The Hollywood Reporter has broken the news that Jake Gyllenhaal (Donnie Darko) is in talks to play the classic Spider-Man, Mysterio.
"The actor is in talks to play the classic Marvel villain Mysterio in the sequel to Spider-Man: Homecoming. Spider-Man creators Stan Lee and Steve Ditko introduced Mysterio in the comics in 1964. A special effects expert, Quentin Beck used his talents to create elaborate illusions to commit crimes and to fight Spider-Man" (See full story HERE).
UPDATE: Variety is reporting that Michael Keaton will return as the Vulture (seen HERE).
AFJ's Take: An interesting choice as Gyllenhaal has long been rumored to be the next Batman. With this news, perhaps the rumors of Ben Affleck remaining in the role are true. Gyllenhaal is a fantastic actor, who can play darker characters with a wider range than most actors of his generation. We hope these talks go well and we see Gyllenhaal under Mysterio's dome.
Who is Mysterio? "Quentin Beck was born in Riverside, California. Before becoming Mysterio, Beck was a special-effects wizard who worked for a major studio and had dreams to make a name for himself in the film industry. Beck began his career as a movie stuntman in Hollywood, then became interested in special effects. He became one of the most accomplished special effects designers in the industry, but due to lack of recognition, he wanted to become an actor. However, he lacked the looks and talent to be a star and the patience to be a director, and saw his career in special-effects to be a dead-end job. When a friend of his jokingly suggested that the quickest way to become famous was to take out a costumed hero, Beck realized that his expertise in illusions could make him an effective super-villain. Choosing Spider-Man, then a relatively weak and inexperienced target, Beck prepared his resources for a few months before attempting to eliminate the wall-crawler.[1]Mysterio, his chosen identity, became one of Spider-Man's most elusive and persistent foes." See full Marvel Wiki HERE.
