The Spectacular Spider-Man: What Season 3 Could Have Looked Like

The Spectacular Spider-Man lasted only two seasons, and fans of the cancelled-before-its-time TV series have often speculated about the potential content of season 3 and beyond. Supervising producer Greg Weisman has generally been mum when asked to reveal his plans for the show (he often cites the notion that ideas absent execution aren't worth sharing), but he has given some info over the years.

So with the intent of providing hard info, not speculation, I’ve read all of Weisman’s Spidey-related “Ask Greg” posts to date on the Station Eight Gargoyles website and all of his IGN interviews regarding the show.


I’ve assembled all the info I could find regarding his plans for The Spectacular Spider-Man. The info is listed and divided into three sections: characters, new villains, and series plans. You can follow the links provided to read it in Weisman’s own words.

Hit the jump to see the list of potential content for season 3 and beyond.

CHARACTERS

Peter Parker
  • Spider-tracers would have eventually been introduced 
  • How Spider-Man's web-shooters were invented would have eventually been revealed in a “major storyline"
  • Weisman would have liked to introduce the Spider-Mobile in season 3 or 4
  • Weisman had plans for Peter's parents

Mary Jane Watson

Flash Thompson

Betty Brant and Ned Lee

Curt Connors

Felicia Hardy
  • Black Cat (Felicia Hardy) and Spider-Man’s relationship would have been very fraught after the reveal that her father, the Cat Burglar (Walter Hardy), killed Uncle Ben

Eddie Brock

Norman Osborn

Emily Osborn

Harry Osborn 
  • Due to Harry’s doping, the high school's football championship would have been under review in season 3

Roderick Kingsley

Tombstone
  • Tombstone and Robbie Robertson’s relationship would have been developed

Silver Sable

Hammerhead's Chauffeur

Kraven the Hunter

Calypso

NEW VILLAINS
 
Scorpion

Hobgoblin

Morbius

By the end of season 2, the following civilian characters had been introduced:
  • Morris Bench
  • Hobie Brown
  • Stan Carter
  • Mac Gargan
  • Cletus Kasady
  • Roderick Kingsley
  • Miles Warren

In the comic book source material, these characters respectively take on the alter egos of Hydro-Man, the Prowler, Sin-Eater, Scorpion, Carnage, Hobgoblin, and the Jackal, respectively.

When asked what villains would eventually appear, Weisman has said that some "are obvious, given the fact that we had already introduced them in their civilian identities." And given the series' propensity for faithfulness to the comics, it’s not a stretch to imagine that most of the characters listed above would have eventually become their respective villains. Weisman implies as much when speaking about specific characters in some quotes seen below (which is somewhat speculative of me to say).

Weisman, regarding Miles Warren:
“Someone asked me about clones and stuff at Comic-Con at our panel, and I'll just say what I think is pretty obvious, which is that we brought Miles in… If we brought Miles in… I don't do anything by accident. And without going into any details or specifics, if we brought Miles in, then we have plans for Miles – long term plans. What those plans are is obviously influenced by what Miles has done in the comics.” (IGN, Inside Spidey's Web: "Identity Crisis," 31 July 2009)

Regarding Miles Warren and Cletus Kasady:
A fan asked if they had plans to explore the "Ben Riley" storyline. "Well, we've got Miles Warren," Weisman smirked. "We didn't put him in there for nothing." Weisman gave a similar answer to a fan who asked about an appearance of Carnage. "Well we put Cletus Kasady in so…" (IGN, SDCC 09: Hulk and Capt. America Planned for Spidey, 28 July 2009)

Regarding Stan Carter:
IGN: Stan Carter and Jean DeWolff have been peripheral characters, but you had an interesting little moment here where Stan talks about wishing Spider-Man went further with his treatment of criminals. Was it fun to get that little hint at Stan's Sin-Eater future in there? 

Weisman: Yeah. We're trying to play the characters consistent. As with many of our characters – we talked about this before – we extrapolate backwards. We know who they wind up being, from the comics. Where did they start? So we know who Jean DeWolff is going to be down the road, and we know who Stan Carter is going to be. (IGN, Inside Spidey's Web: "Probable Cause," 20 October 2009)

Crime Master

Mr. Negative

SERIES PLANS


If you have any additions or corrections, please let me know!

