The MCU is finally getting closer to bringing the Sinister Six together, with Marvel Phase 4's Spider-Man: Homecoming 3 set to introduce more characters to the potential roster. Ever since Tom Holland’s incarnation of the iconic web-slinger joined the ever-growing shared universe, various villains from his rogues’ gallery have been introduced. While the previous iterations focused heavily on Green Goblin and other foes, the MCU has taken advantage of the comics and introduced as many villains as possible. As well as those in the previously MCU movies, Jamie Foxx is joining Spider-Man 3 as Electro, the Marvel villain he played in The Amazing Spider-Man 2.
Currently, it’s being heavily speculated that this will be the same incarnation that he played in Marc Webb’s universe, possibly introducing the Spider-Verse concept into the MCU. However, Foxx has teased that Electro will have a new look, possibly suggesting that it’s a new take on Electro as opposed to him reprising the version he played years ago. But with Electro being introduced, this does flesh out the potential way to pit Spider-Man against the Sinister Six, a group that Sony has wanted to bring to screen for several years.
Spider-Man 3 Theory: It’s MCU Spider-Verse
Through Spider-Man: Homecoming and Spider-Man: Far From Home, the MCU has already introduced a number of the members who are canonically in the team. In Sony’s Marvel Universe, another Sinister Six member is coming to the big-screen as Sony Pictures is working on a Kraven the Hunter film. Although given how unclear the ties are between the MCU and the Sony-verse, it’s uncertain if Kraven would ever be a member in this franchise. However, these are all the Sinister Six members that MCU’s Spider-Man franchise has introduced so far that Peter may face.
Vulture
Adrian Toomes was the first Spider-Man villain to enter the MCU in the initial installment. In this iteration of the Vulture, Toomes was the CEO of the cleaning company Bestman Salvage. But after the Chitauri invasion in 2012, a conflict with Damage Control caused Adrian to go down a criminal path. The bigger twist, however, was when it was revealed that Adrian was actually the father of Liz, Peter’s then high-school crush. Adrian ended up figuring out that Peter was the friendly neighborhood web-slinger which gave him an advantage that ultimately didn’t pay-off. By the end of Spider-Man: Homecoming, Vulture was sent to prison after Spider-Man defeated him. It’s there where his potential future is teased. It remains to be seen if it has anything to do with Vulture's cameo in Morbius, as the teaser trailer revealed that Michael Keaton is in the movie.
Tinkerer
Another Sinister Six member that gets introduced in Spider-Man’s first MCU solo film is Phineas Mason a.k.a. the Tinkerer. Just like his comic book counterpart, Phineas is a talented engineer and is depicted as working for Toomes in this incarnation. After Toomes' company lost the contract to clean up the mess caused by the Chiaturi attacks, Phineas continued to work for him on his next venture. From creating the Vulture suit and more, the Tinkerer is a heavy component within the team. It’s currently unknown what his fate is post-Spider-Man: Homecoming as he is most likely locked up. However, despite being a member of the Sinister Six at times in the comics, it’s possible that someone bigger may replace him in the movies.
Shocker
In Spider-Man: Homecoming, Vulture and Tinkerer weren’t the only Sinister Six members to get introduced into the MCU. Another member of Toomes' crew was Herman Schultz, better known to comic fans as the Spider-Man villain Shocker. While he didn’t play a major part in the story, Schultz's origin story is essentially seen throughout the film. He ends up taking on the Shocker moniker after his partner Jackson Brice was executed by Toomes. His death opened the door for Schultz to become his comic book counterpart, as he's given Brice's mechanical shocker gauntlet. Spider-Man ends up taking on Shocker before going after Vulture for their final showdown. Depending on where the MCU wants to go with their Sinister Six, it’s up in the air if he'll be part of the line-up, though the presence of Electro perhaps makes Shocker's return less likely.
Scorpion
A surprise that many fans probably didn’t see coming in Spider-Man: Homecoming was the sinister dynamic Toomes had with the first person he meets in prison. Revealed in the post-credits scene, Mac Gargan spots Toomes, with fans knowing him better as the villainous Scorpion. In this depiction of the character, Gargan is portrayed as being a fellow criminal that was a potential buyer of Toomes'. When Vulture gets sent to prison, he and Gargan run into each other where he reveals that he also got sentenced to jail after clashing with Spider-Man. While the fans never see him in the Scorpion costume, a tattoo is seen on his neck as a nod to his comic book counterpart. The only takeaway from his cameo is when he tries to confirm with Toomes if he really knows who Spider-Man is. Toomes lies and denies it to Gargan before the film cuts to black. This became a solid setup for Gargan to have a larger part in a sequel and perhaps the Sinister Six, which could begin to happen with Scorpion in Spider-Man 3.
Mysterio
Quentin Beck a.k.a. Mysterio, who served as the main threat in Spider-Man: Far From Home, is portrayed as a former employee of Tony Stark. Having worked as a scientist who had created holographic-based technology, Beck ended up hating Tony after the late Avenger stole his idea and fired him. Together with other ex-Stark employees, Beck crafted a masterplan to trick the whole world to make himself look like a superhero from another universe. Through his holographic tech, Beck manipulated everyone including Peter who declared him worthy enough to become the “next Iron Man” by granting him the E.D.I.T.H. system. While Peter managed to stop Mysterio, Beck had one final trick up his sleeve as he manipulated footage to paint Spider-Man as the mastermind behind the London attacks while also outing his secret identity, as seen in Spider-Man: Far From Home's post-credits scene. Even if he was declared dead, don't count Mysterio out just yet as his death could have easily been another trick, meaning he could still return to join the Sinister Six.
Electro
While Electro is going to be introduced in the yet-to-be-titled Spider-Man sequel, so far everything about this version of Max Dillon is being kept under wraps. Whether he is actually the main antagonist of the sequel or if he is going to be part of a potential group of baddies is also unknown. Given that Spider-Man: Far From Home ended with Spider-Man’s secret identity being revealed to the whole world, that may be how those two cross paths. Should this truly be a way for Sony and Marvel to use the Spider-Man sequel as a way to integrate the Spider-Verse, Jamie Foxx's Electro could potentially end up pulling double duties. If that is possible, who's to say that Andrew Garfield or even Tobey Maguire's respective version of Spider-Man couldn't show up.
Since Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness will be a key part of exploring the Multiverse, it could pave the way for the Spider-Verse to emerge into the MCU. Depending on what happens in the coming Doctor Strange follow-up, it might be how Foxx plays not one, but two separate versions of Electro. But even without knowing what his role will be, the simple fact that Electro, but specifically Foxx playing him again is in the next Spider-Man installment indicates that they have big plans in store. But with this many Sinister Six members existing in the MCU at this point, Peter may have his hands full when Spider-Man 3 releases.