Marvel Fans Pitch Multiple What If...? Episodes Starring A Dead Spider-Man Villain
What if Marvel fans pitched their own ideas for the MCU's animated series, "What If...?" If they had their way, one episode would see the return of Jake Gyllenhaal's Quentin Beck, aka Mysterio, who died in "Spider-Man: Far From Home."
Following "What If...?" Season 2's release, X (previously known as Twitter) user @GunnerDobbins posted a brilliant concept for a future episode involving the villain. "The fact that we haven't gotten a What If where Mysterio's plan succeeded, and we see Beck SCRAMBLE because he didn't think this through when a real Avengers-level threat comes through." It was a pitch the internet immediately jumped on, resulting in over 27,000 likes, with other fans sharing their suggestions of how far the idea could go.
A number of fans added their own plot points regarding where a "What If...? Quentin Beck Won" episode could go, with @ItsYeBoiCam suggesting that after achieving his goal, "Mysterio then learns he had to try to be a real hero and either A admits he's a fraud and turns himself in, or B he becomes an Avenger." Meanwhile, @GreenieFurredWolf proposed that "It would be HYSTERICAL to see a What If where he becomes the head of the New Avengers and somehow just keeps beating big name villains by sheer luck and stagecraft."
But despite all of the excitement, could this type of Spider-Man themed "What If...?" episode even be made?
Mysterio could end up being a hero, but Sony could halt it from happening
Unlike "Spider-Man: Far From Home," which ends with Mysterio's charade as a hero falling apart, fans love the idea of exploring what would have happened if Quentin Beck succeeded. The only problem is that the complex rights issues surrounding Spider-Man make this less of a "What If...?" and more of a "Can It Even Happen...?"
The potential use of Spider-Man and his supporting cast (including Mysterio) brings into play how the rights are shared between Marvel and Sony. For example, in the documents that surfaced during the 2014 Sony leak it was revealed that while Sony holds the film rights, Marvel can use Spidey characters in animated content no longer than 44 minutes. That explains why Spider-Man appeared in Season 1, though he wasn't voiced by Tom Holland. This decision was likely made due to the star's contract status with Sony at the time, though there's also a question of whether Marvel can use the Holland version of Spider-Man outside of the film without Sony's permission.
If these are the kinds of issues encountered with its hero, would Marvel really jump through hoops just to get Jake Gyllenhaal in a recording booth for a character who would fit the same criteria and only appeared in one film? Probably not. Even so, it's certainly worth pondering the question, "What if...?"