In Spider-Man: No Way Home, Doctor Strange's botched spell pulled six familiar villains into Earth-616 for a clash with Tom Holland's web-slinger.
The Green Goblin, Doctor Octopus, Electro, Sandman, and The Lizard all battled Spidey, though Venom chose to remain in Mexico. Needless to say, with The Vulture randomly sent to Morbius' reality, there's been a lot of speculation about what Rhys Ifans is doing in Venom: The Last Dance.
The prevailing theory has been that he might be a redeemed Curt Connors or perhaps even a new Variant of the character. After all, why cast him in this threequel if The Amazing Spider-Man star's Marvel history isn't acknowledged in any way?
Well, that's exactly what happens.
In Venom: The Last Dance, Ifans is playing Martin, an alien-obsessed father who has dragged his family - Nova, Echo, and Leaf - on a trip to Area 51 before it's commissioned.
Martin doesn't appear to be based on anyone from the comic books but he befriends Eddie and the fugitive reporter does bond with the kindly family that helps get him to Las Vegas. They return in the final act, but we won't be spoiling their roles in that here.
Talking to The Hollywood Reporter, Venom: The Last Dance writer/director Kelly Marcel admitted Ifans returning as The Lizard was never considered for the Venom threequel. The same applied to Chiwetel Ejiofor who is best known as the MCU's Baron Mordo.
"They’re brilliant actors, and they play different roles. For me, it was just about having the right actors for these parts, and I can’t imagine anyone but Rhys playing Martin," she explained. "I also can’t imagine anyone other than Chiwetel playing Strickland."
"They’re amazing actors, and I’m so grateful we got to work with them. So none of us really thought about their prior characters that they had played."
In Venom: The Last Dance, Tom Hardy returns as Venom, one of Marvel's greatest and most complex characters, for the final film in the trilogy. Eddie and Venom are on the run. Hunted by both of their worlds and with the net closing in, the duo are forced into a devastating decision that will bring the curtains down on Venom and Eddie's last dance.
The movie stars Tom Hardy, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Juno Temple, Peggy Lu, Alanna Ubach, Stephen Graham, and Rhys Ifans. Kelly Marcel directs from a screenplay she wrote, based on a story by Hardy and Marcel. The film is produced by Avi Arad, Matt Tolmach, Amy Pascal, Kelly Marcel, Tom Hardy and Hutch Parker.
Venom: The Last Dance will be released in theaters on October 25.