60 comments:

  1. If only it hadn't been cancelled...sigh...

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  2. Thanks for compiling all this information together. So upsetting these ideas were never brilliantly incorporated as they would have been considering the greatness of Season 1 and how Season 2 brought that quality to a new level. Still the greatest animated superhero TV series to me.

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  3. Here's also a bit of extra information regarding team-ups from other Marvel heroes and potential spin-offs, one of them involving previous Spidey villains.

    http://www.s8.org/gargoyles/askgreg/search.php?qid=20725

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  4. Put Marvel Heroes in It And I really hope The Spectacular Spider Man Season 3 and More Come out Let us know please

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  5. Man I wish they made the 3Rd and 4th episodes already! Ultimate spiderman is the worst!

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  6. Why doesn't it say anything about Gwen or Harry?

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  7. The new Spider-Man show seems pretty promising. So far from what I can tell, it's a "Back to basics show with it's own style that's slightly based on Spectacular Spider-Man. The show will center around young, intelligent, insecure and courageous Peter Parker, a high school student from Horizon High, who after being bitten by a radioactive spider becomes Spider-Man. Along the way, he'll become a morr experienced hero, he'll meet many allies such as Ultimate Spider-Man and Spider-Gwen and he will fight many foes such as Vulture and Venom" (by the way Wacker just confirmed, it's NOT a team-up show. Other heroes just ocassionaly appear)

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  8. This show has to come back and if we want it to we have to spread the #specspidey4netflix buy the blu Rays and DVDs give it positive reviews on IMDb recommend it on Netflix and sign petitions also why not get the avengers emh episodes with josh Keaton as spider man by spreading #joshkeatonisspiderman and #drakebellisnotspiderman

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    1. Marvel: Please return "The Spectacular Spider-Man" - Sign the Petition! https://t.co/u7D0lUD1Fe via @Change

      We can also sign petitions man, We gotta get this show back in the world. If not us.. who else?

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    2. We have to tweet #joshkeatonisspiderman and #drakebellisnotspiderman and #specspidey4netflix as well as sign these petitions: https://www.change.org/p/marvel-studios-bring-back-the-spectacular-spiderman-094b5cdd-172c-4879-84c8-03eed3fbbf1d and this: https://www.change.org/p/marvel-please-continue-the-spectacular-spider-man-the-avengers-earth-s-mightiest-heroes-etc

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  9. I WANT SPECTACULAR SPIDERMAN BACK

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  10. With the Vulture still at large, and if Norman Osborn ever comes back as the Goblin.

    Imagine a battle, if Adrian figured out that the Goblin is Norman. Green Goblin vs The Vulture.

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  11. Just one more season please, nothing's come close to this series

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  12. Another for Mary Jane:

    Greg Weisman stated, her feeling alone at the end of Subtext would've affected her behavior in season 3 onwards.

    http://m.ign.com/articles/2009/11/11/inside-spideys-web-subtext

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  13. Marvel, bring back spectacular spider-man or I, will kill my self. this was the best tv show ever created and you try replace it with that other spider-man show on Disney that no one watches. Its 10 years later but still not too late

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  14. This show must continue. Disney and Sony make a New deal and they must bring it back . This show never deserved like this ending. We want to spectacular spider man season 3. Not marvels spider man season 2.

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  15. Sony and Marvel should return Spectacular Spider-Man a new season on Netflix!I mean Marvel show today like Marvel Spider-Man suck!Danny Phantom,Wolverine and The X-Men and Avenger Earth Mightiest Heroe need to return !

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  16. In the first episode of the podcast Spectacular Radio, Greg reveals what his plans for the web shooters were. - 1 hr and 14 minutes into the podcast

    Peter and Eddie's dad were designing a special adhesive; but, died before it was completed. Peter finished their work and reworked it to function as web fluid. Apparently, Peter would've loved to have made money by selling it but Oscorp had similar tech and he assumed that Norman had created it first; but, in reality, he had stolen it from Richard.

    Makes me wonder if Norman killed Peter's parents.

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    1. In the third episode of Spectacular Radio, Greg revealed that he would've liked to have had Captain America guest star. I planned story would've revealed that Uncle Ben read Captain America comics as a kid and they were stored up in the attic. Peter read them to and Cap's outfit served as inspiration for Peter when designing his Spidey outfit.

