Two Marvel villains rumored to be dropped from upcoming Spider-Man 4

As exciting as thinking about Spider-Man 4 is, it will be equally daunting if the latest reports from industry insider Daniel Richtman are true. It may sting or come as shocking to fans, given that Scorpion and Shocker are likely being discarded from the film. Both the characters have appeared in Spider-Man: Homecoming.

Shocker is an associate of Vulture (Michael Keaton) in the film, portrayed by Bokeem Woodbine and Logan Marshall-Green. Scorpion wasn't exactly mentioned in it, but Michael Mando appears in a cameo as Mac Gargan, a character who is exposed to an experiment in the comics that leaves him with the characteristics of a scorpion.

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Spider-Man 4 rewrites might have scrapped them already

While details around the upcoming film are thin on the ground, this is what Daniel Richtman has written in his Patreon post:

“They are still rewriting the script for [Spider-Man 4]. The original version before they scrapped it had Scorpion and Shocker."

The post-credit scene sees Michael Mando asking for the webslinger's identity from Keaton's Vulture, but he outright denies knowing anything about it. This could've been the origin of the character's possible appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

An alternate version of the character is said to appear in an upcoming MCU animated series, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, but it is set in a different timeline. Here, Norman Osborn will be his mentor, unlike Tony Stark.

As for Shocker, Bokeem Woodbine becomes the second Shocker after Logan Marshall-Green's version is killed in an accident in the movie. He is later defeated by Spider-Man in the film, who does that with the help of his best friend Ned.

While Scorpion and Shocker didn't have major roles in Homecoming, Spider-Man 4 would serve just the perfect ground for the antagonists to spin the rest of the yarn in the story. Especially when it is likely going towards more of a street-level narrative than a multiversal one like the one we saw in No Way Home.

This becomes more evident after the Daredevil: Born Again trailer was released and Kingpin was there. Charlie Cox's Matt Murdock is rumored to appear in Spider-Man 4 too, and by the looks of it, they will be fighting Kingpin in the story. Add Jon Bernthal's Frank Castle to the equation, and we may have a proper street-level crossover in it.

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Also Read: Is Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man a part of the MCU? Details explored as new teaser drops