The future for Tom Holland’s Spider-Man is bright. There are endless possibilities for where the character could go next, and what challenges may end up at his doorstep. One of those many options is Mister Negative, otherwise known as Martin Li. The character is a more recent addition to Spidey’s lore, having made his debut appearance in any medium in 2007. The big bad got his powers thanks to some nonconsensual drug testing that changed him forever.
In fact, he acquired his abilities at the same time as Cloak and Dagger, two big Marvel Comics mainstays. However, for Martin, it was different.
He became gifted with powers fueled by both the Darkforce and Lightforce. In turn, Li also developed a second personality. So, while one side of him is a Crime Lord, the other is a philanthropist.
The antagonist was, most recently, one of the main bad guys in the Spider-Man PS4 game that debuted in 2018. Given his popularity boost, having him show up in a future Spidey flick is certainly a possibility.
It is even something that Stephen Oyoung, the man who voiced the character in the game, would want to bring to life if given the opportunity.
Mr. Negative's Stephen Oyoung on Joining the MCU
Stephen Oyoung, the actor behind Mister Negative in Insomniac Games’ PS4 Spider-Man game, has taken to Twitter and commented on rumors that he may bring the character to life on the big screen in Spider-Man 4.
In a response to a Twitter account posting about his potential role, Oyoung exclaimed that he “[is] seeing more and more rumors” from fans regarding his fan-casting in the upcoming Spider-Man sequel:
“Yes. I am seeing more and more rumors about Spider-Man 4 online. All I have to say is, Sony it’s ok if you lost my phone number. DM me.”
He continued, saying that he gives “all props… to [Insomniac Games] for taking the [initial] risk:”
“I think all props have to go to [Insomniac Games] for taking the risk and bringing Mr. Negative into the mainstream and showing Hollywood it could work!”
The actor then cracked a joke, saying that the only way he would be able to get the role would be to “steal the Soul Stone and switch places with Steven Yuen.”
Will Mr. Negative Be In Spider-Man 4?
It is important to note how the Twitter account to which Oyoung is responding is not a reliable one, and there’s no backing to anything it is saying. Even with that in mind, it’s great to see how the actor is more than willing to return to the role.
But what are the odds that he’ll show up sooner rather than later as the MCU's Mister Negative.
At the end of Spider-Man: No Way Home, it became apparent that Aunt May’s FEAST was going to be pulled even more into the spotlight. While May was clearly a huge part of that organization, in the comics, Martin Li is integral within the company as well.
Even if the character doesn’t reach full villain status yet, slowly establishing him over time would be a great direction to go. After all, Marvel has a lot of other villains waiting to be tackled. For example, there’s the Venom symbiote crawling around somewhere, Kingpin’s reemergence in New York City, and even those loose ends with Mac Gargan’s Scorpion.
Spider-Man: No Way Home is now available for purchase on digital marketplaces.
