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Before Andrew Garfield's Spider-Man returned in No Way Home, Sony had envisioned something far more expansive than a simple trilogy. The studio planned an entire Spider-Man Cinematic Universe to rival Marvel's MCU, complete with interconnected films featuring villains, time travelers, and alternate versions of Spider-Man. Here's what that ambitious vision would have looked like.
The Sinister Six and Drew Goddard's Vision
Following the success of the MCU, Sony realized it owned the rights to Spider-Man's extensive roster of characters and villains. The next installment after The Amazing Spider-Man 2 would have been The Sinister Six, directed by Drew Goddard, the filmmaker behind Cabin in the Woods.
Goddard's vision was inspired by films like The Dirty Dozen and Reservoir Dogs, where audiences root for the protagonists despite them being villains. He wanted the film to stand alone, saying his vision was "a summer movie so you didn't have to worry about continuity. We take Peter, put him on an adventure, then we put him back in his life."
The project was reportedly bonkers, featuring The Savage Land with dinosaurs and time travel portals. Goddard was most excited about Sandman, with Tom Hardy as his first choice for the role. The film would have ended with Sandman towering over London like Godzilla. Notably, a post-credit scene cut from Amazing Spider-Man 2 was meant to introduce Norman Osborn's revival, with Gustaf Fears discovering his frozen head at Oscorp and saying, "Wake up, old friend."
The Amazing Spider-Man 3 and Symbiote Plot
Webb's planned third Amazing Spider-Man film would have opened with Peter mourning Gwen Stacy's death. The Symbiote would attach to Spider-Man, amplifying his anger and guilt. Peter would later separate from it, allowing the Symbiote to bond with Eddie Brock and set up Venom's standalone film.
In a bizarre twist, Sony discussed a serum that could resurrect the dead. Peter would have used it to bring back both Captain Stacy and Gwen. Sony even explored turning Gwen into Carnage, forcing Peter to kill her but allowing him to say goodbye and find closure.
Cut Characters and Future Plans
Two significant scenes were cut from Amazing Spider-Man 2. The first introduced Mary Jane, played by Shailene Woodley, in four scenes that didn't make the final cut. Webb explained it was difficult to introduce a competing love interest when so much was happening with Peter and Gwen. In the planned third film, Peter would have met MJ at group counseling sessions before developing a relationship, though Gwen's resurrection would have complicated things initially.
The second cut scene featured Peter's father, Richard Parker, revealing he disappeared to keep Peter safe from Oscorp and Osborn's feud. Webb planned to explore the repercussions of his return in the third film.
Sony's Five-Film Plan
After Amazing Spider-Man 2's poor reception, Sony executives reconsidered their approach. One proposal suggested a prequel featuring Kraven the Hunter, where Norman Osborn hires the Russian hunter to capture Spider-Man for his blood, believing it could cure his illness. Norman's transformation into the Green Goblin would occur during the film.
The five-film blueprint would have followed with The Sinister Six, Spider-Man 2099 (an origin story for Miguel O'Hara set in the future), a Venom film, a Black Cat film, and finally an Avengers-style team-up featuring Spider-Man, Black Cat, Venom, and Spider-Man 2099 against Carnage.
Why Andrew Garfield Didn't Continue
When Sony negotiated bringing Spider-Man into the MCU, Andrew Garfield was not included. Several factors contributed to this decision. Garfield failed to appear at a planned press event in Rio, offending Sony executives. He arrived with a scruffy beard, claimed exhaustion, and pulled out just hours before the event, embarrassing studio heads and personally offending Sony CEO Kazuo Hirai.
Garfield further damaged relations by publicly blaming the studio for meddling with the Amazing Spider-Man 2 script, saying the studio's interference broke the story's thread and broke his heart. Additionally, Kevin Feige criticized Garfield's performance as too emotional and questioned Webb's characterization of Peter Parker and the Richard Parker storyline. Feige likely championed recasting with a younger actor and removing the father subplot entirely, which is exactly what happened with Tom Holland.
Sony's Current State
With the MCU's Spider-Man success, Sony felt emboldened to create its own cinematic universe again. Results have been mixed. Venom succeeded at the box office, but its sequel performed poorly. Morbius became an internet meme for being critically panned, and Sony's decision to re-release it in theaters after misinterpreting online mockery as genuine interest backfired spectacularly.
With Kraven the Hunter on the horizon and Andrew Garfield's return to the role rumored, questions remain about whether Sony will attempt to revive elements of its original vision, including Drew Goddard's Sinister Six script.
