Alfred Molina Confirms Doctor Octopus's Return In Spider-Man: No Way Home: "It's The Worst Kept Secret In Hollywood"

Alfred Molina has confirmed he'll reprise his role as Doctor Octopus in Spider-Man: No Way Home.

The 67-year-old actor portrayed Otto Octavius the scientist-turned-villain in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man 2 in 2004, and is set to reprise the charcter in the Jon Watts-helmed follow-up to 2019's Spider-Man: Far from Home.

Molina confessed that his return to the Marvel franchise is “the worst kept secret in Hollywood".

He explained to Variety: “When we were shooting it, we were all under orders not to talk about it, because it was supposed to be some great big secret.

“But, you know, it’s all over the internet. I actually described myself as the worst kept secret in Hollywood!”

On how his character will slot into the hotly-anticipated movie, which sees Tom Holland return as the titular web-throwing superhero, he quipped: “It was very interesting going back after 17 years to play the same role, given that in the intervening years, I now have two chins, a wattle, crow’s feet and a slightly a slightly dodgy lower back.”

Doctor Octopus actually died in Spider-Man 2, but Molina insisted: “In this universe, no one really dies."

He also revealed he discussed with Watts how it would work bringing him back after almost two decades, as he was in his 50s the last time he played the villain.

However, Watts told him about the technology used to make Marvel stars Robert Downey Jr. and Samuel L. Jackson appear younger in 2016’s Captain America: Civil War and 2019's Captain Marvel, respectively.

He recalled: “He just looked at me, and said, ‘Did you see what we did to Bob Downey Jr. and Sam Jackson?'”

Molina added: “I don’t have the same physicality that I had 17 years ago. That’s just a fact.

“I then remembered that it’s the tentacles that do all the work!”

The Promising Young Woman star was rumoured to have boarded Spider-Man: No Way Home when casting news leaked at the end of last year.

In the same report, it was revealed that Jamie Foxx would reprise his role as Electro and Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange.

Spider-Man: No Way Home opens in cinemas on Dec 16. — BANG SHOWBIZ

Photo: TPG News/Click Photos