SPIDER-MAN 3: Alfred Molina Is Officially Returning As SPIDER-MAN 2 Villain Doctor Octopus

2004's Spider-Man 2 saw Alfred Molina take on the role of Doctor Octopus, and the actor is now set to return as the iconic villain in the Spider-Man: Far From Home sequel. Hit the jump for details...

By JoshWilding - Dec 08, 2020 10:12 AM EST

Filed Under: No Way Home

Well, this is unexpected.

While there has been some chatter online about Alfred Molina returning as Doctor Octopus in Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures' untitled Spider-Man: Far From Home sequel, it seemed likely that was just guesswork or wishful thinking thanks to all the "Spider-Verse" speculation.

Well, apparently not! The Hollywood Reporter reveals that the actor is indeed returning as the iconic Spider-Man villain. With that, three generations of Spidey movies have been tied together.

While the focus will be on Tom Holland's Peter Parker, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 star Jamie Foxx is returning as Electro (minus the blue skin) and now this Spider-Man 2 baddie will join him.

There's no word on what sort of role Doc Ock will play in proceedings. We also don't know whether this is the same version of the character from that 2004 movie or if the actor is playing a new take on him. The latter seems likely based on J.K. Simmons' return at the end of Spider-Man: Far From Home, but there's clearly enough evidence now to suggest we really are visiting the "Spider-Verse."

If so, then we can only hope Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield will also reprise their roles.

For now, feel free to share your Spider-Man 3 theories below!

Click on the "Next" button below to take a look at 10 unresolved plot
threads from the previous Spider-Man movies this threequel can address!

10. Green Goblin Lives

Despite being killed by his own glider in 2002's Spider-Man, Norman Osborn remained a recurring presence in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy. It was hard to escape the feeling that the filmmaker was planning to resurrect the Green Goblin like the comic books had done a number of years earlier.

So, could Willem Dafoe return as this iconic bad guy in the Marvel Cinematic Universe?

It would be a cool move on Marvel Studios' part to head down that route, and revealing the Green Goblin as the one pulling the strings from the shadows is a plot device that never fails to work.

9. The Fallout From Gwen Stacy's Death

At the end of The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Gwen Stacy falls to her death despite the wall-crawler's attempt to save her. Peter Parker brought this on himself in some ways, especially after her father, Captain George Stacy, begged the hero to leave his daughter be in order to protect her.

Of course, just like Spidey ignored him in The Amazing Spider-Man, this sequel ended with him shrugging her death on and returning to action with no real consequences for his actions.

If he returns in this MCU-set movie, then it would make perfect sense to address the fallout from Gwen's death and the psychological impact that had on Spider-Man in the years that followed.

8. Peter Parker And Mary Jane's Relationship

Talking of romance, it would be great to see what became of the Spider-Man Universe's Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson after they appeared to finally get their happy ending in Spider-Man 3.

The last time we saw them, they were sharing a dance after Harry Osborn's tragic demise, but did their relationship pan out from there? It would be nice to think they got married and had a family, but nothing goes smoothly in the hero's life, and there could have been some major bumps in the road.

Whatever the case may be, some insight into what became of these two would be welcomed.

7. "The Untold Story"

Remember when The Amazing Spider-Man promised us "The Untold Story" of the web-slinger's superpowers? Most of that ended up on the cutting room floor, but the gist was meant to be that Peter Parker's father injected him with a secret serum that the spider bite basically activated in his system.

From there, the plan was for it to tie into Norman Osborn and Oscorp, but the idea was mostly abandoned, and we never actually got to discover what this so-called "Untold Story" was.

With Andrew Garfield's Spider-Man potentially returning in Spider-Man 3, an exploration of how each of the heroes gained their powers could be enlightening in a number of ways, with Oscorp potentially the common denominator which ties these webbed warriors together in this apparent team-up.

6. The Spider-Man Universe's Doctor Strange

Spider-Man 2 included references to Bleecker Street and a direct mention of Doctor Strange, so it's clear that some version of the Sorcerer Supreme exists in the same world as the web-slinger.

With the MCU's Stephen Strange set to play a role in 2021's Spider-Man 3, an adventure spanning the Multiverse feels like a given, as does the hero meeting his counterpart from another world.

