The rumors that Michael Mando was set to reprise his Spider-Man: Homecoming role as Mac Gargan in Spider-Man: Brand New Day were confirmed shortly after filming began, but the character didn't end up being utilized in quite the way we expected.
If you haven't seen the movie yet, spoilers follow.
The Scorpion featured in a couple of scenes - including an exciting battle against the wall-crawler - but he was actually being controlled by Jean Grey (Sadie Sink) for most of his screen time.
“Destin showed clips of Sadie to everybody [as a voice and performance reference]. Then I met her, and I instantly knew that this was someone I wanted to see win. She has such a natural, kind quality, and I really resonated with her character’s desire to want to save her sister,” Mando tells THR. “I’ve always imagined that Mac Gargan has also gone through deep tragedy and sees the DODC as corrupt. So [Mac and Jean Grey] have a lot in common, and it was fun finding the nuances in that.”
In the comics, Gargan served as the third host of the Venom symbiote when he posed as Spider-Man as a member of the Dark Avengers. Rumors had claimed that Brand New Day would feature a symbiote, but it wasn't to be,
However, Mando has now confirmed that he did have discussions with director Destin Daniel Cretton about Gargan's future and the possibility of becoming "Venomized" in a future project.
“The potential growth of [Mac Gargan] is enormous. Brand New Day is level one of this character’s potential, and he has at least two or three levels up from here, one of them being the ultimate form of Venom. That’s exciting to think about for a moment, but I’ve got to let it go because it’s in the hands of Kevin Feige and Amy Pascal. They know what they’re doing, and I have to trust that.”
A fifth Spider-Man movie seems inevitable after the massive box office success of Brand New Day, but we're not sure Scorpion - Venomized or otherwise - would ever really be viewed as a primary antagonist for Spidey. That doesn't mean we won't be seeing Gargan again in some capacity, of course.
Following the record-breaking success of Spider-Man: No Way Home, Spider-Man: Brand New Day begins a brand new chapter for Peter Parker and Spider-Man. Four years have passed since the events of No Way Home, and Peter is now an adult and living alone after erasing himself and the memories of him from those he loves. In a New York that no longer knows his name, he has devoted himself wholeheartedly to protecting his city as Spider-Man full-time.
But as the demands on him grow, he is put under increasing pressure. This triggers an unexpected physical change that threatens his existence, while a strange wave of crime emerges - and gives rise to one of the most dangerous threats he has ever faced.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day is directed by Destin Daniel Cretton and written by Chris McKenna & Erik Sommers. The film is produced by Kevin Feige, Amy Pascal, Avi Arad and Rachel O'Connor. The cast includes Tom Holland, Zendaya, Sadie, Jacob Batalon, Jon Bernthal, Tramell Tillman, Michael Mando and Mark Ruffalo.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day is now in theaters.