A superhero is only as cool as his rogues gallery. By that standard alone, Spider-Man is easily one of the coolest superheroes out there. Onscreen, we’ve already met the Green Goblin and Dr. Octopus, and in his latest adventure, the webhead battles not just one, but three major heavies.
Don’t worry about the filmmakers using up all the good villains in one movie, though: poor Spidey has plenty more bruisers and brawlers on the horizon, as you’ll see in this handy list that gives you the lowdown on the trio of baddies in “Spider-Man 3.”
SANDMAN (Thomas Haden Church): Hiding out from the law at a beachside nuclear testing ground, William Baker (a.k.a. Flint Marko) discovers that his radiation-bombarded body has fused with the sand particles, allowing him to change his form from human to sand-monster.
Powers: Can shape-shift at will, as well as change his size; able to harden the sand in his body to make himself impervious to attacks and dish out major punishment.
Weaknesses: Water and/or ice.
Threat level: He’s not particularly dangerous if you’re fighting him in the middle of winter by an ocean, but on a summer day in midtown Manhattan, he’s a formidable opponent.
NEW GOBLIN (James Franco): A bad guy created for the movies, Harry Osborn blames Spider-Man for the death of his father, Norman, a.k.a. the Green Goblin, and takes up his daddy’s mantle.
Powers: In addition to all of his dad’s equipment, including the goblin glider and pumpkin bombs, Harry’s got some fresh tricks up his sleeve.
Weaknesses: Daddy issues.
Threat level: This whiny papa’s boy has too many internal demons to be much of a threat.
VENOM (Topher Grace): Blaming Spider-Man for his downfall, disgraced journalist Eddie Brock willingly bonds himself to a powerful alien symbiote that shares his hatred for Spidey.
Powers: Venom is basically a more powerful version of Spider-Man – which is exactly what makes him so dangerous.
Weaknesses: Noises and fire.
Threat level: Other Spidey villains have more depth, but few can dish out as much punishment as Venom.
