Casting Sony’s Sinister Six Movie

Casting Sony's Sinister Six Movie

Sony is once again planning on releasing a Sinister Six movie, but what would their casting be for the iconic supervillain team? The Sinister Six debuted early in the Spider-Man comics, forming in the magazine’s first annual issue and challenging the web-slinger with some of his most dangerous foes at the time. For Spider-Man’s almost six decades of history, the team’s roster has rotated, making nearly any lineup suitable for an adaptation. With Spider-Man’s long history on film and in multiple continuities, which villains would make for the best possible Sinister Six team in Sony’s upcoming film?

SCREENRANT VIDEO OF THE DAY

Although there were no obvious plans for Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man continuity to introduce its iteration of the Sinister Six, the rebooted Amazing Spider-Man films intended to be gradually casting the team and have them star in a solo film. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 ended with Harry Osborn and The Gentleman (Gustav Fiers) setting up a Sinister Six lineup, employing mercenaries and Oscorp members equipped with the company’s advanced technology. The end credits featured logos and gear that suggested the team’s potential lineup. The Sinister Six film, unfortunately, was never made due to the rebooted continuity ending and another Spider-Man film series, this time in the MCU, beginning with Tom Holland’s iteration.

Related: Spider-Man Will Fight The Multiverse Sinister Six In No Way Home – Theory Explained

With Sony beginning yet another continuity with films like Venom and Morbius, the studio has renewed their plans to release a Sinister Six film, but with perhaps even more potential this time. Working with Marvel Studios, Sony intends to tie their film to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, despite Venom existing outside of the MCU’s timeline. The upcoming Spider-Man: No Way Home will unleash the multiverse bringing back characters from the Raimi and likely The Amazing Spider-Man continuities for new MCU appearances. With this in mind, the casting for Sony’s Sinister Six film can include new iterations of classic Spider-Man villains, but also reintroduce characters from the Raimi, Amazing Spider-Man, and MCU continuities for its villainous lineup.

Vulture

The Vulture was not only one of the original Sinister Six members but also one of Spider-Man’s first costumed supervillains. The Vulture, aka Adrian Toomes, is a brilliant inventor who created a bird-like suit that allowed him to fly silently and commit petty crimes with ease. Toomes’ live-action debut was in the MCU’s Spider-Man: Homecoming, where the villain was played by Michael Keaton. Keaton excellently blended sympathy and ruthlessness in his performance, and Sony’s Sinister Six casting would benefit from such a simultaneously complex and threatening villain. Including Keaton’s Vulture instead of a new iteration would be the clearest connection between Sony’s Spider-Man universe and the MCU.

Between Vulture’s appearances in Morbius and Spiderman: Homecoming, it’s certain from the former that he’s trying to build a team to ultimately take revenge on Spidey for ruining his life. Though Vulture doesn’t remember Peter Parker because of Dr. Strange’s spell, the universe/time-hopping supervillain still remembers which hero effectively destroyed his livelihood. In the Morbius post-credit scene, he convinces Morbius to join his cause, giving audiences two confirmed candidates for the Sinister Six movie. Now that the Vulture has hopped over universes, and even though he doesn’t remember Peter Parker, the character is once again set up for villainy. Based on his coercion of Morbius, audiences can expect to see the original Sinister Six team member.

Kraven the Hunter

Kraven the Hunter sitting and thinking.

A classic and compelling Spider-Man villain, Kraven the Hunter considers Spider-Man the prey most worthy of his skills. Kraven is the self-proclaimed greatest hunter in the world, and his skills make this boast believable. A deadly fighter and tactician, Kraven’s physical abilities are enhanced by various mystical elixirs, making him a challenging foe for Spider-Man. Kraven the Hunter exists in both the Raimi and Amazing Spider-Man continuities, thanks to their video games, though perhaps an original iteration of the mighty hunter should be created for Sony’s Sinister Six film. Aaron Taylor-Johnson has been cast as the lead in the upcoming solo movie and could appear in the Sinister Six.

Related: Spider-Man 3 Theory: Tobey Maguire’s MCU Daughter Is Spider-Girl

Rhino

Rhino Feature

Like Kraven, Rhino exists in Raimi and Webb’s respective Spider-Man universes, thanks to the video games and a single live-action appearance. Paul Giamatti played an Ultimate Spider-Man-inspired iteration of Aleksei Sytsevich in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, and was a criminal in an armored, weapon-laden, exoskeleton, as opposed to the classic version, who possessed superpowers. The classic version of Rhino has yet to appear on film, so Sony’s casting of the Sinister Six team should also create their version of Sytsevich. As for who could play Rhino in Sinister Six, Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson and John Cena are some potential choices.

