A number of under-the-radar Spider-Man villains could finally get some much-needed attention in 2026. With two live-action projects on the horizon for the wallcrawler this year, there are more opportunities than usual to bring Spider-Man’s world to life. In fact, it has already been confirmed that several Spider-Man antagonists who have never appeared in live-action will debut this year.
In Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Tom Holland’s Peter Parker will face Tombstone, and promotional artwork indicates Boomerang and Tarantula will also be present. Not only that, but we’ll see Scorpion in costume for the first time, a decade after Michael Mando played Mac Gargan in Spider-Man: Homecoming.
On the TV side, Spider-Noir is set to introduce a live-action Silvermane and what is presumably a proper Molten Man. Between the upcoming MCU film and Prime Video’s Nicolas Cage-led TV series, there are all sorts of options for characters who could show up, including B-list characters who often don’t get the appreciation they deserve.
Man Mountain Marko
Despite being a lesser-known villain in Spider-Man’s rogues’ gallery, Man Mountain Marko has better odds than most of his contemporaries for a potential live-action appearance. Introduced in 1969, Man Mountain Marko is a gangster with superhuman strength and the original second-in-command of Silvermane.
A character who has committed some truly atrocious acts in Spider-Man comics, Man Mountain Marko would fit into Spider-Noir’s world tonally, not to mention his deep connections to Silvermane. The marketing for Spider-Noir has made it clear that Silvermane will be a prominent figure in the show’s overarching story, quite possibly filling the role of its main villain.
Obviously, he’ll have other gangsters at his beck and call, and it stands to reason that Man Mountain Marko – based on his comic book history – will be among them. Utilizing Man Mountain Marko would give Silvermane someone to interact with during his villainous activities while also providing Ben Reilly with a challenging fight when he inevitably clashes with Silvermane’s forces.
Hammerhead
Although he lacks the fanfare of characters like Kingpin, notorious crime boss Hammerhead is a longtime Spider-Man villain and a character in need of a live-action role at some point or another. Spider-Noir is easily the best possible avenue for the character to date, given its 1930s setting.
In addition to possessing an unnaturally shaped head that he can use as a weapon, Hammerhead is known for having the personality, mannerisms, and fashion sense of a 1920s gangster. This aspect of the character would either be removed from a modern-day take on Hammerhead or risk coming across as out of place.
But by placing Hammerhead in Spider-Noir, he’d seem right at home. What’s more, organized crime will clearly be a significant part of the story, so it wouldn’t be surprising if Hammerhead was introduced as one of the crime bosses Ben Reilly will meet in New York City.
Big Wheel
First appearing in 1978’s The Amazing Spider-Man #182, Jackson Weele is a villain who conducts criminal operations by piloting a gigantic armored wheel invented by the Tinkerer (a character already represented in the MCU thanks to Spider-Man: Homecoming).
Due to his name, modus operandi, and ineptitude at fighting Spider-Man, Big Wheel has become the subject of jokes among comic fans. For better or worse, Jackson Weele is a supervillain most fail to take seriously.
However, the over-the-top nature of this villain would make for a thrilling yet humorous action sequence in a live-action Spider-Man movie. If Spider-Man: Brand New Day pits Peter against multiple low-level villains, the Big Wheel would be an excellent fit for a fun standalone fight scene with considerable destructive potential.
Beetle
Abner Jenkins aligns perfectly with Spider-Man: Brand New Day’s villain roster. He, along with Boomerang, Tarantula, and Scorpion are all street-level supervillains who operate as mercenaries. If the latter three are in the film because they’ve been hired to take down Spider-Man, it’s possible that Beetle will be present too.
It’s not hard to imagine a character like Beetle in the MCU, especially given the first two Spider-Man movies’ reliance on technology to justify their villains’ capabilities. Beetle fits into a similar category thanks to his Iron Man-esque suits. His older suits were equipped with suction cups and wings—two aspects of his design that would allow the MCU to distance him from Iron Man if necessary.
In Marvel Comics, Beetle becomes the leader of a team called the Sinister Syndicate. Like the Sinister Six, they fight Spider-Man but differ as this isn’t their sole purpose nor are they made up of his greatest villains. That’s also true for Spider-Man: Brand New Day’s villain lineup (so far), so Spider-Man battling Beetle and his Sinister Syndicate remains possible.
The Enforcers
A trio of characters who would work in either Spider-Man: Brand New Day or Spider-Noir,The Enforcers are the oldest villain team in Spider-Man comics.and recurring figures in storylines associated with Marvel’s criminal underworld.
The Enforcers comprise Montana, Fancy Dan, and Ox—essentially hired hitmen with their own skillsets or purposes. Ox represents raw power with his immense strength and size while Fancy Dan relies more on skill—whether it’s with a gun or hand-to-hand combat. Finally, Montana fights with a lasso like a cowboy.
All three were reimagined in the Spider-Man Noir universe and could receive similar treatments in Prime Video’s show. This makes sense particularly with Spider-Noir’sSilvermane being targeted for assassination attempts that could have been perpetrated by The Enforcers.
The three characters could also serve as hitmen controlled by Silvermane himself. If that happens, they could function as henchmen for him during his conflict with Ben Reilly—allowing them to appear as recurring secondary antagonists he battles throughout the season.
Vermin
Originally introduced as a Captain America villain before being repurposed as an enemy to Spider-Man,Vermin is a sewer-dwelling monstrous creature who was once human. Capable of controlling rats and dogs,Vermin is formidable enough that Spider-Man needed Captain America’s help during their first encounter.
The vicious behavior and cannibalistic lifestyle Vermin leads in New York City’s sewers would make him a darker alternative to Curt Conners if Spider-Noir wants to offer its own spin on classic Lizard storyline from Spider-Man comics.
Ben Reilly may deal primarily with organized crime throughout most of the show but some cases could lead him into different territory. The series could feature an episode where he investigates mysterious savage killings culminating in an encounter with Vermin.
If Spider-Noir‘s tone is much bleaker than previous Spider-Man stories then it stands poised to present an appropriately comic-accurate adaptation of this bestial villain.
- Release Date
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July 31, 2026
- Director
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Destin Daniel Cretton
- Producers
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Amy Pascal, Kevin Feige,Rachel O’Connor,Avi Arad,Louis D’Esposito
