With the news that Jamie Foxx is set to return to the role of Electro and the rumors of Alfred Molina reprising his role as Doctor Octopus, it seems that what started out as whispers become louder and louder. It’s hard to deny that the upcoming Spider-Man threequel will be a live-action Spider-Verse adaptation. One of the main questions many fans are wondering: who would be the main antagonist in this story? Especially if the film will reintroduce the pioneers of live-action Spider-Man, Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield. Well, Joseph Aberl and I have a pretty good idea of what we’d want to see. So, we think that if these castings are real, Marvel Studios and Sony are possibly setting up multiple antagonists. This film could be our first live-action introduction to the Sinister Six.
Who are the Sinister Six?
In 1964, Marvel introduced the world to the Sinister Six. It was a team of supervillains determined to defeat Spider-Man once and for all. In the comics, Doctor Octopus had contacted five of Spider-Man’s enemies. These included Electro, Vulture, Mysterio, Sandman, and Kraven to work together against their greatest foe. During their first appearance in The Amazing Spider-Man Annual #1, each member would take on Spider-Man one at a time. Their goal was to wear him down until he could not defend himself anymore. In the end, their plan failed. Since, there have been multiple versions of the team over the years with different members such as Hobgoblin, Chameleon, Lizard, Rhino, Shocker, Scorpion, and Mr. Negative, just to name a few.
So far, the Marvel Cinematic Universe of Peter Parker has only faced off against two main antagonists in his solo films, Vulture, and Mystery. There were a handful of secondary villains, which included brief appearances of Shocker and Mac Gargan. So bringing in the Sinister Six at this time would seem like an unlikely turn for the story to take. Not only are there not enough villains from Spider-Man’s lore in the MCU, but they would easily overpower the current version of Spider-Man, as he got pushed to his limits with one until now, so try to imagine him taking on six at the same time. Yet, what if the Sinister Six faced off against three different Spider-Men? Now, the story is expanding and opens up the question of who else may join the various Spider-Men into the MCU.
Multiversal Sinister Six
So, we want to explore the concept of a multiversal Sinister Six. We want to bring in villains from Spider-Man’s cinematic history. However, the iterations will not be the same characters that were in the previous films, but rather, just the same actors giving these iconic characters a new twist. Of course, we’ll also bring in some new faces. They will add some new twists to the upcoming threequel. So let’s kick it off with the main man leading the group.
1. Alfred Molina as Doc Ock
Edward: Alfred Molina‘s role as Doctor Otto Octavius was regarded as one of the most memorable performances of a supervillain in a comic book movie. But the last time we saw Alfred Molina‘s Doc Ock, he sacrificed himself to save New York by drowning alongside his fusion power generator. So if I were to reintroduce Molina into the MCU as Doc Ock, I would probably go the route they did with J Jonah Jameson by introducing the same actor portraying a different version of the character. He would be the one to bring together the Sinister Six.
Joseph: Alfred Molina‘s take on Doctor Octopus is one of the most iconic in comic book cinema history. The selling point about Spidey’s villains, especially in the original Sam Raimi trilogy, is their connection to Peter. He was the mentor that Maguire’s Peter always wanted until a day went wrong turned him into something else. I hope that we don’t get an actual “Doc Ock” in this film. I think he would make for a perfect man in the shadows, who doesn’t participate in the fights. Octavius is the brain behind the operations. He only shows his hand once the film nears its climax and may have an ulterior motive in taking on the Spider-Men.
2. Jamie Foxx as Electro
Edward: Jamie Foxx returning as Electro opens a pathway to many possible ways he makes his return. The last time we saw Foxx‘s Electro in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014), he absorbed so much energy that he exploded and just disappeared. However, there’s an essential law in Physics that may explain his reappearance. The First Law of Thermodynamics states that energy cannot be created or destroyed. It converts from one form into another. He may have reached a level that allowed him to travel from one dimension to another. But again, I believe this will also be another J. Jonah Jameson scenario where the same actor will portray a different version of the character.
Joseph: I was a fan of the energy that Foxx brought to the role. The nerd angle was pointless, but he did prove he could be quite a menacing threat given the right tools. I think this version might be Max Dillon from the mainline MCU, who ends up fusing with his Amazing Spider-Man counterpart after his explosion. A rift in dimensions can do a lot, so the moment Elektro turned into pure energy, he may have accidentally bestowed these powers to a different version of himself. It would be a fun way to connect both storylines while also not always falling back on it just being a different version of an existing character. He will probably be the team’s heavy-hitter who does their dirty work throughout the film.
3. Jake Gyllenhaal as Mysterio
Edward: I don’t think Mysterio is dead. Marvel would not waste a talent like Jake Gyllenhaal for a one-time role. I’m betting that Mysterio is still alive in some way or form. Hiding out and biding his time to enact his revenge against Peter. And, as one of the original members of the Sinister Six, it would be a perfect opportunity to bring him back.
