MCU Theory: Who Will Be the Main Villain in ‘Spider-Man 3’?
Besides sports, few aspects of modern popular culture warrant such an intense cross between speculation and wish fulfillment as superhero movies. When every new chapter of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is released, it’s on to the next film, as fans worldwide debate what’s coming next.
With a beloved character like Spider-Man, this speculation gets more intense. However, with the film still years away, fans are having a hard time figuring out who will be the villain.
Spider-Man’s cinematic villain history
Spider-Man might be the most popular modern superhero that Marvel has to offer. With decades of wild fanfare, Spider-Man has taken on some of the biggest villains that the Marvel universe has to offer.
From the early days in the comic books to several television and film adaptations, Spider-Man has seen his fair share of foes since first swinging into the cultural lexicon.
On the big screen, Spidey’s first major foe was Green Goblin. Played by Willem Dafoe, Green Goblin gave Peter Parker a significant crisis of conscience. On the one hand, he was a villain hellbent on destroying New York City and inflicting punishment.
On the other, he was Parker’s best friend’s father. Good prevailed, and Spider-Man moved on.
Three franchises later, and the Spider-Man universe makers are still trying to add fresh spins on new villains. From Doctor Octopus to Sandman and multiple Venoms, several of the biggest villains in the Spiderverse have been tackled already.
Through Vulture and Mysterio, the MCU provided believable villains who were not like Thanos in scope but offered similar moral quandaries as Green Goblin, Doc Ock, and several others.
As the Marvel keys get deeper into Spider-Man’s pockets, however, the villains might get bigger, and fans on Reddit are having a field day trying to figure out what’s coming next.
Which ‘Spider-Man’ villain comes next?
The current Spider-Man film universe is a complicated one, as there are three separate universes that stake a claim. Aside from the MCU, a Spider-Manless Sony universe involves several secondary characters and the Into the Spiderverse animated universe. This complicates things when it comes to predicting where the franchise is headed.
Some believed that Kraven was due for an appearance in the MCU. After Sony announced that Kraven would be getting his own movie, however, things shifted. From far-out theories about how the MCU could merge with the universe that Venom laid out to rehashes of old villains, fans have opinions sprawling across the board. Aside from Kraven, one character stood out among the rest on a Reddit discussion.
“I’d go Scorpion as the main villain. Similar to the comics, where JJJ hires bad guys to hunt down Spider-Man. The Smythe are involved, and they create Spider-Slayers. Scorpio was teased in Homecoming, and he’s one of the few Ditko villains we haven’t seen in film.”
A scene at the end of the first Spider-Man film in the MCU teased Scorpion, and the MCU has never shied away from leaving Easter Eggs like this. However, what it will all come down to is where the universe is by the time that Spider-Man 3 comes along.
When will we know more Spider-Man details?
Not much is known about the next Spider-Man movie. It’s supposed to be released in 2021, although the COVID-19 pandemic could put that date on hold. Until then, fans will have to speculate about when the movie is coming out, who will be in it, and what it means for the Spider-Man franchise’s future.
However, when that one is over, fans will start the process all over again while speculating on a potential fourth film.
