Due to the mixed critical reception and lowering box office returns from The Amazing Spider-Man and The Amazing Spider-Man 2, much was left up in the air regarding the future of the series. Sony planned a SpiderVerse similar to Marvel’s MCU, with Drew Goddard signing on to write and direct a Sinister Six movie, a Venom/Carnage spin-off was planned and there was even discussion of a young Aunt May story.
Speaking to Den of Geek US, director of both previous entries, Marc Webb, has finally revealed what the plans were. “They were going to make a Sinister Six movie before we did the third [Spider-Man movie],” he said. “Chris Cooper was going to come back and play the Goblin. We were going to freeze his head, and then he was going to be brought back to life. And then there was that character called The Gentleman. We had some notions about how to do it, but I think maybe we were thinking too far ahead when we started building in those things. But it was a fun exercise. I look back very fondly on those days.”
Cooper had debuted as Norman Osborn in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, with his son Harry becoming the Green Goblin later in the film. “That was going to be the main villain,” he says of Norman Osborn. “He was going to come out and lead the Sinister Six. We had talked about Vulture a little bit too, actually.”
Of course, all plans fell apart due to the poor reception to The Amazing Spider-Man 2. Sony then struck a deal with Marvel Studios for the friendly wall-crawler to join his Avenger pals in the MCU. “I’m desperate to,” Webb said, admitting he’s not seen Spider-Man: Homecoming yet. “I’ve just been bouncing back and forth to New York. I saw Wonder Woman, which I loved, and I really want to see it. I think Tom Holland’s great.”
What do you make of these plans for The Amazing Spider-Man 3? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below…
Originally published August 9, 2017. Updated April 16, 2018.
