This article contains spoilers for Venom: Let There Be Carnage.Ever since the first trailer for Spider-Man: No Way Home was released, fans have been excited to finally see Peter Parker’s iconic arch-enemies Doctor Octopus and the Green Goblin make their triumphant return to live-action for the first time since Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy. In addition, multiple shots from the trailer feature yellow lightning bolts striking the ground, hinting at the return of Jamie Foxx as Electro.
But while Dock Ock, Green Goblin, and Electro are currently the only villains officially confirmed to be appearing in No Way Home, many Marvel fans believe that there are even more Spidey rogues who will appear in the final film. Some have even predicted that this will be the cinematic debut of the Sinister Six, the infamous team composed of some of Peter’s deadliest foes. If the Sinister Six is indeed headed to the MCU this December, then here are some of the other villains who could potentially appear in the other half of the team.
Sandman
While an iteration of this classic bad guy appeared as one of Mysterio’s illusions in the opening scene of Far From Home, it’s also possible that Thomas Haden Church could appear to reprise his role from Spider-Man 3. A few fans have even theorized that Sandman has already appeared in the first trailer — both shots featuring Electro’s lightning also show what seems to be a raging sandstorm, indicating that Sandman may also be part of the film’s rogues’ gallery. However, considering Sandman’s last-minute redemption in his film debut, it’s also possible that he could appear as an ally to Spider-Man, or at least defect from his fellow villains.
Lizard
Besides Electro, the most prominent villain from the Amazing Spider-Man film series is the Lizard, aka Dr. Curt Connors, originally played by Rhys Ifans. While there’s currently no solid evidence of his involvement, one notable shot from the trailer shows Peter being attacked by a hulking figure lunging at him from the shadows. Fans speculation posits that this unknown foe could in fact be the Lizard, as suggested by his bulky frame. However, the scene is too dark to clearly make out the mystery villain’s silhouette.
That said, introducing a variant of the Lizard would be a perfect opportunity to make up for some of the wasted potential of his previous film appearance. He could finally be depicted with a comic-accurate reptilian appearance, as opposed to his more humanoid look from Amazing Spider-Man. In addition, giving him a more bestial personality would help capture the menace of past incarnations while also keeping his characterization simple to help avoid overcrowding the cast.
Rhino
While he only showed up in two brief scenes at the beginning and end of the film, it’s important to note that Paul Giamatti did in fact appear in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 as Aleksei Sytsevich, aka the Rhino. Though the first trailer doesn’t hint at his potential involvement, Rhino would nevertheless be a perfect addition to the Sinister Six. His brute strength gives him a unique niche to fill as the team’s muscle, while his boisterous personality is both entertaining enough to be memorable and simple enough to not require much fleshing out. In other words, he’s the ideal bit part bad guy to pad out the villain roster without taking up too much screen time.
Vulture
Currently, there’s no news of any past MCU Spider-Man villains returning for No Way Home. But even so, it wouldn’t be too surprising to see Michael Keaton appear as Adrian Toomes, aka the Vulture. While he was last seen at the end of Homecoming protecting Spider-Man’s secret identity as thanks for saving his life, it’s not inconceivable that Toomes could be coerced into joining the Sinister Six. After all, Ock and Goblin are both master manipulators with a knack for getting other villains on their side. To add some more fuel to this theory, it’s already been confirmed that Michael Keaton will be reprising his role in the upcoming Morbius movie, suggesting that he’s open to returning as the Vulture in other future films.
Scorpion
Speaking of Homecoming, one of the several minor antagonists in that film was Michael Mando of Better Call Saul fame as Mac Gargan, better known as the comic villain Scorpion. Gargan appeared as one of Vulture’s underworld clients, with the film’s ending establishing that he’s gained a grudge against Spider-Man for landing him in prison. As such, fans have been anticipating Gargan’s transformation into the Scorpion for years. No news about Michael Mando’s return to the MCU has come up since then, but ever since Abomination’s surprise cameo in Shang-Chi, it’s been clear that Marvel Studios is capable of bringing back seemingly forgotten characters when fans least expect it. As of now, a Scorpion appearance in No Way Home is unlikely, but not impossible.
Mysterio
Quentin Beck’s presence on this list may be confusing at first, seeing as Far From Home ended with his death. But Mysterio is known as the master of illusion for a reason, and he’s managed to fool the world with his tricks before. It wouldn’t come as a surprise if Beck faked his own death, only to come out of hiding to join his fellow villains in taking revenge on Spider-Man. That said, the deeply personal nature of Peter and Beck’s rivalry could potentially steal the spotlight away from Doc Ock and Green Goblin, meaning Mysterio’s comeback could be a better fit for a future movie.
Venom
But of all the villains who could potentially appear in No Way Home, none have caused quite as much buzz as Tom Hardy’s Venom. The possibility of Venom facing off with Spider-Man in the film started out as wild speculation with little traction among fans. But after the post-credits scene of Venom: Let There Be Carnage showed Venom being transported to the MCU — possibly by the same spell from Doctor Strange that summoned the other villainous variants — the possibility of Venom joining the Sinister Six has gotten a lot more likely.
Adding credence to this theory is a picture of Tom Hardy wearing a No Way Home production hat, indicating that he’s involved with the film in some capacity. It’s entirely possible that Venom will only be making a brief cameo, but he could very well have a larger role in the film. In fact, Venom is another major candidate for the shadowy mystery villain featured in the trailer, given his jet-black suit and hulking frame. That said, it’s equally likely that the inevitable Venom vs. Spider-Man confrontation is being saved for another film, to avoid overcrowding No Way Home.
Of course, there’s currently no way of knowing for sure what the final villain lineup of No Way Home will look like. The film’s plot and cast have been the subject of heavy secrecy since it began production, so there likely won’t be any confirmation for any of these villains until a new trailer is released. But for now, it’s still fun to speculate on exactly what a live action Sinister Six might look like.