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The short answer
The third instalment, once pencilled in for June 2016, vanished when the studio chose to start again from scratch. The late-2014 hack exposed talks with Marvel Studios, and the deal signed in early 2015 relaunched the character with a new lead. Here is how it unfolded.
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After the mixed success of The Amazing Spider-Man 2 in 2014, fans logically expected a direct sequel with Andrew Garfield to wrap up this darker, edgier take on the web-slinger. Yet the project was abruptly cancelled by Sony. So what really happened? Why did The Amazing Spider-Man 3 never see the light of day?
Behind the backstage rumours and the abandoned announcements, this story reveals a run of strategic choices, internal tensions… and a Hollywood context that completely changed the game. This first part looks back at the brutal end of Garfield's Spider-Man, and the machinery that led to it being dropped.
A Spider-Man on the rise… but fragile
In 2012, Sony relaunched the franchise with The Amazing Spider-Man, barely five years after the end of the trilogy by Sam Raimi. Andrew Garfield plays a Peter Parker who is edgier, more teenage and more tortured than ever. The reboot divided opinion, but it intrigued.
The first film posted a solid worldwide box office (758 million dollars) and set up a more modern universe, with Gwen Stacy as its central figure, a dark aesthetic and a very 'Ultimate Comics' approach. Everything looked set for a new trilogy…
The Amazing Spider-Man 2: an ambitious but overloaded film
In 2014, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 went bigger. Much bigger. The film introduced Electro, the return of Harry Osborn as the Green Goblin, the first hints of the Sinister Six, and the Oscorp labs as the central hub…
But that plot overload hurt the coherence. Despite a well-received performance from Garfield, and the now-iconic scene of Gwen Stacy's death, critics found the film confusing. The result:
🎬 Rotten Tomatoes score: 51%. 🎟️ Box office down: 708 million dollars (against 758 for the first film). 💬 Fan reaction: mixed, disappointed by the pile-up of sub-plots.
👉 And yet Sony had already officially announced the release of The Amazing Spider-Man 3 for June 2016. But that date… would never arrive.
A sequel cancelled in the middle of an expansion
At that point, the studio had planned:
🧪 The introduction of new villains (including Scorpion and Kraven the Hunter). 🧬 The possible return of Gwen Stacy as Spider-Gwen. 🕷️ The development of a Spider-Man Universe at Sony with spin-off films (Venom, Sinister Six...).
But behind the scenes, things were getting tense. The financial results disappointed. The schedule became too ambitious. And above all, a crack opened up: Disney's MCU was starting to crush all the competition…
A cold war between Sony and Marvel Studios
At the release of The Amazing Spider-Man 2, tensions were palpable between the public, the critics… and even Sony's own internal teams. The sprawling universe they wanted struggled to convince. In parallel, Marvel Studios Avengers (2012), Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) and the launch of the MCU's major phases.
Sony could feel the wind changing. The studio tried to catch up and rushed out announcements (a Sinister Six film, a Venom spin-off), but without the MCU's coherent, step-by-step structure it all felt hurried. And then an unexpected event changed everything.
The 2014 Sony hack: a shockwave
In late 2014, Sony Pictures fell victim to a massive hack. Among the stolen data: internal emails revealing disagreements between producers, abandoned projects, and above all… secret discussions with Marvel Studios.
Yes, the first talks between Sony and Kevin Feige about bringing Spider-Man into the MCU were confirmed. The public discovered that Spider-Man could join the Avengers. The hype went through the roof instantly.
👉 The reaction online was emphatic:
🔥 Fans wanted Spider-Man finally 'saved' by Marvel. 🎯 Andrew Garfield was judged 'not compatible' with the Disney universe. 💥 The idea of a complete reboot began to spread.
Kevin Feige steps in
Faced with the chaos, Kevin Feige completely abandoned The Amazing Spider-Man 3.
Behind the scenes, several factors weighed heavily in the balance:
Andrew Garfield was reportedly dropped after missing an official Sony event in Brazil, seen as a 'lack of commitment'. The producers wanted a 'clean slate' to win Disney over. The ASM3 scripts did not win everyone over (Gwen's resurrection, clones, an already confusing multiverse…).
And so, in early 2015, Sony made the historic deal official: Spider-Man joins the MCU. The reboot was under way, Tom Holland and the web-slinger appeared for the first time in Civil War.
But what Marvel gained… is what Garfield's fans lost.
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A universe that disappoints At the release of The Amazing Spider-Man 2, the sprawling universe they wanted struggled to convince the public, the critics and Sony's own teams.
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Rushed announcements Sony sped up its announcements, a Sinister Six film and a Venom spin-off, without the MCU's coherent, step-by-step structure.
