Alfred Molina will return as Doctor Octopus in the new Spider-Man 3 with Zendaya and Tom Holland

Alfred Molina is making his return to the Marvel franchise as Doctor Octopus in the new Spider-Man 3. 

On Tuesday it was announced that the  67-year-old British born actor would be returning as the villainous inventor in the Tom Holland led installment, which is currently slated for theaters on December 17. 

First gracing the big screen as Otto Octavius in 2004’s Spider-Man 2 alongside Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst, Molina has become synonymous with the role which makes the news all the more exciting. 

Rumors of Molina’s involvement first brewed last month after a Marvel-related source told GGW that he had been on set doing stunt choreography and filming some scenes. 

The source however could not confirm if the metal-armed costume would look the same as it did in Sam Raimi’s 2004 film. 

 In a 2014 interview with Collider, Molina spoke fondly of his time as ‘Doc Oc’ when asked if he would ever return to the franchise. 

‘That was the most fun I think I’ve ever had on a movie of that kind,’ he said. 

‘Those big, big sort of features where you spend like six months hanging off a wire, you know. It was the first movie of that kind that I’d ever been involved in. I had a wonderful time.’

He continued to say that he absolutely ‘loved it,’ while adding, ‘I’d go back and do it again in a heartbeat.’

Now confirmed as a player in the new generation of Spider-Man films starring Zendaya as Michelle and Holland as Peter Parker, Molina continues to fuel rumors that other major players will return.

Jamie Foxx who is returning as Electro from 2014’s The Amazing Spider-Man 2, caused a frenzy in October after he alluded in a now-deleted Instagram post that three different Spider-Men could appear. 

The internet was ablaze with the idea that a meshing of multiple ‘Spiderverses’ – in which Maguire and Andrew Garfield would appear – could be a reality, though Marvel and Sony refused to comment on the matter. 

Echoing the sentiment in a December 3rd Jimmy Kimmel Live interview with Zendaya, Kimmel tried to pry some information out of her to which she responded that she could ‘neither confirm or deny.’ 

Additionally an since-removed video put out by Sony last week was titled, ‘The 3 Spider-Man Together,’ and continued to say ‘In Spider-Man 3 you will quite possibly see everyone – yes – the three Peter Parkers saving the world together.’

With the set release date a little more than a week away it is unclear if any more surprise announcements will be made or if audiences will just have to see for themselves.