Storyboard and concept artists usually create alternative versions of particular scenes in upcoming media projects to make it easier to brainstorm ideas and compare which ones work best. As a result, the final product could look different from the earlier concept art.
For example, the early concept art of Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness showed Balder and Iron Monger, among others, as part of the alternate universe's Illuminati. The film was also headed in a different direction under Scott Derrickson before Sam Raimi took over the reins.
Now, another MCU film, this time being Spider-Man: No Way Home, just revealed a different scenario involving Aunt May.
The now-seventh-highest-grossing film in history gave Tom Holland's Peter Parker his "Uncle Ben" moment when the Green Goblin killed Marisa Tomei's Aunt May. Her death was a pivotal moment that ultimately created the satisfying climax we saw of him sparing Norman Osborne with the help of the other Spider-Man, specifically, Tobey Maguire. But, as it turns out, early concept art had a different idea.
According to storyboard artist, Phil Langone, one of the early ideas for No Way Home was for Jake Gyllenhaal's Mysterio to come back and kill Aunt May. The collection of storyboards shows the infuriated Spider-Man going "berserker mode" at the "fishbowl" Mysterio was wearing "under an elevated train next to Peter's school." J.K. Simmons' J. Jonah Hamison is said to be on the location as a "TMZ style street reporter" in this scenario.
Obviously, this sequence never materialized as Langone explains that he "kind of never finished" working on the unreleased storyboards, despite having fun with the idea.
Still, it would've been fun to see Spider-Man go all-out on the big screen even if only once. The movies never explained the extent of Spider-Man's powers but it did hint at it several times. You can't be weak and try to prevent a ship from being torn into two or be able to block a punch from the Winter Soldier and go toe-to-toe with Captain America.
Sure, you could argue that Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes weren't going for the kill but still. The last we checked, Tom Holland's Peter Parker is barely out of high school and he's already gone to outer space and fought with a purple alien, much to the envy of Andrew Garfield's Spider-Man.
In the comic books, Spider-Man has taken down the likes of The Hulk, Wolverine, Kraven the Hunter, and nearly murdered the Green Goblin as well as the Kingpin in a fit of rage.
We might never see Spider-Man go "berserk mode" in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, especially as Disney and Sony would love to keep his image as the "Friendly neighborhood Spider-Man." But, if Tom Holland's Peter Parker would ever go dark in a future trilogy, we're hoping the MCU handles it well.
Speaking of Spider-Man, we'll find out if an animated version won't pull any punches once Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse swings into theaters on June 2.
