Spider-Man 3 is going to be a bigger, crazier film than any of us ever could have predicted. When Jamie Foxx teased a Spider-Verse story, guessing that the likes of Alfred Molina, Andrew Garfield, and Emma Stone would join him was incomprehensible.
It looks to be happening, though, and the cast continues to expand.
Even Daredevil is said to be getting in on the action, and while there are a lot of amazing actors and characters to pluck from Spider-Man's past adventures, there are some who should be left well alone. There's no reason at all to give this lot the spotlight, even if they were important to the films they appeared in once upon a time.
Some of you may be anxious to see the heroes and villains here, but we think you'll soon agree with us that making use of this lot in Spider-Man 3 would be one of Marvel Studios's biggest blunders...
10. Harry Osborn/Green Goblin (James Franco)
James Franco is a great actor, but his time as Harry Osborn came to a disappointing end in Spider-Man 3 with his transformation into the "Green Goblin."
Franco hasn't looked back fondly at his time in the Marvel Universe, but was clearly tempted to return to the world of comic books for Fox's now canceled Multiple Man project. He's known to be fond of Sam Raimi too, so perhaps the pieces will fall into place for a Spider-Man 3 return in 2021?
We hope not.
There's nothing to be gained from Harry being part of this trip into the Spider-Verse, and it's obvious Norman should be the focus for the time being (especially if he's being set up as a new big bad).
9. Venom (Topher Grace)
Tom Holland and Tom Hardy are bound to share the screen as Spider-Man and Venom before too long, but probably not in Spider-Man 3. Marvel Studios might be happy using familiar faces from the past, but promoting Sony's characters is another matter altogether.
There is, however, a Venom from the past this threequel could make use of.
Topher Grace played Eddie Brock in 2007's Spider-Man 3, but the response to his interpretation of the villain was not well-received. Shoehorned into the film, Venom became one of the worst parts of an already bad couple of hours in the theater.
There's nothing to be gained by bringing him back unless Holland's Peter is taking his symbiote!
8. Captain George Stacy (Denis Leary)
Had The Amazing Spider-Man 3 not been scrapped by Sony, the plan was for Peter Parker to unearth a serum that would resurrect the dead, including Captain George Stacy.
How that was going to work is anyone's guess, but we're not interested in visiting a world where the web-slinger has managed to bring back his fallen friends and family members.
Even taking that aside, Denis Leary's Captain Stacy wasn't great.
Neither was James Cromwell's version in Spider-Man 3, and if George is returning to the big screen, it should be with a new actor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, not a face from the past.
7. Gwen Stacy (Bryce Dallas Howard)
Talking of the Stacy family, it's been reported that Emma Stone will return as Gwen Stacy in Spider-Man 3.
Some believe she''ll be suited up as Spider-Gwen, and that would be a pretty cool role for the actress in this film. It might also be wishful thinking, but seeing more of Gwen is an enticing prospect.
We don't need more than of them, though!
Bryce Dallas Howard is a great actress, and a terrific filmmaker (see: The Mandalorian), but her Gwen wasn't one that left a lasting impact. If Kirsten Dunst changes her mind about returning and Marvel Studios wants to give Tobey Maguire's Spidey a love interest, that might work, but even then we just don't see the point of this happening.
6. Ben Parker (Martin Sheen)
Uncle Ben has been a total non-factor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and an already busy threequel might not be the best place to reintroduce him to fans.
Cliff Robertson passed away in 2011, leaving Marvel Studios with only one choice: Martin Sheen.
He wasn't very good in the role, and is far too old to play a new version of the same character on the Earth Tom Holland's Peter calls home. Had Robertson been with us still, then him appearing to unite all three Spider-Men might have resonated with those familiar with the first three films.
As it stands, though, Uncle Ben is best saved for a future story.
5. Betty Brant (Elizabeth Banks)
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has a Betty Brant, and she's clearly a wannabe reporter given the work she does for her and Peter Parker's high school. How cool would it be for her to come face-to-face with her older, alternate universe counterpart, now a hotshot reporter for The Daily Bugle?
Not even a little cool.
This would be a cameo completely and utterly shoehorned in for the sake of it, and while Banks is a bigger star now than she was when the Spider-Man trilogy was released, she would be better off playing a different character than revisiting the past.
The MCU's Betty is great in her own right, so keep the spotlight on her, please!
4. Harry Osborn/Green Goblin (Dane DeHaan)
Unreliable sources have already reported that Dane DeHaan's Green Goblin will return in Spider-Man 3, a decision it's impossible to understand after The Amazing Spider-Man 2.
Poorly designed, and even more poorly performed by the Chronicle star, this Gobby was a joke. Sony setting him up as the leader of the Sinister Six was the punchline, and expecting fans to take the villain seriously - even if he's completely overhauled - is a big ask even by Marvel Studios.
Having him resemble the Ultimate Green Goblin might work, but that begs the question of, "Why?"
If it's true Spider-Man 3 is bringing back Willem Dafoe as Norman Osborn, that's really the only Goblin a movie as ambitous as this one should need.
3. Sandman (Thomas Haden Church)
There was nothing inherently wrong with Thomas Haden Church's Sandman, and things only really started going wrong when he was, for some reason, revealed to be Ben Parker's true killer.
Yesterday, it was rumored that Church is in negotiations to return to the Spider-Verse, and with the way visual effects have advanced, perhaps now is the right time to make use of Sandman again. Had Marvel Studios not used a Sandman lookalike in Spider-Man: Far From Home, this might have worked, but it now feels redundant.
There's not a huge amount Sandman can bring to Spider-Man 3 or a multidimensional Sinister Six, and there are better choices of villain to make use of.
We won't be too upset if he returns, but Marvel Studios will need to do a lot to make it count.
2. Felicia (Felicity Jones)
Felicity Jones was given a bit part in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 as "Felicia," a character it was widely believed to be Felicia Hardy, a.k.a. Black Cat.
That transformation was expected to take place in Sinister Six, and we're not going to argue the fact that the Rogue One: A Star Wars Story would have done the anti-hero justice. Now, though, it's fair to say both Jones and Black Cat deserve more than a bit part in an already very busy film.
If Sony plans to give Jones a leading role in a Black Cat film, fine, but there are likely better roles for her in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Handled correctly, this might work, but it's likely to require too much screentime!
1. The Lizard (Rhys Ifans)
On the one hand, why not have The Lizard join the Sinister Six?
Marvel Studios could improve on his appearance, and Rhys Ifans certainly wasn't bad as Curt Connors (neither was Dylan Baker, but he never became Lizard in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man films).
Taking that into account, you might think we're mad for not wanting to see more of this villain in Spider-Man 3. There's a simple reason for that, however; we want The Lizard to be the main bad guy in a future movie. Preferably, Kraven the Hunter would also be involved with such an adventure.
Using too many villains in a throwaway manner would be a mistake, so it's best to hold off on The Lizard for now.