Morbius

Jared Leto in Morbius

Though it’s not officially confirmed, Jared Leto’s Dr. Michael Morbius will most likely be used in casting the Sinister Six movie. The Morbius film definitively set up the possibility for the Sinister Six team when Michael Keaton’s the Vulture appeared during a post-credits scene. This all but confirms that a Sinister Six movie is finally coming down the pipeline for the Sony universe. Since Vulture successfully recruited at least one team member, it looks like the beginning of a final showdown between six Spider-Man supervillains against the hero. If that’s not enough proof in and of itself, Morbius’ director, Daniel Espinosa, teased the idea during an interview with CinemaBlend via Twitter. In response to the question as to whether or not Vulture in Morbius sets up a Sinister Six movie, Espinosa replied, “Well, he [Vulture] is recruiting teammates and he has enticed one already. So it sure looks like a start.”. Morbius wasn’t in the original iteration of the Sinister Six team. However, he does appear in later comics.

Venom

Venom attacking someone.

As it stands, Sony’s Morbius and Venom are now in the same universe, which means a Marvel/Sony antihero crossover could be in order. Michael Keaton’s Vulture could certainly appear in another Venom installment as he also exists within this universe. Espinosa’s confirmation basically sets up the Sinister Six movie, and Venom will most likely be on the roster to join the team considering he’s mentioned throughout Morbius, also connecting him to the Spider-Man: Homecoming canon. Venom was not a part of the original Sinister Six, though the antihero/supervillain would make a humorous and yet terrifying addition to the team. Tom Hardy’s Venom is full of surprises, but it wouldn’t necessarily be surprising to see Venom show up as a part of the Sinister Six team.

Mysterio

Mysterio is one of Spider-Man’s most unique villains. The mentalist, special effects artist, and stuntman Quentin Beck adopted the dramatic persona of Mysterio as a means to achieve a greater life than he’d had in Hollywood. A reimagined version of Mysterio appeared in the MCU, played impeccably by Jake Gyllenhaal, though this isn’t the Quentin Beck that Sony should use. Though he didn’t appear in the films, there is a Quentin Beck in Sam Raimi’s universe, with the melodramatic criminal appearing prominently in the Spider-Man 2 video game.

Related: Tom Holland Is Right: The Amazing Spider-Man’s Web-Shooters Made No Sense

Raimi’s Mysterio was defeated by Spider-Man and arrested after menacing New York with a phony alien invasion. Sony’s Sinister Six should pick up where his story left off, with him embracing the identity of a supervillain instead of an alien invader. As for who’d play him, the only choice is Bruce Campbell, who was going to have a brief and comedic cameo as Mysterio in Raimi’s planned fourth Spider-Man film.

Green Goblin

Green Goblin in Spider-Man

Dane DeHaan’s version of the Green Goblin should be in Sony’s Sinister Six, but not as a member of the supervillain team. The Green Goblin, aka Norman Osborn, is not only Spider-Man’s greatest nemesis in the comics but one of the Marvel universe’s most dangerous and unhinged supervillains in general. DeHaan’s iteration of Norman in the Amazing Spider-Man franchise was an underrated take on the gruesome Green Goblin and justifies his inclusion in the Sinister Six film. As Norman Osborn, DeHaan would be the puppet master behind the scenes, manipulating the other six villains into doing his bidding and unleashing his madness as the Green Goblin by the end. Sony’s Sinister Six would benefit greatly from including Dane DeHaan’s Green Goblin in its casting.

Next: Dafoe’s Green Goblin Could Cause The MCU’s Spider-Man A Huge Problem

Morbius (2022)Release date: Apr 01, 2022
Kraven the Hunter (2023)Release date: Jan 13, 2023
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse 2 (2022)Release date: Oct 07, 2022

Morbius Rotten Reviews

How Morbius’ Rotten Tomatoes Score Compares to Every Jared Leto Movie

About The Author

David Miller
(594 Articles Published)

David Miller is a staff writer for Screen Rant, indie comic writer, and life-long lover of all things Star Wars, Marvel, and DC. He was born and raised in New York and has a degree in English from Rider University. He relates to Peter Parker maybe a little too much.

More From David Miller

Author: Deann Hawkins