Paste-Pot Pete Almost Made the Cut in 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day'

Director Destin Daniel Cretton revealed that Marvel’s classic glue-shooting villain, Paste-Pot Pete, was initially planned for a prominent role in ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day,’ appearing in the film’s introductory montage alongside villains like Scorpion, Boomerang, and Tombstone.

A Forgotten Contender

Cretton explained that the concept stemmed from examining various comic book covers, aiming to showcase Spider-Man’s crime-fighting efforts and the challenges he faced. However, many of the planned covers depicting Spider-Man in a vulnerable position were ultimately deemed unsuitable for the film’s narrative.

Paste-Pot Pete, a character debuting in 1962 and created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, possesses abilities similar to Tom Holland’s Spider-Man, utilizing a sticky adhesive – initially from a glue gun, later from wrist-mounted devices – to create ropes, webs, and enable wall-walking. The director noted experimenting with numerous uncast villains during pre-production.

Creative Choices and Future Possibilities

“We played around with a lot of villains who didn’t make it into the final cut,” Cretton stated. “We looked at the different [comic book] covers and considered which ones could help us tell our story.”

Despite not appearing in ‘Brand New Day,’ there’s speculation about Paste-Pot Pete’s potential return in future Spider-Man installments, particularly with Tom Holland’s confirmed return following the film’s record-breaking opening weekend, which grossed $927 million worldwide. IGN’s review of ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ awarded it a 7/10, suggesting a possible future role for the overlooked villain.

Tom Phillips, IGN’s News Editor, can be reached at [email protected] or on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social.