Sam Raimi’s celebrated Spider-Man trilogy ended right before the Marvel Cinematic Universe began, but what if the films include one of the MCU’s trademarks: post-credits scenes? The films would, of course, tease their respective sequels or perhaps include a bit of humor, as has been the tradition for the majority of the MCU’s films. Although Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man movies preceded the MCU, they were a massive influence on the franchise, laying the groundwork for the modern cinematic landscape that is all but dominated by superhero films. With Raimi returning to Marvel Comics adaptations for the first time in over a decade via Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, it’s easy to imagine what his acclaimed Spider-Man films might have been like if they were part of the MCU and integrated easter eggs, additional humor, and sequel teases through post-credits scenes.

While Richard Donner’s Superman was the first major superhero blockbuster and Tim Burton’s Batman cemented the genre’s potential (and modernized film marketing), Sam Raimi’s 2002 hit, Spider-Man, further laid the groundwork for the modern superhero film by having an unprecedented level of earnestness and respect for its source material. While previous successful superhero movies were inspired by their respective source material, Spider-Man truly embraced its superhero comic roots and proved that they would please longtime Spider-Man fans and newcomers alike. This trilogy, in addition to the success of Fox's long-running X-Men film franchise, set the stage for 2008’s Iron Man and Marvel Studios’ ambitious crossover film, The Avengers, which took pop culture by storm in 2012. On two occasions in the MCU’s Phase 1, the Sam Raimi Spider-Man films were nearly brought into the shared universe through cameos and references.

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2008’s Iron Man nearly featured a reference to Spider-Man 2’s antagonist, Otto Octavius (a.k.a. Doctor Octopus), establishing that Tony Stark worked with Spider-Man’s future antagonist on his signature mechanical tentacles. The MCU’s second installment, The Incredible Hulk, was going to have a cameo by Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker in New York City, specifically to connect Raimi’s movies to the MCU. Sony forbade this connection, however, not wanting to share the Spider-Man film rights with Marvel Studious quite yet. Ultimately, it wasn’t until Spider-Man: No Way Home that Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man visited the MCU, but the Raimi trilogy’s near-inclusion in the franchise makes for fascinating hypothetical MCU versions of the movies, which would likely remain largely the same, albeit with more sequel and crossover-baiting easter eggs, particularly through the MCU’s signature post-credits scenes.

Spider-Man's Post-Credits Scene Would Be A Goblin Tease

Spider-Man's 2002 movie debut

Raimi’s first Spider-Man movie is a tightly-focused origin story for the web-slinger, providing the most faithful adaptation of what is arguably the most important Spider-Man comic story of all time as well as featuring a comic-accurate depiction of Spider-Man’s greatest enemy: the Green Goblin. While the film’s plot and dialogue would probably remain mostly unchanged, a greater MCU easter egg might exist in the form of an Incredible Hulk reference, with General Slocum’s unnamed predecessor (who supported Norman Osborn and Oscorp Technologies) perhaps being General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross. Spider-Man’s clearest sequel tease occurred at the end of the film, where Harry Osborn swears that Spider-Man will pay for seemingly killing Norman Osborn. This, along with a comedic (yet important) Bruce Campbell cameo earlier in the film, would be the subject of potential post-credits scenes.

As shown in Spider-Man 2 and Spider-Man 3, Norman Osborn hid his Green Goblin weapons, armor, vehicles, and formula behind a mirror in his Tudor City penthouse apartment. Spider-Man’s first post-credits scene could easily be Harry Osborn walking past the mirror while alone and hearing the Green Goblin’s cackle, making him pause and look at the mirror with confusion. The film also notably has Bruce Campbell’s wrestling announcer give Spider-Man his name, mocking Peter Parker’s first proposed moniker, “The Human Spider.” A humorous second post-credits scene could have had Campbell’s character being interviewed (as other civilians are earlier during a montage), where he claims that, if it wasn’t for his quick thinking, Spider-Man’s name would be too similar to the Fantastic Four’s Human Torch.

Spider-Man 2's End-Credits Would Tease Venom

Peter Parker and Mary Jane from Spider-Man 2

Spider-Man 2, similar to its predecessor has little room for MCU easter eggs in its plot, aside from Otto Octavius mentioning his collaboration with Tony Stark on his robotic tentacles, but the movie features an exciting sequel tease in act 3, with Harry Osborn discovering his father’s Green Goblin arsenal after learning Spider-Man’s secret identity. The scene’s placement works best within the film’s main narrative, especially with Harry’s ominous appearance at Mary Jane’s wedding in the next scene. What would make for a perfect post-credits sequel teaser, however, is the arrival of the symbiote from Spider-Man 3.

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The scene would show a meteor landing in Central Park and the symbiote oozing out as its final shot. This wouldn’t have too big of an effect on Spider-Man 3, aside from simply omitting the symbiote’s landing but still including it latching onto Peter Parker’s bike. Sam Raimi could have also made his Bruce Campbell cameos become a running gag as Spider-Man 2’s second post-credits scene. Perhaps Tony Stark or another famous MCU hero would trade barbs with Campbell’s unnamed usher, who was ultimately the only person in Raimi’s trilogy to “defeat” Spider-Man.

Spider-Man 3's After Credits Would Set Up Vulture Or Mysterio

Spider-Man 3 Poster

Spider-Man 3, unfortunately, was the end of Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy, but its unrealized sequels, as well as its hypothetical placement in the MCU, would make its potential post-credits scenes easy to imagine. Raimi planned to have Adrian Toomes, a.k.a. The Vulture, become Spider-Man 4’s antagonist, but he also included a tease for the Hobgoblin in Norman’s lair via a metallic mask alongside Harry Osborn’s New Goblin gear. Perhaps Roderick Kingsley purchases Norman Osborn’s penthouse apartment and his eventual discovery of Norman’s secret lair is hinted at. If Raimi wanted to hint at Carnage showing up in a sequel, he could also use a post-credits scene to remind viewers that a portion of the Venom symbiote is alive and trapped in Doctor Curt Connors’ laboratory.

If Sam Raimi wanted to hint at his Spider-Man showing up in another MCU film, he could also have the first post-credits scene be a tease for Captain America: Civil War or Avengers: Infinity War, depending on where Spider-Man 3 would be in the MCU timeline. Of course, a third Bruce Campbell scene could also serve as a comedic sequel tease. Raimi planned on having Campbell cameo as Mysterio in Spider-Man 4, so his post-credits scene could show him leaving his job as a maître d' and donning the iconic fish bowl-like helmet of Mysterio, revealing that he’s the special effects artist-turned criminal Quentin Beck, who Spider-Man defeated years ago during the events of Spider-Man 2, setting up his next Spider-Man cameo.

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