Casting can be a tricky business. Sometimes the perfect actor is the first choice, and other times the right fit only becomes clear after a “no thanks.” That’s exactly how Lin-Manuel Miranda views his almost soiree into the MCU, having revealed he turned down the chance to play an infamous Spider-Man villain. In the end, it seemed history had its eyes on someone else to play Vulture.
Yes, Vulture.
Talking to Josh Horowitz via the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Miranda spoke about his love for comics and added that, like any New Yorker, he was a fan of Spider-Man growing up. That prompted Horowitz to bring up Miranda’s previous comments about turning down a Marvel role in 2016, around the time he was leaving Hamilton, leading him to suspect the rejected project was Spider-Man: Homecoming.
Taking a shot in the dark about what character had been offered, Horowitz floated the reasonable guess of Mr. Harrington, Peter Parker’s endearingly awkward science teacher played by Martin Starr. Miranda laughed, replying, “I would have been so miscast,” before revealing that not only had he been picked to play Adrian Toomes, but also that Kevin Feige had personally offered him the part over the phone.
“Kevin Feige told me the entire plot over the phone,” Miranda explained, recalling how excited he was by the story and his immediate reaction to hearing the details. His enthusiasm led him to ask Feige when production would begin, only for the Marvel Studios president to reveal that filming would start the moment Miranda stepped off stage in Hamilton.
Faced with such a quick work turnaround, Miranda ultimately decided to pass on the role. “I went, ‘Well, I would really like to—I love these movies, but I would really like to stay married, so I cannot do this,’” he said, a decision that makes sense considering his grueling 18-month run on Hamilton. Miranda also pushed back against Horowitz’s suggestion that he would have been a great fit for Vulture, insisting that “Michael Keaton was perfect” and that Marvel “found exactly who they needed” for the role.
There’s no denying that Lin-Manuel Miranda is a lyrical genius but also a good actor to boot, so maybe, just maybe, he would have made for an interesting Vulture. In reality, though, Miranda being the first choice for the role is a pretty surprising casting decision, especially considering how different the character’s intimidating presence and grounded villainy are from the energetic charisma he’s known for.
Unsurprisingly, the idea of Miranda playing one of Spider-Man’s biggest villains sent fans into a frenzy of imagination. Reactions ranged from scene reimaginings poking fun at Miranda’s inability to resist a good rap to feelings of frankly understandable dread at what could have been. Others were more forgiving, acknowledging that while the Hamilton star is undeniably talented, Keaton’s performance defined the character and cemented Vulture as one of the MCU’s standout villains.
In the end, Miranda may not have taken flight as Vulture, but he still managed to leave his mark on Spider-Man: Homecoming in a way he probably never expected. Adding as a quick side note in his interview with Horowitz, Miranda shared that Feige told him his reaction to hearing the film’s story helped reassure the producer that he was on the right track.
“By the way though, Kevin does say, he goes, ‘When I told you that over the phone, that’s when I knew the movie was going to work because of your reaction.’ That’s my little footnote in history, was me going ‘OH!’” Miranda said.
And honestly, that’s the best possible outcome. Miranda got to contribute a well-needed spark of excitement behind the scenes, while Michael Keaton delivered the iconic performance that helped make Homecoming one of the MCU’s strongest solo outings. After all, there’s more than one way to be in the room where it happens.
