Spider-Man: Brand New Day is going to be the street-level adventure for Peter Parker we've all been waiting for in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While The Punisher and The Hulk are confirmed to appear, as of now, The Scorpion is expected to be the movie's big bad.
We first encountered Michael Mando's Mac Gargan in 2017's Spider-Man: Homecoming, and the events of that movie set the stage for him to come back and seek revenge on the wall-crawler.
The Scorpion may be a one-and-done villain, but the potential for him in this movie—and beyond—is massive. From his ties to J. Jonah Jameson and the Venom Symbiote to his brief status in the comics as a mastermind who tore Peter Parker's life apart, there are tons of possibilities, and it's those we're looking at today.
For more on what to expect from Spider-Man: Brand New Day's Scorpion, click on the "Next"/"View List" button below.
5. His Story Can Also Put JJJ Front And Centre
Spider-Man: No Way Home made it clear that the MCU's J. Jonah Jameson hates the web-slinger, but like the rest of the world, he no longer remembers who's beneath the mask. As his one-sided vendetta continues, it makes sense for JJJ to try and deduce who New York City's biggest "menace" is.
Enter, Mac Gargan. While he'll no longer be a P.I., we definitely wouldn't put it past this version of Jonah to fund a vengeful criminal's transformation into someone capable of unmasking Spidey. From there, he can introduce Mac to Dr Farley Stillwell in an effort to create a "hero" capable of taking down Spider-Man.
When The Scorpion is born, J.K. Simmons can take on a lead role as TheDailyBugle.net's cantankerous figurehead, and we'll get a story that should feel like a breath of fresh air for the web-slinger's previous MCU adventures.
4. The Scorpion Can Be A True Challenge For Peter Parker
We've seen the MCU's Spider-Man face many formidable foes, including The Vulture, Mysterio, and the Green Goblin. Even so, Scorpion can push Peter to his limits, particularly if Marvel Studios leans into the dominance scorpions have over spiders in the wild.
Stronger than Spidey and boasting his own danger sense, his powerful armour makes Mac a major threat to the hero, something the comics have failed to effectively portray in recent years, thanks to Scorpion's B-List status.
We'd love to see Spider-Man: Brand New Day follow the example set by the Spider-Man video games and Your Friendly Neighbourhood Spider-Man; in those, he was a legitimate threat. We could even see the villain poison Peter, leading to the wall-crawler suffering from all manner of hallucinations, and perhaps a final act with Scorpion "transforming" into a monster for a horror-inspired battle.
3. He's One Of Spider-Man's Most Underrated Foes
Despite being one of Spider-Man's original villains (created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko), Scorpion rarely gets the same level of respect as characters like Doctor Octopus and Green Goblin. In fact, he's become a secondary baddie, often easily dispatched by the wall-crawler.
That changed in Mark Millar and Terry Dodson's Marvel Knights Spider-Man when Mac learned of Spidey's secret identity (courtesy of Norman Osborn). With that, he enacted a plan which saw him stage Aunt May's death and assemble the "Sinister Twelve" to take Peter down.
If Marvel Studios takes its cues from the story, Spider-Man: Brand New Day can put a spin on Mac that makes him a major threat to Peter and perhaps even his most formidable foe to date. There would be no world-ending stakes here; instead, we'd get a classic Spidey yarn that potentially opens the door to an even bigger clash somewhere down the line.
2. Mac Gargan Has A Potentially Venomous Future
At the end of Spider-Man: No Way Home, Tom Hardy's Eddie Brock was sent back to his own reality, but he left a piece of the Venom Symbiote behind. Will Marvel Studios pick up on that dangling plot thread? Don't bank on it.
Instead of that crossover or heading down the expected route of introducing Earth-616's Eddie, chances are Mac will eventually get his hands on the alien suit. From there, a sinister new Venom could be introduced and, just like in the comics, this Venom would be an absolute beast of a character.
When the comic book version of the Scorpion acquired the Symbiote, he eventually evolved into a hulking monster who ate people's brains (and limbs). Later, he even became an amalgamation of both Venom and Scorpion, and if Spidey easily beats Scorpion, then a rematch in down the line with a Venom-enthused Mac would be a great way to up the ante.
1. It Will Give Michael Mando His Chance To Shine
Michael Mando's role in Spider-Man: Homecoming was little more than a cameo, and when we last saw him, he was in prison, after being badly injured courtesy of Spidey's intervention, and eager for The Vulture to tell him who's beneath the mask.
Even if he found out, the villain would have forgotten, but that interest can easily be exploited by Jonah. It feels like a logical next step for this franchise and, more importantly, a chance for Mando to shine. If you've seen his work in Better Call Saul, then you'll know he's an absolute powerhouse talent.
Despite not being a big-name star, we're confident he can do Scorpion justice, putting himself and the character on the map in the process. Mando has been spotted on set, and something tells us this is only the start of his story in Marvel Studios' next Spider-Man trilogy.