Sony and Marvel’s plans for a Spider-Verse appear to be moving full steam ahead. According to sources with The Hollywood Reporter, Raiders of the Lost Ark and Spider-Man 2 actor Alfred Molina is returning in the third installment of Tom Holland’s Spider-Man trilogy as popular villain Doctor Octopus. The character was last seen in Sam Raimi’s 2004 film succumbing to a watery grave, but thanks to the infinite possibilities granted by Marvel’s multiverse, his story is nowhere near over.
“Molina turned in a fan-favorite performance in Sam Raimi’s 2004 sequel Spider-Man 2 as Otto Octavius, a brilliant scientist who becomes an eight-limbed villain who pushed Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man to the limits,” elaborated The Hollywood Reporter. “Molina’s involvement in the upcoming Spider-Man movie was first rumored late last month, when GWW reported the actor had been spotted on set.”
Actor Jamie Foxx, who starred as Electro in Mark Webb’s 2014 Amazing Spider-Man sequel, is also returning in Spider-Man 3 as the shocking, blue-skinned villain. Foxx and Molina’s involvement effectively bridges the gap between all three generations of Spider-Man movies, leading the way to what seems to be an inevitable return for Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield, who played the wall crawler in Raimi and Webb’s films, respectively.
If a newer report from Collider is to be believed, Garfield has already signed on, with Tobey Maguire coming close to a deal with Marvel and Sony. Even Kirsten Dunst, who played Mary Jane in Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy, has supposedly been confirmed.
“Just like Jamie Foxx’s Electro, Andrew Garfield will be back, and if Sony/Marvel can close a deal with Tobey Maguire, he’ll be back too,” Collider claims. “Kirsten Dunst will return as MJ, and I expect Emma Stone to reprise her role as Gwen Stacy, pregnancy permitting.”