It’s been almost two years since Spider-Man: No Way Home hit theaters, and Willem Dafoe’s Green Goblin and Jamie Foxx’s Electro made their triumphant return to the big screen and debut in the MCU. Seeing Spider-Man villains return delivered a nostalgic punch to fans of the beloved wallcrawler and his enemies. Defoe donning the iconic Green Goblin suit sans mask, complete with the menacing glider and pumpkin bombs, was particularly exciting. Jamie Foxx also returned as Electro, but this time, he lost his Amazing Spider-Man 2 movie’s blue look and got a new and improved design. Some newly released concept art shows what we almost got for the characters’ big-screen debut, and it’s pretty darn cool.
Nizzi took to Instagram to shed light on some alternate designs for Green Goblin and Electro. The intriguing reinterpretation of Electro, which you can see embedded below, incorporates his blue skin and suit from The Amazing Spider-Man 2 into a fresh MCU-style costume. The alternate design for Electro is particularly captivating. While his appearance in Marc Webb‘s 2014 superhero movie featured a suit and blue skin, Nizzi found a way to blend that unique look with something more in line with what we know as the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s style.
As for Willem Dafoe’s Green Goblin, Nizzi’s work showcases a militarized version of the classic villain. The design features a more high-tech suit, emphasizing his formidable presence. It seems consistent across all concepts that the filmmakers never planned to have DaFoe wear his highly criticized mask from Sam Raimi’s 2002 icon movie. Considering how much hate it’s gotten over the years, it’s no big surprise. However, you could argue that this version, while not terrible, doesn’t offer that much of a different or fresh take on the character. It’s clear why the filmmakers ultimately chose to go in the direction they did. Honestly, this look is a bit too Metal Gear Solid for my taste.
No Way Home sees Peter Parker turning to Dr. Stephen Strange for help concealing his identity. Unfortunately, things don’t go as planned, leading to a disruption in the multiverse. Consequently, characters from alternate realities find their way into Parker’s universe. This third installment of Tom Holland‘s trilogy delighted audiences with exciting moments–even eliciting audience applause–not only due to the return of villains from previous films but also because it introduced Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock, bringing him into the MCU proper. Most notably, it brought together all three live-action versions of Peter Parker for an epic final battle, quickly becoming one of the best-ranking Spider-Man movies.
While it’s fascinating to get a glimpse behind the scenes and explore the alternate directions considered during the film’s development, No Way Home ended up exceeding the expectations of this devoted Web Head enthusiast.
As for Sony and Marvel’s future Spidey collaborations, the specifics still need to be clarified. However, we know the upcoming Marvel movie, The Marvels, is the next big-screen superhero flick to hit theaters on November 10th. Additionally, a sequel to this year’s hit, Across the Spider-Verse (which you can enjoy with a Netflix subscription), is in the works, even though it was removed from the 2024 movie schedule. In the meantime, you can check out the 2023 movie release calendar to plan your next cinematic adventure.