Top 5 Spider-Man Villains We Need to See in the Movies

Although it was quick and easy to miss, Ant-Man contained the first ever reference to Spider-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And so begins a new era for the Avengers, one where the Wall-Crawler can be a prominent member of the team. Spidey will appear in Captain America: Civil War, and later will receive a standalone film in the MCU.

There is no shortage of adaptable Spider-Man content, and Disney need not resort to the same old plots and, in particular, villains. We get it. The Green Goblin is bad. Spidey has some of the coolest and most original nemeses in the Marvel universe, and it’s a shame that more of them haven’t been explored. But that’s an easy fix, right, Spider-Man writers? Instead of rehashing familiar ideas, here are five of Spider-Man’s greatest foes that have yet to be adapted for the big screen, and are crying for attention.

Hammerhead

Not to be confused with Justin Hammer, who was featured as a villain in Iron Man 2, Hammerhead appears in Spider-Man’s world as an ultra-classy, 1920s style gangster with a profoundly misshapen head. His cranial deformity is due to his skull being mostly metal, having been rebuilt that way after it was crushed in a street fight. He often goes toe to toe with Spidey as he ascends the organized crime ladder in New York City. He may not have any superpowers, but his metal skull is more or less indestructible, and he is a skilled hand-to-hand combatant, and his weapon of choice is a classic mafia-style Tommy Gun.

Given Hammerhead’s long running feud with Spider-Man and his roaring 20s throwback image, he would be a good choice as a villain in an upcoming Spider-Man film. But wait, it gets even better. Not only does Hammerhead often square off often with Spidey, he even has his own army during the Civil War. Can you say “seamless character introduction”?

Mysterio

Mysterio is a very cool and entirely unique villain in Spider-Man’s world. He has no superpowers, and rarely fights Spider-Man face to face. He is, like Parker, a genius level scientist who employs his knowledge of chemistry, physics, and applied sciences in his face-offs against Webhead. He often uses hypnotism and hallucinogens against his victims, and, as a former Hollywood stuntman and special effects engineer, creates confusing traps and labyrinths to play mind games with Spidey.

Mysterio is a legitimate threat to Spider-Man, but he is also a comical one. Given the overall lightness of the Spider-Man stories, Mysterio fits right in as a strong villain, misfit, and movie-worthy bad guy.

Kraven the Hunter

Kraven is a Russian big-game hunter who is hell-bent on hunting and capturing Spider-Man. Like others on this list, he himself doesn’t possess any superpowers, but he has access to mystical elixirs or potions that grant him super strength, speed, endurance, and so forth, even to a level equal to Spider-Man’s own powers.

Not many of Spidey’s foes can claim that they have actually killed him, but Kraven comes pretty close. At one point in time, he shoots Spider-Man with a tranquilizer and buries him alive. This feat alone makes Kraven film-worthy, and, let’s be honest, we could all use a little (or a lot) more leopard print in our lives.

Scorpion

Honestly, to this day I’m still surprised that Scorpion hasn’t made it into any of the Spider-Man films yet. He is just so prominent in Spidey’s world, and has close ties to characters who have already appeared in the films, the most familiar of which is J. Jonah Jameson. Jameson, flummoxed regarding Parker’s ability to get such great photos of Spider-Man, hires Mac Gargan, a private investigator, to solve the mystery. Gargan is unable to do so, and eventually becomes the subject of scientific experimentation that leads to him becoming the Scorpion.

Scorpion possesses all the requisite superhuman attributes necessary to fight Spider-Man (speed, strength, reflexes, etc.) and also has a long tail with a razor sharp point as part of his Scorpion Suit. On camera, Scorpion and his costume might look a bit ridiculous, so it may be a good idea to highlight a more insect-like side of Scorpion, rather than just having him look like a green version of Spidey with a tail.

Chameleon

The Chameleon, also known as Dmitri Smerdyakov, is the second Russian villain to make the list, and is, in fact, is the half-brother of Kraven the Hunter. However, unlike Kraven, the Chameleon does have a superpower. He is able to change his appearance and imitate anyone.

Having the Chameleon as a villain in future Spider-Man/MCU films would make for some classic Mission: Impossible style deception and fun. Just imagine a bad guy who can perfectly imitate any of the Avengers and easily infiltrate the team. Oh, the possibilities. I’m picturing Chameleon disguised as Black Widow, seducing Tony Stark to get what he (she?) wants. Chameleon could be so great, and so funny. Even just in the image above, you seen the Chameleon (that silver part of his face is what he actually looks like) simultaneously appearing as the Hulk, Hawkeye, Black Widow, Nick Fury, Spider-Man, and others. Of all of Spidey’s foes, Chameleon has the most potential, and probably the coolest power, to have a part in the MCU.

Which Spider-Man villains would you like to see in the upcoming films? Do you agree with our picks, or not so much? Make sure to let us know in the comments!