Joseph: So, Mysterio is a curious addition to this line-up. In a way, the version we got introduced to in Far From Home would not be the kind to listen to others. As such, he probably ends up working alongside Dock Ock to re-establish himself as the dominant hero of the MCU. I wouldn’t be surprised that he was hoping to make a return from the dead to build on that classic trope. He would then defeat Spider-Man to prove he is the true hero that Triple J claims. With the introduction of other multiverses, he uses this opportunity to add to his heroics, as he can never get enough. He could pretend he was under mind-control or was undercover to make his story stand out. Whatever role Gyllenhaal might have in this story, he certainly will leave some theatrics. Imagine Spider-Man’s accusations getting lifted and forced to work alongside Mysterio after the events of this film.
4. Michael Keaton as Vulture
Edward: This one seemed like a pretty easy add. We all know that Michael Keaton is returning in Morbius (2021) and possibly escape prison alongside Mac Gargan during that film. He’ll probably want to seek revenge against the person responsible for putting him behind bars in the first place.
Joseph: Vulture is the only hero who knew Peter Parker’s real identity before Mysterio released it to the world. I think he will be a reluctant villain throughout the film. Yes, Peter did put him in prison, but he also saved his life. There was no reason for him to keep his identity a secret. Now that it is public, there is no reason for him to hold that against him. I wouldn’t be surprised if he decides to save Peter’s life. That way, they are even from the events in Homecoming.
5. Dane DeHann/Jacob Batalon as Ned Leeds aka Hobgoblin
Edward: I’m going to be speaking on the prospect of Dane DeHann being the Hobgoblin in this film’s version of the Sinister Six. One of the most interesting aspects of Hobgoblin is that his identity was a bit of an enigma in the comics. Spider-Man (and the readers) were led to believe that Hobgoblin was the former fashion designer Roderick Kingsley. In reality, the mantle “belonged” to Ned Leeds, who was brainwashed by Kingsley. The rumors of Ned becoming Hobgoblin in this film truly are a remarkable idea and, while I would love to see Jacob in the role, imagine if Marvel added a unique twist. The Hobgoblin Spider-Man was facing was indeed Ned Leeds, but from another dimension, and portrayed by none other than Dane DeHann. It would allow Dane the opportunity to redeem his portrayal of the Green Gremlin, I mean, Goblin in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014).
Joseph: Nothing hurts more than your best friend betraying you. As interesting as it would be for DeHann to get a second chance at a Goblin role, it would take some time to explain. We spent a few films with MCU’s version of Ned, who deserves a bit more spotlight. Peter knows his best friend. He would trust him with his life. So, what if Spider-Man faces a Hobgoblin, who turns out to be a different version of someone Pete knows. Would he doubt his friend moving forward? Will Peter remember how important it is to balance his social life to ensure his friend never goes down that dark path. It would also become Peter’s lowest point when he realizes what his inaction could cause to the people he loves.
6. The “Joel Kinnaman-type” as Kraven the Hunter
Edward: The team would not be complete without one of their founding members. Kraven is hired to hunt down Spider-Man is an idea many fans had hoped to see. It was on everyone’s mind after seeing that post-credit credit scene in Far From Home. And I think it’s a fantastic idea. It’s also been rumored that Marvel Studios was looking for a Joel Kinnaman-type for an unspecified role in the upcoming Untitled Spider-Man Sequel, so it would be a fantastic time to introduce Kraven in the mix with the Sinister 6.
Joseph: Even if they do not give us a Sinister Six storyline, I want a live-action adaptation of Kraven. I do think he might be the connective tissue that starts the multiversal storyline. They may combine him with the character of Morlun, who has an obsession with hunting down Spider-Man. This version started working together with iconic villains throughout his multiversal travels. They managed to make his hunt easier, as each new Spider-Man added a new challenge. He let Dock Ock take control as he realized his strategic potential would make his life a bit easier so he can focus on the hunt.
Bonus Chess Pieces
Edward: The beauty of the Sinister Six is that these villains can swap with other villains. They are like pieces on a chessboard, and with such a diverse rogue gallery, it’s nearly impossible to pick which six will be a part of the group. As such, we included some additional villains in reserve. So if I had to make a couple of bonus picks for the team to swap out with any of the others that we decided upon, I’d have to go with Thomas Hayden Church as Sandman and Paul Giamatti as Rhino. These two characters need a second opportunity to shine and take on the web-slinger. Plus, Sandman is one of the original members of the first Sinister Six, so it only makes sense to bring him in for that role. As for Paul Giamatti as Rhino, well, I won’t lie, Paul‘s take on Rhino was cheesy in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014), but even with the little time screentime that he had in the film, you could tell he had a good time with the role.
Joseph: So, I want to go left-field with the reserve members. I would love to see them embrace villains outside of the pre-existing films. Just like how The Mandalorian brought animated characters into live-action, I would love to see them introduce the PlayStation 4’s version of Mister Negative, who was played by Stephen Oyoung. His character would be quite a visual distinction from the rest and it would be intriguing to embrace the multiverse in all its facets. Why stop there? We could see The Spectacular Spider-Man‘s Lizard appear, whose appearance is followed by Josh Keaton‘s Spider-Man shouting something before the reptile ends up in the MCU. In a multiversal storyline, it seems like anything is possible.
