Tom Holland isn’t afraid to think outside the box when it comes to Spider-Man. While helping shape ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’, the actor pitched some bold ideas that would have taken Peter Parker into much darker territory.
However, those ideas proved a little too scary for a family blockbuster.
Tom Holland Claims Marvel Axed His Man-Spider Idea for Being Too Scary
While talking to Josh Horowitz, Holland revealed that he was invited to the writers’ room during the film’s development, and was able to share ideas as the story of Peter Parker’s next chapter was formed. It was a special chance for the actor, and he was not lacking in imagination.
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The creative team experimented with Peter’s developing powers, including his newfound webbing, heightened senses, and increased aggression. But Holland proposed further enhancing these traits.
He remembered suggesting a version of Spider-Man with fangs growing out of his hands and venom-like spikes growing out of his body. “At one point, I was like, ‘What if he had fangs that come out of his hands and he had venom spikes at one point…’ and that is not in the movie, don’t worry,” he shared.
The team also talked about some of the scariest scenes in which Peter would morph into the terrifying Man-Spider, a monstrous version of the hero that longtime comic book fans know. “And we explored the nightmare sequences of him waking up as the Man-Spider, and very quickly we were like, ‘We do want children to enjoy this movie as well as adults; it’s a little bit too creepy!‘” he added.
The concept, however, did not make it to development. They wanted ‘Brand New Day to be accessible to younger viewers. The actor laughed about the scrapped concept, explaining that while it sounded exciting on paper, it ultimately crossed the line into body horror. “It was a little bit too creepy,” he said.
Tom Holland Says He Hated The First Cut Of ‘Brand New Day’
The idea never came to fruition, but Holland feels that brainstorming crazy ideas is a key step in the creative process. He believes that the process of investigating concepts that don’t work can lead to the discovery of concepts that do.
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“We’ve seen loads of different cuts of this movie, and one of the cuts, they took all of the notes from all of the random people who saw the film,” said Holland. “And then they changed the movie, and we watched it, and we hated it. It totally didn’t work,” he told Quotable.
His comments also show the changes in ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ throughout the production process. The Man-Spider concept could have made for an unforgettable visual, particularly with Punisher also involved in the movie.
The monstrous transformation has been seen before in the comics, so Holland’s pitch is a fun reference to Spider-Man’s more bizarre tales. Ultimately, Marvel went with a more well-rounded route, focusing on adventure over horror.
Even so, Holland’s behind-the-scenes revelation offers a fascinating glimpse into the creative conversations that shaped ‘Brand New Day’.
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