It's hard to say who could play that Doctor Strange, but there's no denying that it would be pretty damn cool for Strange to learn that there's a version of him on every world protecting the Multiverse.

5. Did Doctor Octopus Survive?

Spider-Man 2 appeared to quite definitively show the death of Doctor Octopus, but that was something fans struggled to come to terms with, especially when Otto Octavius was such a great bad guy.

There are certainly ways he could have survived, with those arms of his potentially coming back online and pulling him out of the water. Of all the villains from Sam Raimi's trilogy, Doc Ock would be at the top of many wish lists for who should return, so perhaps Marvel can address this by bringing him back and revealing that Spidey has spent years battling one of his greatest foes.

His apparent death isn't necessarily an unresolved plot thread, but it could be made one in some way!

4. "The Man In The Shadows"

The Man in the Shadows was one of The Amazing Spider-Man's biggest talking points, especially after he appeared to teleport in and out of Dr. Curt Connors' prison cell in order to interrogate the Lizard about what he had told Peter Parker about his parents (a plot thread which, as we mentioned, didn't pan out).

Later, we would learn that Gustav Fiers was working for Norman Osborn, and willing to help Harry in his quest to assemble the Sinister Six and kill Spider-Man for his genetically altered blood.

Sadly, Michael Massee died a few years ago, but there are other ways this character's role in the "Spider-Verse" could be addressed. Perhaps he's some sort of demonic or mystical entity?

3. Was Bruce Campbell Really Mysterio?

Bruce Campbell popped up as different characters in each of Sam Raimi's Spider-Man movies, while concept art has revealed that he was supposed to play Mysterio in Spider-Man 4.

That was only meant to be a silly cameo, but this is something Marvel Studios can take and have fun with in Spider-Man 3 (or, if needs be, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness). Picture this: Peter arrives on a different Earth, comes face to face with this Mysterio, and takes him down thinking it's his Quentin Beck before realising it's just some bozo wearing a ridiculous costume!

Despite being a throwaway moment, it's one fans of this franchise would definitely appreciate.

2. Norman Osborn's Severed Head

This ended up being a deleted scene, but the aforementioned Gutav Friers was meant to be shown reporting to Norman Osborn's severed head - in a jar - beneath the bowels of Oscorp.

The plan in The Amazing Spider-Man 3 was for a serum to be created which would resurrect the dead, with George Stacy set to return, along with a Norman we're assuming would be a full-blown monstrous Green Goblin. It sounds dumb as hell, and something we're glad didn't become a reality.

Despite that, it would certainly be interesting for a visit to this world to shed some light on what Sony had planned, even if it's in a tongue in cheek way which points out how wacky all that actually is.

1. Sinister Six Assembles

At the end of The Amazing Spider-Man 2, we learned that Oscorp had created a number of weapons, including a massive Rhino suit (for some reason, the Venom symbiote spotted in trailers was cut).

That movie would reveal that the Sinister Six set to assemble in the spinoff movie Drew Goddard was working on was likelu going to feature the Green Goblin and the Rhino, and four formidable new additions: Doctor Octopus, Kraven the Hunter, Vulture, and Mysterio.

This is one of the sequel's biggest dangling plot threads, and if it's true Dane DeHaan is coming back as the Green Goblin, what if he ends up assembling some sort of interdimensional version of the team?

SPIDER-MAN 4: Here's The Latest On Marvel Studios' Hunt For A Director (And Who ISN'T In The Mix)

Recommended For You:

SPIDER-MAN 4: Franchise Producer Amy Pascal Refuses To Comment On Plans For The NO WAY HOME Sequel

DISCLAIMER: ComicBookMovie.com is protected under the DMCA (Digital Millenium Copyright Act) and... [MORE]

ComicBookMovie.com, and/or the user who contributed this post, may earn commissions or revenue through clicks or purchases made through any third-party links contained within the content above.

Do you have what it takes to write for us?

Want to contribute?

282 Comments

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Jordanstine - 12/8/2020, 10:55 AM

JonC - 12/9/2020, 9:30 AM

@Jordanstine - the sinister six in the mcu will be comprised of characters we have seen among all 3 iterations of the spiderman movies... doc ock, sandman maybe, goblin, electro, maybe venom, vulture, etc...

