UPDATE: THR has now confirmed our initial reporting and Alfred Molina will return to the Spider-Man franchise in Sony/Marvel’s Spider-Man 3.
I know I’ve been teasing this for sometime but finally got the green light to share some very cool Spider-Man 3 info with you. A source within Disney/Marvel has informed GWW that Alfred Molina will be returning to the Spider-Man franchise to reprise his role as the famed Doctor Octopus. Plot details are of course scarce as they always are with the super secretive Marvel productions, but we were informed Molina arrived on set a bit ago to work on some stunt choreography and has started filming his scenes in the past couple weeks.
The source insured us Molina is in full Doc Ock mode but couldn’t confirm as to whether this version of the tentacle laden doctor was the same from Raimi’s Spider-Man 2 or a new version. Either way with Foxx joining, Doctor Strange having a pivotal role and now Molina entering the fold it seems very clear the multiverse will play a big role in the next Spider-Man film and we could also finally see a version of the Sinister Six hit the big screen.
It’s also curios to note back in 2014 when Drew Goddard was set to direct a Sinister Six film, Molina was asked in an interview with Collider if he would be willing to return to the iconic role and here is what he said:
That was the most fun I think I’ve ever had on a movie of that kind,” says Molina. “Those big, big sort of features where you spend like six months hanging off a wire, you know.
It was the first movie of that kind that I’d ever been involved in,” he continues. “I had a wonderful time. I loved it. I mean, I’d go back and do it again in a heartbeat.
Alfred Molina via Collider
Unfortunately though while this particular source has provided us with information before like the Skrull appearance in Far From Home and the surprise drop of the WandaVision trailer, both of which I didn’t believe at the time, we are taking this information with a grain of salt as I could not get anyone else to corroborate (and I asked everybody). This also isn’t a surprise though as the filming is happening on a closed set, away from prying eyes and we know how much Marvel likes its secrets. We also reached out to Marvel themselves but got no response.
-Alfred Molina via Collider
Spider-Man 3 is directed by Jon Watts and currently stars Tom Holland, Zendaya, Jamie Foxx and Benedict Cumberbatch and is schedule for release on December 17th, 2021.