Keaton’s Vulture has gone largely unseen in the MCU following the defeat he suffered at the hands of Tom Holland’s Spider-Man. However, that does not mean his existence has not loomed large over Holland’s Spider-Man. With Spider-Man: No Way Home right around the corner, it’s possible to see Keaton reprise his role in the film’s post-credits ahead of his appearance in Morbius.

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Keaton recently sat down with Jimmy Kimmel to discuss his return to the DC Universe as Batman. In doing so, Keaton revealed that he was about to shoot “Vulture stuff” as well. In the realm of the MCU, “Vulture stuff” could refer to plenty of things ranging from a scene for No Way Home or Morbius, which Keaton is already known to be a part of. Keaton is not the only villain the MCU has kept alive and typically, it means that they will come to play a huge part in the superhero universe down the road. After appearing in Thor, Loki served as the main villain in The Avengers, and went on to become one of the most popular characters within the Marvel Universe. The God of Mischief even earned his own series on Disney Plus, which has already been renewed for a second season.

Joining him is Bucky Barnes, Captain America’s best friend and eventual foe in The Winter Soldier. Like Loki, Bucky went on to have a series on Disney Plus alongside Sam Wilson, where he ditched his HYDRA persona and reclaimed his identity as a hero. Captain America: Civil War’s Baron Zemo is another worthy mention, as he tore the Avengers apart. The superhero faction struggled to get back on the same page after his antics, and despite not appearing in another film, Zemo was a pivotal character in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Even though he has been recaptured, his victorious smile in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’s finale means that the MCU probably hasn’t seen the last of him.

Since Keaton played a huge role in Holland’s Spider-Man story, it’s possible that he could appear in the post-credits for No Way Home. With the film set to bring in a lot of new villains, including a potential variation of the Sinister Six, it is possible that Vulture will make a triumphant return. In the comics, Vulture is one of the founding members of the Sinister Six, which also included Doc Ock, Electro, Mysterio, Sandman, and Kraven the Hunter. Doc Ock, Electro, and Sandman have already been confirmed for No Way Home, and Mysterio was the villain in Far From Home. In fact, he is the reason Doctor Strange attempts to cast a spell in No Way Home to help everyone forget that Peter Parker is Spider-Man. This only leaves Kraven unaccounted for, though Aaron Taylor-Johnson will play him in an upcoming film.

If Vulture doesn’t make an appearance in response to the villainry in No Way Home, it’s possible that he will appear in lieu of the upcoming release of Morbius in January. In the trailer previously released for Morbius, Keaton was seen very briefly, calling after Michael Morbius (Jared Leto). In the trailer, Vulture shouts, “Hey, Dr. Mike. You and I should keep in touch.” How Morbius comes into contact with Vulture could be due to various factors. With Morbius battling his heroic and villainous emotions, he could seek Vulture’s alliance in his vampire state. The other possibility is that once Morbius lands in jail for the killings his alter ego is responsible for, leading the doctor’s path to cross with Vulture. His release from prison may warrant Vulture to call out to him with his somewhat threatening suggestion.

A post-credits scene that may utilize Keaton to help establish Morbius would work in a manner much like the end-credits from Eternals. After attempting to tell Sersi that his family history is a lot more complicated than he previously thought, Dane Whitman is seen in the second post-credits scene. He approaches a case holding the Ebony Blade, which is a huge part of the Black Knight, a role filled by Dane in the comics. Before Dane manages to get his hands on the blade, he is stopped by a voice. The speaker doesn’t appear on camera but many were quick to recognize the voice as Mahershala Ali’s. Ali was previously cast as the MCU’s Blade, taking the role previously fulfilled by Wesley Snipes in the Blade trilogy.

Such a minimal appearance (or lack of appearance and mere delivery of a line) can go a long way in the MCU to help connect some of its stories. It can also be beneficial to piece together the internal timeline of the superhero universe. Dane will surely play some role in Ali’s Blade, and it’s possible that there will be an official look at Ali as the character in the post-credits for Morbius. If Vulture should appear in this capacity in a post-credits scene for No Way Home, he could potentially find himself opposite of Holland’s Spider-Man once again, or squaring off against a new Marvel hero.

Spider-Man: No Way Home premieres in theaters on December 17, 2021.

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