The fact that people are still gushing about Spider-Man: No Way Home is a testament to just how impactful the trilogy-topper was to audiences and critics alike. It's not uncommon for a movie, game, etc. to drastically drop from the public's perception once it finally releases, which doesn't necessarily mean it was overhyped, granted. But this instance has remained fresh on the tongues of moviegoers everywhere.
It probably helps that Marvel Studios and the Spider-Man No Way Home stars have been steadily unleashing a stream of new behind-the-scenes info (officially and... otherwise) ever since its premiere. From cast and crew interviews to leaks from the Spider-Man: No Way Home script, it almost seems like nothing was off the table when it came to ideas for the record-breaking smash hit. On that note, it's almost hard to imagine this movie with even more returning characters. But according to some newly-revealed concept art, that may be exactly what was in the cards early in production.
According to a collection of recently-released artwork from concept artist and set designer Andrew Reeder, Spider-Man:No Way Home could have potentially also seen the return of Jake Gyllenhaal as Quentin Beck/Mysterio after his "death" in Spider-Man: Far From Home. One piece of Reeder's artwork appears to depict Mysterio locked in aerial battle with Benedict Cumberbatch's Doctor Strange over a crumbling Statue of Liberty. But what's interesting about this piece, aside from all of it, is what it implies about the nature of their duel.
At first glance, it simply looks like the Statue of Liberty is falling apart and under construction like it is in Spider-Man: No Way Home. But a closer look reveals that those pieces flying off aren't just due to natural wear and tear. Aside from the lack of scaffolding as seen in the final film, the statue looks as though it's being altered in the same way as things tend to be in the Mirror Dimension where Strange and Spider-Man fought over the Macchina di Kadavus (which was supposed to reverse the spell that caused the whole movie to happen).
This suggests that not only was Mysterio possibly set to be another part of the returning villain plot in Spider-Man: No Way Home, but that he may have ended up fighting Doctor Strange in the Mirror Dimension using his own skills of deception. Maybe Strange would have brought him into the Dimension to counter his technological tricks and show him what it really looks like to alter reality. Or maybe that was all in the real world and Mysterio was using his tech to mess with Strange.
Either way, it's fascinating to think about what might have been. While waiting for what is effectively a continuation with the often-delayed Doctor Strange 2, maybe figuring out what was cut from Spider-Man: No Way Home can be an effective speculation tool regarding what fans can expect from the next reality-bending Marvel Studios movie. Seems to be a trend, doesn't it?
Spider-Man: No Way Home is currently playing in theaters.
Source: Andrew Reeder Art