RohanPatel - 12/8/2020, 10:56 AM

Come on Tobey!

teefurtree - 12/8/2020, 1:53 PM

MarDCel - 12/8/2020, 10:56 AM

Man, it'd be so great to see old Raimi cast on screen again in a spiderman movie.

JamesPunn - 12/8/2020, 9:06 PM

@MarDCel - For real. That trilogy was a defining part of my childhood, but I accepted I'd never see anything more from it, aside from occasionally imagining the alternate universe where Raimi continued with his fourth movie. But here we are.

Jordanstine - 12/8/2020, 10:56 AM

Matador - 12/8/2020, 11:41 AM

@Jordanstine -

MCUKnight11 - 12/8/2020, 10:57 AM

Holy... I have no words for this...

Hawkguy - 12/8/2020, 10:57 AM

Getting a lot more difficult to deny the multiverse, I guess.

Hawkguy - 12/8/2020, 11:00 AM

Alfred Molina is the man, though. Someone give Willem a call, please. If you're gonna go all in...

Matador - 12/8/2020, 11:42 AM

@Hawkguy - No, he ded boo.

Hawkguy - 12/8/2020, 11:54 AM

@Matador - Doc Ock wasn't looking too good either.

Matador - 12/8/2020, 12:05 PM

@Hawkguy - Oh thats an easy fix one of his testicles managed to crab a floating sofa to safety it's from the end credits.

Hawkguy - 12/8/2020, 12:17 PM

@Matador - I'm 100% into Doc Ock's mighty testicles saving his life! Honestly, I love it.

smgmayhem - 12/8/2020, 12:21 PM

@Matador - 🤣

MCUKnight11 - 12/8/2020, 10:57 AM

Everyone's already jumping to Spiderverse but I'm thinking more likely it's for the Sinister 6.

RohanPatel - 12/8/2020, 11:05 AM

@MCUKnight11 - I'm pretty sure it's that too

KnifeWasTooSlow - 12/8/2020, 11:07 AM

@MCUKnight11 - The Multiverse Six.

bobevanz - 12/8/2020, 10:57 AM

🥳🥳🥳🥳 it's hard posting gifs on mobile so I'll have to take the Porg route lol, so we're getting announcements from Garfield and Tobey today right?!?!?! AHHHHHHH HOLY SHIT

Jordanstine - 12/8/2020, 10:58 AM

DaHyro - 12/8/2020, 10:58 AM

The inner child in me is FREAKING out, but I need to remind myself... He’ll be directed by Jon Watts. This is still a sequel to Far From Home, which I thought was awful.

I need to control myself... BUT GUYS. ITS HAPPENING!!

LongMayHeReign - 12/8/2020, 12:03 PM

@DaHyro -

Sony: "Thanks for rebuilding the Spider-man brand for us Kevin, now here's one last solo film before we take him back!"

Feige's internal thoughts: "Word? Ok now watch me make the best live action Spider-man by using the premise from your Oscar winning animated Spider-man film, and by using the nostalgia and characters from your past Spider-man franchises! Yea good luck topping this one bitches!"

tmp3 - 12/8/2020, 10:58 AM

JUST ANNOUNCE TOBEY ALREADY

MyCoolYoung - 12/8/2020, 12:27 PM

@tmp3 - facts

Highflyer - 12/8/2020, 10:58 AM

RolandD - 12/8/2020, 11:35 AM

@Highflyer - It's all because of Covid.

NicolausCopernicus - 12/8/2020, 10:58 AM

only thing left its to bring back dafoe and make the goblin justice with actual prosthetics, get rid of the helmet

RolandD - 12/8/2020, 11:36 AM

@NicolausCopernicus - OMG, yes! The prosthetics that they almost used were awesome and comic accurate!

