10 Spider-Man Villains Who Make The Most Sense For His Next MCU Trilogy

Spider-Man: No Way Home featured the largest number of Spider-Man villains ever put together in one film, with some of the Webslinger’s most famous cinematic foes returning for one last sparring match with their archnemesis. The movie reminded audiences of just how special Spider-Man villains are, while also paving the way for new ones to join the fray.

The slate is set clean in anticipation for the next trilogy of Spider-Man movies, and one question that continues to persist is exactly which villains the hero might face when he finally makes his return to the big screen. Given the character’s iconic lineup of supervillain foes, there is no shortage of enemies that would make perfect sense as the antagonists in Spider-Man’s next franchise.

Shocker

The Shocker is one of Spider-Man’s oldest foes, though he may not be the most recognizable. As his name suggests, the villain is capable of launching sonic shockwaves through his two high-tech gauntlets on either arm. The character is played by Bokeem Woodbine in Spider-Man: Homecoming.

Reintroducing the Shocker in a future franchise would give the character a chance to absorb the spotlight that was otherwise stolen by Michael Keaton’s Vulture in Homecoming. There is plenty left to explore with Shocker, including what plans he might have to get revenge on Spider-Man for landing him in prison.

Spider-Slayers

The Spider-Slayers are a machination of the sinister Spencer Smythe, a scientist intent on destroying Spider-Man. After several failed attempts at killing the superhero, Smythe is eventually killed, only to be replaced by his son Alistair, who not only creates new Spider-Slayer robots but turns himself into a twisted human Spider-Slayer.

While the Smythes have yet to be hinted at in the MCU, one important character in their rise to supervillainy has already appeared in several projects: J. Jonah Jameson. In the comics, Jameson’s unparalleled hatred for Spider-Man causes him to hire the elder Smythe to create the first round of Spider-Slayers. Given Jameson’s recent introduction to the MCU, it might not be long before the army of Spider-Man-hunting robots sees its big-screen debut.

Chameleon

The Chameleon is Spider-Man’s oldest supervillain, first appearing in the pages of The Amazing Spider-Man #1. The character is known for his signature ability to mirror the face and voice of anyone he pleases, often causing trouble for his enemies by impersonating them in an effort to tarnish their reputations.

Many casual viewers may not realize that this supervillain already exists in the MCU. Numan Acar portrays Dmitri Smerdyakov, the alter-ego of the Chameleon himself, in Spider-Man: Far From Home. While Dmitri plays a small role in the film, the Chameleon persona itself has yet to be seen on screen.

Molten Man

The Molten Man is a villain that first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #28. The villain’s real name is Mark Raxton, a man who was coated in a metallic substance while stealing a scientific isotope from a laboratory. In later renditions, the character also becomes capable of setting his molten skin ablaze for added chaos in battle.

While Molten Man is not one of Spider-Man’s more recognizable villains, there is already potential for the character’s emergence in a future Spider-Man film. The comic book version is revealed to be the stepbrother of Liz Allan, who many fans will recognize as Peter Parker’s love interest in Homecoming. Given that the Vulture is the father of this version of Liz, the stage may be set for her mother’s remarriage to Mark’s father, bringing Molten Man closer to the big screen.

Kingpin

While Wilson Fisk, a.k.a. The Kingpin of Crime, is primarily thought of as a Daredevil villain, the character was actually first introduced as an enemy of Spider-Man. Fisk would later become a shared enemy between Spider-Man and Daredevil, causing both of them enough trouble to fill dozens of comic books.

Fans were delighted to see Vincent D’Onofrio’s version of Fisk return in the final episode of Hawkeye, harkening more of the iconic character in future MCU projects. Viewers may be closer than ever to finally seeing the Kingpin battle with Spider-Man in live-action for the first time. Given Charlie Cox’s confirmed return as Daredevil, Spider-Man may even have an alley in his war with the oversized crime boss.

Green Goblin

The Green Goblin is one of Spider-Man’s greatest villains, responsible for some of the worst pains in Peter Parker’s young life. He has already seen several live-action adaptations, most recently in the newly released Spider-Man: No Way Home, with Willem Dafoe reprising his role from the Sam Raimi Spider-Man trilogy.

Norman’s return in No Way Home seemed to confirm the absence of Oscorp in the MCU but did not necessarily rule out the existence of the Osborn family. Now that Peter has tangled with a version of the Goblin, he may become aware of his own world’s version of the character, something he would be sure to investigate after such a traumatic experience with the original.

Hobgoblin

Hobgoblin is an iconic Spider-Man villain that followed in the footsteps of Osborn’s Green Goblin, using his suits and gear to become a new brand of Goblin. While never quite living up to the original, the Hobgoblin often gave Spider-Man a run for his money, earning his place in the supervillain hall of fame.

Hobgoblin has been theorized to be an imminent addition to Tom Holland’s Spider-Man story, given the prominence of Ned Leeds in the MCU franchise. Many comic fans recognize Leeds as the original alter-ego of the Hobgoblin, leading them to wonder if the character will make a heel turn in the near future. However, Ned is only one of many Hobgoblin personas and may be spared the tragic fate of his comic counterpart.

Scorpion

The Scorpion is a classic Spider-Man villain, whose battle prowess and poisonous tale prove to be a worthy match for the Webhead. Also known by the name of Mac Gargan, the Scorpion has had plenty of tussles with Spider-Man and has even acted as the host to the Venom symbiote for a time.

Mac Gargan has already appeared in live-action, played by Michael Mando in Homecoming. The character is caught in Spider-Man’s raid on the Staten Island Ferry and sent to the same prison as Adrian Toomes, where he is revealed to be planning his revenge on the hero. Despite the clear indication of the character’s return, the films have yet to feature him since that first appearance, leaving the door open for his imminent reappearance.

Kraven The Hunter

Kraven the Hunter is one of Spider-Man’s most well-known villains, and the only original member of the infamous Sinister Six team to have never been adapted in live-action. Kraven has plenty of iconic comic storylines that could be adapted, the most famous of which is the “Kraven’s Last Hunt” event by J.M. DeMatteis.

Kraven seems like an inevitability for a future Spider-Man film for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the character’s upcoming solo film, where he will be played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson. A silhouette of the villain can also be seen as the multiverse cracks apart in the finale of No Way Home, indicating that he may be closer than fans previously thought. Tom Holland has even gone on the record stating that, if the Marvel-Sony deal had indeed fallen through before the production of the third Homecoming film, Kraven would have become the main villain of the film.

Venom

Venom has long been one of Spider-Man’s most fearsome and lethal foes. Since his first full appearance in The Amazing Spider-Man #300, the character has been a mainstay of the Spider-Man mythos, even branching out to become a type of anti-hero himself, going by the alternate title of “Lethal Protector.”

It seemed that Holland’s Spider-Man would soon meet a live-action version of Venom when Tom Hardy’s version of the character was transported to the MCU at the end of Venom: Let There Be Carnage. While the character was sent back home before meeting the arachnid hero, a droplet of the symbiote was left behind, strongly indicating that some version of Venom will soon be crossing paths with the amazing Spider-Man.

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