      Greg also would've liked to have incorporated Shield, which may eventually have led to Hydra.

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    2. In the fifth episode of Spectacular Radio, Greg elaborated on his plans for the Spring Break movie. It wouldn't have just been Peter in Florida but would've included Aunt May, Harry, Flash, and the rest of the gang.

      Most likely it would've been the first episode or arc of Season 3 as the plug was pulled on the movie well before the show was cancelled.

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    3. In the 13th episode of Spectacular Radio (around the 34 minute mark) Greg hinted that Mary Jane has known Peter was Spider-Man since the night Uncle Ben died.

      When asked if he planned to do that bit from the comics, Greg refused to comment.

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    4. Episode 15 of Spectacular Radio contains more tidbits about future plans for the series

      18 Minutes - Greg said that he might've brought back Doctor Ted Twaki

      28 Minutes - Greg mentioned that he had plans for John Jameson in Season 3; there is the possibility that he meant to say Season 2 but if not it might imply that we get Werewolf John in Season 3

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    5. In Episode 21 of Spectacular Radio (around 41 minute mark) Greg said that he had plans to explore Eddie's childhood more. While Greg hadn't narrowed down the specifics, he considered having Eddie either having a terrible parent adopt him or be moved from foster home to foster home. All this would've been part of a greater story, which would've dived into the Plane Crash that killed Peter and Eddie's parents and differently it affected each of them. Under the nurture of Ben and May, Peter become obsessed with Life while Eddie, given his troubled childhood, was obsessed with death.

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    6. Also in the 21st Episode of Spectacular Radio, Greg discussed how he wanted to make Aunt May more contemporary getting away from her believing that Spider-Man was evil and Doc Ock was a gentlemen. In other words, it's unlikely that they would've done the bit from the comics were Aunt May falls in love with Doc Ock and almost marries him; but, you never know.

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    7. Spectacular Radio Episode 25

      13:43 - Seasons 3 & 4 would've explored Eddie's past and how losing his parents at a young age affected him; we also would've learned more about Peter's Parents and his connection to other characters in the show

      29 - Greg refuses to comment about whether or not Venom would've had a redemption arc; given how the show would've introduced Carnage and given Eddie a sympathetic backstory the answer probably would've been yes; in the comics Venom goes from being a villain, to being an anti-hero, to being a good guy

      58:45 - Greg had plans to explore Mary Jane's past

      Gwen and Mary Jane's friendship was important to the series and comics and would've been further explored

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    8. Spectacular Radio Episode 25

      Greg confirms that Spectacular Spider-Man Season 3 was cancelled before Disney bought Marvel

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    9. Spectacular Radio Episode 27

      At 9:21 Greg says that he would've liked to have had another Stan Lee cameo in Season 3.

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    10. Spectacular Radio Episode 29

      At around 14 minutes, Greg implies that magic might've been featured more in future episodes.

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    11. Spectacular Radio Episode 31:

      At 50:30 Greg briefly describes some Season 3 plans
      - would've provided a unique take on HobGolin
      - the love triangle between Peter, Harry, and Gwen would've been explored further
      - Norman Osborn would have returned

      At 53:15 Greg touched on what was going with other Marvel superheroes in the Spectacular Universe even though it was unlikely they would've been included.

      - Fantastic Four existed but they were usually off fighting cosmic threats and didn't have time to help Spidey with his foes

      - With the exception of Hulk and Ant-Man, most of the core of Avengers hadn't become superheroes yet.

      There are 3 Heroes that Greg Would've Liked to Have Guest Starred in the Show

      1.) Human Torch - was planned to appear in Season 1 but Greg couldn't get the rights

      2.) Captain America - Uncle Ben idolized him and he would've liked to have had Peter meet his Uncle's Hero as it's what inspired him to become Spider-Man

      3.) The Hulk - In Greg's timeline the Hulk was still considered a myth and had yet to become a public threat.

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    12. Spectacular Radio Episode 33:

      At 33:40 Greg confirmed that Season 3 would've featured Hydro Man. Greg had specific plans for Hydro an that would've involved Sandman.

