Spider-Man: Brand New Day Almost Featured a Different Villain

Spider-Man: Brand New Day, the latest installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), has been making waves with its unique take on the classic Spider-Man story. However, did you know that the film almost featured a different villain before settling on Jean Grey?

According to an interview with screenwriters Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers on The Q&A with Jeff Goldsmith, the film came close to introducing Dmitri Smerdyakov, a.k.a. Chameleon, as the main antagonist. Chameleon, a classic Spider-Man villain, was initially considered as the perfect fit for the role of the mind-controlling villain.

McKenna and Sommers revealed that the idea of Chameleon was tossed aside because he was already scheduled to appear in Sony’s Kraven the Hunter, a 2024 film starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson. This unexpected twist led to the Chameleon idea being cut from Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

However, the journey to find the perfect villain was not without its challenges. McKenna explained that the team was initially stuck on the concept of metamorphosis, which eventually led them to the idea of mind control. ‘We came up with metamorphosis, and everyone was very excited about that idea,’ McKenna said. ‘Then, we were trying to come up with a villain.’

The search for the perfect villain led the team to consider several options, including Die Hard with a Vengeance. However, it was Jean Grey who ultimately stole the show as the mind-controlling villain in Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

Despite the initial challenges, Spider-Man: Brand New Day has been a massive success, breaking records in its opening weekend and reaching $2 billion globally to become the highest-grossing Spider-Man movie of all time.

Reviews from audiences and critics have been favorable, with IGN giving it a 7/10. ‘It effectively refocuses on the most reliable pillars of the webslinger: battling inner turmoil, swinging around NYC saving the day, and looking cool while doing so,’ the review said.

For more information on Spider-Man: Brand New Day, check out the interview with McKenna and Sommers on The Q&A with Jeff Goldsmith.

Why Chameleon Wasn’t the Perfect Fit

McKenna and Sommers revealed that the team had concerns about using Chameleon as the main villain due to the character’s shapeshifting abilities, which were already explored in the MCU through the Skrulls. ‘We were going, ‘Chameleon?’ But how do you do that?’ McKenna said.

To make Chameleon work, the team would have had to rework the character’s powers to use mind control instead of shapeshifting. However, this would have required significant changes to the character’s identity, which ultimately led to the decision to cut Chameleon from the film.

What Went Wrong with the Chameleon Idea?

McKenna revealed that the Chameleon idea was cut due to scheduling conflicts with Sony’s Kraven the Hunter. ‘It was like, ugh, you can’t do Chameleon, but that got us on the path of mind control,’ McKenna said.

McKenna added that the team was initially excited about the idea of Chameleon, but it eventually fell apart due to the character’s limitations. ‘We were trying to think of a villain that would fit that bill, and we were thinking, ‘Gosh, what’s a Spider-Man classic villain that no one has really done yet in the films?’ We were going, ‘Chameleon?’ But how do you do that?’ McKenna said.

What’s Next for Spider-Man: Brand New Day?

Despite the initial challenges, Spider-Man: Brand New Day has been a massive success, breaking records in its opening weekend and reaching $2 billion globally to become the highest-grossing Spider-Man movie of all time.

The film’s success has been attributed to its unique take on the classic Spider-Man story, which effectively refocuses on the most reliable pillars of the webslinger: battling inner turmoil, swinging around NYC saving the day, and looking cool while doing so.

For more information on Spider-Man: Brand New Day, check out the interview with McKenna and Sommers on The Q&A with Jeff Goldsmith.