Over the past six years since his introduction in Captain America: Civil War, Tom Holland’s Spider-Man has already completed an entire trilogy, with his three films collectively serving as his origin story.
Although some may believe that his story is now finished following the ramifications of Spider-Man: No Way Home, many fans are still hoping that Holland will return in the distant future since there are so many storylines and villains he could face. Considering that Spider-Man has one of the most expansive and impressive rogues galleries, there are definitely some exciting possibilities, but fans would really love it if these ones got to appear first.
Spider-Slayers
While some of Spider-Man’s iconic adversaries have deep personal connections and history with Peter Parker, others simply want to take out the web-slinging hero for their own ego and the thrill of the hunt. One such villain, Professor Spencer Smythe, was set on his path to defeat Spider-Man with the financial support of J. Jonah Jameson, and he created the Spider-Slayers.
Spider-Man was able to thwart Smythe’s creations, which then led to his son, Alistair, taking up the cause as the Ultimate Spider-Slayer. Now that Jameson is probably seeking to publicly unmask Spider-Man again, the Smythe’s and their Spider-Slayers would certainly fit into future MCU Spider-Man films.
Hammerhead
After his brief time as an Avenger, it seems likely that Holland’s Spider-Man might take on more of his classic street-level threats. This could bring him into contact with the Maggia – the crime syndicate based heavily on the real-world Mafia – and specifically, Hammerhead. As implied by his name, Hammerhead is best recognized by his cubic and nigh-indestructible skull.
From the list of adversaries yet to appear in the MCU, Hammerhead is certainly one of Spider-Man’s best and most unique. Many fans might already know him from Marvel’s Spider-Man as the primary antagonist of the video game’s DLCs. His inclusion in the MCU could also lend itself to the ever-popular team-up of Spider-Man and Daredevil.
Mister Negative
Although Spider-Man has arguably remained as Marvel comics’ most iconic hero since his creation sixty years ago, some of his best villains are comparatively new, including Martin Li aka Mister Negative. Since his introduction in 2007, he has become increasingly popular due to his particular skill set and complex characterization.
Mister Negative is granted access to the Darkforce and Lightforce, extremely powerful dimensional energies – importantly connecting him to Cloak & Dagger. His lighter side, Mister Positive, tries to become a force for good, but his darker self wins out in the end. Any story would likely want to differentiate itself from Marvel’s Spider-Man, but he would still serve as a great antagonist for the criminal underworld.
Hobgoblin
Spider-Man: No Way Home made a cheeky reference to the comics regarding Jacob Batalon as Ned Leeds and his far more diabolical and antagonistic nature as the Hobgoblin. While it seems vastly unlikely for Batalon’s Ned to go down this dark path, with the multiverse open to explore, it is never out of the question. Besides, he is not the only person to use the moniker, with Roderick Kingsley being the most prominent.
Of course, he is eerily similar to the Green Goblin, though there are some key differences – such as their sanity, motivations, and compatibility with other villains. Following the success of Spider-Man: No Way Home, it would certainly be exciting to see a new interpretation of the far greedier and more industrious Hobgoblin in the MCU.
Rhino
As Doctor Strange’s spell ripped open access to the multiverse in the sky, it revealed several prominent Spider-Man villains as silhouettes, including one villain who would have certainly gave Spider-Man a run for his money, Rhino. Aleksei Stysevich is a thug who was experimentally enhanced, granting him incredible strength and durability.
He was already intended to face off against Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man in the ill-fated The Amazing Spider-Man 3 and was played by Paul Giamatti. While he would surely make for an exciting antagonist for action, Rhino’s wits might leave some fans wanting, so perhaps a team-up with other villains might be a better fit – like with Mac Gargan aka Scorpion, who has yet to come into his classic villainous self following his introduction in Spider-Man: Homecoming.
The Jackal
While many of Spider-Man’s villains have been in several different films across the years, one important adversary has yet to appear in live-action at all. Miles Warren aka the Jackal is genius in genetics and cloning, but his obsession with Gwen Stacy pits him against Spider-Man, so much so he splices his genes with those of a jackal, adopting powerful abilities.
The Jackal is best known for the Clone Saga, in which he created clones of Peter Parker with Ben Reilly and Kane Parker – who later became the Scarlet Spiders. With an adjustment to the maligned storyline, the Jackal would make for an exciting and complex antagonist for any upcoming Spider-Man project in the MCU, or perhaps his own film in the vein of Venom and Morbius.
Morlun
With the Infinity Saga over, many fans are dubbing the current phases in the MCU as the Multiverse Saga – though this has yet to be confirmed officially by Marvel. As such, the doors are wide open to an important and powerful multiversal enemy, Morlun. He and his vampire family, the Inheritors, are the eternal enemies of Spider-Man, hunting all his variants across all universes.
Morlun’s story brings a mysticism to Spider-Man’s world in expanding the Spider-Verse and would make for a unique villain for Holland’s Spider-Man to contend with. However, it seems more likely that Morlun will play a role in the upcoming Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.
Mephisto
One of the most pervasive questions surrounding nearly every project so far in Phase Four of the MCU has been “will Mephisto show up?” Many fans expected him to be part of Spider-Man: No Way Home due to the film drawing from the Spider-Man: One More Day comics – in which Peter makes a deal with the devil to save Aunt May, sacrificing his relationship with Mary Jane and his public identity.
Thankfully, Mephisto is a common adversary of several other heroes like Ghost Rider and Doctor Strange. Therefore, there are plenty of opportunities for Mephisto to still play a prominent role in the future of the MCU, though fans might have to wait a while longer still.
Kraven the Hunter
One of Spider-man’s most popular and enduring enemies is set to make his live-action debut, though not in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Aaron Taylor-Johnson will be playing Sergei Kravinoff aka Kraven the Hunter in the aptly-title, Kraven the Hunter as part of Sony’s Spider-Man Universe. The egotistical villain comes to hunt Spider-Man to prove his metal as the world’s best hunter and he is one of the founding members of the Sinister Six.
His half-brother, the Chameleon, was actually Spider-Man’s first supervillain and is technically part of the MCU – though not in villainous form – being played by Numan Acar in Spider-Man: Far From Home. While it’s likely that Kraven’s story will stay in the SSU, never say never about him further appearing in the MCU.
Black Cat
Like Batman, one of Spider-Man’s best adversaries is also one of his best relationships and cat-based. Felicia Hardy aka Black Cat started off as a villain (like Batman's Selina Kyle), but in connecting with Spider-Man, she became an anti-hero and remains one of his greatest allies and most popular enemies concurrently.
She’s already been seen in live-action – though not in costume or action – played by Felicia Hardy in The Amazing Spider-Man 2. Now that Holland’s Peter is on his own and had left MJ and Ned blissfully aloof, he is needing new allies, and a new film encompassing her transformation would be a welcome sight to many fans.