We’re going to need a bigger Spider-Verse… According to Variety, Alfred Molina will return to the role of Doctor Octopus for Tom Holland’s untitled third Spider-Man MCU film.
The first time the actor played this popular villain in 2004’s Spider-Man 2, he did a great job at bringing out the villain’s humane side, while not being afraid to deliver some delightfully hammy moments. (The fact that S-M2 director Sam Raimi is directing Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness makes this multiverse intro more intricate than ever.) It’ll be interesting to see how the actor’s take on Doc Ock will fit into the new Spider-Man’s film ensemble cast… which seems to be growing bigger every day.
As we’ve reported before, Jamie Foxx is reprising his role as Electro in this same movie. We’ll also see Doctor Strange make an appearance as well. And earlier this summer, rumors swirled that Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire would also appear as their respective Peter Parkers in the film, too. Between the Sorcerer Supreme and the presence of characters from other universes, it’s almost a sure bet that Tom Holland’s Spidey is swinging right into a multiverse crossover event in his next outing.
If Marvel fully embraces all the possibilities a multiverse presents, we can only hope that Into-the Spiderverse’s best character finally makes his live-action debut in Spider-Man 3: Spider-Ham. But of course, we’d love if Miles Morales, Spider-Gwen or Nicolas Cage’s Spider-Man Noir showed up to play as well. The only question is—will our universe be able to handle all this raw talent in one place when the movie premieres on December 17, 2021?
-Kermit flail-
I saw the headline and came to say there’s no way any actor could play the Doc as well as Molina. But…what do I find?? This is pretty fantastic =D
This is getting GONZO. It’ll either be a trainwreck or GLORIOUS. Either way, I’m in.
I hope he’s still spry at 67 years of age…
Oh this is EXCITING! I really loved him!
Molina was a spectacular Doc Ock, one of Spider-Man’s greatest opponents. This is great news!
@3,
Yeah, it almost feels like this is Feige’s response to WB Television throwing down the gauntlet with the Arrowverse’s “Crisis on Infinite Earths” last year.
I’m definitely intrigued where this is going.
Sounds “amazing” and I can’t wait!
I believe the Flash movie that’s coming is also doing the multiverse thing, in their case, featuring a number of different Batman’s like the Affleck-version and the Keaton-version.
Extra Bonus points if there’s a nod to the old ‘Doc Ock loves Aunt May’ plot (“May!” “Otto!” “Wait, what?”).
You know all this makes me hope that if ‘Uncle Ben’ Parker does make an MCU appearance he’ll be played by Mr Tobey Maguire – if only because it’s amusing to imagine Uncle Ben as Aunt May’s toyboy! (-;
I had a lot of issues with Spider-Man 2, but that was all in the writing, not in Molina’s performance. I’d be perfectly happy if Molina, like J.K. Simmons with JJJ, is playing the MCU version of Octopus that starts from scratch.
—Keith R.A. DeCandido
I sure hope there’s room for Spider-Man in the new Spider-Man movie.