Spider-Man 4 Original Script Featured Two Classic Villains

Spider-Man 4 is set to release on July 24, 2026, but Marvel Studios has had some issues getting the film off the ground. Destin Daniel Cretton is set to direct, but the development issues have kept that from taking place so far. Marvel is now under pressure to deliver something compelling for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This is especially true since Spider-Man 4 is so highly anticipated after the success of the previous three films.

One of the big problems that Spider-Man 4 has been dealing with is the script, as that still isn’t done. It was previously reported that the original attempt was shot down, which has left questions over whether it will end up being rushed or what potential problems could arise from the process. It’s unclear what the problems were with the first script, but certain details about what Marvel had planned for Spider-Man 4 have now been revealed.

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According to industry insider Daniel Richtman, Marvel’s team is still rewriting the script for the movie after Kevin Fiege declined the original. However, he did confirm that the original version featured both Scorpion and Shocker. That script has since been scrapped, and it’s unclear how much will make the cut for the next version.

Shocker and Scorpion are two classic villains in Spider-Man lore, and giving them featured roles in the film would be an interesting decision as they’ve yet to be fully fleshed out on the big screen. However, both those characters have already appeared in the MCU version of Spider-Man as they were part of Spider-Man: Homecoming. There’s a chance that people could have forgotten them as they were essentially henchmen and side characters, with Shocker having been the Vulture’s right-hand man. But audiences have often wanted to see Scorpion return as he appeared in the movie’s end credits in a scene that heavily teased the Sinister Six. Marvel ultimately didn’t follow through with that plan, but there’s a chance that the idea in the scrapped script could have revisited that.

The fact that both characters were in the script at all proves they’re still in the Marvel creative team’s thought process, and neither of them has been forgotten about. It’s unclear whether or not they were going to be the main villains in Spider-Man 4, but many fans do want to see characters like them return at some stage. Their stories weren’t fully developed in their previous appearance, but bringing them back only adds to the overall lore being created for the MCU Spider-Man world. Their potential involvement helps back up the longstanding belief that Spider-Man 4 is going to be a more grounded, street-level movie for Tom Holland’s character. After the large-scale events of Spider-Man: No Way Home, many fans want to explore the idea of bringing things back down a notch. This would potentially allow other heroes, such as Daredevil or The Punisher, to start bleeding into the MCU, which would flesh this franchise out even further.

Given that the original script was reportedly shot down, there are obviously going to be plenty of changes from what was put together. There could be massive changes to the plot between now and what ends up being released; therefore, there’s a chance that Shocker and Scorpion will end up being cut completely from the film. However, the idea of having them involved in some capacity is certainly an interesting one that is worth exploring at some stage, whether that’s in Spider-Man 4 or further down the line.

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Spider-Man

Spider-Man is one of the biggest names in entertainment today. The superhero first appeared in the Marvel comic Amazing Fantasy #15 before becoming a leading figure in the Marvel comic-book universe. 

Spider-Man has also featured in numerous films and a plethora of video games, most notably Insomniac Games’ Spider-Man (2018) and Spider-Man: Miles Morales.