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Related Headlines

Spider-Man

SPIDER-MAN 4: Here's The Latest On Marvel Studios' Hunt For A Director (And Who ISN'T In The Mix)

JoshWilding

7 hours ago

Marvel Studios

MCU Rumor Roundup: AVENGERS 5 Shoot Date, X-MEN Synopsis, Natalia Tena's Role, & More - Possible SPOILERS

MarkCassidy

15 hours ago

Madame Web

MADAME WEB Star Sydney Sweeney Responds To Producer Who Said "She's Not Pretty, She Can't Act"

MarkCassidy

21 hours ago

Related Headlines

Spider-Man

SPIDER-MAN 4: Here's The Latest On Marvel Studios' Hunt For A Director (And Who ISN'T In The Mix)

JoshWilding

7 hours ago

Marvel Studios

MCU Rumor Roundup: AVENGERS 5 Shoot Date, X-MEN Synopsis, Natalia Tena's Role, & More - Possible SPOILERS

MarkCassidy

15 hours ago

Madame Web

MADAME WEB Star Sydney Sweeney Responds To Producer Who Said "She's Not Pretty, She Can't Act"

MarkCassidy

21 hours ago

Madame Web

Hollywood Producer Slams MADAME WEB Star Sydney Sweeney: "She's Not Pretty, She Can't Act"

MarkCassidy

2 days ago

The Amazing Spider-Man 2

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2 Star Dane DeHaan Talks NO WAY HOME Rumors And Whether He'd Return As Green Goblin

JoshWilding

2 days ago

Spider-Man

Deadpool & Wolverine

DEADPOOL AND WOLVERINE Theatre Standee Gives Us A New Live-Action Look At Logan And Wade Wilson

MarkCassidy

41 mins ago

Batman vs. Superman

BATMAN: Ben Affleck's DCEU Appearances Ranked From Worst To Best According To Rotten Tomatoes

JoshWilding

1 hour ago

Latest Headlines

The Witcher

THE WITCHER Season 5 Will Be The Show's Last As Netflix Rushes To Adapt Andrzej Sapkowski's Final Three Books

JoshWilding

36 mins ago

Deadpool & Wolverine

DEADPOOL AND WOLVERINE Theatre Standee Gives Us A New Live-Action Look At Logan And Wade Wilson

MarkCassidy

41 mins ago

Batman vs. Superman

BATMAN: Ben Affleck's DCEU Appearances Ranked From Worst To Best According To Rotten Tomatoes

JoshWilding

1 hour ago

Marvel Studios

MCU Rumor Roundup: Updates On THE FANTASTIC FOUR's Silver Surfer Twist, AVENGERS 5, BLADE, And More

JoshWilding

3 hours ago

Transformers

TRANSFORMERS ONE: Chris Hemsworth And Scarlett Johansson Assemble The Autobots In First Trailer

MarkCassidy

4 hours ago

Action

TRAP: First Trailer For M. Night Shyamalan's New Movie Gives The Big Twist Away... Or Does It?

MarkCassidy

6 hours ago

Hot Headlines

185 comments

SUPERMAN: James Gunn's DCU Reboot Finds Its Martha "Ma" Kent

MarkCassidy

1 day ago EST

140 comments

Hollywood Producer Slams MADAME WEB Star Sydney Sweeney: "She's Not Pretty, She Can't Act"

MarkCassidy

2 days ago EST

106 comments

Leonardo DiCaprio Was In Talks To Play Lex Luthor In BVS; Gave Zack Snyder JUSTICE LEAGUE Idea

MarkCassidy

1 day ago EST

104 comments

THE FANTASTIC FOUR Rumored To Introduce Norrin Radd Alongside Julia Garner's Silver Surfer

MarkCassidy

1 day ago EST

103 comments

More Sci-Fi & Fantasy ►

SNOW WHITE Rumored Plot Details May Clear Up Seven Dwarfs/Seven Bandits Confusion

More Cartoons & Animated ►

Bethesda's Todd Howard On What's Next: ELDER SCROLLS VI, FALLOUT 5, And STARFIELD

More Anime & Manga ►

TRAP: First Trailer For M. Night Shyamalan's Latest Spoils The Big Twist

More Horror ►

JAMES BOND: Henry Cavill Isn't Closing The Door On Playing 007; Maybe I'm Too Old Now. Maybe I'm Not...

