Spider-Man: Far From Home follows the titular Marvel Cinematic Universe superhero as he travels to Europe, where he'll face a new threat in the Elementals. With this new host of villains, along with the arrival of the sure-to-be-a-villain Mysterio, the MCU may quietly be building towards introducing the Spider-Man villain team the Sinister Six, potentially as early as a mid or post-credits reveal in the upcoming sequel.
2017's Spider-Man: Homecoming had featured the debut of at least six classic villains of its own, led by Michael Keaton's Vulture. In addition to the high-flying antagonist, Homecoming introduced two different versions of the Shocker, Miles Morales' uncle and future Prowler Aaron Davis, Vulture's hard-working inventor the Tinkerer, and future Scorpion Mac Gargan. And, in contrast to most comic book movies, most of the villains introduced in Homecoming survived the events of the film, with Vulture, Shocker and Scorpion each harboring grudges against Spider-Man thanks to their subsequent imprisonment.
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The first trailer from Far From Home had similarly teased at least three different Spider-Man villains to the MCU, including Hydro-Man, Sandman and Molten Man. Almost assuredly working for Jake Gyllenhaal's Mysterio, it is unclear if these new elemental threats to Europe are actual, physical villains or merely special effects projections created by Quentin Beck to build up his own false front as a superhero. If real, Far From Home will have single-handedly added at least four classic Spider-Man bad guys to the MCU including Mysterio, who is virtually guaranteed to undergo a villainous turn during the film.
That gives the MCU at least nine different villains to potentially fill out a Sinister Six roster, which, considering Scorpion mentioned to an imprisoned Vulture in the mid-credits scene for Homecoming that a crew was being formed to seek revenge on the teenage superhero, seems to all but a lock for the third Spidey film.
Several villains are unlikely to join the ensemble; Prowler's inclusion in Homecoming was more a nod to actor Donald Glover's own personal connection to Spider-Man, and potentially set up the MCU version of Miles Morales. Though the Tinkerer will probably assist any Spider-Man villains behind the scenes, the MCU incarnation of the character is perfectly content to stay out of the fights themselves. And with the actual existence of Hydro-Man, Sandman and Molten Man still up in the air, that leaves Mysterio joining the potential team to bring up the number of villains to four, increasing the likelihood that at least two of the Elementals are real and will survive the events of Far From Home.
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Last May, Keaton had been confirmed to reprise his role as Vulture as some capacity in the Spider-Man sequel. Barring hallucinations and Harry Osborn's trilogy-long descent into villainy during the Sam Raimi films, this marks the first time a cinematic Spider-Man foe has made their big screen return. Sony has long-planned to create an eventual live-action Sinister Six film since 2014's The Amazing Spider-Man 2, going as far as to tease their potential appearance in a mid-credits sequence and signing Bad Times at El Royale filmmaker Drew Goddard to write and direct a planned Sinister Six film. While the spinoff's status has been in limbo for nearly five years thanks to the disappointing reception to The Amazing Spider-Man 2, the studio may finally realize their wish within the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
First created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko in 1964's Amazing Spider-Man Annual #1, the Sinister Six is one of the most enduring villain teams in comic books. The initial lineup featured Doctor Octopus, Electro, Kraven the Hunter, Sandman, Mysterio and Vulture. With founding members Vulture and Mysterio now introduced within the MCU along with the Far From Home teasing the potential arrival of Sandman, half of the original lineup have already been established. While Kraven may tied up with his own rumored solo film, and Electro and Doctor Octopus are likely to draw unwanted comparisons to previous Spider-Man films, the other half may have already been introduced, with Shocker taking the Electro spot, Scorpion replacing Doctor Octopus and Kraven getting replaced by either Hydro-Man or Molten Man. Given the European tour pacing of Far From Home and the expected introduction of so many new characters, the team themselves are unlikely to figure directly in the upcoming film's plot... but, just as Homecoming teased their eventual formation in a mid-credits scene, Far From Home could double down and show them briefly assembled in a mid- or post-credits scene.
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Sony has been looking to bring the Sinister Six to the big screen for a long time, either as a continuation of The Amazing Spider-Man film series or as a standalone film. After introducing an animated version of the villain ensemble of sorts in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, the live-action incarnation may make its debut this July. If this is the case, then we have to say, good luck, Spidey. You're going to need it.
Opening July 5, director Jon Watts’ Spider-Man: Far From Home stars Tom Holland, Samuel L. Jackson, Zendaya, Cobie Smulders, Jon Favreau, JB Smoove, Jacob Batalon and Martin Starr, with Marisa Tomei and Jake Gyllenhaal.