Spider-Man: Brand New Day Nearly Featured a Different Identity-Swapping Villain Before Sony’s Kraven the Hunter Got in the Way
Spider-Man: Brand New Day nearly featured Chameleon, the identity-swapping Spider-Man rogue, as its main villain. Screenwriters Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers revealed during a podcast interview with Jeff Goldsmith that the film almost went in this direction before ultimately casting Sadie Sink as Jean Grey, a mind-controlling antagonist opposite Tom Holland’s Peter Parker. The filmmakers’ discussion offers insight into the creative decisions that shaped the final MCU entry, highlighting how multiple villain options are typically evaluated during superhero film development. Chameleon’s identity-themed abilities would have thematically aligned with elements of the story, yet the production team opted for a different directional approach with the telepathic character instead. This behind-the-scenes revelation demonstrates the iterative nature of MCU filmmaking, where characters and plot elements frequently undergo reconsideration as projects progress through development and production stages.