And then, you know, COVID just shook it all up.”
In the concept art for the film, there were hints aboutChavez’s potential role. It showed her in an amusement park, likely using her star-shaped portal-creating abilities. As a character known for traversing the multiverse and opening portals to various dimensions, Chavez could have played a crucial part in the film. However, Marvel Studios opted not to include another time-traveling superhero in this cross-dimensional outing, reserving her character for a more prominent role inDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
