(Images: Sony Pictures, Marvel Comics)
Spider-Man: Brand New Day screenwriting duo Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers recently revealed that the film’s antagonist, Jean Grey, was not their original first choice. The writers considered numerous characters before arriving at the idea of giving Jean her MCU debut in the movie.
During the latest episode of The Q&A with Jeff Goldsmith, McKenna and Sommers discussed one of the discarded villains they had considered during the project’s development.
(Image: Sony Pictures)
According to McKenna, the team initially developed a story reminiscent of Kafka’s The Metamorphosis, an idea that was enthusiastically received. They then turned their attention to the crucial question of the villain. Although they liked the concept of an antagonist capable of mind control, they had not yet decided which character should possess that ability.
One early version drew inspiration from Die Hard with a Vengeance. The writers considered telling a grounded Spider-Man story set in New York, with a mysterious bomber taunting and manipulating the web-slinger. McKenna and Sommers began searching for a classic Spider-Man villain who had not yet appeared on the big screen and eventually landed on Chameleon.
The challenge was deciding how to portray his abilities. Because Marvel Studios had already introduced the shape-shifting Skrulls, the writers suspected the studio would be reluctant to feature another character with similar face-changing powers. They consequently considered reinventing Chameleon as a mind-controlling villain. However, Sony Pictures had already used Dmitri Smerdyakov—the Chameleon’s real identity and Kraven’s half-brother—in Kraven the Hunter. Realizing that Chameleon was effectively unavailable, the writers ultimately concluded that Jean Grey was the character best suited to the telepathic role their story required.
McKenna and Sommers also addressed reports that Anne Hathaway had once been considered to play a villain in the film—specifically Leper Queen, the leader of the anti-mutant extremist organization known as the Sapien League in the X-Men comics. Neither writer could confirm or recall that specific casting plan. They acknowledged, however, that Leper Queen may have been among the many characters discussed during the screenplay’s early development.