Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse will break a longstanding Marvel rule with the return of one dangerous villain. Spider-Verse 3 will be the end of one chapter of Miles Morales' big-screen journey when it releases on June 18, 2027. While Across the Spider-Verse introduced several noteworthy villains, like an alternate version of Vulture, the main big bad, the Spot, quickly stole the spotlight as the film's breakout antagonist.
Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse doubles down on that success with a narrative gamble by bringing back the Spot once more as the central villain. This marks the first time since 2019's Avengers: Endgame that a theatrical Marvel movie features the same primary antagonist (Thanos) as its direct predecessor.
This deliberate choice breaks the long-standing "new villain every installment" eight-year rule and turns the final chapter of Miles Morales' animated big-screen journey into something intensely personal and high-stakes.
Following the cliffhanger of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Miles is poised to have a rematch with the same monster he inadvertently empowered.
The Spot was a former Alchemax scientist whose life was completely changed after Miles destroyed the Kingpin's super collider. He was caught by the blast and fused with dark matter. The Spot blamed Miles for turning him into a "freak." While he started out as a goofy antagonist, The Spot's portal powers evolved to a point where he can see and travel across any point in the Multiverse.
What made the Spot even more dangerous was his final declaration in Across the Spider-Verse, telling Miles, "You took everything from me, so I'll take everything from you." This sets the stage for the pair's final confrontation, with the Spot targeting Miles' father, knowing that he is destined to die.
The Spot isn't arriving alone, as several other familiar villains are expected to return in Spider-Verse 3.
Every Major Villain Set To Appear in Spider-Verse 3
Kingpin
Kingpin was defeated by Miles Morales in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, and he didn't physically appear in Across the Spider-Verse. Still, reports claim that Kingpin will return in Spider-Verse 3, with him likely getting out of prison as part of the Spot's revenge scheme against Miles Morales. His presence could tie back to the original collider events and provide emotional weight in Miles' attempt to save his father.
In the live-action space, Vincent D'Onofrio's Kingpin is already a strong pillar in the street-level corner of the MCU. With Spider-Man: Brand New Day poised to introduce the live-action Tombstone as a potential rival to Kingpin's criminal empire, a collision course between Kingpin and Spider-Man feels inevitable, especially after D'Onofrio campaigned for this anticipated crossover.
Kingpin's next on-screen appearance is in Daredevil: Born Again Season 3 on Disney+, which will focus on his exile following Daredevil's destabilization of his political regime.
Tombstone
Tombstone will return in Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse, potentially as a grounded villain in Miles' Earth and his attempt to save his family from the Spot. It's possible that Tombstone could serve as muscle for the returning Kingpin, or he could operate more independently amid the threequel's Multiversal chaos.
Tombstone is poised to make a historic appearance in 2026, as he will appear three times in three separate Spider-Man-related projects. Following his small-screen debut in Prime Video's Spider-Noir, Tombstone will pop up in Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man Season 2 on Disney+.
Marvin Jones III, who voiced Tombstone in the Spider-Verse films, is reprising the role in live-action for Spider-Man: Brand New Day. It marks the first time that an actor has crossed from an animated Spider-Verse villain to the MCU live-action. Tombstone's Brand New Day role positions him as an emerging street-level threat that could also appear in Daredevil: Born Again and other street-level MCU entries, potentially clashing with the Defenders and other heroes.
Spider-Man 2099
Miguel O'Hara (Spider-Man 2099) returns in Spider-Verse 3 as a complex anti-hero who will stop at nothing to prevent Miles Morales from saving his father, who is destined to die.
Still, given that he is still a hero, Miguel could evolve into a reluctant ally with Miles against the Spot, leading variants of the Spider Society to try and defeat the dangerous portal-powered threat.
Oscar Isaac's performance made Miguel an instant fan favorite, making the character's live-action debut feel inevitable. It's possible that Sony Pictures could pull the trigger for a solo Spider-Man 2099 project down the line. The character's cyberpunk future aesthetic and rule-following personality could open up endless storytelling opportunities.
Aaron Davis
At the end of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, the Spider-Man-less Earth-42 revealed that Aaron Davis is alive as an active criminal, partnering with his nephew, Miles G. Morales. It seems this Aaron Davis is Miles G.'s mentor and father figure, providing him with the tools for his Prowler persona.
Across the Spider-Verse offered a brief glimpse at Donald Glover's Aaron Davis in his Prowler suit, and this deliberate tease could lead to an eventual future live-action appearance for the character down the line. The animated expansion of the character in the Spider-Verse franchise makes a bigger live-action role more likely, and it could also tie into a live-action Miles Morales' eventual introduction.
Miles G. Morales
Across the Spider-Verse's twist ending introduced Miles G. Morales, an evil Variant of the main Miles Morales who became the Prowler in Earth-42. The ending sets the stage for an imminent conflict between the two Miles, forcing the main variant to confront "what if" scenarios about fate, family, and different choices.
In the MCU, many would argue that it is inevitable that Miles Morales will debut and team up with Tom Holland's Spider-Man. The character's massive popularity post-Spider-Verse, combined with the Marvel brand's love for Spider-Man, makes a live-action introduction feel like only a matter of time.
As the story of Holland's Peter Parker evolves, Miles is perfectly positioned to lead the next generation of Marvel heroes, potentially in the Mutant Saga, while a younger version of the X-Men takes center stage.