More Action Movies & TV ►

The Undertaker Talks Relationship With The Rock Following WRESTLEMANIA Clash As Final Boss Vows Revenge

More Pro Wrestling ►

FURIOSA: A MAD MAX SAGA Stills Showcase Anya Taylor-Joy's Road Warrior And Chris Hemsworth's Dementus

More Sci-Fi & Fantasy ►

More Cartoons & Animated ►

More Anime & Manga ►

More Horror ►

More Action Movies & TV ►

More Pro Wrestling ►

SPIDER-MAN 3: Alfred Molina Is Officially Returning As SPIDER-MAN 2 Villain Doctor Octopus

2004's Spider-Man 2 saw Alfred Molina take on the role of Doctor Octopus, and the actor is now set to return as the iconic villain in the Spider-Man: Far From Home sequel. Hit the jump for details...

10. Green Goblin Lives

9. The Fallout From Gwen Stacy's Death

8. Peter Parker And Mary Jane's Relationship

7. "The Untold Story"

6. The Spider-Man Universe's Doctor Strange

5. Did Doctor Octopus Survive?

4. "The Man In The Shadows"

3. Was Bruce Campbell Really Mysterio?

2. Norman Osborn's Severed Head

1. Sinister Six Assembles

SPIDER-MAN 4: Here's The Latest On Marvel Studios' Hunt For A Director (And Who ISN'T In The Mix)

SPIDER-MAN 4: Franchise Producer Amy Pascal Refuses To Comment On Plans For The NO WAY HOME Sequel

SPIDER-MAN 4: Here's The Latest On Marvel Studios' Hunt For A Director (And Who ISN'T In The Mix)

MCU Rumor Roundup: AVENGERS 5 Shoot Date, X-MEN Synopsis, Natalia Tena's Role, & More - Possible SPOILERS

MADAME WEB Star Sydney Sweeney Responds To Producer Who Said "She's Not Pretty, She Can't Act"

SPIDER-MAN 4: Here's The Latest On Marvel Studios' Hunt For A Director (And Who ISN'T In The Mix)

MCU Rumor Roundup: AVENGERS 5 Shoot Date, X-MEN Synopsis, Natalia Tena's Role, & More - Possible SPOILERS

MADAME WEB Star Sydney Sweeney Responds To Producer Who Said "She's Not Pretty, She Can't Act"

Hollywood Producer Slams MADAME WEB Star Sydney Sweeney: "She's Not Pretty, She Can't Act"

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2 Star Dane DeHaan Talks NO WAY HOME Rumors And Whether He'd Return As Green Goblin

SPIDER-MAN 4: Franchise Producer Amy Pascal Refuses To Comment On Plans For The NO WAY HOME Sequel

Popular Headlines

CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD Happy Meal Toys Reveal A First Look At MCU’s Take On Red Hulk

SUPERMAN: James Gunn's DCU Reboot Finds Its Martha "Ma" Kent

MCU Rumor Roundup: AVENGERS 5 Shoot Date, X-MEN Synopsis, Natalia Tena's Role, & More - Possible SPOILERS

SUPERMAN Director James Gunn Shares New Behind-The-Scenes Photo With David Corenswet And Rachel Brosnahan

MADAME WEB Star Sydney Sweeney Responds To Producer Who Said "She's Not Pretty, She Can't Act"

THE WITCHER Season 5 Will Be The Show's Last As Netflix Rushes To Adapt Andrzej Sapkowski's Final Three Books

DEADPOOL AND WOLVERINE Theatre Standee Gives Us A New Live-Action Look At Logan And Wade Wilson

BATMAN: Ben Affleck's DCEU Appearances Ranked From Worst To Best According To Rotten Tomatoes

THE WITCHER Season 5 Will Be The Show's Last As Netflix Rushes To Adapt Andrzej Sapkowski's Final Three Books

DEADPOOL AND WOLVERINE Theatre Standee Gives Us A New Live-Action Look At Logan And Wade Wilson

BATMAN: Ben Affleck's DCEU Appearances Ranked From Worst To Best According To Rotten Tomatoes

MCU Rumor Roundup: Updates On THE FANTASTIC FOUR's Silver Surfer Twist, AVENGERS 5, BLADE, And More

TRANSFORMERS ONE: Chris Hemsworth And Scarlett Johansson Assemble The Autobots In First Trailer

TRAP: First Trailer For M. Night Shyamalan's New Movie Gives The Big Twist Away... Or Does It?

