Spider-Man 3: No Way Home Theory: How Jake Gyllenhaal's Mysterio Could Return

By Richard Nebens Updated:
Spider-Man-No Way Home Mysterio Tom Holland

Through the course of the MCU’s 13-year history, almost no movie’s first trailer has built up more hype than the one for December’s Spider-Man: No Way Home. With rumors pointing to Marvel bringing in heroes and villains from every Spider-Man franchise of the 21st century, the stage is set for arguably the biggest solo superhero movie of all time to close out 2021.

Upon its debut, the first look at Spider-Man: No Way Home brought everything fans were hoping for from this adventure and so much more. MCU newcomers were teased while Peter Parker's on-the-run status took center stage, teasing an intense solo story coming in Tom Holland's sixth MCU appearance to date.

The movie is set to put Peter Parker on an unprecedented path as he faces off against enough villains for a Sinister Six roster, with the help of Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange and potentially two other web-slingers. The multiverse will be unleashed, and it’s clear that Tom Holland’s hero is in for a world of intense trouble.

On top of all the multiversal madness, Peter still has the issues from the end of Spider-Man: Far From Home to deal with after his secret identity was revealed to the world. While there were no signs of his presence in the film, the whole ordeal with Mysterio was teased on more than one occasion in the first three minutes of footage.

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Marvel

For all the heroes and villains rumored and confirmed in this film's cast, the villain of Spider-Man: Far From Home isn't included on that extensive list. However, No Way Home's first trailer may be hinting that this status could change before the movie debuts.

“SPIDER-MAN’S NAME IS PETER PARKER!”

In the first trailer for Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures' Spider-Man: No Way Home, Jake Gyllenhaal's Mysterio was mentioned on multiple occasions by Tom Holland's Peter Parker.

The young hero, while handcuffed in a police station, adamantly tell authorities that he's not Mysterio's murderer:

"Listen, I did not kill Mysterio! The drones did!"

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Marvel

A bit later in the trailer, Peter visits Stephen Strange's snowy Sanctum Sanctorum and is honest about how Quentin Beck has changed his life for the worse: 

"When Mysterio revealed my identity, my entire life got screwed up."

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Marvel

Some fans have begun to theorize how this could set up a return appearance for Jake Gyllenhaal's Quentin Back aka Mysterio in the 2021 threequel.

THE FINAL SINISTER SIX MEMBER?

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Marvel

The first three minutes of footage from Spider-Man: No Way Home teased appearances for more than one of the movie's villains including Willem Dafoe's Green Goblin and Alfred Molina's Doctor Octopus. Possible hints at Jamie Foxx's Electro and Rhys Ifran's Lizard also came into play, and reports have pointed to more bad guys coming into play as well.

Should this movie be bringing together a full-blown Sinister Six, the MCU's Quentin Beck could be in line for one of the final spots on the roster.

Besides all the multiversal madness, a big part of the threequel's plot will center around the general public's anger towards Peter Parker having his identity unveiled thanks to Mysterio. This came in the final seconds of Spider-Man: Far From Home, so the effects haven't been seen yet, but this plotline in itself is enough to fill an entire movie on its own.

HOW COULD MYSTERIO MAKE AN IMPACT?

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Marvel

Jake Gyllenhaal's villain is already set to have an impact on this movie with reports of imagery that will send Peter Parker's public image into a horrible state. Even though he appeared to be dead after his final battle with Peter in Far From Home, Mysterio's known as the ultimate master of trickery in both the comics and the MCU.

Taking into account that it's unknown how he would come back from his apparent death, Quentin Beck could find his way back into the fray and bring his impressive technology into battle alongside the other villains. Even so, with how often his imagery has popped up already, his inclusion among the Sinister Six could be a viable option if there are less than the required six members.

With how much Mysterio is being used in the merchandising and the movie's first trailer, it may not come as a shock if Quentin Beck makes a grand return alongside the multiversal Spidey bad guys already confirmed. It would also force Peter Parker to face a villain he's already familiar with along with those he's seeing for the first time.

With so much other madness coming in Marvel Studios' third Spider-Man outing, a Mysterio comeback could be just the thing to push the story to new levels of insanity.

Spider-Man: No Way Home is set to debut in theaters on December 17, 2021.

- In This Article: Spider-Man: No Way Home
Release Date
December 17, 2021
Platform
Theaters
- About The Author: Richard Nebens
Richard Nebens joined The Direct in March 2020, now serving as the site's Senior Writer and also working as an assistant editor and content creator. He started his journalism career as a hobby in 2019 and is passionate about sharing news and stories from the entertainment industry, especially comic book movies, comedy, and sci-fi. Richard looks to expand his knowledge about movies and TV every day, and he is eager to stay locked into the latest releases and breaking news at every opportunity.