Electro's Electrifying New Look Revealed in Unseen Spider-Man: No Way Home Concept Art

Summary

Spider-Man: No Way Home almost featured a more comic-accurate suit for Electro, as revealed by concept art shared by MCU artist Jerad S.Marantz.

The film successfully incorporated Electro's classic comic book appearance by featuring a mask resembling a "starfish" that would materialize around his eyes when utilizing his powers. Considering that Electro didn't need to conceal his identity from other characters, there was no need for him to wear a mask throughout the movie. Overall, the film effectively revitalized the character, affording him an opportunity for redemption.

New concept art for Spider-Man: No Way Home unveils an alternate costume for Electro, indicating that the Marvel Cinematic Universe came close to giving him a suit that closely resembles his appearance in the original comics. Spider-Man: No Way Home, which was released nearly two years ago, marked a significant milestone in Spider-Man's movie legacy by serving as a culmination of the trilogy and introducing the multiverse through the inclusion of Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire's versions of Peter Parker alongside Tom Holland's. In addition to these three Spider-Man iterations, the film also brought back various villains from their respective franchises, including Jamie Foxx as Max Dillion, a.k.a. Electro, from The Amazing Spider-Man 2. This gave Foxx another opportunity to portray the iconic nemesis of Spider-Man following the mixed response to his portrayal in the 2014 film.

Electro's appearance in Spider-Man: No Way Home could have been much closer to his comic book counterpart, according to Jerad S. Marantz, a concept artist for the MCU who contributed to the film. Marantz recently shared a series of unused designs for Electro's suit on Instagram. One notable aspect Marantz mentioned was his intention to have the character's powers emit from his face, producing a lightning bolt pattern when he charged up, instead of utilizing a traditional comic-accurate bolt mask. This idea ultimately did not make it into the final version of Electro's look in the 2021 film.

How Spider-Man: No Way Home Still Referenced Classic Electro

Despite not being included in the early designs for Electro, Spider-Man: No Way Home still managed to cleverly incorporate a reference to Max's traditional comic book appearance. Instead of following Electro's Ultimate design from The Amazing Spider-Man 2, the film features a unique element where a "starfish"-like mask appears around Max's eyes whenever he uses his powers. The origin of this ability remains unclear, but it is likely something Max learned during the period between Electro's mysterious disappearance in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 and his appearance in the MCU in Spider-Man: No Way Home.

Having Max wear a mask throughout the entirety of Spider-Man: No Way Home would have been unnecessary since he didn't need to hide his secret identity. Considering that The Lizard from The Amazing Spider-Man universe is also present in the MCU, Curt Connors already knows Max's true identity and would likely expose it if he attempted to conceal it. Additionally, when Garfield's Spider-Man becomes involved, it becomes pointless for Max to try disguising himself as Peter is already acquainted with him.

Without his iconic mask, Spider-Man: No Way Home ultimately succeeded in giving Electro the redemption he deserved. The character, previously a major letdown in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, both in terms of narrative and visual design, was finally given proper treatment in the Phase 4 adventure. Max, the alter ego of Electro, was successfully rescued and granted a chance at a new life, despite all the challenges he faced in the previous film. Although Electro's story might have reached its conclusion, fans can experience the excitement of Spider-Man: No Way Home through streaming platforms or by owning it on Blu-Ray/DVD.