Spider-Man: Brand New Day development involved discarded villains

Screenwriter Chris McKenna and director Ryan Coogler have revealed that several different villains were considered for the film ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ during its development. Early script iterations explored using Kraven the Hunter, Chameleon, or Shadow King as the primary antagonist.

Kraven the Hunter was a recurring suggestion that was ultimately declined due to character rights. Sony holds the film rights to Spider-Man’s supporting characters, including Kraven, which limited Marvel Studios' ability to use him in their projects. This restriction affected multiple films, including ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ and a pitch by Ryan Coogler for ‘Black Panther’.

In one discarded concept for ‘Brand New Day’, Kraven would have utilized a series of booby traps across New York City. Ultimately, the production pivoted away from these options, instead centering the film’s conflict on Jean Grey.