Hot Headlines

SUPERMAN: James Gunn's DCU Reboot Finds Its Martha "Ma" Kent

Hollywood Producer Slams MADAME WEB Star Sydney Sweeney: "She's Not Pretty, She Can't Act"

Leonardo DiCaprio Was In Talks To Play Lex Luthor In BVS; Gave Zack Snyder JUSTICE LEAGUE Idea

THE FANTASTIC FOUR Rumored To Introduce Norrin Radd Alongside Julia Garner's Silver Surfer

MADAME WEB Star Sydney Sweeney Responds To Producer Who Said "She's Not Pretty, She Can't Act"

Sci-Fi & Fantasy

FURIOSA: A MAD MAX SAGA Stills Showcase Anya Taylor-Joy's Road Warrior And Chris Hemsworth's Dementus

THE ACOLYTE Has Reportedly Added SUPERGIRL Star David Harewood In A Mystery Role

SNOW WHITE Rumors May Clear Up "Seven Dwarfs" Confusion; Rachel Zegler's Princess Will Be "More Independent"

Cartoons & Animated Features

SNOW WHITE Rumored Plot Details May Clear Up Seven Dwarfs/Seven Bandits Confusion

TRANSFORMERS ONE Trailer Reveals The Origins Of Optimus Prime And Megatron

X-MEN '97 Creative Express Interest In Bringing An X-MEN Animated Movie To Theaters

Gaming

Bethesda's Todd Howard On What's Next: ELDER SCROLLS VI, FALLOUT 5, And STARFIELD

THE WITCHER Has Been Renewed AND Canceled As Season 5 Is Confirmed To Be The Show's Last

FALLOUT TV Series Renewed For Second Season After Impressive Debut On Prime Video

Anime & Manga

Studio Ghibli's SPIRITED AWAY Is Returning To U.S. Theaters This Month

New AVATAR Movie, AANG: THE LAST AIRBENDER, Delayed To 2026

MY HERO ACADEMIA Season 7 Countdown Kicks Off With Class 1-A Character Visuals

Horror

TRAP: First Trailer For M. Night Shyamalan's Latest Spoils The Big Twist

IMMACULATE Star Sydney Sweeney Has Been Slammed By A Hollywood Producer: "She's Not Pretty, She Can't Act"

SCREAM VII: Rumored Details On Sidney And Gale's Roles And Ghostface's Targets - SPOILERS

Action Movies & TV

JAMES BOND: Henry Cavill Isn't Closing The Door On Playing 007; "Maybe I'm Too Old Now. Maybe I'm Not..."

Alex Garland's CIVIL WAR Is The #1 Movie In North America- Opens To $25.7M

THE ACCOUNTANT 2 Adds Four More Actors Including JURASSIC WORLD Star Daniella Pineda

Pro Wrestling & MMA News

The Undertaker Talks Relationship With The Rock Following WRESTLEMANIA Clash As Final Boss Vows Revenge

Damian Priest Reflects On How It Felt To Cash In His Money In The Bank Briefcase At WRESTLEMANIA

AEW EVPs Matt And Nick Jackson, The Young Bucks, Have "No Regrets" After Airing ALL IN Footage

Sci-Fi & Fantasy

FURIOSA: A MAD MAX SAGA Stills Showcase Anya Taylor-Joy's Road Warrior And Chris Hemsworth's Dementus

THE ACOLYTE Has Reportedly Added SUPERGIRL Star David Harewood In A Mystery Role

SNOW WHITE Rumors May Clear Up "Seven Dwarfs" Confusion; Rachel Zegler's Princess Will Be "More Independent"

REBEL MOON - PART TWO: THE SCARGIVER's Rotten Tomatoes Score Has Been Revealed (And It's Not Good)

THE WITCHER Has Been Renewed For A Fifth And FINAL Season; Will Adapt Final THREE Books

REBEL MOON: PART TWO - THE SCARGIVER First Reactions Land Ahead Of Netflix Premiere

Cartoons & Animated Features