Spider-Man: No Way Home is clearly slated to be the MCU's biggest venture since Avengers: Endgame as it sees the return of heroes and villains from across the multiverse.
Even beyond the multiversal goings-on of the movie, the highly-anticipated sequel will be following up on one of the biggest cliffhangers of all time as Peter Parker's Spider-Man identity has now been revealed to the world.
So far, based on both trailers and additional marketing, Sony and Marvel Studios have teased the return of Doc Ock, Electro, Sandman, Lizard, and Green Goblin. Given the list of five villains, most assumed a sixth would be included to assemble the iconic Spider-Man villain team, the Sinister Six.
Previous rumors have suggested Paul Giamatti's Rhino, who made his debut briefly in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, would serve as the final villain. However, recent reports have indicated the mech-suited villain may be absent from the film, casting doubt on the hopes of a live-action Sinister Six.
Which Villain Isn't in No Way Home?
In a recent tweet, popular insider DanielRPK claimed Green Goblin, Doc Ock, Sandman, Lizard, and Electro will be the villains of Spider-Man: No Way Home.
The insider's latest comments support statements from fellow scooper ViewerAnon that Paul Giamatti's Rhino will be absent from the multiverse romp.
Assuming these rumors prove true, No Way Home will seemingly only have five villains, casting doubt on speculation of a Sinister Six team-up.
No Sinister Six for No Way Home
Interestingly, Rhino was initially reported to be present in No Way Home by Collider, alongside the first mentions of Lizard and Sandman returning. While the other two have since been heavily teased in official marketing, Rhino has been suspiciously absent from the discussion.
Based on the consistent reliability of the insiders in question, it appears as if The Amazing Spider-Man 2's Rhino will not be returning for Spider-Man: No Way Home. Given how heavily underutilized Giamatti's mech-suited villain was in his debut appearance, it's unfortunate to hear he may not get another shot at the character.
But most importantly, the absence of Rhino leaves only five villains remaining for the wall-crawler sequel, casting doubt on hopes of a Sinister Six team-up. Ultimately, this seems like a tragic missed opportunity for Sony, but the studio may be saving the villainous team for later in Tom Holland's heroic career.
While DanielRPK's comments suggest otherwise, it remains possible a sixth villain may still appear to complete the line-up with Tom Hardy's Venom, Michael Keaton's Vulture, and Jake Gyllenhaal's Mysterio being the obvious candidates.
Further details regarding the story and its antagonists ought to become clearer when the second trailer arrives, likely at some point in November.
Both anticipation and hopes for No Way Home are naturally higher than ever and the movie has a lot to achieve to match the hype levels created by fans after months of social media discussion and theories.
Whatever the case, Spider-Man: No Way Home will still be packed with plenty of heroes and villains alike and remains set to be the biggest MCU outing since 2019's Avengers: Endgame.
Spider-Man: No Way Home hits theaters on December 17, 2021.