      Greg said that he didn't have any specific plans for Sin-Eater. The reason Greg featured him was because he needed a cop for Shear Strength wanted to use an established Spider-Man character in case he wanted to use him later.

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    13. Spectacular Radio Episode 35:

      8:45 - The episode First Steps was intended to serve as the beginning of a long-term plan for Sandman.

      15:45 - Greg elaborates on the origin of Flash and Peter's rivalry, which would've likely been revealed in a later season.

      30:30 - When making Season 2 the crew didn't know if there was going to be a third season. They didn't find out that the series was cancelled until after they had completed production on the season.

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    14. Spectacular Radio Episode 37:

      9:00 - Seasons 3 and 4 would've seen Jameson helping the Bad Guys; in the comics Jameson helped create Scorpion and funded/operated numerous versions of the Spider Slayer

      15:40 - There were no plans to make Venom an anti-hero

      37:10 - Flash and Peter would've eventually become friends

      41:28 - John Jameson would've returned as Man Wolf

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    15. Spectacular Radio Episode 39:

      35:00 - Greg confirms that the couple that Spider-Man saves in Season 1 who reappear in Season 2 would've appeared once a season. For Season 3, he would've liked to have had their wedding at St. Patrick's Cathedral be interrupted by Spider-Man fighting a villain.

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    16. Spectacular Radio Episode 45:

      8:50 - Greg revealed that the series would've featured Mud Monster a hybrid of Sandman and Hydroman.

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    17. Spectacular Radio Episode 45:

      25:00 - The Jackal would've appeared eventually; but, Greg is uncertain whether it would've happened in Season 3.

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  17. In the third episode of Spectacular Radio, Greg also said that in Season 3, we would've learned that Doc Bromwell had a crush on Aunt May.

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    1. Where do you find the podcast?

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    2. https://www.spidey-dude.com/category/spectacular-radio/

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    3. Do you know who would have become Hobgoblin in the show? Kingsley or someone else?

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    4. thanks for all these posts about the podcast stuff he reveals. it really makes you think where the series could have gone

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  18. If only if only it hadnt been cancelled :(

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  19. I still have hope that they do a season 3. After all, Young Justice was cancelled after its second season but due to the extreme demand of the fans of the fans of the show it finally got renewed for a third season many many years later. There was even a callback in season 3 episode 6 to Spectacular Spider-Man when Black Spider, who was also played by Josh Keaton, said something along the lines of "Man I need some better quibs", which was one of Spider-Man's most defining characteristics from the show. Also I checked and the voice actors from the show still do similar voice roles today. If Young Justice get resurrected then I am praying that they will do they same for Spectacular Spider-Man.

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    1. Sadly, unlikely. The television rights for Spider-Man are with Marvel while the rights for Spectacular Spider-Man are with Sony.

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    2. The Spectacular Spider-RobSunday, July 28, 2019

      Maybe a direct to bluray or digital movie?

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    3. I mean, The Clone wars came back with a season 7 so I have some faith...

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  20. I just watched both seasons and it’s TORTURE to leave us hanging like that. PLEASE DO A SEASON 3!!!!

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  21. This show is simply awesome, you feel incomplete when realize about all the plans that show has and is worst think how spectacular spiderman was replaced with ultimate spiderman and marvel spiderman, it's hard due to the rights stuff but maybe one day we would watch it

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  22. What could've been indeed. Reading all this makes me wish the show was brought back despite the legal impossibility of that happening.

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  23. Sucks it's cancelled. But hey....maybe someone with talent could make a fan animation of Spectacular Spider-Man season 3. I've seen fan animation of Transformers animated and that was great and even more awesome to see if that Spectacular spider-man fan animation season3 or onward.

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    1. Hey it's funny you should say that cuz I'm actually making a fancomic on it. I might not be that great of an artist but I really want to see all of this stuff come to life.

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    2. mangapencilart@gmail.com for any questions

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  24. How come Gwen isn't mentioned in this?

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  25. God it is so frustrating how much content there would have been, 5 seasons totaling at around 65 episodes with 5+ movies. Like the show really was just starting.

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  26. Was Blackie Drago going to become Vulture?

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  27. almost 2024 and I'm still hoping for Spectacular Spider-Man to return...

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