John Leguizamo has dropped some big news surrounding how he was very nearly cast to play Vulture in Spider-Man: Homecoming, only to lose out very late to Michael Keaton.
Tony- and Emmy award-winning actor Leguizamo could’ve been the first actor to go up against Tom Holland’s Spider-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with negotiations with Marvel taking place. Leguizamo details some serious discussions and negotiations with the studio to play Adrian Toomes, before Keaton swooped in and snared the role.
While promoting the home media release of Violent Night, he told comicbook.com that Marvel then offered him a much smaller role, which he rejected on the basis of its insignificance.
“I was supposed to be the Vulture. We had negotiated and I was about to play him, and they said that Michael Keaton wanted it back and they asked me if I would give it up. I said, ‘Well, okay I guess.’ They said, ‘No, we’ll work with you again, we’re gonna…’ That’s what happened there.”
“They offered me something tiny. I went, ‘Nuh uh.'”
While Leguizamo didn’t specify what the smaller role would’ve been, it feels like he would’ve been seen as an option for the Shocker or Tinkerer roles within Toomes’ gang. Or perhaps far more out there, he could’ve been Uncle Ben in a flashback. Keaton did do an excellent job portraying Vulture in the film, so it’s not as though the film struggled without Leguizamo.
The Moulin Rouge actor didn’t say if he had any intent of working with Marvel again, but never say never given just how many actors have said no to one role, only to join for a completely different one later.
Spider-Man: Homecoming is available to stream on Disney Plus.