America Chavez almost had a pretty significant role in Spider-Man: No Way Home. The future Marvel Cinematic Universe hero makes her debut in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and a piece of concept art shows America Chavez interacting with stars Tom Holland, Zendaya, and Jacob Batalon. Instead of teaming up with the three Spider-Men in No Way Home, Xochitl Gomez’s superhero joins Doctor Strange as they tour the multiverse. Now, new information has come to the surface that offers more details on what exactly America Chavez’s role in Spider-Man: No Way Home would have been.
According to a source for The Hollywood Reporter, the Doctor Strange apprentice role that ultimately went to Jacob Batalon’s Ned Leeds was originally intended for America Chavez. Since Spider-Man: No Way Home was scheduled to come out after Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, America Chavez’s inclusion would have made sense. However, once the release dates for Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures began to change because of the pandemic, Gomez’s role was cut from the Spider-Man film.
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America Chavez co-creator Joe Casey spoke out about not being properly compensated for his character appearing in a feature film and in other mediums such as animated series and toys. “The fact is Marvel owns America Chavez. That’s not in dispute on any level, but there are still systemic flaws in the way that creators are neither respected nor rewarded,” Casey explained. “I’m a happy guy. I’m not disgruntled. I’m not bitter. Because I know this is how this goes. I also know, this is how you change things, by talking about it.”
“Marvel has paid me nothing for America Chavez, not only for appearing in the Doctor Strange sequel, but in numerous animated TV episodes, for the numerous action figures they’ve made of her, for video games she’s appeared in,” added Casey. “They seem to be fine with that.”
“For me, it’s not about money. It’s not even about the respect. I would never expect to be respected by a corporation,” he continued. “If I’m in a position where I can afford not to take their insult of an offer, and be able to talk about it, maybe the next guy — where that kind of money could change their life — would get a fair shot of receiving that money.”
Are you ready to see America Chavez in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness? Let us know your thoughts in the comments1
