Spider-Man 3's Best Villain Choice Was Already Setup In Far From Home

There has been a great deal of speculation about the villains for the as-yet-untitled Spider-Man: Homecoming 3, but even with details still trickling out about the project, the best choice for one member of the rota was already set up in Spider-Man: Far From Home. The Chameleon was one of Spider-Man's first comic villains, but he hasn't yet appeared in a feature-length Spider-Man film. With a continuing theme of false first impressions in the Tom Holland Spider-Man films, and questions of identity becoming more pressing, the Chameleon fits thematically within the series, and the fans have been expecting the Chameleon to show up for some time now.

When actor Numan Acar was cast in Far From Home as the imposing Dimitri Smerdyakov, the secret identity of the Chameleon in Marvel Comics, fans believed that the villain for the picture had been named. Although the story of the film did end up being themed around deception and false identities, the studio ended up going a different direction with the picture. Nevertheless, this name-drop leaves the door open to Dimitri's return in a villainous capacity.

The possibility for the face-shifting villain is pretty well laid out in Spider-Man: Far From Home, beyond just the name drop. Mysterio's crew of villainous special effects artists could provide a grab-bag of technological tricks to power the Chameleon, or the MCU's version of the Chameleon could be a Skrull, since the Skrulls standing in for Nick Fury and Maria Hill could well have had additional Skrull members for their team. Whatever the explanation for the Chameleon's shape-shifting powers, having Dimitri return would provide a useful sense of continuity between the pictures, and a satisfying sense of closure for fans who spotted the Easter egg credit.

Thematically, having the Chameleon as a member of the new film's villainous roster would be a strong emotional beat for the film series based around home and the hearth. Trust and found family have been strong notes within the previous Spider-Man films, and a character seemingly purpose-built to undermine any sense of security could be a devastating blow on an already beleaguered Spider-Man. Since set pictures suggest that Spider-Man 3 will be a Christmas movie, this introduces an additional element of apparent vulnerability, suggesting that wherever Spider-Man has ended up after at least six months of having a public and potentially reviled identity, his ability to trust those around him might be limited at best, whoever they are.

Having the Chameleon as the next Spider-Villain offers potential for themes already explored to reach a climax, and for the wrong-footing that was so inherent in the Mysterio plotline of Spider-Man: Far From Home to continue. It also offers a potential resolution for the secret identity crisis that Spider-Man is experiencing, having been publicly outed at the end of Far From Home. If a shapeshifter is publicly unmasked as a villain in the new film, it may cast doubt as to the veracity of the previous movie's twist. Having an infiltrator knowing who he is (and possibly where to find him) would emphasize why Spider-Man having a secret identity matters. Whatever the case, the upcoming Spider-Man: Homecoming 3 will continue to tease us with hints and clues that promise an exciting and emotionally important third film in the series.

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