3
The late-2014 hack The Sony Pictures hack revealed secret discussions with Marvel Studios about bringing Spider-Man into the MCU.
4
The early-2015 deal Sony made the historic deal official: Spider-Man joined the MCU and Tom Holland appeared for the first time in Civil War.
Fan frustration: the Spider-Man that never was
For much of the audience, The Amazing Spider-Man 3 became a symbol: a sacrificed project, a hero cut off mid-flight. Gwen Stacy's tragic end, Peter's more mature arc. But in 2015, with the arrival of Tom Holland, Garfield's universe was buried without ceremony. No conclusion. No farewell scene. Just a disappearance. And that void would feed a growing frustration…
The 'Garfield Cut': viral nostalgia
The internet would not let go. Hashtags appeared very quickly:
📢 #SaveTASM3. 🕷️ #MakeTASM3. 🎬 #BringBackAndrewGarfield.
Fans are calling for a sequel, an ending, some respect for this alternative version of Peter Parker. All the more so because Garfield has grown in popularity after acclaimed roles in Silence, Hacksaw Ridge and Tick Tick Boom. Many regret that Sony never made the most of his potential.
No Way Home: the unexpected comeback
And then… a miracle. In 2021, Spider-Man: No Way Home brought this vanished Spider-Man back to life. Garfield returned in a performance hailed as one of the best moments in the film. He plays a Peter who is more broken, more vulnerable, still haunted by Gwen's death. He even steals the show from Tom Holland in some scenes.
👉 That return set everything off again:
🔥 A new generation discovered Garfield and loved him. 📈 Google searches for 'Amazing Spider-Man 3' exploded. 📬 Sony received thousands of messages demanding a sequel.
The audience is saying it loud and clear: Garfield deserves his conclusion. Not a reboot. Not a cameo. A real film. A real final arc.
A more grown-up Spider-Man… for a more mature audience
What makes Garfield's Spider-Man so strong is his melancholy. He does not live in the comfort of the Avengers. He loses. He falls. He gets back up. And that humanity speaks to an audience that has grown up too since the first films.
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2015, a universe buried With the arrival of Tom Holland, Garfield's universe disappeared with no conclusion and no farewell scene.
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Mobilisation online The hashtags #SaveTASM3, #MakeTASM3 and #BringBackAndrewGarfield call for a sequel, an ending and respect for this Peter Parker.
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2021, No Way Home Garfield returned as a more broken Peter, still haunted by Gwen's death, and stole the show in some scenes.
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A sequel in demand Google searches for Amazing Spider-Man 3 exploded and Sony received thousands of messages demanding a sequel.
Towards a possible return… or a legend frozen for good?
Since No Way Home, rumours of a real Amazing Spider-Man 3 have multiplied. Andrew Garfield has said several times that he 'loves playing Peter Parker' and would be 'open to a return, if the script is good'. And at Sony, the parallel universe is developing at full speed with Venom, Morbius and soon Kraven the Hunter.
👉 Insiders even mention:
📽️ A solo Garfield film in the Venom universe. 🤝 A temporary Sony / Marvel alliance around a live-action Spider-Verse project. 🎬 A potential appearance in Secret Wars (2027).
But to date, nothing is confirmed. And fans swing between feverish hope and melancholy acceptance.
An abandoned film that became a cult object
The Amazing Spider-Man 3 never came out… but it is more alive than ever in fans' minds. It embodies that more grown-up, rawer, more emotional version of the hero. It has become an unmade cinematic myth, in the same way as Ben Affleck's Batman or Colin Trevorrow's Star Wars IX.
👉 And if you want to relive that unique atmosphere, dive into our complete page on Spider-Man's enemies
Solo Garfield film
A solo film with Garfield in the Venom universe, according to insiders.
Sony / Marvel alliance
A temporary alliance around a live-action Spider-Verse project, with nothing confirmed to date.
Secret Wars (2027)
A potential appearance by Garfield in Secret Wars, with fans caught between feverish hope and melancholy acceptance.
🕸️ While you wait for TASM3… live your ideal Spider-Man
Whether you are a fan of Garfield, Tobey or Holland, you can embody your favourite version of Spider-Man:
🎭 Discover our Spider-Man costumes inspired by the different films. 🕶️ Take on the TASM look with our Spider-Man T-shirts stylish and official.
Boutique-Spiderman.fr, is more than a shop: it is the world of the web-slinger in all its diversity, for demanding, passionate or nostalgic fans.
Embody your favourite version
Whether you are a fan of Garfield, Tobey or Holland, you can embody your favourite version with costumes inspired by the different films and T-shirts with the TASM look.
