Spider-Man: No Way Home script initially included cameo by Stan Lee lookalike

Till his death in 2018, legendary comic book writer Stan Lee made cameos in almost every single film based on the characters he created. Stan, who was known for creating iconic characters like Spider-Man and the X-Men, also worked on other Marvel characters like the Avengers for decades. That is why his cameos in Marvel Cinematic Universe films were always appreciated.

A recent reveal shows that there could have been a tribute to Stan in last year’s Spider-Man: No Way Home, in the form of a lookalike. However, it seems that the producers eventually decided against it. Earlier this week, Marvel Studios shared the script for it’s 2021 release Spider-Man: No Way Home online. While MCU films have seldom taken this step, movies that see themselves as award contenders often release their scripts. Eagle-eyed fans spotted a tribute to Stan Lee in there.

In one of the final scenes of the movie after Doctor Strange’s spell has removed Peter Parker’s memory from everyone’s minds, Peter (Tom Holland) goes to a cafe to re-introduce himself to his girlfriend MJ (Zendaya) and best friend Ned (Jacob Batalan). The original script shows MJ was supposed to be talking to a Stan Lee lookalike in the scene.

The script reads, “He stops outside the donut shop. Now with holiday decorations. Christmas lights. He enters… INT. DONUT SHOP – CONTINUOUS (DAY) Peter finds MJ, talking and laughing with an older customer, a STAN LEE LOOK-ALIKE.”

However, when that scene appeared on screen, MJ was indeed speaking to an older customer but it wasn’t a Stan Lee lookalike. It is unsure what made the producers change their mind. Stan Lee’s final appearances in the MCU films were in Captain Marvel and Avengers: Endgame, both of which released in 2019, after his death.

Apart from the MCU films, Stan also appeared in all three of Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man films that starred Tobey Maguire, as well as the two Amazing Spider-Man films featuring Andrew Garfield.

Also read: Andrew Garfield’s late mom knew about his appearance on Spider-Man: No Way Home

Spider-Man: No Way Home is the most successful film of the pandemic era, earning over $1.6 billion at the box office globally. It is also the sixth-highest grossing film of all time and Marvel’s most successful solo superhero venture.