Is Spider-Man: No Way Home Setting The Stage For A Sinister Six Movie?

Once upon a time, Sony had plans for a "Sinister Six" movie, with Drew Goddard ("Cabin in the Woods," "Bad Times at the El Royale") attached to direct. This was back in 2014 when Andrew Garfield was still Spider-Man. "The Amazing Spider-Man 2" spent time setting up villains for "Sinister Six," but the film was a critical and commercial disappointment and it wound up being Garfield's last outing as Spidey. Plans for the "Sinister Six" fell apart, and two years later, Tom Holland would make his debut as the Marvel Studios version of Spider-Man in "Captain America: Civil War."

Sony still holds the movie rights to all Spider-Man characters, but in recent years, it has been loaning the hero out to Marvel while laying bricks for its own shared universe of villains. Right now, Sony's Spider-Man Universe, as it is officially known, only has a few entries in it: the Tom Hardy-led "Venom," its sequel, "Venom: Let There be Carnage," and the upcoming "Morbius," starring Jared Leto.

If you've been keeping up with Sony's Spider-Man Universe, then you'll know that it has already crossed over with the Marvel Cinematic Universe in both trailers and post-credits scenes. It seemed like Sony had shelved the idea for a "Sinister Six" movie, but the new trailer for "Spider-Man: No Way Home" could indicate a future for the super-villain group beyond the latest installment in the MCU.

Sony could certainly keep plugging away at introducing new characters like Venom and Morbius one by one, but the concept of the multiverse might allow it to sidestep that process and reach into its back catalog for established characters, as it continues to build out its universe of Spider-Man villains.

Alfred Molina's Doctor Octopus appeared in the first trailer for "Spider-Man: No Way Home," and eagle-eyed fans may have also spotted one of the Green Goblin's pumpkin bombs. The new trailer lets us hear Willem Dafoe's voice and it lets us see a money shot of his Green Goblin hovering on his glider again.

Jamie Foxx had already been confirmed to appear as a non-blue Electro in "No Way Home," and the trailer lets us see him in his new, more comics-faithful costume, complete with an electrified star for a face at one point. Weeks ago, we heard reports that "Spider-Man: No Way Home" would be bringing back two other legacy villains, Rhys Ifans' The Lizard (from "The Amazing Spider-Man") and Thomas Haden Church's Sandman (from "Spider-Man 3.") They're both in the trailer, as well.

That's five villains, pulled from past movies. Add Venom to that, and you have a full half-dozen, enough for a spin-off featuring a multiversal Sinister Six.

Will it happen? We'll have to wait and see, but the possibility is certainly exciting. In the meantime, you'll be able to see at least the Sinister Five when "Spider-Man: No Way Home" swings into theaters on December 17, 2021.