Most would agree that Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse stands as an almost flawless movie, if not entirely perfect, and easily the best film of the year. Regardless, the Sony Pictures film might have achieved an even higher level of excellence had it included a particular deleted scene that has now been revealed.
Across the Spider-Verse concept artist Aymeric Kevin shared new artwork on Instagram of a deleted scene from the film featuring the Sinister Six from Earth-42, with the caption: “Earth-42 world exploration. Early concept where I was trying to portray a world with no Spider-Man and where the Sinister 6 are running the city.”
For those who might not be familiar with Spider-Man lore, the Sinister Six are a group of supervillains that serve as a foil for Spider-Man. Within its ranks are Vulture, Sandman, Electro, Mysterio, Kraven the Hunter, and its leader, Doctor Octopus (or Doc Ock, if you prefer).
Based on the images provided, we can make out a gathering spot dubbed “Goblin’s Palace,” a clear nod to one of Spider-Man’s long-standing foes, the Green Goblin. Adjacent to this, there stands a sort of commemorative structure paying homage to Scorpion, yet another antagonist from Spider-Man’s rogues’ gallery that was created from a bizarre botched experiment by J. Jonah Jameson. Other villains teased in the artwork include Sandman and Electro.
Spoiler alert: In the final cut of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Earth-42 is the origin of the spider that bit him and where he ends up fleeing to when he escapes the clutches of Miguel O’Hara and the Spider-Society. Within this alternate reality, crime is rampant due to Spider-Man’s absence, and unlike his home dimension, Earth-1610, where his uncle donned the Prowler alter ego, here, it’s Miles Morales himself who adopts the Prowler mantle.
Considering that the Sinister Six happen to exist in the same dimension as the one where Miles became the Prowler, it certainly makes sense that this nefarious group would rule this verse without Spider-Man to thwart their schemes.
With the conclusion of Across the Spider-Verse leaving Miles Morales trapped on Earth-42, it certainly opens up the possibility that the Sinister Six could make an appearance in the sequel, Beyond the Spider-Verse, and even play a pivotal role in the storyline.
Furthermore, the events of Beyond the Spider-Verse are a perfect opportunity to introduce the villainous group to audiences. A decision like this could prove instrumental if Sony aspires to create a live-action film centered on the Sinister Six. Amy Pascal, the producer behind Spider-Man: Far From Home, has previously hinted at such an idea, stating:
These villains we now have in our universe happen to be characters that are in the Sinister Six. There may be something that happens with that.
Unfortunately, the Sinister Six won’t be making an appearance on our screens any time soon, considering the current state of affairs in Hollywood. Aside from the upcoming Spider-Verse sequel being in its early stages of development, the ongoing writers and actors’ strikes have effectively put a halt to all production for the foreseeable future.
