Marc Webb's Amazing Spider-Man franchise had lofty goals set behind it, with plenty of sequels and spinoffs planned for Sony's hopeful cinematic universe of Spider-Man characters. Marvel fans know, however, that plans for the franchise eventually fell through, and the anticipated Amazing Spider-Man 3 never came to be.
While audiences never got to see what the third installment in the franchise would have looked like, there is some information about the film that has been released following its cancellation. With rumors regarding Andrew Garfield's return in December's Spider-Man: No Way Home, now is the perfect time to revisit what the future of his Spider-Man could have looked like.
It Was Initially Scheduled To Release In 2016
The second Amazing Spider-Man film was released in May of 2014 and, though it became the lowest-grossing Spider-Man film to date, it made enough to warrant a sequel. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the third film was scheduled to be released in June of 2016.
Perhaps the most interesting thing about the proposed 2016 release date is that, by the time that date actually came around, Spider-Man had already been rebooted yet again and introduced into the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Captain America: Civil War. Had Garfield's third film gone through, there is no telling what the MCU's Phase 3 and beyond would have looked like.
It Was One Of Two More Planned Sequels
In the same report that confirmed the possible release date for the third film, The Hollywood Reporter also revealed that a fourth entry was in the works, which would follow closely on the heels of the previous installment. This follow-up was projected to be released in May of 2018.
While The Amazing Spider-Man 4 was far too early in production for specific details to have emerged regarding the film, rumors concerning the rising of Sony's Spider-Man universe caused many fans to wonder if it would have included the villain team known as the Sinister Six.
Building A Universe
In 2013, numerous reports began to surface concerning Sony's desire to build a cinematic universe to rival that of the MCU. According to Deadline, The Amazing Spider-Man 3 would have been accompanied by several spinoff films in surrounding years, all building up different characters from the Spider-Man mythos, including Doctor Octopus, Kraven, Vulture, Mysterio, and even Electro.
Some of the films confirmed to be in development included a Black Cat spinoff starring Felicity Jones as Felicia Hardy, a Venom solo film that had long been in development, and a Sinister Six film starring some of Spider-Man's most iconic villains from the comics.
Garfield Was Confirmed... But Not Forever
Despite the announcement of two more Amazing Spider-Man follow-ups, it was revealed that leading man Andrew Garfield was only contracted for one more sequel. At the time that the films were announced, it was unclear if the actor would continue in the title role.
In an interview with Yahoo! Movies UK in 2013, Andrew Garfield seemed somewhat surprised by the news of a fourth film, revealing that his contract only provided for one more additional sequel. The star himself was unsure of his future in the role, though it was likely that Sony would have sought to extend his contract for future films.
Marc Webb Would Return For 3, But Not For 4
Similar to the franchise's star, director Marc Webb's involvement in the series was not meant to last forever. In Yahoo! Movies UK's interviews with the people behind The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Webb revealed his future in the franchise.
Unlike Garfield, Webb seemed more certain regarding what his role would be in future installments. He notes that he had always considered these films to be a "trilogy," also indicating that he would not be involved with any further sequels after The Amazing Spider-Man 3.
The Return Of Norman Osborn
Chris Cooper made a short uncredited cameo in the second Amazing Spider-Man film as the classic character Norman Osborn, whom comic book fans immediately would recognize as the future Green Goblin. However, this version of Osborn never completes his classic comic book arc as the Green Goblin, instead leaving the title to his son, Harry.
However, Cooper revealed to CBR in 2016 that there were plans for future appearances for his character in the franchise. Apparently, a scene had been shot for the second film revealing Norman's head frozen in a box, setting up his involvement in the next movie. More likely than not, Norman would have been instrumental in the forming of the soon-arriving Sinister Six.
The Aftermath Of Gwen's Death
Gwen Stacy's death was one of the most memorable moments in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, marking the first time that a Spider-Man love interest had ever died on-screen in live-action. This moment broke Peter Parker, nearly causing him to permanently hang up his Spider-Man suit.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Marc Webb discussed the death of the franchise's leading lady, portrayed by Emma Stone. He commented on the symbolism regarding her death before confirming that Peter Parker would spend the next film recovering from her passing.
Alternative: Spider-Man Vs. The Amazing Spider-Man
Ideas concerning a Spider-Man movie multiverse stretch much further back than Spider-Man: No Way Home. In fact, there were at one point considerations for the Raimi and Webb versions of the character, played by Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield respectively, to meet on the big screen as far back as 2014.
According to an article by The Wall Street Journal, Sony had been in talks with different filmmakers, including Raimi himself, to do a Spider-Man crossover, reported to be titled Spider-Man vs. The Amazing Spider-Man, perhaps indicating that the two versions would battle each other at some point in the film. With their rumored appearances in No Way Home, this moment may still become a reality in some way or another.
Alternative: Garfield In The MCU
It is hard to imagine the MCU without Tom Holland's Spider-Man, but the initial plan was to incorporate Andrew Garfield's version of the character into the cinematic universe instead. After the 2014 Sony hack, several details regarding Spider-Man's film future were leaked to the public, including a plan to crossover with the massively successful MCU.
In the same report concerning a potential crossover with Tobey Maguire's Spider-Man, The Wall Street Journal discussed the revelation that there had been talks to bring Garfield into the MCU. Supposedly, Marvel Studios had reached out to Amy Pascal and her team at Sony with a proposal to merge the two universes. As fans know, a deal eventually was reached between the two studios, but it ultimately did not include Andrew Garfield.
Kevin Feige Was Instrumental In The Film's Cancellation
In, The Story of Marvel Studios: The Making of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, a recently published book dealing with the construction of the MCU, never-before-heard details regarding Spider-Man's arrival into the MCU were laid out, including Kevin Feige's role in developing a reboot rather than an Amazing Spider-Man sequel.
The book reveals a meeting between Kevin Feige and Sony Pictures chairwoman Amy Pascal, in which Feige proposed the reboot. Pascal divulges how upset his proposal made her, but eventually admits that Sony's franchise wasn't "fresh anymore," and eventually ceded to her colleague's suggestion, effectively ending The Amazing Spider-Man franchise for good. Whether or not Garfield's version of the character will yet be incorporated into the MCU remains to be seen.