Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man movie trilogy became one of the most defining franchises in the superhero genre in the early 2000s, and those films included multiple cameos from actor Bruce Campbell. While that incarnation may have never been properly concluded following the cancellation of Spider-Man 4, Tobey Maguire’s incarnation of the iconic Marvel web-slinger is still embraced to this day. One of the consistent elements in Raimi’s trilogy was the humorous cameos of the director’s long-time friend Campbell. Having collaborated prior to and after the Spider-Man trilogy, Campbell’s memorable appearances were always an appreciated layer to the films.
The movies never addressed the actor’s respective cameos, as Campbell played a different character each time. While the three appearances never had any connection to one another over the trilogy’s run, the fourth installment was going to have Campbell cameo in an even bigger role. Through the reveal by illustrator Jeffrey Henderson with a set of storyboards, Campbell was rumored to appear in the role of Quentin Beck a.k.a. Mysterio. Had Spider-Man 4 happened, this would have been Mysterio’s live-action debut, which years later would end up with Jake Gyllenhaal’s portrayal in Spider-Man: Far From Home.
However, in a 2019 interview with CBR, Campbell debunked the rumors as he'd never been pitched to play Mysterio. All that was known about his fourth cameo was when the actor, in a 2009 interview with Access Hollywood, teased that Spider-Man 4 would have expanded his screentime this time around. Despite it not happening, it doesn’t take away those moments that the actor contributed to the trilogy in his three respective roles. Here are all three Bruce Campbell cameos in Rami's Spider-Man trilogy.
One of the most pivotal moments in the first film was when Peter Parker put his new spider-powers to test in public. Before he suited up properly, Peter sported a homemade suit as he entered an underground fight tournament. Determined to score the prize money to get himself a car, with the hopes of impressing M.J. Watson (Kirsten Dunst), Peter wasn't entirely prepared for what came next. While he wasn't the iconic web-slinger yet, it's thanks to Campbell where the hero got his name from. Appearing as the tournament's ring announcer, he wasn't entirely impressed with Peter's choice for a code-name.
Rather than going with Peter's proposed "The Human Spider" mantle, as he is about to enter the fight, the announcer officially introduces him as the amazing Spider-Man. While the crowd didn't give the young hero-to-be the warmest welcome at first, that would soon change after he takes on Bone Saw (Randy Savage). Though the announcer doesn't reappear in the rest of the film, Campbell's first cameo had a major impact on Peter as he gets to be the one to name the Marvel icon.
Well over a decade later, the second installment in the franchise still holds the title as the best one in Raimi's trilogy. The story has the protagonist being mentally and physically challenged in maintaining his two lives as Peter Parker and Spider-Man. From facing the powerful Doctor Octopus (Alfred Molina) to tackling his love troubles with M.J, Spider-Man 2 takes its time before letting Peter catch a break. While the film is mostly serious, it didn't stop Campbell from popping up in a hilarious cameo. This is where the franchise has a bit fun with the actor as it never acknowledges that he had already appeared as the ring announcer in the previous movie.
Campbell's second cameo has him play an usher with a chip on his shoulder at M.J.'s play. As Peter was committed to making it to her play, the usher doesn't make it easy for him when he arrives after the doors closed. At first, he advises Peter to straighten his tie and fix his shoes, all before blocking Peter to enter. Despite Peter's efforts, the usher remains stubborn as he refuses to break the rules for the late arrival. Even after explaining that he is M.J's friend who had asked Peter to come, the usher dismisses him by saying that she probably didn't ask him to show up late.
Even though it wasn't meant to be Campbell's final appearance in the series, Spider-Man 3 ended up being his last cameo. After having played a tough ring announcer to a stubborn usher, Campbell's third Spider-Man cameo had him appearing in a more charismatic role. After being together with M.J. for some time, Peter had plans to propose to her in a familiar but romantic way. With a reservation at a French restaurant and a ring in his pocket, Campbell plays a French maître d’ who is more than invested in helping Peter with his surprise for M.J.
When Peter arrives at the restaurant, Campbell's maître d’ gets a bit sassy with the hero. As Peter explains what he had in mind for his proposal to M.J., the maître d’ is on board immediately. But once M.J. arrives, the plan doesn't go exactly as Peter had hoped. With an interruption by Gwen Stacy (Bryce Dallas Howard), Peter's plan gets scrapped as a jealous M.J. storms off. Despite the tension, Campbell's cameo still added some humor as the maître d’ was on standby, keeping eye-contact with Peter in when to put the plan into motion.
It's tricky to pick which one of Campbell's three appearances was the best. In retrospect, it would probably be the first one in the 2002 film, simply due to the fact that Campbell got to name Maguire's Spider-Man in that universe. What was a brief scene ended up being a defining moment for Raimi's first installment, as that became the origin story for Peter's superhero name. Even though the series came to an end, someone as talented as Campbell will, hopefully, make it into the comic book genre again sooner rather than later. With the news of Raimi being eyed to direct Doctor Strange: In The Multiverse Of Madness, perhaps a Marvel Cinematic Universe role is coming Campbell's way.
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