Michael Keaton’s Vulture remains one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s better villains, in part because he never feels like he wandered in from a different movie. His Adrian Toomes is a working-class criminal with a legitimate grievance, a terrifying wing suit and enough restraint to make that car ride with Peter Parker feel more dangerous than most battles in new superhero movies. Keaton was so natural in the role that it is difficult to picture anyone else answering the door as Liz’s father in Spider-Man: Homecoming. Apparently, Marvel Studios once had someone very different in mind.
During an appearance on Josh Horowitz’s Happy Sad Confused podcast, Lin-Manuel Miranda was asked about a Marvel role he had reportedly been offered around 2016. Horowitz first guessed Spider-Man: Homecoming, then worked his way through the cast before landing on the Vulture. Miranda confirmed it and immediately admitted he believes Marvel avoided a major casting mistake. He explained:
It was Vulture. It was Vulture, and Kevin Feige told me the entire plot over the phone, and I was like, ‘Oh!’ And, ‘Then they get to the door and it’s her dad.’ And I went, ‘Ohhhhhh!’ on the phone. [Laughs] ... I was really the canary in the coal mine. And I said, ‘When does it shoot?’ And he goes, basically, ‘The moment you step off stage in Hamilton.’ And I went, well, ‘I love these movies, but I would really like to stay married. So, I cannot do this.’ And I mean, God, that would have been terrible. Michael Keaton was perfect. Like, they found exactly who they needed.
Horowitz sounded genuinely shocked by the answer. Before guessing Vulture, he floated Martin Starr’s role, presumably thinking the theater icon might have been considered for one of Peter Parker’s teachers or another comedic supporting part. Miranda quickly told him Starr was not the answer, which only made the eventual reveal all the wilder.
The Hamilton creator would have been coming directly off his Broadway run when Homecoming entered production. On paper, casting one of the industry’s most recognizable performers made sense. The In the Heights star was already closely associated with Disney through Moana, and his combination of humor, nervous energy and rapid-fire delivery could have produced a very different Adrian Toomes.
Miranda’s “miscast” assessment also feels fair. Homecoming needs the Vulture to seem older, worn down and quietly dangerous. Keaton brings decades of screen history to the part, including the audience’s memory of him as Batman, but he never treats Toomes as a theatrical supervillain. He approaches him as a father and business owner who decided the world had cheated him, then built an illegal weapons operation to even the score.
Miranda likely would have emphasized Toomes’ intelligence and restless charm. Keaton made him feel like the kind of man who could sit across from Peter at dinner, make polite conversation and still scare the life out of him without raising his voice.
Marvel near-casting stories often leave fans wondering about the movie that might have been. This one mostly reinforces how well the final choice worked. Miranda protected his marriage, the Beetlejuice star landed one of his strongest blockbuster roles, and Spider-Man: Homecoming found exactly the villain it needed. Both actors have continued working with Disney, while Keaton’s career has remained packed with major projects, including his return as Batman in The Flash.
You can revisit the cinematic Vulture by watching the MCU movies in order, while the filmed Broadway production of Hamilton is also available with a Disney+ subscription.
